“Slacking” for Success: A Post-COVID-19 Approach for Increasing Student Engagement beyond the Physical Classroom, Using Collaboration Tools with Team-Based and Project-Based Learning

Abstract

This article explores the problem of how to maintain student engagement outside of the physical classroom. Both in-person and online delivery are studied. The treatment/solution method applied is the use of a collaboration tool. The results reported here are the student interactions, participation, and recorded experiences using a collaboration tool as a platform to support project-based group exercises. The results of using two different collaboration tools are reported (Google Hangouts and Slack). The study was completed prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, and it revealed newly discovered advantages and also some emerging performance limitations for the use of collaboration tools that can be applied to the post-COVID academic environment. The described approach proposes a prescription for how collaboration tools can facilitate student engagement through the primary effect of teamwork resulting from an increase in frequency and ease of communication between students within groups and between students and the instructor. The findings describe the significance of how collaboration tools can improve the online classroom experience that traditionally has relied almost exclusively on asynchronous feedback and contact methods and, also, how collaboration tools enhance in-person delivery by increasing communication and by providing opportunities to distribute materials and updates between class meetings. The conclusion section of the article provides a summary and a narrative checklist of suggestions for instructors looking to implement methods similar to what is discussed here and a prescription for a robust framework to deliver course materials and for supporting student engagement in the post-COVID-19 academic environment.