Collaborative learning � A complimentary approach
Victoria Seiketso Sethibe | Thursday November 5, 2015 16:22
What this implies is that learners transform for the better if they make an effort to learn independently before coming together to make meaning out of what they already know. Collaborative learning can take place in various forms such as panel discussions, workshops or debates. The following benefits are achieved when learners work collaboratively:
Academic skills
Participants learning in pairs or small groups develop;
* the ability to think critically and clarify ideas through discussion and debate. Since the other participants would already have gathered information independently about the topic under discussion in advance, the presenter would be required to thoroughly explain his or her ideas to minimise being caught off-guard.
* interpretation skills by providing and receiving meaningful stories that sometimes relate to personal experiences. Learners understand information better when they can relate it to their own personal experiences.
* effective application of what they know in diverse contexts. For instance, participants discussing a business related topic might improve their business a lot after learning how others use resources in their communities to generate income. They design skills by bringing together and building new information or artefacts after critiquing what others presented during the group discussions.
* empathy by developing greater ability to view situations from others’ perspectives during the discussions. Even though empathy can be viewed by many as a social skill, it is also a key for academic development.
* the ability to address learning style differences among participants if they are given a chance to choose how they each want to make their presentations; some might prefer to be predominantly graphical, others verbal while some might prefer to demonstrate experiments.
Social skills
Individual responsibility and accountability; when participants adhere to what was consensually agreed on regarding individual tasks and deadlines. They also get to learn to hold others accountable for their actions.
Social support system; learners develop responsibility for each other, thereby establishing an atmosphere of cooperation within the group.
Imagine a situation whereby people sail together for months in an ocean, the only way of surviving is to be responsible for each other to stay safe in that ship. Similarly, learners need to be responsible for each other as they are sailing through their academic journey.
Conflict resolution; Participants learn to positively learn to deal with conflict and facilitate decisionmaking. Conflict resolution skills help to prepare participants for future leadership roles. In extreme cases where participants fail to reach a consensus, they learn to outsource mediation from their mentors.
Objectivity; Participants learn to criticise ideas and behaviours, not people, by listening actively to each other and paying attention to behaviours exhibited within the group. In this way, they learn to give constructive feedback. Those who receive constructive feedback learn to be open to change.
Learner retention; collaborative learning promotes learner retention through higher achievement and strong social support system. Research shows that naturally people like to stay in places where they gain a sense of achievement and feel supported.
Reduction of test anxiety; learners who support each other develop the ability to overcome excessive test anxiety.
Healthy self-esteem; learners develop healthy self-esteem when they feel valued by their peers. Executive skills; collaborative learners develop the ability to plan, not only for themselves but also for others. They also learn to manage time and tasks effectively. Taking turns in leadership roles also helps each participant to learn to run a meeting. As participants develop ownership and stay on task more, they become less disruptive
Talent identification; individuals who regularly participate in collaborative learning exercises develop better awareness of which roles they and others are best suited for.
They also get to learn which roles can be filled within a group e.g. facilitator, time keeper and recorder. Rotating roles also helps them to maximise their learning experiences.