La facilitation et l’accompagnement de l’apprentissage collaboratif dans la formation à distance : un levier de l’expérience autotélique?

Abstract

Since being introduced into higher education in the 1960s, distance learning (DL) has evolved considerably, making learner engagement in online learning environments a major challenge for instructional designers. This article aims to examine the extent to which support for collaborative distance learning can foster an autotelic experience for students, now recognized as a predictor of academic persistence. The methodology is based on a questionnaire survey conducted with 88 students and 4 teacher-designers across four online courses. These were either asynchronous or synchronous and delivered via platforms with or without collaborative tools. The results indicate that the collaborative features of asynchronous training are perceived to offer a level of facilitation and support equivalent to that of synchronous training. Furthermore, learning facilitation and support appear to enhance students’ sense of well-being. The survey also revealed differences in perception between teachers and students, suggesting the importance of gaining a better understanding of learning scenario uptake.