Author: Maria Pérez-Mateo Subirà
Programme: Doctoral Programme on the Information and Knowledge Society
Language: Spanish
Supervisor: Dr Montse Guitert Catasús
Faculty / Institute: Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3)
Subjects: Higher Education, Universities
Key words: Social dimension, e-learning, Collaborative learning, Group work, Teaching strategies, Virtual learning environments
Area of knowledge: Teaching Methodology and School Organization
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Summary
This doctoral study contributes to online learning, virtual collaborative processes, and social dimension fields. As literature suggests, collaboration and social dimension are key elements in virtual learning environments.
Specifically, the analysis is focused on providing strategies for both students and teachers in relation to social dimension in the context of a virtual group. The ultimate objective of this research is to improve the educational processes that take place in a virtual environment. This aim is achieved through the transfer of the experience developed at the institution that becomes the general scenario analysis: the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
To accomplish this purpose, this research is based on a qualitative case study. This approach facilitates understandings in order to answer the general question guiding the research and it becomes a reference to other educational environments. Consequently, its aim is not to get objective and generalizable conclusions, but a situated, concrete, and detailed analysis that will help to achieve the objective.
According to this aim, contents are organized in seven parts: 1) Contextualizing; 2) Presenting the research; 3) Coming in; 4) Conceptualizing; 5) Understanding; 6) Applying; and 7) Concluding and opening. Each of these parts represents an evolution in relation to the previous one in the analysis process, facilitating monitoring of the research developed and proposals presented.