Abstract:

The collaboration skill is an essential study skill (e.g. Cottrell, 2013; Moore, Neville, Murphy, & Connolly, 2010), and, also, it is considered as one of the 21st-century learning skills (e.g. Framework for 21st Century Learning, 2007). Research has shown that collaborative learning leads to higher achievement, less stress and greater student satisfaction (Swan, et al., 2006). Moreover, the online environment, as compared to classroom, allows students to gain more deeper experience in team-work and communication (Hoag & Baldwin, 2000). In recent years, the number of online courses has increased along with the development of technology. These courses might challenge collaboration between participants who are strangers to each other but working together towards the same aim in the learning process. This action research is about restructuring the online course with the team-work assignment to enhance collaboration among participants taking the online course.

The restructuring process involved adding team-work assignment to previous assignments (in 2017). In the process of this assignment, the student looked back to their learning experience acquired from the online course and created a virtual poster in team-work following assessment rubric. Therefore, to study the effectiveness of the assignment, the aim was to find out student opinions about what developed in their collaboration as a study skill within the assignment and their suggestions on how to enhance the collaboration within the assignment.

This action research involves 43 high school students participating in an online course on study skills in 2018. The data was gathered via the feedback questionnaire and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results indicate that within the assignment, participants had an opportunity to develop their skills related to leadership, communication, and compromising. To enhance the collaboration within the assignment, the participants suggested that the supervisor should make random groups to facilitate collaboration between the students who are strangers to each other, and the personal data for contacting each other should be provided. Participants also highlighted that the technical tool for forming the groups should prevent the possibility to erase other members from the team. Further research will address the question of why some of the participants 'disappear' from the team-work assignment or prefer to do the assignment alone, from which the latter is in contradistinction to the aim of the team-work.

References:
[1] Cottrell, S. (2013). The study skills handbook (4th ed). New York: Palgrave
[2] Framework for 21st Century Learning (2007). Visited http://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21/frameworks-resources
[3] Hoag, A., & Baldwin, T. F. (2000). Using case method and experts in inter-university electronic learning teams. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 3(3), 337-348.
[4]Moore, S., Neville, C., & Murphy, M. (2010). The ultimate study skills handbook. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
[5] Swan, K., Shen, J., & Hiltz, S. R. (2006). Assessment and collaboration in online learning. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 10(1), 45-62.

Keywords:

Collaboration, online learning, study skills, action research.