The TEDtalk video that I had posted onto my blog (see previous post) prompted my light-bulb moment about the Curriculum for Excellence Principle of Depth.
It's fascinating to listen to Sugata Mitra discuss his research and to read more about how it was conducted and the conclusions drawn from this. My first reaction to Mitra's work was acceptance: I've always believed that children can be the best guides in their learning and I initially thought that this proved it. The children were clearly finding their way around the computer systems and through trial and error they were able to progress through their learning identifying where they could go next.
Learning in this manner is the form of learning that occurs every single day of our lives. This, of course relates to the work of John Holt (1982) who describes the process of early childhood development as an intuitive process. We know from the work of psychologists such as Spalding, Lorenz, Schmidt and others that there are some key factors that must be in place for this intuitive learning to develop. Montagu would further state that there is no human process that can take place without learning " and, of course, Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs' which was developed from the viewpoint that in order to reach full potential one must have a range of needs met.
So how does this relate to the Sugata Mitra video and the principle of depth? As a novice teacher it is all too easy to observe the classroom practice of an experienced class teacher and underestimate the role. When time comes for development practice it becomes clear that there are a multitude of factors which you were simple unaware of. As a novice teacher looking at Mitra's work it may be easy to believe that, given the right resources, children will teach themselves but put into practice and the multidimensional process of this becomes apparent. Children may engage with new and exciting equipment and they will, undoubtedly, learn from the experience but our role as the teacher is to develop this into a growing understanding; to build skills that can be applied in many areas. What research has shown us is that children can be extrinsically motived to learn but it is our duty to take that motivation and nurture it. Children may provide the learning but we must provide the depth to make it worthwhile.
Showing posts with label cooperative learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooperative learning. Show all posts
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Friday, 29 January 2010
group workings
I was recently directed towards an article titled Coopperative Learning Two Heads Learn Better Than One (Johnson and Johnson, 1988). After reading this article here is my thinking:
The article describes the different approaches to group work and student interactions.
"There are three basic ways students can interact with each other as they learn. They can compete to see who is "best"; they can work individualistically on their own toward a goal without paying attention to other students; or they can work cooperatively with a vested interest in each other's learning as well as their own." (Johnson & Johnson, 1988)
Cooperation is at the heart of society. We must have skills that enable us as individuals to be able to work with others to achieve a common aim. This penetrates our daily lives at home, in the workplace and in social settings. The acquisition of skills that can be developed though cooperative learning may be likened to the description of the hidden curriculum whereby there are certain skills, attitudes and expectations that need to be taught alongside the formal curriculum.
With the move to Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland the hidden curriculum is becoming more explicit through the four capacities; successful learners; confident individuals; responsible citizens and effective contributors the holistic view of the learner is taken into account. The learning experience entails much more than subject knowledge. Although these elements have formed the basis of our education system for many years it is only now that they are being openly described as such.
The article "Two heads learn better than one" describes the need for effective management of the cooperative learning environment; "communication, leadership, trust building, and conflict resolution" are the necessary skills for cooperative learning to be successful. The planning phase, the actual lesson and grouping all need to be considered prior to implementing a cooperative learning scheme. Careful monitoring of the groups to ensure that the process is to be effective is essential. There are also links to research that indicates pupils learn more effectively in the cooperative environment.
When I first read the article I was not so clear on the intention as my mind was unfocused on the process. Since reading and reflecting on the article I am eager to learn more about cooperative learning and the implementation of cooperative learning in certain areas. I feel the most important aspect of structuring a learning environment is balance. If we group work competitively or individualistically as the article describes then we are not providing a broad balance to pupils.
The article describes the different approaches to group work and student interactions.
"There are three basic ways students can interact with each other as they learn. They can compete to see who is "best"; they can work individualistically on their own toward a goal without paying attention to other students; or they can work cooperatively with a vested interest in each other's learning as well as their own." (Johnson & Johnson, 1988)
Cooperation is at the heart of society. We must have skills that enable us as individuals to be able to work with others to achieve a common aim. This penetrates our daily lives at home, in the workplace and in social settings. The acquisition of skills that can be developed though cooperative learning may be likened to the description of the hidden curriculum whereby there are certain skills, attitudes and expectations that need to be taught alongside the formal curriculum.
With the move to Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland the hidden curriculum is becoming more explicit through the four capacities; successful learners; confident individuals; responsible citizens and effective contributors the holistic view of the learner is taken into account. The learning experience entails much more than subject knowledge. Although these elements have formed the basis of our education system for many years it is only now that they are being openly described as such.
The article "Two heads learn better than one" describes the need for effective management of the cooperative learning environment; "communication, leadership, trust building, and conflict resolution" are the necessary skills for cooperative learning to be successful. The planning phase, the actual lesson and grouping all need to be considered prior to implementing a cooperative learning scheme. Careful monitoring of the groups to ensure that the process is to be effective is essential. There are also links to research that indicates pupils learn more effectively in the cooperative environment.
When I first read the article I was not so clear on the intention as my mind was unfocused on the process. Since reading and reflecting on the article I am eager to learn more about cooperative learning and the implementation of cooperative learning in certain areas. I feel the most important aspect of structuring a learning environment is balance. If we group work competitively or individualistically as the article describes then we are not providing a broad balance to pupils.
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