As our instructor mentioned in the VoiceThread presentation, it is not about the tool, it is about the philosophy of Web 2.0 and social media. For that reason, this article is very appealing because it does not focus on social media tools. This article focuses on collaborative learning and project-based learning. It mentions examples of collaborative learning activities (i.e. group projects, case studies, branching scenarios, etc.). It also presents tips to design effective collaborative learning activities.
As shown in Dick and Carey Design Model, designers will identify instructional goals, conduct instructional analysis, write objectives, develop assessment, develop instructional strategies, select and develop materials, conduct evaluation, and revise instruction.
Of course, there is a time we will have to pick a tool to deliver the activity, but foundations of our design decisions should be rooted in the bigger picture: collaborative learning.
Check out this article (available at https://elearningindustry.com/social-learning-in-instructional-design-practical-tips-to-design-effective-collaborative-elearning-activities) and see how exciting can be to think about collaborative learning, choose activities/strategies, and then choose appropriate tools to implement them.
lucimello 