Cooperative Learning can be enhanced by the use of technology tools in order to collaborate with other people outside of the school community, create multimedia artifacts, and use social networking to connect and share ideas.
Collaboration Tools
The use of online tools such as wikis, blogs, and voicethreads allow students to collaborate to complete task, give feedback to peers, and receive feedback (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This interaction can increase student learning by providing new contexts and schema for processing and storing the information. These elements make it a prime example of social constructionism as students are actively engaged in creating an artifact while participating in conversation about the process and product (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011). Classroom websites and Edmodo are other online tools that can provide this same experience.
Multimedia
There are many websites and software applications that allow students to create multimedia presentations about what they are learning. Some excellent examples include Voice Thread, Photo Story, Power Point, and Animoto. These tools allow students to incorporate visual, audio, and interactive elements to incraese the impact on the audience. When students work cooperatively to create a multimedia artifact, they are again engaging in the creation and conversation about the learning process. By working cooperatively, not competitively, students also develop teamwork and delegation skills that are essential to the 21st century workplace (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2009).
Social Networking
The use of social networking has often been avoided by schools, although they offer an opportunity for communicating and connecting with students on their own turf. Through the use of safe, secure, and protected social networking websites, such as Edmodo, students can benefot from the same level of interaction they have on Facebook while working with content materials. This does not come without its own set of problems. Even one of the best classes I have worked with had a rogue student who posted inappropriate comments using a fake student. As teachers, we must also use all of the tools available to use to prevent the opportunity for this type of occurance. I learning my lesson and quickly secured the site so no other members could be added. This interaction has allowed students to gain new perspectives and enhance their understanding of content materials and multiple ways to solve a problem.
Sources:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program eight: Social learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). P21 Framework Definitions. Retrieved 9/24/2012 from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Ellen, we all learn the hard way, it seems. I have been using Gaggle (www.gaggle.net) for several years with my students and I love it. Gaggle is a school-safe email and social networking site. Before a school can use Gaggle, a teacher must request access from Gaggle, which in turn verifies the teacher's employment. It allows me to get an email account for every student. The emails are monitored for appropriateness. If there is any question about the content, the email is sent to me and I have to approve it. Believe me, no matter how many times I tell my students they are monitored, I invariably have one or two try and send something inappropriate. Gaggle also allows students to have a social wall, watch gaggle.tube, create a friend's list, blogs, and it even has a homework dropbox. It has been free, but I read where they might start charging $3.95 per student, per school year in the future.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this link. I'll have to check it out. It sounds like a good opportunity for students to have increased social interaction in a safe, monitored environment. When you say that the emails are monitored, does that mean the website monitors them? I am curious how that works. My fear is, working with high school students, that they would chenge the spelling of a cuss word or use the @#$ symbols to make thier posting vulgar.
Thanks!
Ellen
Xtranmormal(http://www.xtranormal.com/) is an excellent instructional tool for students that incorporate technology with 21st century skills. At the middle school, we have been experimenting with this tool and using it in Math classes. This has been exciting to watch as students are engaged in teaching others and are using collaboration to create projects that will not only help one another, but can become a global learning tool. The level of excitement has been a powerful motivator for other classes to try similar projects using a variety of multimedia tools. It has been a great example of how cooperative learning enhances attitudes, gives the opportunity for positive interactions, and helps develop a deeper understanding of concepts students are engaged in a powerful way to learn (Orey, 2008).
ReplyDeleteOrey, M. (Ed.). (2008). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page