Abstract

The current study examined the influence of students' openness to multiculturalism on the frequency of integrating Online Collaborative Learning (OCL). The mediating variables were attitudes toward: benefits of OCL, negative aspects of OCL and challenges of OCL. The participants were 315 ICT coordinators who are also subject teachers. 139 coordinators had participated in at least one OCL training program (44%) and 176 coordinators had not (56%).The questionnaire was based on previous ones and comprised 33 items. Path analysis findings indicate that the negative aspects of OCL were a very significant mediating factor in the model, affecting the paths between openness to multiculturalism and experiencing the challenges of OCL, and the frequency of the integration of OCL. Furthermore, for ICT coordinators who had taken part in the OCL programs and saw openness toward multiculturalism among their students, there was little impact when there were complex challenges in the OCL. It may be that educating toward multiculturalism leads to an atmosphere of openness and egalitarianism, to better interpersonal relations and social skills in the class, and so they summon fewer frustrating situations in OCL. This is an atmosphere that assures collaboration and attainment of positive learning results.

Citation

Magen-Nagar, N. & Shonfeld, M. (2018). Attitudes, Openness to Multiculturalism, and Integration of Online Collaborative Learning. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 21(3), 1-11. Retrieved June 8, 2023 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/190821/.

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Keywords

• College Students
• Cooperative learning
• Coordinators
• Correlation
• Cultural Pluralism
• distance education
• Foreign Countries
• Hypothesis Testing
• information technology
• Likert Scales
• multicultural education
• path analysis
• Questionnaires
• student attitudes
• technology integration