The Role Of Collaborative Work In Blended Learning

Abstract

This research was carried out at the School of Social Sciences of the Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica using a pre-experimental descriptive study. Blended learning was applied in three groups, all of whose members had university degrees. Teaching-learning strategies oriented towards collaborative work were analyzed from a hermeneutic perspective, using a mixed methodology to obtain a better understanding of the object of the study. The data analyzed was obtained from students and professors who participated in the pre-experiment, through a survey, an interview, and a focus group. The criteria of scientific rigor are based on the validity of the content and the construct used in the instruments, as well as on the analysis of internal consistency, and, in the case of qualitative data, on issues of credibility and transferability. The results show that collaborative work is the result of correlated factors, such as autonomy, and the attitude of key actors (professors and students) in the educational process, based on key elements such as curiosity, planning, organization, and discipline, as well as attitude, commitment, intellectual capacities, the use of ICTs, knowing how to analyze, think and reflect, and working individually and in a team. This study therefore provides sufficient scientific support to undertake a quasi-experimental study about the impact of collaborative work on blended learning among university students.