Title:	PRODUCING EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL IN SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS COLLABORATIVE CONTEXTS
Author(s):	Gracia Gingras , Jean-marc Robert
ISBN:	978-972-8924-48-5
Editors:	Kinshuk, Demetrios G. Sampson, J. Michael Spector and Pedro Isaías
Year:	2007
Edition:	Single
Keywords:	Collaborative Work, Synchronous, Asynchronous, Educational Material, Production, Repository
Type:	Short Paper
First Page:	339
Last Page:	344
Language:	English
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Paper Abstract:	This experimental study investigates synchronous and asynchronous collaborative work for the production of educational material, in order to find similarities and differences between groups for material content and professorial practices. Twenty-six subjects participated in the experiment, broken down into three groups, i.e. two collaborating asynchronously (Group I and II) and one synchronously (Group III). All groups were invited to produce a 1 - 1.5 hours learning exercise on usability testing. In addition to external sources, they had the possibility to use a mock-up Web site where educational material and repositories were made accessible to them. The results are based on the subjects’ productions, behaviours,, and responses to a questionnaire. Results show that all groups carried out similar activities for perusing, extracting, and reusing existing material in their production, either totally, or partially in terms of content, structure or concept. Among all groups, the eldest and most experienced subjects in teaching did not follow the shared collaborative work process. Differences are noticeable within and between groups in terms of manipulation of educational material, sources of information that were consulted, and work duration. Content and structure of educational material as well as professorial practice popped out from the comments or responses made by subjects of all groups regarding evaluation of material and their experience of working collaboratively. Exercises produced by Group I were centered on the subjects’ initial production or knowledge domain, those of Group II displayed a content-driven strategy, i.e. they were strongly inspired by exercises, while those produced by Group III displayed a practice-driven strategy, i.e. they were strongly inspired by activities and educational metadata. These results will help to better define collaborative technologies and tools.
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