"When students work in cooperative groups, they make sense of, or construct meaning for, new knowledge by interacting with others" (Johnson, Johnson, & Stanne, 2000). Our goal in education should be to have students construct meaning for themselves. I find that if something I am studying isn't meaningful to me, I may remember it short term but I am unable to access that information in my memory long term. (This goes back to the brain research we study in week 1 of our course.) Many of our students thrive on the interaction of their peers. We are social animals, and it makes sense to harness our learning to that drive to be social.
In using technologies within the cooperative learning framework, we are opening up the possibly of students teaching and learning from others that they have never met, that may be experts in their field. "Teaching others helps the learner develop a deeper understanding of the content" (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). Deeper understanding is what leads students to remember and make more connections with other things they will learn. The use of Blogs, wikis and social networking sites opens up amazing possibilities for students to share with other cultures and beliefs as well. This is a piece missing from the cooperative learning model set in a classroom's four walls. How do we as educators make the most of this rich teaching opportunity while still keeping our students safe from the negative activity that is bound to come up when working without walls?
Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., & Stanne, M.B. (2000). Cooperative learning methods: A meta-analysis. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota. Retrieved May 4, 2006, from http://www.co-operation.org/pages/cl-methods.html
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2009). Program eight. Social Learning Theories [Motion picture]. Bridging Learning Theory, Instruction, and Technology. Baltimore: Orey.
More Adventures in Ed Tech with ESL learners
12 years ago
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Susan. I, too, worry about my responsibility if using a blog or wiki should some external and inappropriate entry show up. I know you can invite only class members, but what stops a student from sending it out to others, etc. I am not even sure that I am allowed to set up a blog or wiki at my school. I did the podcast assignment by getting written permission, but I had one mom who did not allow her child to participate. Cathy
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteIt is so true that when students use blogs, wikis, and social networking they have the opportunity to meet students from other cultures. This is beneficial for our students because they need to understand that they live in a diverse world and everyone's cultures has something to contribute to our society and their learning. I think connecting to other schools across the globe can be an enriching experience that all students need to experience.
Cathy - I have to believe that school districts will catch up with technology. I too work in a district where blogs and wikis are questionable. I plan to keep demonstrating how eductional they can be until I no longer meet such resistance. Nothing stops a student from sending inappropriate information out to other students, but nothing stops them from doing this within our four walls either. Our discipline system needs to evolve with our technology, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteYolanda - Don't you think that students need to try to understand other cultures because they will be interacting and competing with them as we have never seen before? When I was growing up, I was preparing for an economy and workforce that was very narrow. My students are truly being taught to function in the global world.
ReplyDeleteSusan R.