While higher education is defined by debate and discussion, it would not be difficult to find a consensus that collaboration is an essential component of any learning. Tremendous support for this position came from the switch to emergency remote delivery, when it became clear that time-proven methodologies of class delivery were not transferable to the digital realm. What once seemed so easy to facilitate by shared space and physical placement became a screen of turned-off cameras, digital echoes, interruptions, and, perhaps worst of all \u2013 the dead silence of the void. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While undoubtedly difficult, KPU faculty rose to the challenge, and bravely explored new software tools and environments and creatively adapted their experience. In the process, many discussions were had, and much experimentation was done concerning what exactly \u2018collaboration\u2019 means for specific tasks and assignments. Direct replication of many grouping strategies in digital spaces was not always effective and new strategies were needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The need for innovative approaches also motivated instructors to explore new pedagogical frameworks as a means of better developing their skills to use technology effectively. One simplistic structure was to explore curriculum delivery by focusing on time, more specifically, the time the class needs to be together to learn, and when they do not. This is one reason why the terms, synchronous (at the same time) and asynchronous (not at the same time) have become so prevalent in educational literature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Blended and Hybrid models focus on face-to-face versus online, the division into time allows for \u201ctheblending of both asynchronous and synchronous online learning, where students can participate in anytime, anywhere learning during the asynchronous parts of the course but then participate in real-time activities for the synchronous sessions,\u201d (Martin, 2021). It is especially useful for collaboration and allows the instructor to better define how it should happen over the length of the course. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This focus on time is also incredibly useful to promote reflection and renegotiation of past methodologies as we prepare for a homecoming to shared physical space. Instead of a wholesale return to making furniture placement and\/or different rooms per group as the core of collaborative preparation, it might be better to focus on how collaboration should occur over time. This may occur from instructors matching their pedagogical need to a facilitating software tool, or digital or physical environment; or a mix of both. This simple framework of time illuminates whether students need to be together at the same time to perform tasks as a whole, or as part of a larger process, ie. group projects. Knowing more clearly what should be done by students, and why it is supporting learning outcomes, instructors can peruse KPU\u2019s technology offerings with more confidence that their choices will empower student learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n