Cooperative learning is an instructional strategy where students work in groups to enhance their learning, thereby formulating new knowledge via their peer interaction. Multimedia is a technology tool that presents various opportunities for educators to employ cooperative learning. The nature of creating a multimedia project is complex and multi-faceted, so this is a task that naturally lends itself to cooperative learning. Whether it’s a video or PowerPoint presentation that is being created on a particular topic, it is important for the educator to provide rubrics and organizers as tools to keep the learners on task. It is also important for the project facilitator (the teacher) to assign tasks and student roles and responsibilities. In the library, I can see multimedia projects being created to promote books-- book teasers and “trailers” that are displayed on the campus television network seem like an effective way to give new and popular books exposure. This is a very plausible idea because my campus has immediate access to video cameras, editing software, and Power Point.
A second technology tool that facilitates collaborative learning are Web Resources. The nature of the internet creates a “connected” climate, so it only makes sense that web resources make collaboration easier among learners. Such technology is a powerful tool in collaborative learning because is allows students to work together and communicate without actually being face to face in the same room. An everyday resource like e-mail can be used for students in a group to communicate with each other and plan, discuss, and execute a classroom learning project. E-mail can also expand student groups beyond the school campus; it can be used to reach out to students in the next town or state (or even country) to form discussion groups. Another web resource, WebQuests, are teacher designed pathfinders that streamline students’ navigation of the internet when researching and exploring a particular topic. They are effective to use when introducing a new concept or study unit such as a novel. In the library, I plan to create a WebQuest that explores concept in information literacy. It will lead students to biased websites on certain subjects and help them to evaluate their research sources.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Cooperative learning is not unfamiliar to us. The inclusion of technology can enhance the experience for students but many teachers find the management of the technology with students challenging. We tend to put each student on a computer for them to complete individual assignments. Something to try with cooperative learning and collaboration using technology is to give a group access to one computer. Let them figure out how everyone is going to get their jobs done with one computer. This will help them develop important team skills. The teacher needs to monitor this so that those students with stronger personalities don't monopolize use of the technology.
ReplyDelete