The Good, the Bad, and the Pandemic: An Intra-Group Approach to Exploring Students' Experiences with Collaborative Learning During COVID-19

Collaborative learning is increasingly common in higher education, with several studies pointing to its effectiveness. However, it also poses some social and cognitive challenges for students, resulting in students' mixed attitudes toward collaborative learning. COVID-19 has added to these challenges by, for example, introducing barriers to face-to-face communication. Existing studies exploring the impact of COVID-19 on students' experiences with collaborative learning focus on individual students, missing potential intra-group trends that could be useful to instructors. Using both Likert-style and open-ended questions, this study explored 38 college students' experiences engaging in collaborative learning during COVID-19 both individually and at the intra-group level. Overall, students' experiences were positive both academically and socially, though some experienced challenges such as freeloading and online connection issues. For most groups, there were one or two students who had negative experiences, but these issues seemed to be individual and not indicative of a group-level problem. The study introduces an intra-group approach to collaborative learning research. Its findings suggest that instructors should apply collaborative learning pedagogies to enhance students' learning and social connectedness. Instructors could further improve students' experiences by identifying and solving common issues (e.g., freeloading, technical difficulties) by surveying students or encouraging them to share these difficulties with the instructor. © 2023 University of Calgary. All rights reserved.

Collaborative group work: university students' perceptions and experiences before and during COVID-19.

The present study examines how the transition from in-person to online instruction following COVID-19 restrictions impacted group work in higher education contexts. Senior undergraduate students were surveyed regarding their perceptions and experiences with collaborative instructional methods in the Fall term preceding shutdown associated with COVID-19 and one year later when learning had shifted to online formats due to health mandates. Although students had fewer courses, they had more group work assignments during the pandemic than before. Group work experiences were rated less favorably in terms of efficiency, satisfaction, motivation, and workload demands during the pandemic versus before. However, forming friendships among group members was a salient feature associated with positive perceptions toward group work both before and during the pandemic. Anxiety was associated with negative perceptions toward group work only during the pandemic. Despite considerable comfort and familiarity with online tools, in-person contexts were rated more favorably than online contexts in terms of quality of work produced and learning. Findings reinforce the need to consider inclusion of interactive and social opportunities as important aspects of instructional design, especially in online contexts.

Forms of participation and learning of mathematics in virtual workgroups in engineering students

The objective of the research was to determine the relationship between the type of participation, collaborative organizational structure of the groups and the learning of mathematics, in a group task carried out in virtual form by the context of health emergency by COVID19. During four weeks, eight working groups composed of three environmental engineering students worked four activities on the analysis of the variation of functions. The working meetings were developed by ZOOM and WhatsApp. It was found that reasoning and argumentation as well as problem solving is favored when students express new ideas or explanations about any doubt or when they address the content of the task, especially in groups with an integrative organizational structure. © 2023 IEEE.

Benefits perceived by vietnamese efl learners and their engagement in online collaborative learning during the covid-19 pandemic

The benefits of collaborative learning have been proven by previous research across disciplines, contexts, and levels of education. The present study aims to validate these benefits perceived by 76 English-As-A-foreign-language (EFL) learners who experienced online-collaborative learning via group work activities in English translation classes at a local university, South Vietnam during the Covid-19 pandemic. Surveying these learners at the end of the course via a questionnaire and analyzing their reciprocal assignment discussion recordings were carried out. The survey results uncovered that the learners highly appreciated online collaborative learning because they perceived that it was beneficial to their future life, career, cognition, and social communication strategies. Their positive view on collaborative learning benefits was deemed to engage them in online group work activities while interacting with partners to complete shared assignments. Furthermore, the empirical discussion recordings analysis documented their sound engagement via a range of group work interactive acts. It is believed that these online purposeful interactions make learning occur, knowledge acquired, and social skills reinforced by the learners. As a result, the present study not only validates the robust benefits reported in previous studies, but also it could be used as a guidance to implement collaborative learning in teaching other subjects other than English translation. © 2023 Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. All rights reserved.

By nature, a social animal: an exploration of perceptions of online group work

This research, exploring the value of online group work through postgraduate student perceptions of engagement, surveyed 71 students and interviewed 11, over three rounds of data collection. Participants were taught postgraduate students in a higher education institution education faculty in the United Arab Emirates. The findings are relevant for our understanding of online group work;assessment design;communication;and community building. Research took place over a 12-month period, beginning before COVID-19, in February 2020 with face to face teaching, and ending during the third term of fully online teaching in January 2021. This phenomenological research charts student perception and attitude changes. Social Cognitive Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model and Social Constructivism form the theoretical framework within which participant engagement, behaviour and perception are explored. The findings provide a reflective analysis regarding student perception, engagement and acceptance of online group work as a valid approach to meeting learning outcomes. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Cambridge Journal of Education is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Looking ahead to continued innovation

