According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2017), in fall 2016, there were 6.8 million students enrolled in at least one distance education courses at degree-granting post-secondary institutions in the United States. Per the latest figures from the Babson Survey Research Group, about 7.1 million students are enrolled in distance education classes worldwide. These are staggering figures and as online education grows so do the challenges for institutions to deliver quality online programs that mirror the face to face program. Other issues such as student retention and connection to the institution are also challenging to overcome when students are not located on campus to interact with their peers and faculty. As evidence,
in 2004, 27 percent of academic leaders said that retaining students was harder online than in face-to-face courses; in 2013, 41 percent said retaining online students was harder, even though online course delivery became more sophisticated during intervening years. (Kolowich, 2014, p. 1)
These issues will continue to plague online education until useful activities can be established to improve not only achievement online, but collaboration between students, and collaboration between students and faculty, and improving ways to connect the student to the classroom and school, no matter how many miles they are away from campus.

Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1982). Having your cake and eating it too: Maximizing achievement and cognitive-social development and socialization through cooperative learning. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED227408

Slavin, R. E., & National Education Association, W. (1988). Student team learning: An overview and practical guide (2nd ed.).

Aronson, E., & Patnoe, S. (1997). The jigsaw classroom: Building cooperation in the classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Longman, 64.

Williams, D. (2004). Improving race relations in higher education the jigsaw classroom as a missing piece to the puzzle. Urban Education, 39(3), 316–344. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085904263063

Weidman, R., & Bishop, M. J. (2009). Using the jigsaw model to facilitate cooperative learning in an online course. Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 10(1), 51–64.

Zheng, L. (2016). Knowledge building and regulation in computer-supported collaborative learning (1st ed., 2017 edition). Springer.

Johnson, D. W., 1940-, Johnson, R. T., 1938-, & Smith, K. A. (1998a). Cooperative learning returns to college: What evidence is there that it works? Change, 30(4), 26–35. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/00091389809602629

McLeish, K. (2009). Attitude of students towards cooperative learning methods at Knox Community College: A descriptive study. Online Submission. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED506779

Kagan, S. (1992). Cooperative learning. San Juan Capistrano, CA: Resources for Teachers, Inc.

During the era of racial unrest in the United States, Patnoe and Aronson (1978) used their research on the jigsaw classroom for solving social and education problems in order to improve the racial unrest that appeared in the Texas public school system when the United States desegregated the public schools. These researchers endeavored to change the social norms in the classroom and society by creating activities where students were compelled to work together to solve academic problems and retain academic material. The methods they used then are available today in the face-to-face classroom, but are largely untested in the online classroom. The issues facing the world today, such as racism, religious unrest, and social unrest are very similar to those addressed by Aaronson in 1970 in his Texas classroom. Could these important and vital issues be addressed in the same manner today in the virtual classroom? Online students are anonymous, but they still harbor the same predisposed prejudices as they did 50 years ago. If Aaronson helped tackle these issues through cooperative learning and the jigsaw classroom, could online educators use the same cooperative learning methods and gain the same results. It is obvious that social media, news outlets, and twitter are not strong vehicles of change as demonstrated in the 2016 United States election and in the first 100 days of the new presidency, but perhaps online education can be the vehicle for global peace. Perhaps, students engaged in cooperative learning online, such as the jigsaw method, could experience improved achievement as researched by cooperative learning theorists. Moreover, perhaps they could experience improved student-to-student collaborative behaviors and student connectedness to each other, regardless of where they live globally. Online learning could become a lever for change by allowing students to work with one another on classroom problems and in turn develop relationships with individuals across the globe.

I believe the implications for students and learning in the online classroom are crucial. If online classes are embedded with cooperative learning and collaboration, the experience online could be mutually beneficial and symbiotic instead of individual and anonymous as many online courses can be.

By integrating cooperative learning in the online environment beyond one discrete activity, students could shed their anonymity and gain positive experiences with collaboration and connectedness.
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The implications for the virtual classroom could be compelling. For professors who teach online classes, this could be a way for them to help students understand the perspective of a subgroup in the classroom. By grouping students in cooperative learning activities, professors could increase team building behaviors in their classroom.
They could also allow for students to meet and work with diverse students who may have a different perspective on a subject. By using cooperative learning activities, such as the modified jigsaw, instructors could allow students to become self-directed and develop innovative solutions to problems.

