International online collaboration: modeling online learning and teaching

Abstract

Working through an inquiry process within an international online classroom, preservice teachers identified and discussed critical issues embedded in cultural diversity and inclusion and explored how to honour diversity within their pedagogical practices in elementary/primary classrooms within Canadian and Australian contexts. A discussion of the findings based on a qualitative research case study is presented through the lens of an online collaborative framework. The role of teaching presence within the intentional design and throughout the implementation of the online collaborative educational experience is paramount. If the goal is to engage preservice teachers in higher order thinking within online collaborative learning environments, the intentionality of the design of the work and the facilitation of the discourse throughout the work must be modeled and facilitated by educators.