Collaborative Learning

In today’s schools getting children to learn is a task that most teachers look forward to.  After all why are they teaching?  Sometimes however they’re just seems to be a student or students that don’t seem to be learning well with the traditional teaching methods.  One approach to helping students of differing learning abilities and styles is called collaborative learning.

Collaborative learning is when students of different levels, be it learning levels, behavioral levels, or even English speakers with non-English speakers, are grouped together and work toward a common goal.  The belief is that each student is partially responsible for the work the other students in the group are doing.  If the group does well, all the students do well.  Conversely if the group does poorly the individual does poorly.  There is ongoing debate as to the “fairness” of such a system.

Advocates of the collaborative learning approach argue that it promotes critical thinking because ideas are exchanged and students feed off of one another’s ideas.  There have even been some studies done that say students who are part of collaborative learning retain more information longer than those who work individually.

Still there are those that argue collaborative learning may hold back those students who are already at a higher cognitive level.  Why should the student receive a low score simply because the group as a whole had a project that was below the grading standard if they themselves contributed fully.

Collaborative learning is not for everyone or every classroom situation.  However, if monitored closely by the teacher and students themselves it can be beneficial to all students.  When the traditional learning styles seem to be wearing thing, it certainly would be a possibility to use collaborative learning for one or two projects just to break up the monotony in the classroom.  Students will feel invigorated by being able to work with their peers and who knows new friendships may be born.