With more that 6 million students world-wide attempting to engage in online learning, the use of cooperative learning could be the key to increase collaboration among peers and increase connectedness between students across the globe. The implications of this study and others like it are that students can learn to share freely with their peers and gain insight into the subjects being discussed. Sharing information allows students to see other students’ points of view and to develop new connections in the subject. When using cooperative learning strategies online, students who have different backgrounds and different ideals can share these circumstances and real life experiences with the rest of their group, and can gain insight into a different way of viewing a problem.

This sharing of perspectives can help develop changes in perceptions which, in turn, could help build relationships that bridge global rifts and misunderstandings.

This mixed method study tested whether the modified jigsaw model could be an effective tool in online teaching and learning at the doctoral level. A mixed-methods study allowed for a more thorough examination of the research questions, as opposed to the use of either a quantitative or a qualitative method alone. The researcher compared the implementation of the modified jigsaw strategy in five doctoral level Education classes. Furthermore, the researcher compared student academic outcomes of traditional instructional practices (control group) to the implementation of the modified jigsaw strategy (treatment group).

After transcribing and coding the interviews of four instructors (2 who taught the control group and two who taught the experimental group, and ten students (five from the control group and five from the experimental group) the coders came to a consensus around eight themes. The themes were as follows: Clear roles and instructions are key, it is helpful to gain alternative perspectives in problem solving, collaborative learning helps people get connected, unequal distribution of workloads occurs, it is important to learn to use online computer/technical tools, cooperative activities allow networks to grow locally and abroad, sharing ideas increases achievement, and cooperative learning is better online than face-to-face. These themes were consistent with the hypotheses of this study.
The findings demonstrated that cooperative learning activities, such as the modified jigsaw activity embedded into the classroom, produced inconsistent data on achievement. Students in the control and experimental groups answered in the affirmative that cooperative learning improves achievement, but they also indicated that if the group was not willing to work together and only wanted to complete their role, then achievement could be hindered by a cooperative activity. Most students went beyond their role. They added corrections, added to slides, and even made suggestions to other students in Google Docs and Google Slides. Although this was going beyond their role, students in the groups reported that they appreciated people collaborating and adding to the assignment. They felt that this was part of the collaborative process. Most group participants completed their individual accountability and then completed an active exchange of ideas with the other members in the group. One student said, “I also feel that people stepped up not only in their assigned role, but people were helping the whole entire project whether it was editing, whether it was adding to slides, I think people were nicely jumping in and helping each other.” Students took ownership of the projects and collaborated outside their assigned roles. Another student said, “I think we did a great job working together to bring each other’s ideas to the project.” This demonstrated that students were collaborating by bringing their ideas to the table and allowing everyone to work together towards a common end. The instructors for each group reported that, in theory, cooperative learning should improve achievement in both face-to-face and online classes. The inconsistent responses regarding this link may be based on the way the activities are designed. If designed like the modified jigsaw used in the experimental class, where there are specific roles and specific directions on collaborative behaviors, then, theoretically, cooperative learning will help achievement. If students were not given specific roles, then the researcher believes the activities could hinder achievement.
The results on learning collaborative behaviors and connectedness were very positive. Students in both the control and experimental group reported that cooperative activities helped students learn collaborative behaviors and helped them build feelings of connectedness to other students. Students indicated that actually participating in collaborative activities such as the modified jigsaw activity, helped them learn collaborative behaviors. All 10 students in both groups indicated that having cooperative learning activities helped them have feelings of connectedness to other students in the class. Both groups extended this idea that connectedness was felt not only in the classroom, but had farther reaching effects on feelings of friendship, solidarity, and helped build their professional network. The instructors interviewed from both groups indicated a positive relationship between cooperative learning and learning collaborative behaviors. Instructors in both groups responded in the affirmative to the research question on collaboration. Both the control and the experimental instructors felt that online collaboration was difficult to observe, more so than in the face-to-face classroom. The two experimental instructors both indicated that they could have observed the actual collaborative behaviors if they were privy to the group collaboration. One control instructor reported that when doing cooperative learning activities in the online classroom, students should be asked to add the instructor to their collaborative group workspace, such as google docs, slide, or Microsoft office. That way the instructor would be able to monitor the collaboration and help students when needed.
The question on connectedness was recorded as affirmative for both control and experimental instructors. Students connect with each other when they collaborate on activities and demonstrate the best of leadership skills, but the experimental instructors felt that the class could have felt even more connected if they had more cooperative experiences beyond the single discrete assignment. Having more opportunities to work in different groups with different students in the class could give a chance to experience other ideas. One student said, “I think that there are ways that it could help even more to connect the students to the class and the program. I do think we could even structure it more in order to connect them to more students in the class than just one group.” By building cooperative learning experiences like that of the modified jigsaw, students could build their feelings of connectedness to other students in the class, and view material through the perspective of the other students.

