2. Power Point presentation based l

2. Power Point presentation based lecturette: Constructivism; Situational learning;
Collaborative learning. Q/A, clarification.
3. Exploration of collaborative issues. Trainees discuss pros/cons of collaborative learning,
providing examples from their teaching experience. Trainees report to whole group. Trainer
sums up outcomes.
Rationale
During this stage trainees will learn about the underlying principles of Virtual Communities. It is
really important for trainer to know exactly what information trainees already have about the topic, so
that trainer will be able to adapt, if not her materials at least her presentation. Many trainees may
already be familiar with collaborative learning and may even have practiced it in one form or another.
This may be useful to link the new topic to trainees’ experience and offer them the opportunity to
reflect on the fact that even the newest approaches rely on a background of widely shared and codified
principles. At this stage, it is also important to link principles and practice, so that trainees get the
feeling that they are doing something really relevant. Trainer should pay special attention to keeping
the right balance between her working time and that of trainees. Trainer may ask trainees to think
about possible virtual applications of what they already do with students at a collaborative level.