As evidenced by the articles included in this special issue, group workers have been both intentional and adaptive in navigating the global transformations that have characterized this historical era. Alongside the ongoing developmental needs of students and clients, the complex challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the sociopolitical unrest of the past few years have necessitated new levels of group work innovation. This special issue represents the wide array of topics with which group workers and scholars are currently engaged. As the world continues to transform in both unprecedented and expected ways, it will be important for group facilitators to remain adaptive, committed, and innovative in both theory and practice. We hope these articles provide new insight and direction for group work scholars and practitioners and we look forward to the continued evolution of this important work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Epistemological ruptures: Digital presence and groupwork

The Covid-19 pandemic has created an epistemological rupture for social work. Research is beginning to examine and articulate the practice knowledge that has arisen as a result of the pandemic. This article is based on a social work student placement at a community-based, rural hospice, which occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. This article focuses on virtual social work and groupwork, and discusses ethics, the digital divide, and social presence. © 2023 Whiting and Birch. All rights reserved.

ONLINE VS IN PERSON: FLIPPED CLASSROOM APPROACHES TO A 3rd YEAR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT MODULE

Managing Engineering Projects is a 3rd Year module of the 4-year MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Management degree. Its purpose is to provide students with innovation and project management skills in the context of engineering practice. The format was modified during the 2020-21 academic year to include more elements of student-centred learning to increase engagement given the online delivery format due to Covid. The module comprised 10 x 2-hour weekly sessions. Students were sent the material for each of the sessions ahead of time, with the first hour being devoted to discussing relevant aspects or issues raised by the students. The second hour focused on a related case study or activity, where students were allocated to break out rooms on Teams for group work, then coming together for some general discussion and conclusions. Alternatively, guest industrial speakers would share their professional experiences to illustrate the theory covered in the first hour. There was also an opportunity for questions and general project management discussion. The module was delivered in person this academic year, retaining the same flipped classroom format, case studies and industrial speakers. This paper compares the feedback and insights gathered through questionnaires from the online and in-person cohorts. Initial evidence shows that both groups found the flipped classroom, practical group work, and guest talks more engaging than traditional lectures. However, the in-person cohort showed higher rates of attendance and students were more engaged in group activities. © 2022 SEFI 2022 - 50th Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education, Proceedings. All rights reserved.

Group dynamics when battling a pandemic

Background: This special issue of Group Dynamics presents six articles that address aspects of how group dynamics and processes have been impacted by, and have the potential to impact, the SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 pandemic. Method: This introduction briefly reviews and comments on each article. Results: The articles highlight a number of issues and findings: the natural inclination of people to congregate in groups both exacerbate the spread of the virus and can provide solace during these times of stress;the concept of groupthink may explain the seemingly irrational rejection of public health measures among some in society;group psychotherapy is effective, but we need more research to understand how it works when delivered in an online format as necessitated by the current pandemic;an emotional management intervention might help virtual work groups to perform better;how members perceive their virtual environment could affect the quality of their groupwork;and today's virtual work environments requires group members to have a common understanding of the technologies they are using. Conclusions: The current crisis has highlighted that groups to which we belong are important to our mental health and productivity. The pandemic also has made clear the need for a broader scholarly and professional investment in the understanding and use of groups. Such an investment would not only move the fields of group research forward, but would also inform public health policy, and ease our adjustment to and capacity to flourish in the current and future pandemics.

UNDERSTANDING AND UTILIZING STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD PARTICIPATION IN DISCUSSIONS BY USING EMOTION ANALYSIS

We propose a method that uses an emotion analysis for PBL education. The emotion analysis is a method of analyzing a person's emotions from the person's remarks or facial expressions. In this method, teachers understand the situation of students from the results of the emotion analysis and give accurate advice. PBL education often involves group activities. The students conducted groups discuss, propose ideas, select ideas, and make the products. However, not all students are able to participate in discussions and express their opinions. It is the teacher's duty to provide guidance to such students. Therefore, we propose the use of the emotion analysis techniques to identify and guide students who have problems, such as those who cannot participate in discussions. The method is possible for one teacher to grasp multiple groups at the same time and to help developing the students' ability to learn. Under COVID-19, face-to-face classes were restricted. Online classes using Zoom etc. have also been introduced in PBL education. In online classes, it is difficult to grasp the situation of students. This was a big difference from face-to-face classes. So we looked at ways to keep track of the situation for all students. This is because the gap between students who are willing to take classes and those who are reluctant to take classes has widened due to the shift to online classes. As a result of the adaption to the classes, the number of students who actively participate in the classes has increased. The effectiveness of the proposed method was confirmed. © 2022 SEFI 2022 - 50th Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education, Proceedings. All rights reserved.

