title: All for one and one for all: understanding health professionals' experience in individual versus collaborative online learning.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) may facilitate continuing interprofessional education while overcoming barriers of time and place for busy health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences, advantages, and challenges of group versus individual online learning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen multidisciplinary health professionals participated in a 12-week online course on either diabetes or traumatic brain injury. This consisted of background e-modules and a longitudinal build-a-case exercise, done either individually or as a group. Focus group sessions exploring participants' experiences after course completion and at 4 months were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed for recurring themes. Participant reflection homework and video-recorded group sessions were used for triangulation of results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individual learners appreciated the flexibility and control, but experienced decreased motivation. Group learners appreciated the immediate feedback from their co-learners and felt social pressure to come to the weekly sessions prepared but expressed challenges in determining group goal-setting for the session. Both groups felt they learned about interprofessional roles; however, group learners described a richer learning experience and understanding of interprofessional roles through the online collaboration exercise. The intense resources necessary for interprofessional CSCL, including time, faculty development, and technological issues, are described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CSCL is a valuable educational strategy in online learning. While individual online learning may be better suited for short and simple educational interventions such as knowledge acquisition, CSCL seems to allow for richer and deeper learning in complex and interprofessional educational experiences. However, strategies, resources, and faculty development required to enhance CSCL need to be addressed carefully.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: MacNeill
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Telner
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sparaggis-Agaliotis
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D020375:Education, Distance / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009862:Online Systems; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: collaboration; computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL); innovative educational interventions; interprofessional education; online/computer-based education; problem-based/case-based learning; small group/team learning; synchronous online learning