Using Distributed Scrum for Supporting Online Collaborative Learning : A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Students Perceptions
Jörgen ̈Söderback, Stefan Hrastinski, Lena‐Maria Öberg · Diva portal (Dalarna University Library) · 2015
Abstract One purpose of higher education is to prepare students for a modern and ever-changing global society with increasing complexity and collaborative environments. Scrum is a widely used framework for project management dealing with development of complex products. Few studies have been made on the use of Scrum in higher education. This study examines to what extent distributed Scrum can support online collaborative learning, more exactly what are the advantages and drawbacks on distributed Scrum from a student perspective. Twenty students in an online course has participated in Scrum projects as members in distributed teams. Student’s perceptions was captured using semi-structured interviews. The preliminary results indicate that students are satisfied with Scrum and that they experience a high degree of flexibility. The transparency in Scrum is perceived as a key to open communication and effective collaboration. Keywords: e-learning, online education, Scrum, distributed, collaboration, transparency