How students learn in small group through online mode during the coronavirus pandemic: Descriptive narratives.

Small-group work is a teaching method which promotes students' collaborative attributes. Completing small-group work online can be challenging to students. This study aimed to understand students' learning through online small-group work. Narrative responses to five open-ended questions were collected from students after they accomplished an online small-group work. These narratives were content analyzed by two independent researchers. Based on the narratives of 199 students, five major themes related to students' learning through interactive online group work were identified, including a) Essential communication and interaction, b) A collaborative team, c) Knowledge enrichment, d) Development of intellectual skills, and e) Tutor involvement. These five themes are the essential elements that promote effective learning though online learning. The success of group work greatly depends on these five major factors to promote students' independent and collaborative learning. To make small-group work online more achievable, nurse educators should pay more attention to these five factors so students' learning outcomes can be maximized.

We need mutual aid too: group work instructors helping each other navigate online teaching

The introduction of COVID-19 disrupted almost every facet of global societies, including institutions of higher education. With limited time to prepare for the emergent shift to virtual instruction, few educators had the time or emotional energy to invest in course redesign to meet established standards of quality online education. Strained by lack of guidance from their institutions and limited confidence in teaching social group work virtually, twelve group work educators initially participated in a weekly mutual aid group of peer members sponsored by the International Association for Social Work with Groups. This paper describes the evolution of a peer-facilitated, international, mutual aid group for group work educators making the transition to an online format – its conception, formation, purpose, structure, facilitation, and process. The authors address the personal experiences of all members, and place the group into a theoretical context.

Exploring the Feasibility and Acceptability of an Online Arts-Based Mindfulness Program for Adolescent Mothers

Adolescent mothers experience high levels of psychological distress due to social disadvantage, adversities, and limited supports. These issues were exasperated by the requirement of pandemic stay-at-home orders and the closing of in-person programs and services. Given the risks associated with adolescent mothering and the impact on their children's developmental functioning, it is imperative that intervention programs are implemented to support these young mothers. There is a dearth of research that explores the feasibility of using online programming with adolescent mothers. This article describes our experiences delivering an arts-based mindfulness program online to adolescent mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several challenges were encountered with respect to engagement and facilitation including high attrition rates and numerous disruptions during programming. Although the participants were motivated and interested in the program, they experienced numerous barriers to attendance and participation. Challenges with respect to technology, parenting, and family life significantly impacted the feasibility of online delivery. Future studies could attempt to address the social inequalities experienced by adolescent mothers to improve engagement and the effectiveness of online programs. [ FROM AUTHOR]

Intergenerational group work and mask making in the Asian American community in a time of COVID-19 and COVID-19-related racism

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian Americans faced multiple challenges due to COVID-19 and COVID-19 related racism. The Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia (KAAGP), in Pennsylvania, decided to work together to fight against COVID-19 from the earliest stages of the pandemic in 2020. Intergenerational group work by more than 350 volunteers empowered the Korean community and promoted public health through the process of making and donating face masks to the broader community. These efforts were transitioned to other marginalized communities that shared a mutual understanding: "We are in this (pandemic) together.” It became clear that the Asian American community needs more culturally nuanced services to be delivered by bicultural and bilingual social workers who understand group work and its potential benefits and impacts on ethnically diverse communities.

Peer Learning - An Interactive and Collaborative E-Learning Application for College Students

Since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, the entire educational system has been challenging and Sri Lanka economic crisis, but this is especially effect for students who are now enrolled. This developmental milestone is reached when adolescents begin to assume responsibilities and acquire leadership skills through participation in a range of team activities. It is easiest to gain experience working in a group setting while still in school. Nevertheless, given the current stage of the Sri Lanka economic crisis, students will face a range of challenges. They are incapable of participating in group activities that are relevant to the subjects they teach, and, as previously indicated, enhancing their leadership skills, which is particularly problematic when working with students. The 'Peer Learning' solution is a web-based application that supports students in enhancing their collaborative learning skills. Through the system, students have the opportunity to study a variety of collaborative tasks, which improves their educational and interpersonal abilities. In addition, professors can share their knowledge with students by personalizing questions, posting films, and demonstrating figures. Students can easily comprehend the system's operation due to its user-friendly design, which enables advanced technological methods for monitoring and guiding students' activities simultaneously. © 2022 IEEE.

