28.2: Point of Departure

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As cooperation and collaboration take on increasing importance in workplaces, societies, and the world as a whole, it is natural that, in order to prepare learners for this world, educators are also taking an interest. However, most schools do little to promote either selfdirected, collective learning endeavours or the development of skills that students need to listen effectively to one another, addressing “complex issues and problems that require different kinds of expertise” from those that they currently may study or emulate in school (Bielaczyc & Collins, 1999, p. 272). With rapid development and expansion of technological infrastructures, possibilities for harnessing technology to enable collaboration are expanding. Yet, as we move to take advantage of these possibilities, we encounter new challenges and discover unexpected complexities in fostering collaborative endeavours online.

Here we offer an overview of collaborative learning, particularly in adult and higher education. We first define cooperation and collaboration, then explain why they are desirable, and we outline what you need in order to achieve them, examining both issues specific to working with technology and those that are common to online and offline situations. Finally, we look at broader issues involving cultures of collaboration and possible future directions for collaborative learning. This overview will serve as background for the stories that follow.