3. What is collaborative learning
• one specific theory
• single pedagogical method or psychological process
(Crook 2000; Dillenbourg 2002)
Collaborative learning refers to studying method where group members have joint
task and they are committed to construct a joint understanding through social
interaction.
(Baker 2002)
Collaborative learning can be seen as a space where the group members create new knowledge
together.
And what it is not…
(Lave & Wenger 1991)
Collaborative learning refers to the culture of knowledge building and learning is considered
equal to learners’ growing ability to participate in learning communities’ actions.
6. Collaborative learning is
effective because it might
actuate important learning
mechanisms.
Collaborative learning is
effective because it might
actuate important learning
mechanisms.
•asking and explaining
•argumenting and giving
feedback
•sharing knowledge
•following other’s strategies
7. Why collaborative learning?
Requirements of information society
Latest learning research
Increasing amount of knowlwege
Rapid change of working- and everyday life
Social interaction between learners is the main
factor in successful learning.
8. However…
– Not all types of interaction lead to high-level of
collaborative learning.
Interaction forms in successful collaborative learning (Vuopala 2013, in press)
Group-related Task-related
10. Supporting collaboration with technology
• Computer Supported Collaborative Learning
(CSCL)
– How collaboration can be supported (in a
meaningful way) by technology.
– CSCL research is interested in how the interaction
between learners and function of the group can be
supported with technology and how technology
can promote sharing of knowledge and expertise
among learners.
11. Learning
environment
(process)
Technology-supported learning
Technology as a part of other teaching activities
• slides
• linklists
• announcements
•peer-tutoring
• teacher tutoring
• feedback
discussions
•Web-courses
• self-study materials
• electronic books
• distance-learning
B C
A D
Media for
sharing the
material
(product)
(Hein, Ihanainen & Nieminen 2000)
•www-pages
•blogs
•email
•www-pages
•cd-roms
•Web-platforms
•Video-conference
• Skype
• wikis, blogs
•Web-platforms
•wikis, blogs
12. Conclusions
• Collaboration doesn’t guarantee good quality
learning. Still individual learner remains in the
center of learning process.
• Technological solutions develop all the time
but the mechanisms of individuals’ intelligent
behaviour stays the same.
• Application of technology itself doesn’t
produce deeper, more qualified or more
effective learning, but it can support learners
to attain deeper level of learning.
Process in which individuals negotiate and share meanings and knowledge. Main focus in collaboration is in group members’ intentions to construct and maintain the shared notion about the problem. Collaborative learning is making thinking visible and developing one’s own thinking through social interaction. Collaboration can be seen as a space where the group members create new knowledge together (e.g. Baker, 2002). Essential requirement for collaboration is that group members are committed to shared goal and that they participate equally in collaborative knowledge building (Arvaja, 2005).
Social constructivism Social nature of knowledge. Production of new knowledge as a social action. Reality is a social construction, which is created through interaction between individuals (Resnick, 1991). Sosiocultural (Vygotsky) and sosiocognitive (Piaget) perspectives Sosiocultural and sosiocognitive perspectives for learning Sosio-cultural: Emphasizes the social nature of knowledge building and learning and considers tools (like language) and environments as mediators in the process of knowledge construction. Sosio-cognitive:Emphasis on the social interaction between group members and its’ influence for individual’s learning Socio-cognitive conflict which occurs when learners are interacting with each others and they confront a contradiction between they own and other learners’ thoughts. Solving this conflict can lead to conceptual change which forces learner to re-organize his knowledge structures. The idea of sosio-cognitive conflict is based on Piaget’s idea of cognitive conflict
Collaborative learning: Each member of the group has same task and goal. The purpose of the action is to build shared understanding by interacting with each others. (Crook, 2000; Dillenbourg, 2002) Co-operative learning: ” Traditional groupwork”: The task is divided in smaller parts and each group member does just his own part of the hole task.
Requirements of the information society Increasing amount of knowledge Rapid change of working- and everyday life Challenges for learning: requirements to master multiple problems and rapid changes, requirements to master skills for information processing and communication, abilities to collaborate with other individuals. (Nurmi & Jaakola, 2002.) Social interaction between learners is the main factor in successful learning. Knowledge sharing and interaction improve learners’ achievements and strengthen learners’ feelings of satisfaction. (e.g. Gear, & al, 2003; Lebie & al., 1996; Wanger, 1995; Webb & Palincsar, 1996; Vrasidas & M Isaac, 1999).
Coordinating units Organizing ongoing meeting Organizing upcoming work Technological issues Sosio-emotional units Expressing cohesion Decrease tension Accompanying Presenting new knowledge Theory-based Experience –based Statement Question Independent question Clarifying question Suggestion Answer or comment Short, declaratory comment Comment with explanation