Gerontological social workers' perspectives about the future at the start of a COVID-19 vaccination program: A photovoice study

The COVID-19 pandemic is a continuing public health crisis, although it has lessened in its intensity since the start of worldwide vaccination programs. In aged care facilities, gerontological social workers have become frontline professionals facing multiple challenges and demands. One year after the first COVID-19 case in Portugal, during the second major lockdown in the country, and with vaccination starting in these facilities, a photovoice program to identify the experiences of these professionals was developed. This study aimed to understand how gerontological social workers foresee the future of practice and intervention with older adults. A thematic analysis was conducted based on the photographs and associated narratives from 10 participants, all female, aged between 22 and 35 years, who attended a program's session. Findings Three themes were identified with the thematic analysis: (1) personal and professional growth (with renewed life perspectives and increased resilience), (2) reinvention of intervention (with improved management of emotions, teamwork, and alternative ways of intervening), and (3) hope to use the lessons learned (hope that vaccination will bring conditions to recover the older adults' well-being and opportunities to use the good lessons learned). Applications These findings are relevant to inform policymakers and governments about practices in aged care facilities and to improve the training of gerontological social workers in acute action management and intervention. We stress alternative ways of intervening that came up in the response to the pandemic such as emotional management, digital technology, communication strategies, self-care, or the families' involvement.

Understanding the Collaborative Learning Implementation Cycle (CLIC) for a Teacher Learning to Promote Computationally Rich Communication in a Remote STEM Classroom

Promoting productive student talk and computational collaboration in small group work is challenging, especially during COVID-19 induced remote learning. This paper describes a case study of one middle school teacher's participation in a professional learning community and implementations of a physical computing unit where students created data displays to collect and analyze environmental data. The focal teacher implemented the unit twice with astonishingly better results in the second iteration. We discuss lessons from how she participated in a professional learning cycle that used reflection, adaptive support and co-designed tools that helped achieve her vision for student collaboration. © 2022 International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS). All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Student Engagement, Communication, and Collaboration during Online Group Work: Experiences of Fourth Year Veterinary Medicine Students.

Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, online teaching has become widely established in higher education in recent years. However, little is known about the influence of the online environment on collaborative student activities which are an integral part of veterinary education. This study explored engagement, collaboration, and communication among fourth-year veterinary students working in groups on online case-based learning (CBL) activities. Data were collected by questionnaire (93/135) and anonymous peer assessment (98/135) at the end of the trimester. While most students (67%) enjoyed group work and 75% considered it of benefit to their learning, the results indicated that the students' interaction was mainly limited to task management and collating individual answers on shared documents. Rather than meeting online, students communicated by chat and messenger apps. Agreement of roles, rules, and the group contract were largely treated as box-ticking exercises. The conflict was the only factor that affected group work satisfaction and was largely avoided rather than addressed. Interestingly lack of student engagement in group work was not related to overall academic performance and had no impact on their end-of-term exam results. This study highlights high student satisfaction and engagement with online group CBL activities even when collaboration and communication was limited. Achieving higher levels of collaborative learning involving co-regulation of learning and metacognitive processing of learning content may require more specific, formal training in relevant skill sets from an early stage of the veterinary curriculum.

Research on Supporting an Operator’s Control for OriHime as a Telepresence Robot

Recent years, classes, conferences and group works in companies and universities have been done as online, which means people don’t have chances to hold them in person because of preventing infections of COVID-19. In regard to these ways of using an online meeting, there is a problem that people who attend online meetings have a strong tendency to have a cognitive load due to having burden behaviors such as discussing and operating PC, smartphone and tablet devices at the same time in comparison with in-person meeting. Particularly, when it comes to using telepresence robots, it is needed for operators to be required to pay much attention. In this study, for diminishing operators’ cognitive load, a supporting system which operating telepresence robots OriHime by using the movement information of operators’ head is proposed. Moreover, we identify that there is a chance to diminish operators’ cognitive load through obtaining information of face position by using telepresence robot, although the effect of the proposed system is set to be revealed by conducting an experiment. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.

A Proposed Implementation of Internet of Things as a Teaching Aid for Learning Science Collaboratively

Collaboration is one of the competencies within the 21st century skills framework. To nurture this competency in schools, teachers design their lessons to include group work and activities. The COVID-19, however, has dramatically changed the way teachers design collaborative activities. The Internet of Things (IoT) is an example of technology that can play a role in collaborative learning. The use of IoT as a teaching aid might not be as widespread as mobile technologies, virtual reality, and augmented reality but its impact is equally beneficial. The impact of IoT in teaching and learning can be seen in two perspectives. Firstly, it could make learning more interesting as the use of the IoT devices provides more hands on to the students. Students get to use the IoT device, record the data and perform analysis on the data. Secondly, IoT allows for collaborative learning to happen as data captured by the IoT device is stored on the Internet. The aim of this paper is to explore the potential of IoT as a collaborative learning teaching aid for Science subject. This paper proposes two IoT implementations. This paper presents the design of the two IoT systems and the way that it can be used in the teaching and learning of science. The intention of adopting IoT as a teaching aid for science subject is to enhance student's learning experience in the subject through hands on and collaboration activities. © 2022 IEEE.