The Other Side of CLCT: When Fear Disrupts Collaboration

Abstract

The present investigation provides a preliminary account of the perceived drawbacks of Collaborative Learning mediated by Communication Technologies (CLCT) among higher education students. Following a multidisciplinary approach, this pilot study compares the results obtained from English instruction in the Degrees in English Language and Literature (ELL) and Chemical Engineering (CE) at the University of Santiago de Compostela. In this context, a number of MS Office 365-mediated collaborative activities were integrated into two ESP courses and assessed by means of a Likert-scale questionnaire. The results reveal that ELL students are more perceptive of the shortcomings of CLCT and also experience a significantly higher level of apprehension. Additionally, within the ELL group fear correlates with a growing dislike of working with peers and with a stronger perception of the drawbacks of CLCT. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the relevance of these results in the context of previous research.