Research Question 1: Is the use of the cooperative learning strategy Modified Jigsaw II related to greater learning in the online classroom?

Hypothesis 1: Integrating cooperative learning, specifically the modified jigsaw strategy, through the online environment is related to greater learning.

Quantitative data collected on achievement did not show any statistically significant relationship between cooperative learning experiences and achievement. The three quantitative questions related to achievement had mean scores of 3.07, 3.43, and 3.07, which indicated that students had a neutral attitude toward achievement and cooperative learning. Students reported a neutral response to the idea that cooperative learning can be useful in improving achievement. The quantitative survey did not question either group on the specifics of the modified jigsaw and its effect on collaboration, achievement, or connectedness. Future studies can be significant attempts to create a more detailed questionnaire designed to assess feelings and behaviors toward a specific cooperative learning activity.

Research Question 2: Does cooperative learning, including the Modified Jigsaw II strategy, contribute to greater collaboration and improved student involvement in the online classroom?

Hypothesis 2: Integrating cooperative learning is related to more effective collaboration among students in the online environment.

Quantitative data indicate that cooperative learning in the online classroom relates to more effective collaboration; students felt that cooperative learning improved collaboration among students. The mean scores showed that cooperative learning enhances class participation and students’ willingness to participate in cooperative learning. The mean scores from Table 9 were 3.51 and 3.78, which was the mean for all 49 respondents. The mean scores indicated that respondents’ scores were closer to 4 (agree) than to 3 (neutral) regarding collaborative behaviors and how cooperative experiences improve collaborative behaviors and class participation.

Research Question 3: Is the use of cooperative learning in online instruction related to students perceiving themselves to be more connected and more a part of a collaborative community?

Hypothesis: Integrating cooperative learning in the online classroom, specifically the modified jigsaw strategy, is related to connectedness and being a part of a collaborative community.

Quantitative data collected on the relationship between cooperative learning and connectedness yielded very little information beyond the mean scores, as demonstrated by the other two hypotheses. The mean scores for each of the attitudinal questions on connectedness were the highest: 3.73, 3.89, and 3.78. These mean scores were close to 4 (agree) on the Likert scale, indicating that students believe there is a relationship between cooperative learning and connectedness. The mean score of 3.73 indicated that students feel more positive toward their work when they are involved in cooperative learning. The 3.89 mean score indicated that students involved in cooperative learning socialize more, and the 3.78 mean score indicated that students engaged in cooperative learning have improved relations with the students they work within the class. Although the correlations were not significantly different for the treatment and control groups, this could be due to the small sample size and the flaw in the questions as they were designed. It could also be because the treatment and control group did not differ on the predictor variable, which was cooperative learning experiences in graduate school. Neither the experimental nor the control group was specifically asked about the cooperative learning experiences in the test classroom but were asked to rate the questions on their cooperative learning experiences in all graduate courses in their study program. This returned a result that virtually everyone in the sample had experienced cooperative learning in one or more of their courses before the class. This could be corrected if the questions were more directed towards the experimental module used in the class. The questions on the Likert scale only asked students to respond to their general learning experiences thus far in their classes and did not pinpoint the questions toward the modified jigsaw activity added to the experimental class.

1. Gaining alternative perspectives in problem solving is helpful.

2, Collaborative learning is helpful for people to get connected.

3. Clear roles and instructions are essential.

4. Unequal distribution of workloads occurs.

5. In cooperative activities, networks grow locally and abroad.

6. Learning to use online computer, technical tools is important.

7. Sharing ideas increases achievement.

8. Cooperative learning is better online than face-to-face instruction.

Research Question 1: Is the use of the cooperative learning strategy Modified Jigsaw II related to greater learning in the online classroom?

Hypothesis 1: Integrating cooperative learning, specifically the modified jigsaw strategy, through the online environment is related to greater learning.

