Case+2

= Engagement in Online Collaborative Learning: A Case Study Using a Web 2.0 Tool =
 * Case Description: **

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This is a case study using a Wiki page. In the Spring of 2008, 55 students majoring in technology and information at a university in Taiwan were given an assignment to be completed with a Wiki. There were 11 teams of 5 members each. The assignment was to create a search engine using a collaborative effort on a Wiki page. The whole class shared one Wiki page, and each group had a collective folder in which they could share and manipulate their material and information. The groups were also able to create pages to display their project results, as well as individual roles in the project and reflective learning. =====

**Key Findings: **
 Students were slow in uploading their information and creating their page in the Wiki. It was only after the first team did that the others followed suit.  The teams created a competitive atmosphere with the project.  The students showed poor reflective learning and few critical comments.

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 * Case Evaluation :**

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The use of this Web 2.0 technology worked well for the class project. The students were able to work in a “team work” situation and succeeded in doing so. The Wiki allowed them to share ideas for their project and build on each others thoughts and knowledge. Each team was successful in completing their project and were also satisfied with the outcomes. Making one Wiki and having a folder for each team enabled the professor to leave constant feedback for each group by allowing him access to the Wiki pages. He was able to view and evaluate their progress each day. This also let the instructor see if each student was contributing their equal share. By sharing the Wiki, each team was able to view the other teams progress and know where they stood in the “race.” It caused this assignment to be somewhat of a competition. In this case, the age of the students made for healthy competition, but for primary or secondary students it might not work out so well. =====

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 One way to enhance the effectiveness of this project would be to have each team create their own Wiki for their group. They could allow the professor access in order for him to still give feedback, but their work itself could be private until the finished assignment was posted. Although this would lessen the competition, it would create a sense of safeness for the group members and their work ideas. Also, the finding showed the students had poor reflective learning because they were too focused on the task at hand. In their reflections, they didn't take the time to relate previously learned material to the project they were working on. Having more clear instructions or class discussions to go along with the Wiki project would help the students to understand what is expected in the reflection. ===== = = = =

Pao-Nan Chou, & Ho-Huan Chen. (2008). Engagement in online collaborative learning: A case study using a web 2.0 tool.4(4), 574-575-582.
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