Creating a Virtual Handshake

A handshake is a symbol of the start of collaboration and discussion.  How do you shake someone’s hand in a virtual environment?

Communication and collaboration are essential for a positive and effective online learning environment (Palloff & Pratt, 2007).  Oosterhof, Conrad, and Ely detailed the use of an "instructional plan for online collaboration interaction" that will capitalize on the key phases of engagement (Oosterhof, Conrad, & Ely, 2008).  Using this plan students and instructors are able to build each interaction and collaboration opportunity on the previous one; thus creating a learning environment that is foundationally based in communication and collaboration.

There are several resources and tools that can be utilized in any online learning environment to achieve an effective communication and collaboration standard.  In the video “Assessing Interaction and Collaboration in Online Environments” Drs. Palloff and Pratt give several examples of using wikis, discussion boards, and virtual worlds as tools to facilitate communication and collaboration in different online environments (Laureate Education, 2011).

After reading this week’s resources and exploring different online learning resources/tools please share with your classmates your ideas on creating a high quality collaborative learning environment.  How can you create a “virtual handshake”?

By Friday

Please post 3 questions that come to your mind after reading this week’s resources and thinking about ways to use different resources/tools to create a high quality collaborative learning environment.

By Sunday

Please choose 2 questions from other students to research and answer.  In your response to your classmates re-post the question you chose the answer in your own words and make sure to cite the resources you used to answer the questions. 

The following rubric is how your posts will be evaluated:

Quality of Work Submitted	A: Exemplary Work	B: Graduate Level Work	C: Minimal Work	F: Work Submitted but Unacceptable
Initial Posting: Depth and Breadth of Questions posed	Questions demonstrate critical thinking to analyze and relate key points.	Questions relate to the assigned discussion topic with satisfactory evidence of critical thinking.	Questions summarize or restate discussion topic components with minimal evidence of critical thinking skills.	Questions not relate to the assigned discussion topic.
Responses: Quality of Learning for Colleagues and Self	Provide specific, constructive, and supportive feedback to extend colleagues’ thinking. Encourage continued and deeper discussion.  Offer additional resources or experiences.	Provide constructive and supportive feedback to colleagues. Refer to sources from required readings and course materials.	Provide general feedback with minimal or no connection to required readings or course materials.	Provide agreement without substance or connection to required readings or course materials.
Final Assignment Grade	A: Exemplary Work	B: Graduate Level Work	C: Minimal Work	F: Work Submitted but Unacceptable

Resources



Oosterhof, A., Conrad, R.-M., & Ely, D. P. (2008). Assessing learners online. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.


Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. (Palloff, R., & Pratt, K., Promoting Collaborative Learning, Building Online Communities). Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons Inc. Used with permission from John Wiley & Sons Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.



Laureate Education. (Producer). (2011). Assessing Interaction and Collaboration in Online Environments [Online]. Retrieved from Walden University eCollege