July
2009
Cooperative Learning and Social Learning in the 21st Century2
In class this week, we have been exploring instructional strategies that correlate with social learning theories. Cooperative learning is a strategy that includes many aspects of social learning theories. Cooperative learning paired with technology is the new educational expectation of the 21st century. As a middle school teacher, I find that the combination of cooperative learning strategies and technology are great ways to engage my students. Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works has several ideas about how to incorporate technology and cooperative learning.
Social learning theories discern that students learn from conversations and interactions with others while working together to build or construct something. Students can be grouped together to create something, such as a movie about famous authors or playwrights. The students will have to work in their groups, discussing and researching to create accurate movies. It is imperative for students in the 21st century to be able to work together with others and to be able to construct meaning and knowledge from working with others. Another cooperative group activity is to be able to communicate and collaborate on activities over the internet. Shared calendars, shared book marking, blogs, and wikis have all made this possible. Students are able to work together and share information over the calendars and book marking sites and they are able to continue work and editing of blogs and wikis from their own home because of the nature of these tools. These tools also allow students to continue their collaboration for projects while outside of school and even when some students may be traveling and unable to work together face to face with other group members.
These tools are creating many new educational opportunities for students in the 21st century. The students are still able to work in cooperative groups and learn from one another even when they are not in the same area!
I love all the great ideas you have like a shared calendars, wikis, blogs and book marking. I too would love to start a class wiki and/or a class blog once my district figures out the privacy and safety concerns with the internet. These are great tools that lend themselves nicely to social learning theory. What age are your students? I think a shared calendar would be great for my teammates and I but a little too advanced for my third graders.
Collaboration is a huge part of learning and success for a child. One of my favorite things about teaching is watching the children learn from each other. When my students are doing group activities, sometimes I just sit back and observe and just love to see them interacting and feeding off of each other. I think it is so important for 21st century students to work in cooperative groups because it only prepares them for the future.