Symposium for Teaching and Learning with Technology

Collaborative Learning in a Distance Learning Environment with IST courses 413, 331, 210, 240, 420.
Patrice Clemson - pac20@psu.edu, Lu Xiao - lxx112@psu.edu

Collaborative technologies used with distance learning:
• ANGEL
• Adobe Connect
⁃ Used for lectures, recordings, and group meetings
• Bridge
⁃ Students online can collaborate synchronously/asynchronously in a virtual workspace which included sharing of documents, group chats, a rational panel, user lists, and more.
• IM
• Cell phones
• Email
• Digital photos
• Videos

Course Configurations
• IST 413 06' - Lu Xiao co-located with students. Collaborative case review activity was performed, but students weren't fully engaged they feel because the activity was not graded.
• IST 331 06' - Lu Xiao was at UP, Pat and her students were at Beaver campus combining Adobe Connect and Bridge technologies
• IST 413 07' - Students were at different locations students developed their own etiquette after learning curve. Students assigned readings outside of class and then gave presentations in class over Connect. Each student group had meeting rooms and then there was a meeting room for the entire class.
⁃ Student Feedback: comfortable taking the class from home, what IST is all about they were using the technology they were learning about
• IST 331 07' - Collaboration between Shenango and Beaver campuses. 1 Shenango student and 3 Beaver student per group. Isolation of student from different campus occurred. Better group dynamic was 2 Shenango students and 2 Beaver students per group. Read assignment and journal about it then discuss in class.

Technology Advantages
• Meet anytime
• Recording of lectures for review later
• Chats draw students into the class

Technology Disadvantages
• IT problems - network lag times
• Microphone issues
• Requires a lot of energy to accomplish (preparation of lectures and technology)
• Learning curve

Lessons Learned
• Initial resistance from students
• Focus on only a few collaborative technologies don't overwhelm them
• Access control for the class

Questions

How do you make sure they are working in collaborative settings like Adobe Connect?
Instructor will pop in to the meeting room and see what progress is being done.

Platforms needed for these Technologies?
Breeze and Bridge are both web-based tools so browsers are required may be some compatibility issues.

Bridge application?
Developed in Lu Xiao's lab, is free and open-source. Breeze is conference tool, Bridge is more for file sharing.