Theme 7 of the qualitative study, sharing ideas increases achievement, was reported by the two experimental instructors, who felt there was a positive correlation between cooperative learning and achievement; however, they did not say how strong they thought it was.

Research Question 2: Does cooperative learning, including the Modified Jigsaw II strategy, contribute to greater collaboration and improved student involvement in the online classroom?

Hypothesis 2: Integrating cooperative learning is related to more effective collaboration among students in the online environment.

Theme 1, gaining alternative perspectives in problem solving is helpful, was reported by all four instructors interviewed and was revealed by all 10 students interviewed in the control and the experimental groups. One control student, who did not receive the Modified Jigsaw II integrated into the class, explained that “you are being forced to work with people that [sic] see things in a different way. I do think it is positive in building collaborative skills.” This repetitive theme indicates that cooperative learning has a positive effect on collaboration in the online environment, as indicated in Hypothesis 2.

Research Question 3: Is the use of cooperative learning in online instruction related to students perceiving themselves to be more connected and more a part of a collaborative community?

Hypothesis: Integrating cooperative learning in the online classroom, specifically the modified jigsaw strategy, is related to connectedness and being a part of a collaborative community.

Theme 2, collaborative learning is helpful for people to get connected, was recorded by 12 respondents which included instructors and students in the control and experimental groups. This high occurrence of the perceived relationship between cooperative learning online and connectedness indicates that cooperative learning and student connectedness are linked in the online environment.
Theme 5, in cooperative activities, networks grow locally and abroad, was suggested by three respondents. This theme is at the core of the statement of the problem. Students online often feel isolated from their peers, but cooperative learning can help students build their professional networks locally and, if students in the class are located across the world, globally. This was reported by one student in the experimental group:
The one thing it really help(s) with is global thinking. So, we are able to connect with other people who are not just sitting next to us or even in the same state. So, now we know that we can connect with a school district or a school in another country and (it) really opens your mind to other ways of connecting with professionals and people outside in the world.

With online learning classrooms becoming an accepted model in higher education, and many institutions combining their tradition classrooms with blended, hybrid, or online classes. The importance of adding collaborative learning is paramount to the success of these programs so that students can share ideas and perspectives with their peers. Online cooperative learning, such as the modified jigsaw II, allows students to work together on a very structured activity in a class with student with different learning types and different experiences. The collaborative classroom, as envisioned by cooperative learning specialist such as Aronson and Patnoe (1997), Johnson & Johnson (1999), Kagan (1992) and Slavin, (1987, 1988, 1995) allows students to share facts, ideas, and experiences in a guided safe environment where they can comfortably communicate ideas and help others tackle difficult topics to create a more multifaceted and comprehensive product, because of the individual ideas are shared about the topic in the cooperative learning classroom.
Higher education often ignores the importance of the pedagogical strategies that help students infuse learning into their lives. Lecture and assessing through traditional testing methods helps make information available for students so they can memorize and reproduce it on an assessment or written paper. The transparent and collaborative approach to teaching can help students develop 21 century skills that higher education and employers are looking for such as critical thinking, problems solving, reasoning, analysis, interpretation, synthesis of information, collaborative and creative skills, and team building. The collaborative approach can also help develop connections between students with a wide variety of different ideas, perspectives, and experiences. When working together on a task, students can not only work together to create a product, but can share their personal experiences with one another. This connection through collaboration is the pedagogical key to differentiation of ideas, and the benefits are numerous for students, faculty, and humanity.

While the study produced no significant quantitative data supporting the hypothesis that cooperative learning improves learning, it did produce practical findings using the qualitative data, but the study had some limitations. First, the study was conducted on only n = 49 graduate education students and four professors. Generalization to other subject areas and to undergraduate students is not justified at this time. Further research should duplicate this study with larger student samples and across other subject areas and student populations, including undergraduates. Second, the experimental element of this study was done using one discrete activity during one weekly module. Therefore, it is inaccurate to assume the same results would occur if the study had been conducted using more activities in several modules of an online course. Further study should be conducted on each hypothesis separately to examine each variable and discover each one’s relationship the modified jigsaw online. This would entail that a researcher would investigate student achievement, collaborative behaviors, and connectedness separately and investigate how each one relates to online classrooms where team building and class building are regularly included in the course of study. Finally, quantitative survey questions and qualitative interview questions should be further triangulated to target the hypotheses more accurately.