Collaborative Teaching over the Internet

Abstract

This article presents a description of a method to integrate Internet technology into classroom instruction. Two classes, one located in a state university in California and the other located in a state university in Pennsylvania, were linked via the Internet into a collaborative learning environment. Gophers, listservs, the World Wide Web (WWW), and usenet groups were used to post course syllabi, collaborative course expectations, and sample student research papers. Course content differed for both groups: one emphasized leadership and motivation theory and the other emphasized research design. Students from each class had to collaborate on a joint research project that tested one of the leadership or motivation theories. The assets and liabilities of this approach as well as observations about developing collaborative learning experiences are discussed.