I believe that cooperative learning is going to be the central focus of education in the future, and that may be as soon as the next few years. The depth and availability of tools to learn in this manner is amazing, and the number of careers that are becoming based on collaboration makes it necessary for students to learn these skills early on. It's not enough to simply have students count off by number and work together on a worksheet. Group projects must be in-depth and push for a process that requires students to work through the tasks as a team--brainstorming, editing, finalizing, presenting, etc.
What I really enjoyed about this chapter was that so many of the tools are easily accessible and applicable to the classroom. Google Calendar, for instance, can keep students up-to-date on classroom events. Shared bookmarking allows students to recommend websites that they think are valuable to their peers. Website creation offers the opportunity to express creativity and potentially critique the work of their classmates. Multiplayer games offer a chance at relaxation, but also at learning.
These tools might not form the basis of a class, but they all assist in enhancing the experience for students.
Moodle Presentation
13 years ago
I agree that there are some powerful tools out there. For me, the limiting factor is the hardware to enable students to access these tools. I would like to see our school become a 1:1 school or invest in the new iPad for access to these technologies. Until this happens, the benefit will be limited.
ReplyDeleteI agree that cooperative learning needs to focus on the answering of a deeper question that cannot just be looked up. It must enable students to struggle for understanding and work with each other to come to a conclusion. These types of activities are exciting, engaging, and will increase student learning.
I also agree with Cooperative learning. I am in the process of a movement within my own classroom from one of leader in the front to guide on the side. From Kindergarten to College, this should be our goal!
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