COLLABORATION

After viewing the assigned media “The new power of collaboration” with Howard Rheingold, I do believe that humans have a basic instinct to “interact and work as a group.”  Baumeister (2012), states “People have a basic need to belong.  They are motivated to form and maintain social relationships.”  Baumeister (2012), continues by stating “Of course people like to be connected to other people, by and large.  Yet this simple idea led in many unexpected directions.  Its influence on cognition, emotion, and behavior is extensive.  Moreover, it raises important basic questions about human nature, culture, gender, emotion, and how the human psyche functions.” 

 

Ertmer (1993), states “Because of the emphasis on mental structures, cognitive theories are usually considered more appropriate for explaining complex forms of learning (reasoning, problem-solving, information-processing) than are those of a more behavior perspective.  However, it is important to indicate at this point that the actual goal of instruction for both of these viewpoints is often the same: to communicate or transfer knowledge to the students in the most efficient, effective manner possible.  Two techniques used by both camps in achieving this effectiveness and efficiency of knowledge transfer are simplification and standardization.  That is, knowledge can be analyzed, decomposed, and simplified into basic building blocks.  Knowledge transfer is expedited if irrelevant information is eliminated.  For example, trainees attending a workshop on effective management skills would be presented with information that is “sized” and “chunked” in such a way that they can assimilate and/or accommodate the new information as quickly and as easily as possible.”                        

Tam (2000), states “The constructivist perspective supports that learners learn through interaction with others. Learners work together as peers, applying their combined knowledge to the solution of the problem. The dialogue that results from this combined effort provides learners with the opportunity to test and refine their understanding in an ongoing process.”  Laney (1990) reported that “computers were effective in developing higher-order thinking skills, including defining problems, judging information, solving the problems, and drawing appropriate conclusions. The computer can serve in the process of information gathering, inquiry, and collaboration, not merely as a vestige of direct instruction with its reliance on integrating technology in the existing curriculum (Rice & Wilson, 1999). Technology tools that aid in case-based learning include various types of simulation and strategy software/CD-Roms, video discs, multimedia/hypermedia, and telecommunications (e-mail and Internet).”   

In a recent meta-analysis of distance and online learning, Bernard et al. (2009) quantitatively verified the importance of three types of interaction: among students, between the instructor and students, and between students and course content (Abrami, et., al.). Abrami, et., al. (2011), states “Not surprisingly, the major conclusion from Bernard et al. (2009) was that designing interaction treatments into DE courses, whether to increase interaction with the material to be learned, with the course instructor, or with peers impacts positively on student learning. But are even larger and more consistently positive effects possible? It may be that the presence of the interaction conditions in the reviewed studies functioned in exactly the way they were intended, so that the estimates of the effects were fairly accurate.”  The document URL is:

http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/880032148?accountid=14872

When doing a search for professional blogs concerning technology and collaboration, I came across the Common Classroom: The Common Sense Education Blog.  One of the postings in this blog addressed the topic of how technology can encourage student collaboration (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/blog/how-technology-can-encourage-student-collaboration).  I found it interesting when the author stated “The theory behind the move to use technology to expand collaboration relies on both social science and recent developments in cognitive science that help us better understand the learning process. In 2004, the National Academy of Sciences published the seminal book How People Learn, which integrates cognitive science with recommended learning environments.”  After reading the blog posts I began to think how I could add more technology to my own curriculum in my licensed home child care.

Definitely food for thought.

References 

Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Bures, E. M., Borokhovski, E., & Tamin, R. M. (2011).

          Interaction in distance education and online learning: Using evidence and theory to improve

          practice.  Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 23(2-3), 82-103.

          doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12528-011-9043-x

 

Baumeister, R. F. (2012). Need-to-belong theory. Handbook of theories of social psychology: Volume Two, 121-140.

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing        

          critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement 

          Quarterly, 6(4), 50–71.

How Technology Can Encourage Student Collaboration. (n.d.). Retrieved from            

          https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/blog/how-technology-can-encourage-student-

          collaboration

Laney, D. (1990). Microcomputers and the social studies. OCSS Review, 26, 30-37.

Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved       

          from http://www.ted.com/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html

Tam, M. (2000).  Constructivism, instructional design, and technology: Implications for   

          transforming distance learning.  Retrieved from http://www.ifets.info/journals/3_2/tam.html

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 Blogs I posted to:

anitaboseman@wordpress.com

http://travalper.blogspot.com.br/

learningtheoryedu7105.wordpress.com