Layers of Learning: Facilitation in the Distributed Classroom

Distributed learning ofers education beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. Students may not have the opportuni~ to ever interact as a whole class unit. Thty interact individually or as small sub-groups of the whole class in distributed sites. Understanding the dynamics of communication is important to the design of the distributed learning environment. Studies have focused on how computer-mediated communication de-individuates single participants (Spears & Lea, 1990; Matheson & Zanna, 1988), but has not looked at the impact on groups of participants. The needfor examining the impact of environments and social group identification is initiated in this study. Yet, more detailed analysis must be done in this area to understand how these factors will impact distributed education. Cooperative learning is a method that empowers the student to construct their own knowledge (Johnson, Johnson, & Smith, 1991). The method stresses a movement away fi-om the static classroom where the instructor lectures to a passive audience of students. The goal of cooperative learning is to have the students actively create learning through participation in small structured group activities. Students interact with one another in an environment characterized by group support, individual accountability and interdependence. The method has reported success in increasing retention rates, producing higher level reasoning and critical thinking as well as increasing students’ social skills (Johnson, Johnson, & Smith, 1991; Kagan, 1990). A group support system (GSS) is a successfid tool to support learning at the grade school, high school and university level (Alavi, 1994; Brandt & Briggs, 1995; Brandt & Lonsdale, 1996; Leidner & Fuller, 1996; Walsh et al., 1996). Collaborative learning environments supported with a GSS have increased student participation, raised student interest levels and increased student performance quality when compared with learning environments without GSS support. In these earlier studies, cooperative learning was applied to explore the benefits of GSS technology in a same time/same place classroom environment. This paper explores the impact of a GSS when used in a distributed classroom (same tirne/different place). The instructor and the facilitator worked together to develop a distributed GSS environment which shaped the content of student group interactions and then used 1060-3425/97 $10 the student’s computer-mediated communication as a learning tool to illustration concepts taught in the course. A GSS is a technology well equipped to support the goals of cooperative learning. Simultaneous, parallel processing permits students to work interdependently completing tasks individually and as a group (Brandt & Lonsdale, 1996). The GSS tools offer flexibility in how they are applied. The instructor can control how the students interact. Students may be grouped as an entire class, in small anonymous teams, or in identified teams. The element of instructor control available in a GSS also supports the requirements of the cooperative learning method. Kagan (1990) points out that many instructors fear a loss of power in a decentralized classroom will result in unmanageable students. He counters that the cooperative student teams will self censor themselves provided they are well directed. Well-directed lessons, according to Kagan, require a high degree of instructor direction and the inclusion of multiple learning structures. There are several types of learning structures: team building, class building, communication building, information exchange, mastery and thinking skills. The rationale for the six structures is that each structure will impact the learning outcome differently and that a mix of structures is appropriate for fostering different types of cognitive development. GSS technology is typically a suite of tools that support different types of information processing (Nunamaker, Dennis, Valacich, Vogel, & George,