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Saturday, July 16, 2011

L13 Cooperative Learning with the Computer

          Singapore has set the global pace for student-centred learning with a 2:1 ratio in its masterplan for IT in Education. This shows that even in other progressive countries, the 1:1 pupil-computer ratio is still an ideal to be achieved. In the present state of education in our country, it shows that schools face the fact that each classroom, especially government schools, may not be equipped with the appropriate number of computers.
          The teacher’s creativity will have to respond to the situation, and so collaborative learning will likely be the answer to the implementation of IT supported learning in our schools. One of which is through group research/report where the member of the group where responsible in reporting to class and answering the questions asked by their teacher as a group.




   
            Collaborative learning is learning by small groupsof students who work together in a common learning task. It is often also called group learning but to be truly cooperative learning, 5 elements are needed: common goal, Interdependence, Interaction, Individual accountability and Social skills. Therefore, not every group work is cooperative learning, physically working around in a group without these features is not a cooperative learning.
            Advantageous manifestations or collaborative learning are: it encourage active learning, while motivating students, increases academic performance, promotes literacy and language skills and improves teacher effectiveness. On the other hand, studies show that it enhances personal and social development among students of all ages, while enhancing self-esteem and improving social relations between racially and culturally different students. 

Cooperative learning and the Computer

            Based on a study conducted, researchers agree that the computer is a natural learning vehicle for cooperative (at times called promotive) learning. Thus, it shows that when students work with computers in groups, they cluster and interact with each other for advice and mutual help. Moreover, given the option to work individually or in a group, the students generally wish to work together in computer-based and non-computer-based activities. Reflecting on this, psychologists think the computer fosters this positive social behaviour because it has a display monitor – where they look something in common.
            In order to make a collaborative learning more effective in providing knowledge and enhance the skills of the students. Educators have several tasks in order to ensure collaborative learning. These are assigning students to mixed-ability teams, establishing positive interdependence, teaching cooperative social skills, insuring individual accountability, and helping group’s process information.
          These will help the students realize that their group will not succeed unless everyone contributes to the groups’ success. On the other hand, educators must see to it that members of the group participate in the activity and make it sure that members in a group were in limited clusters (six is the ideal number in a group) so there can be closer involvement in thinking and learning.

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