Collaborative e-learning environments enhanced by wiki technologies

ABSTRACT

E-learning environments have met rapid technological advancements in the previous years. Nevertheless, current e-learning techniques do not adequately support student interaction and collaboration, resulting in decreased student progress and motivation. In this paper, a blended technique combining collaborative forums and wiki technologies is proposed. Through collaborative forums, students discuss course related topics assigned by the tutors to produce new educational material. This material is then stored in the wiki platform for further use. The proposed technique was applied on an e-learning course provided by the National Technical University of Athens and its effectiveness was evaluated using student activity data and questionnaire analysis. Results showed that the technique adequately supported teamwork, increasing student motivation and progress while simultaneously producing satisfactory level educational material.

REFERENCES

• 1: Chen, G.; Shen, R.; Wang, J.; Chen, Z., 2007. Collaborative Education Model and Its Application in E-learning. In Computer and Information Science. ICIS 2007. 6th IEEE/ACIS International Conference on (11-13 Jul. 2007), 856--860. DOI: 10.1109/ICIS.2007.78
• 2: Hamburg, I., Lindecke, C. & Thij, H. ten (2003): Social aspects of e-learning and blending learning methods. In: E-Comm-Line 2003: 4th European Conference on E-Commerce, E-Work, E-Learning, E-Health, E-Banking, EBusiness, On-line Services, Virtual Institutes, and their Influences on the Economic and Social Environment, (25-26 September, 2003), 11-15.
• 3: Simon B. Heilesen , Jens Josephsen, E-learning: Between augmentation and disruption?, Computers & Education, v.50 n.2, p.525-534, February, 2008 [doi>10.1016/j.compedu.2007.09.006]
• 4: Shu-Sheng Liaw , Gwo-Dong Chen , Hsiu-Mei Huang, Users' attitudes toward Web-based collaborative learning systems for knowledge management, Computers & Education, v.50 n.3, p.950-961, April, 2008 [doi>10.1016/j.compedu.2006.09.007]
• 5: Medialab, NTUA. (2008) E-Learning Services, Multimedia Technology Laboratory, National Technological University of Athens. (2008) Retrieved March 02, 2008, from http://elearn.medialab.ntua.gr.
• 6: Teresa Monahan , Gavin McArdle , Michela Bertolotto, Virtual reality for collaborative e-learning, Computers & Education, v.50 n.4, p.1339-1353, May, 2008 [doi>10.1016/j.compedu.2006.12.008]
• 7: Moodle. (2007). Moodle LMS, from http://moodle.org/.
• 8: Antonio Padilla-Meléndez , Aurora Garrido-Moreno , Ana Rosa Del Aguila-Obra, Factors affecting e-collaboration technology use among management students, Computers & Education, v.51 n.2, p.609-623, September, 2008 [doi>10.1016/j.compedu.2007.06.013]
• 9: Jenny Preece, Online Communities: Designing Usability and Supporting Socialbilty, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY, 2000
• 10: Ruth Raitman , Naomi Augar, Employing Wikis for Online Collaboration in the E-Learning Environment: Case Study, Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Information Technology and Applications (ICITA'05) Volume 2, p.142-146, July 04-07, 2005 [doi>10.1109/ICITA.2005.127]
• 11: Reinhold, S.; Abawi, D. (2006) Concepts for Extending Wiki Systems to Supplement Collaborative Learning. In Edutainment: Technology and Application (International Conference on eLearning and Games (Edutainment 2006), (April 2006). Heidelberg: Lecture Notes on Computer Science (LNCS - 3942) Springer, 755--767.
• 12: Salmon, G. (2002). E-activities: the key to active online learning. London: Kogan Page
• 13: Thurmond, V. A., & Wambach, K. (2004). Understanding interactions in distance education: a review of the literature. Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 1, 9--33.
• 14: Martin Wessner , Hans-Rüdiger Pfister, Group formation in computer-supported collaborative learning, Proceedings of the 2001 International ACM SIGGROUP Conference on Supporting Group Work, September 30-October 03, 2001, Boulder, Colorado, USA [doi>10.1145/500286.500293]
• 15: WikiMedialab (2008) Retrieved March 02, 2008, from http://vpn.medialab.ntua.gr/wikimedialab.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.1 Computer Uses in Education

General Terms:
Human Factors, Measurement

Keywords:
collaborative learning, e-learning, wikis