28.1: Introduction

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Learning outcomes

Understand what collaboration entails and how to foster and facilitate it.
Understand the theoretical and practical issues surrounding collaborative and other kinds of collective endeavours.

In this chapter we explore the notion of collaborative learning from theoretical and practical perspectives. The first step is to distinguish collaborative from cooperative learning, because much so-called collaborative learning, although collective and often cooperative, is not necessarily collaborative. By getting a clear understanding of what we may not be doing when attempting to foster collaboration, we can formulate clearer ideas of what else is possible and what is transferable to online learning and working environments. This chapter is rich in references that tie into learning theory and primary literature that interested readers may wish to explore. It concludes with stories and reflections representing online educational collaboration from learners’ and educators’ perspectives.