3.3 Networking and collaboration tools

Google Docs and other elements of the Google Apps suite (as well as a range of other similar tools) or Dropbox allow teachers to share materials with their learners and work on them together in real time, or asynchronously. This can enable strengthening of the teacher-learner online relationship, which is particularly valuable in the early stages of a course. In addition, a range of collaborative networking tools can be used to foster group working and a sense of community between learners on an online course. Instant messaging apps can foster backchannels (Week 1 of this course introduced backchannels). Activities using Twitter or Pinterest to search for information, or using Diigo to gather together relevant internet bookmarks, can help bring an online group together with a shared objective, as well as exposing that group to a wider community in a relevant subject area.