What is Collaborative Learning

Contributed by:

Jonathan James Fri, Jan 07, 2022 10:09 PM UTC

The key highlights are:
- 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

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. Collaborative learning
Co-operative learning
Writing
Peer
groups
teaching
Learning Problem-based
communities learning
Discussion
groups

10. RQ
Widespread use
 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
1. Positive interdependence
2. Face-to-face interaction
3. Individual and group accountability
4. Interpersonal and small group skills
5. 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
 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
 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. RQ
Jigsaw Approach

19. Jigsaw Approach

20. Jigsaw approach

21. Collaborative learning
Co-operative learning
Writing
Peer
groups
teaching
Problem-based
Learning
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 house
https://chico.nss.udel.edu/Pbl/

23. PBL - an iterative process
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Read the
problem
Brainstorm-
hypothesize Next page
EVALUATE
Identify learning Return-Reread-
issues Report-Review
Research-Learn Prof. H. Pross
Queens School of
Medicine

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

25. Collaborative learning
Co-operative learning
Writing
Peer
groups
teaching
Learning Problem-based
communities learning
Discussion
groups

26. Learning communities
 Sociocultural and constructivist views of
learning (Lave & Wenger)
 Two important questions:-
1. What social engagements and processes provide the ‘proper’
context for learning?
2. 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)

30.

31.  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

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