Promoting Collaborative Learning Through Wiki : Promoting Collaborative Learning Through Wiki -Dr. Revathi Viswanathan B.S.Abdur Rahman University Vandalur. Chennai. 48
Purpose : Purpose To show the possibility of making students learn business English through online discussions. To highlight the importance of creating an online learning environment (with the help of Wiki) and promoting collaborative learning.
Need : Need Large classroom Rigid syllabus & teaching hours Students with mixed abilities Teach business English beyond the classroom (an action research)
Aim : Aim To teach the corporate culture and work life. To use Wiki, a Web 2.0 tool to provide a real life situation of marketing a product . To motivate students to take part in discussions. To make them learn and use business English in authentic situations.
Wiki : Wiki The Web 2.0 tool used for creating a space for discussion. Helped to encourage students to work as groups & share ideas. Created opportunity to have an online forum.
Task Requirement : Task Requirement Students in groups had -- to apply the marketing strategies to discuss ways of promoting a product. -- to discuss the challenges and the requirements while promoting product. -- to take up roles such as- General Manager, Marketing manager, Finance manager, Operations manager and IT manager. -- to share ideas in the page created.
Methodology : Methodology Created separate pages for various groups in Wikispaces. Uploaded the task for students to have online discussion. Divided students into groups to discuss ways of promoting a product. Initiated discussion.
Cont. : Cont. Students assumed different roles. shared ideas relating to marketing the product that they were familiar with. Teacher Offered feedback to students’ performance.
Outcome : Outcome Students Actively participated in discussion. Took up roles to discuss the ways of promoting a product. Collaborated with group members to share their views using a Web 2.0 tool. Used business vocabulary while discussing strategies. Visualized corporate meetings (to some extent) while handling the task.
Challenges : Challenges Only 70% of students showed interest in online discussion. Students took lot of time to share their views. Groups did not have adequate time to make power point presentations, as mentioned in the task.
PowerPoint Presentation : Thank You