TU170 - Group working - Collaborative Learning

In the traditional educational learning experience knowledge has been imparted from tutor to student with the use of lessons or lectures and books. Within CMC the students' traditional 'behaviourist' learning migrates to a 'cognitive' approach, whereby the individuals become active agents in the learning process. The quality and standard of learning that we experience can be improved by tackling the problems collectively. CMC offers an advanced method of education, offering the sharing of skills, experiences, perspectives, and support otherwise not available using traditional methods. People with disabilities also have equal access. Groupwork can also give confidence and support to those who are not so confident or having trouble with the material.

Distance Learning

The advances in technology have allowed the Internet to become an important tool aiding collaborative learning, where face-to-face communication is not possible. Distance Learning allows asynchronous communication by students at widely varying geographical locations, it enables students to participate at times convenient to them and also allows a record of the messages to be kept for future reference. This gives the student the opportunity to share skills, experiences, perspectives, and support with his/her peers. It also allows students with disabilities equal access without prejudice.

Advantages

The mix of skills and experiences of group members often enhances the group to achieve more as a group that if they worked individually.

The skills and experiences of group members are shared and as such can enhance the individual members experience and skills.

Support and encouragement from group members to others in the group to each other that might not be available when working individually.

Group members can work on a project or task using asynchronous computer conferencing while balancing time between study and normal everyday life i.e. can work together while separated by time or distance.

The group helps individuals to produce better work than they may have managed on their own.

Disadvantages

The main point of group working is that the group must have a goal that is shared and the group has collective responsibility for achieving that goal.

Lack of face-to-fact contact can make it difficult to progress through the initial stages of groupwork i.e. the forming, storming and norming.