Collaborative Learning

1. Collaborative Learning John Milliken School of Education Queens University Belfast

2. Learning outcomes • To consider the role of collaborative learning • To examine some collaborative learning approaches • To consider some aspects of educational debate • To be aware of changing aspects of teaching and learning

3. Curriculum issues Prescriptive Curriculum Experiential Curriculum Teacher-centered  Student-centred Linear & rational   Coherent & relevant Part to whole organisation   Whole to part organisation Teaching as transmitting  Teaching as facilitating Learning as receiving  Learning as constructing Structured environment  Flexible environment

4. Learning in context

5. Teaching vs learning John Amos Comenius, a 16th Century scholar; summarised the approach that teaching should follow, “The main object is to find a method by which teachers teach less but learners learn more”, proving that current problems have noble pedigrees.

6. Collaborative learning “Collaborative learning is an umbrella term for a variety of educational approaches involving joint intellectual effort by students, or students and teachers together. Usually students are working in groups of two or more, mutually searching for understanding, solutions or meanings, or creating a product. Collaborative learning activities vary widely, but most center on students’ exploration or application of the course material, not simply the teacher’s presentation or explication of it”. Smith and McGregor (1992)

7. Educational goals • Involvement • Co-operation and teamwork • Community responsibility

8. Assumptions about learning • Learning is an active constructive process • Learning depends on rich contexts • Learners are diverse • Learning is inherently social

9. Approaches Collaborative learning Co-operativelearning Writing groups Peer teaching Problem-based learning Learning communities Discussion groups

10. Widespread use R Q • Based on theory and validated by research • Amount, generalisability, breadth and applicability • Variety of co-operative learning methods available

11. Why use cooperative learning? • promote student learning and academic achievement • enhance student satisfaction with their learning experience • help students develop skills in oral communication • develop students' social skills • promote student self-esteem • increase student retention • develop a community of learners

12. 5 Elements of cooperative learning • Positive interdependence • Face-to-face interaction • Individual and group accountability • Interpersonal and small group skills • Group processing

13. Postive interdependence • Each group member's efforts are required and indispensable for group success • Each group member has a unique contribution to make to the joint effort because of his or her resources and/or role and task responsibilities Sink or swim together!

14. Face-to-face interaction • Orally explaining how to solve problems • Teaching one's knowledge to others • Checking for understanding • Discussing concepts being learned • Connecting present with past learning Promote each other's success

15. Individual and group accountability • Keeping the size of the group small. • Giving an individual test to each student. • Randomly examining students orally. • Observing each group and recording the frequency with which each member-contributes to the group's work. • Assigning one student in each group the role of checker. • Having students teach what they learned to someone else. No hitchhiking! No social loafing No freeloading

16. Interpersonal and small group skills • Social skills must be taught: • Leadership • Decision-making • Trust-building • Communication • Conflict-management skills Mutual understanding

17. Group processing • Group members discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintaining effective working relationships • Describe what member actions are helpful and not helpful • Make decisions about what behaviours to continue or change

18. R Q Jigsaw Approach

19. Jigsaw Approach

20. Jigsaw approach

21. Approaches Collaborative learning Co-operative learning Writing groups Peer teaching Problem-basedlearning Learning communities Discussion groups

22. Problem based learning (PBL) PBL is a learning-centred pedagogy based on current theories of learning including constructivism, social constructivism and situated learning. Problem-based learning clearing househttps://chico.nss.udel.edu/Pbl/

23. Brainstorm- hypothesize Next page Identify learning issues Return-Reread-Report-Review Research-Learn PBL - an iterative process Mrs. Paula Embledon is a 78 year old woman who has come to the emergency room complaining of shortness of breath and pain in her chest. She had been in relatively good health until three weeks previously, when she sprained..... You are the owner of a small antique shop in Kingston. Mrs. Jones, an old friend, has brought to you for appraisal a landscape painting which appears to be about 200 years old. She is convinced there is another painting beneath the landscape….. You are a researcher in a cellular immunology lab. You have been given two blood samples – one of which contains anti-coagulant. An aliquot of the latter sample can be shown to lyse tumour cells. You conduct further studies to determine the mechanism of the killing… A new bridge has been constructed spanning a river 1 kilometer wide. In a recent storm, during which winds gusted to 120 km/hr, the bridge was observed to be oscillating from side to side ….. Mr. John Smith is the owner of a national company manufacturing FMCG products. Recently his company merged with an international company with a different organisational culture……. • Read the problem EVALUATE Prof. H. Pross Queens School of Medicine Kingston, Ontario

24. Problem statement EXEMPLAR TASK: Based on the information provided on the handout, work in groups of four and compile a problem statement.

25. Approaches Collaborative learning Co-operative learning Writing groups Peer teaching Learningcommunities Problem-based learning Discussion groups

26. Learning communities • Sociocultural and constructivist views of learning (Lave & Wenger) • Two important questions:- • What social engagements and processes provide the ‘proper’ context for learning? • What forms of co-participation might be required when engaging learners in these forms of learning.

27. Community types • Learning community: focus on learning together, sharing, developing relationships • Communities of practice: focus on developing professional practice • Community of enquiry: focus on enquiring about and issue/area • Knowledge community: focus on developing knowledge

28. Cyber communities Teaching/learning Face-to-face Blended Online “…the cornerstone of an online community lies in the presence of socially close, strong, intimate ties, the development of trust, shared values and social organisation. The quality of peoples’ relations is an important characteristic in an online community (This will be the modified role of the teacher as an e-moderator!)

29. E-Learning (teacher to moderator) Salmon (2005)

31. References • Johnson, D.W. and Johnson, R. T. (1990) Cooperation and Competition: Theory and Research, Edina, MN; Interaction Book Company • Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated learning; legitimate peripheral participation, Cambridge University Press • McConnell, D. (2006) E-learning groups and communities, SRHE/OU Press • Salmon, G. (2005) E-moderating, Open University Press • Smith, B. L. & McGregor, J. (1992) What is collaborative learning? – National Center on Postsecondary education