How can collaboration skills be developed in primary education?
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1. ‘’Developing social skills - Collaborative learning makes students
with different backgrounds, race, or up bringing, to work together. They come
together in a setting that maybe would not be possible if it were not for
collaborative learning. In order to solve a project’s given problem, children
need to communicate. They are able to hear different opinions and learn more
about different cultures. The collaborative learning methodology is ideal for
children that have difficulties in a social setting.
2. Learn from peers - Generally, people have different skills,
passions, and knowledge. In a small collaborative group, when a question is
raised, different students can have different answers and children can learn
new things from one another, but also understand different perspectives.
3. Build trust - In order to achieve a goal, students need to work
together. They can work together without trusting each other, but for an
effective collaboration and to reach a common goal, they need to learn to trust
each other.
4. Engage in learning - In a small group setting, each student has the
opportunity to express her or his ideas. Being able to do so, and being heard
can give the feeling of importance and value. The learning experience becomes
more fun, and students are eager to learn more.
5. Gain confidence - As students work as a team, they also receive more
support, therefore gain confidence. Collaborative learning can help shy
students express themselves more.’’
So how can these skills be developed?
‘’Over the past two decades, there has been
major emphasis on competition between students rather than cooperation and
collaboration among them, way too much emphasis on pre- specified and highly
detailed learning outcomes, way too much emphasis on rigorous and systematic
testing for so called educational standards
and way too much emphasis on teacher- centred pedagogy’’ (Bencze, 2017).
Edweek.org (2017) believes that being
practical is the best way of developing collaboration skills in schools,
‘’learning through doing is an important component in this’’.
Teachingchannel.org (2018) suggest some ways of encouraging collaboration and
to develop these skills:
·
Working Individually Before
Working in Groups – collaboration can be more powerful after students first
work individually.
·
Partner Talk – this helps
students ‘’flex their collaboration muscles’’ while just talking to one person,
then the students can turn to a second partner and share and discuss the information
they have just learned from the previous partner. This encourages conversations
and helps children not just develop collaboration skills but communication
skills also.
·
Small Group Collaboration –
this is a good way to start encouraging collaboration. Groups also a great way
to encourage students to give and receive feedback.
·
Create a Collaborative Environment – ‘’Collaboration can be
encouraged through different routines and assignments, but it can also be
promoted through the way your classroom is set up.’’
In relation to
the last point, Edutopia.org (2015) notes ways that teachers can make a
classroom more collaborative through the layout:
·
Involve Students in the Process
From the Beginning
By
allowing the children to be a part of the process of designing the classroom
layout it is already promoting collaboration, the children can all work
together to decide on something altogether through communicating and working as
a team. This also promotes collaboration between the students and the teacher
and ‘’establishes a framework that evolves the role of the classroom teacher
from distant lecturer to engaged facilitator of learning’’.
·
Make Every Space a Space for
Learning
‘’In the
process of designing a collaborative learning space, all available areas should
be considered spaces for learning. Hallways can become meeting spaces for small
groups, glass and windows can be transformed into writing spaces, and classroom
walls can allow groups to visually map out thinking’’. Another suggestion is to
remove the teacher’s desk, as without a front to the class every seat is the
best seat and students can be the centre of learning.
·
Connect Physical and Virtual
Learning Spaces
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Reference
list
·
Bencze, L. (2017). Science
and Technology Education Promoting Wellbeing for Individuals, Societies and
Environments. Cham: Springer.
·
Chioran, A. (2017). Why
is collaborative learning important?. [online] Nuiteq.com. Available at:
https://www.nuiteq.com/company/blog/why-is-collaborative-learning-important [Accessed
18 Feb. 2019].
·
Edutopia. (2015). Collaborative
Learning Spaces: Classrooms That Connect to the World. [online] Available
at:
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/collaborative-learning-spaces-connect-to-world-jennifer-williams-fran-siracusa
[Accessed 19 Feb. 2019].
·
Ryan, A. and Ladd, G.
(2012). Peer Relationships and Adjustment at School. Charlotte: IAP
- Information Age Publishing, Inc.
·
Sparks, S. (2017). Children
Must Be Taught to Collaborate, Studies Say. [online] Education Week.
Available at: https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/05/17/children-must-be-taught-to-collaborate-studies.html
[Accessed 19 Feb. 2019].
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