Cooperative learning is just that, cooperative. When someone cooperates with others, they work together. This theory relates to social learning theories by actively involving students in the learning process, allowing them to engage in activities with other learners to construct meaning/knowledge. The main motivator of students is their peers, so what better way to increase their willingness/desire to gain knowledge than by using cooperative learning? Working with other students, children learn how to cooperate with others and solve problems through their interactions accomplishing a task (Palmer,G., Peters,R., & Streetman,R., 2003).
Blogging and wikis are examples of tools that correlate to the instructional strategy and social learning theories enabling students to interact with each other on projects both within and outside the classroom. As students learn different information, the knowledge can be posted on a blog so others can respond to the information. If erroneous material is posted, other group members can submit a reply stating the discrepancy. The two students (and others) can debate the issue, thus building cooperation and communication skills, without ever leaving home. Learning no longer needs to take place within the confines of the school day or community library hours.
The jigsaw activity mentioned by Dr. Orey (2009) and Palmer, Peters and Streetman (2003) allow individuals to learn about "parts" of a larger concept. When the groups get together, either in person or via a collaborative tool such as Facebook, they share their information, feedback is provided, revisions are made, and the group as a whole builds knowledge. If all of the "parts" are needed to put the "whole" together in the form of an artifact, students must not only teach their classmates well enough, but they themselves are placed in the position of learner as well.
References:
Laureate Education Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program 8. Social learning theory [Motion Picture]. Bridging learning theory, instruction, and technology Baltimore: Author.
Palmer, G., Peters, R., & Streetman, R. (2003). Cooperative learning. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved May 30, 2010, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt
Hi Kristen,
ReplyDeleteDid you blog much with your students this year? In my 8th grade honors class, we blogged once a week, and did discussions on bill of rights institute news. At the end of the year I always ask my students what they would keep the same about the class and what they would change. 75% of my students said blogging once a week was to much--they started off loving it, then I think I did over kill. Any thoughts on this, how often etc.
Tammy
Hi Tammy!
ReplyDeleteI didn't get a chance to blog with my students like I had wanted. I had a student teacher for 16 weeks so I never got it up and running.
As far as how often to blog, I think it's like anything else in education, if you make it a "requirement" the kids get tired of it. Try using it as an option. For example, instead of telling the class they have to blog once a week, give them several ways to respond to what you are doing (create a podcast, short video, blog, written paper etc.) or let it open-ended where the student can choose. Since students learning styles are different, this may be more meaningful and you may get better results.
Good luck!
Tammy,
ReplyDeleteI agree, blogging can be a lot of fun and the key is to find a way to make them want to blog, instead of making it a "requirement." I would love to use blogging more for my music class, but I do not have access to the computer lab. Hopefully, the classroom teachers will get the students use to blogging and then I can just jump on the bandwagon and have them access the music blogs from home.
I like your comment on the jigsaw activity. The part I like about the jigsaw activities is that it puts a child in the position of being both a teacher and a learning. Also, when someone becomes a teacher and has to explain a particular concept, it makes them grasp a better understanding of a particular concept and when a peer learns from another peer, it motivates them to pay attention.