Enhancing Collaborative and Self-Paced Learning in Traditional and Distance Education Settings

Online learning management system (LMS) platforms such as Canvas could be used to provide learning materials and activities that may supplement a face-to-face or blended course or deliver a fully online experience. In particular, assessment tools such as assignments and quizzes could be used to provide instructors and learners with instant feedback to assess individual and classroom performances in real time. Textbook publishers have also provided learning and assessment tools that can be integrated with LMS platforms to enhance self-paced learning. Another important feature of LMS platforms is their ability to foster discussion and collaborative learning opportunities for students by supporting discussion boards and shared-document applications such as Google Docs. While the above LMS features have existed for years, the move to online and hybrid learning has increased adoption to the point where educators can incorporate them fully going forward. This applies equally to institutions in the Arab world, given that our institutions have the necessary infrastructure, and our students are well-equipped with the skills to take full advantage of the learning opportunities provided by modern LMS platforms. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that we need to encourage and nurture a new culture of learning based on strong ethical standards and a positive attitude toward collaborative learning. It should be emphasized that such values are needed at all institutions worldwide and are not limited to one region or culture. For example, even among the leading universities in the United States, there is significant variation in the adoption of these values. Together with ethical and collaborative educational values, modern LMS platforms provide the tools to take full advantage of accessibility of information to encourage students to be lifelong learners. This changes the dynamics of the teaching and learning processes, especially in terms of the role of the educator as a sage, providing sound judgment rather than being solely an authority in the field of study. While there is no conflict between the two roles, the balance between them is a skill that every educator needs to aspire to achieve in light of the students’ needs and their abilities in a given setting. In this chapter, we describe experiences with the abovementioned LMS features and their incorporation into face-to-face, hybrid, and distance-learning settings. Their applicability to higher education in the Arab world is discussed with examples from leading institutions in the region.