Hi everyone,
Social learning is something I see in and outside of the classroom. I think it may be one of the most authentic approaches to learning. Babies look to parents to learn about the world—they use social referencing to help them make sense of information. I’d see this time and again with my sons—when they encountered something new—an unfamiliar dog—or if they tripped while playing in the playground, they’d look at my face to see my reaction. If I looked upset, they’d become upset—if I was calm, so were they.
People give us feedback about our actions and we adjust our behaviors based on this feedback. We watch others and learn from them.
One of the many strengths I see in cooperative learning is the opportunity for the exchange of ideas, the immediate feedback, and the support or scaffolding it can provide. The social component can also make activities more enjoyable for students—and allow them to develop very valuable interpersonal skills. Few careers today do not require team participation and collaborative problem solving—having these skills will help ensure that students are prepared for the workplace.
I see the social networking sites as really changing the way people communicate. I recall that years ago, before these sites were available, if you wanted to chat with a friend you picked up the phone. If you worked in an office, and got a new job, after a while, you drifted apart from your old office mates. Now, with sites like Facebook, you can keep up with a large number of people, and type a few words to them (something that takes very little time) and you still maintain that connection. You can also share with many people simultaneously through a blog—something which allows you to connect with a large number of people with no more effort than connecting with one person. These sites also encourage people to stay connected with others from other cultures and countries--I think they can help students to develop an appreciation of the world outside of their own experience.
I wonder what others think? Looking forward to your postings.
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI am a proponent of social learning. Yet, I cannot seem to make it work with my students. When in group settings, I often have trouble because my above-level students do not want to work with the some students because they would rather socialize and not produce the work. This can become a time and quality problem. Expectations have been established, so then what can I do to make those students motivated to do the work?
Dreanna
I think that social networking is such a great tool! I am able to communicate with teachers from all around to share ideas and vent about problems in my school without making a long distance call! I love that fact that I can keep in touch with teachers that I first went to college with, it's like collaborating in our college classes all over again! We recently skyped with a member of this class and her students! It was so fun and was great to learn about the diveristy between the two schools!! What better way to learn than to learn from our peers!!
ReplyDeleteHi Dreanna,
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting to my blog.
I wonder if it would work to introduce a "prize" or "reward" for the best efforts? I always have approach/avoidance with this, but it has been helpful to me in the past. A prize can sometimes "unite" the group since they all want to win, and keep them focused on the task.
What I do where at all possible, it provide "prizes" in different categories so each group has a chance to win and feel good about their project. My experience has been that a bit of fun competition can help students focus.
Do others have ideas for Dreanna?
Susan
Hi Joy,
ReplyDeleteThat is great that you two skyped--a few years ago, I had two Walden students who worked on a cross-class collaborative project and they loved the outcome. That is one of the exciting things about an online class--we get these kind of opportunities.
In my other class, a student asked me to "visit" her classroom via my webcam. It was really fun for me--and my mom was over my house at the time. She is a retired teacher and she just loved being able to be "in a classroom" again but from the comfort of my house.
Thank you for posting to my blog.
Dr. Krauss,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that, “social networking sites are really changing the way people communicate,” especially Facebook. I have connected with friends I went to college with twenty-five years ago (in India). All of us are sharing old pictures and reconnecting with each other after all these years. It is amazing how widely spread we all are around the world and are still able to connect with each other without any hassles.
I have a classmate who also became a teacher, and I plan to involve my class in Skyping with her class to talk about how education is different in India as compared to the United States. It will be interesting because out of 24 students in my class, 13 of them are Indians. I have also signed up with a Skype site where I plan to Skype with classes in Europe. I want my students to “develop an appreciation of the world outside of their own experience”
Cooperative learning is an excellent tool for the classroom. I use it a great deal in my class, especially with math lessons. Students do learn better, when they help each other.
Preeti
Hi Preeti,
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so exciting--that skype plan. I think too often students think that the world begins and ends in their own backyard. What a great way to share about other cultures and give students a greater appreciation of life in other countries.
Thanks for posting to my blog.
Susan