Singapore has set the global pace for student learning with
a 2:1(2 pupils with 1 computer) ratio in its master plan for IT in education.
This show that even in other progressive countries, the1:1 pupil-computer ratio
is still an ideal to be achieved. Reality therefore dictates that school faces
the fact that each classroom, especially in public or government schools, may
not be equipped with the appropriate numbers of computer.
The creativity of the
teacher will have to respond to the situation, and so cooperative learning will
likely be the answer to the implementation of IT supported learning in our
schools. But the situation may not be that bad since there are motivational and
social benefits to cooperative learning and these can compensate for the lack
of hardware that educators face.
Defining Cooperative Learning
Cooperative or collaborative learning is learning by small
groups of students who work together in common learning task. It is often also
called grouped learning but to be truly cooperative learning 5 elements are
needed:
1. A common goal
2. interdependence
3. interaction
4. individual
accountability
5. social skills
Therefore not every group work is cooperative learning since
students working on their work sheets physically sat around a table may be
working together without these features of cooperative learning.
From several studies made on cooperative learning, it is
manifested that cooperative learning in its true sense is advantageous since
it:
(a) encourages active
learning, while motivating students
(b) increases
academic performance
(c) promotes literacy
and languages skills
(d) Improve teacher
effectiveness.
In addition, there are studies which show that cooperative
learning enhances personal and social development among students of all ages,
while enhancing self-esteem and improving social relations between racially and
culturally different students.
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Cooperative Learning and the computer
Researches
have made studies on the learning interaction between the student and the
computer. The studies have great value since it has been a long standing fear
that the computer may foster student learning in isolation that hinders the
development of the student’s social skills.
Now this
mythical fear has been contradicted by the studies which show that when the
students work with computers with groups. They cluster and interact with each
other for a vice and mutual help. And given the option to work individually or
in group, the students generally wish to work together in computer-based and
non-computer-based activities. Reflecting on this phenomenon, psychologists
think the computer fosters this positive social behavior due to the fact that
it has a display monitor – just like television set – that is look upon
something communal.
Therefore
researches agree that the computer is a fairly natural learning vehicle for
cooperative (at times called promotive) learning.
Components of Cooperative Learning
Educators are still wary about the computer’s role in
cooperative learning. Thus they pose the position the position that the use of
the computers do not automatically result in cooperative learning. There
therefore assign the teacher several tasks in order to ensure collaborative in
learning. These are:
- Assigning students to mixed-ability teams
- Establishing positive interdependence
- Teaching cooperative social skills
- Insuring individual accountability, and
- Helping groups process information
These are in addition to assigning a common work goal in
which each member of the group will realize that their grouped will not succeed
unless everyone contributes to the groups’ success. It is also important for
the teacher limits learning group clusters (six is the ideal number in a group)
so that there can be closer involvement in thinking and learning.
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