This week’s
reading describes the importance of collaboration in both facilitating a
learning community and achieving desired outcomes for the course and beyond.
Palloff and Pratt state, “The skills necessary to promote collaboration are not
necessarily imparted to us during our academic preparation, which takes place
for the most part in classrooms promoting independent work” (Palloff and Pratt 2007).
The authors suggest that online learning communities would be a great place for
collaboration to take place.
According
to Pantazis, “Advancement in technology has created an environment for a
learning revolution.” (2002). The power of online learning can better prepare
and support learners as they transition to a high skilled workforce. One
benefit to e-learning, learning experiences delivered or enabled by electronic
technology, is linking learning, people, and organizational performance. The
author states, “…a collaborative approach is essential for building an
e-learning future.” The author admits that there may be challenges, but
suggests that e-learning offers increased opportunities for attaining and
developing necessary skills.
Both
Palloff and Pratt and Pantazis agree that people who partake in online learning
communities collaborate with others which will in turn promote collaboration in
the future. Traditional learning may promote independent thinking or encourage independent
work. According to both readings, the authors agree that by incorporating
online learning communities to learning, individuals will have better
opportunities to collaborate.
Resources
Palloff,
R. & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective
strategies for the virtual classroom, (2nd ed.). San Franciso: Jossey-Bass.
Pantazis, C. (2002). Maximizing E-Learning to Train the 21st
Century Workforce. Public Personnel Management, 31(1), 21-26.
