I do believe that human beings have a basic instinct to “interact and work as a group” because we desire social interaction. We have heard the popular saying, ‘no man is an island’. We are raised in family settings, go to school, get married, have children, work on jobs with colleagues, dine with friends, have discussion. We are social animals. Isolation can cause pain, hence the reason why prison is a punishment. Working as a group helps to lighten the load, we enjoy the interaction of working with others who have a common goal/interest. Collaboration fosters productivity whereby teams brainstorm, collaborate, and create products and ideas. Social interaction can help people to be innovative, expose people to new ideas, concepts, cultures, traditions, and diversity.
Based on constructivist principles, technology enhances collaboration and facilitates socialization in the local and global community. Vygotsky, Piaget, and Papert (Driscoll, 2005) are proponents of constructing knowledge through socialization. Mobile technology, digital tablets, Facebook, Twitter, Google Docs represent technology which allow users to connect whenever they please with whomever they please around the world. Learners can increase their knowledge about cultures, concepts, and ideas from interacting with others and not while reading a book in solitude. In this way, ideas can be challenged, alliances can be formed, and ideas can be generated to help solve problems on a global scale. The Flat Classroom projects (http://flatclassroomproject2008.wikispaces.com/) is an example of collaborative projects that break down the classroom doors and walls and expose students to their international neighbors. These projects enable students to construct knowledge through socialization and collaboration in ways that could not be accomplished previously. The Cool Cat Teacher Blog (http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/) also offers links to sites which offer lesson plans which incorporate technology and collaboration based on constructivist principles that would encourage learners to “keep the lights turned on” (Prensky, 2008) in the classroom.
Dole and Bloom (2009) conducted a study utilizing the How People Learn (HPL) model to illustrate the positive contributions of collaboration to learning. The study reflected how collaboration in challenging, authentic learning experiences helps learners, “integrate past experience and current knowledge with new knowledge and experience to reflect on and create meaningful connections with course content” (Dole & Bloom, 2009, p. 9). Klopfer, Osterweil, Groff, and Haas (2009) purported that the development of social cognition is “at the heart of social networking technologies” (p. 11), as well as, “supporting social constructivism in the classroom” (p. 13). Collaboration in the classroom has great potential for learning and the development of social skills, critical thinking skills, creativity, innovative skills, and the construction of knowledge. If we effectively integrate collaboration as a learning tool in the classroom, and students continue to use social networking and interaction for constructing knowledge and not just for entertainment, imagine “what forms of suffering could be alleviated, what forms of wealth could be created…” (Rheingold, 2008).
References
Dole, S., & Bloom, L. (2009). Online course design: A case study. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, 3(1), 1-11.
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston , MA
Klopfer, E., Osterweil, S., Groff, J., & Haas, J. (2009). Using the technology of today, in the classroom of today: The instructional power of digital games, social networking, simulations and how teachers can leverage them. Retrieved from http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf
Prensky, M. (2008). Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40–45. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/81236/CRS-WUEDUC8812-6509662/TurningOntheLights.pdf
Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html
Websites:
http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/
Tangient LLC. (2010). Flatclassroomproject2008: Home. Retrieved from http://flatclassroomproject2008.wikispaces.com/
Hi Vida,
ReplyDeleteI took the stance that humans do not have the basic instinct to interact, but your post, so well written, has me thinking twice about my own theories. Since the end of the school year is approaching, I have my students conduct more group projects. I have noticed that some students are very apprehensive about sharing their ideas. How do you go about getting the less out going students to voice their opinions and get involved?
-Yolanda
Yolanda,
DeleteI would try to hook these students by finding a way to relate it to something personal or meaningful to them in order to get less responsive students to buy-in to dialogue and exchange in the classroom. For example, I often try to get my students interested in translating passages from English to French/Spanish by using the music that they listen to. Whenever, I do these exercises, I get 100% participation. Another way that I try to motivate my more introverted students is to solicit their opinions when planning activities and designing rubrics. I make it clear to my students that their involvement in collaborative activities will influence their grade- either positively or negatively- the choice is theirs. I like to give my high schoolers some autonomy over the learning process. I have found that they often come out of their shells if they know what they have to say and what they think matters. Thank you for your response.
Hi Vida,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the thought provoking post. I enjoy looking at the subject of the week through your eyes. I agree that the use of social networking for educational purposes is a doorway that more educators need to step through. It is not one that administrators or technology folks are happy about, though. We need to promote the benefits of this technology. I'm glad to see some academic resources supporting this, and will use them at my next technology meeting!
Martha,
DeleteThank you for your support and positive comments. The great feedback makes collaboration truly worthwhile. Happy blogging!
Hi Vida,
DeleteI take your point. But why do we desire social interaction. My social interaction is selective. I choose who I want to interact with because I want to satisfy my selfish intrinsic desire. “No man is an island.” We are higher level beings, but we do not collaborate unless we have an interest to satisfy some desire. Irrespective of our social perspective in life individuals satisfy desires for personal gratification. I do agree with you that collaboration fosters productivity and the necessity to work in teams. If our natural instinct were to collaborate, then our effort to collaborate would be almost useless and non-rewarding. Humans are territorial and selfish with their possessions. This includes material and family. The society revolves around collaborative efforts, and we are forced to collaborate to meet the challenges of survival.
Knowledge is all around in our environment. Each person has his or her view. Personal view cannot be adapted to a social perspective. This is because the individual was selfish in the first instances to have that view without thinking of collaborating. Re-constructing a conclusion becomes necessary with knowledge drawn from others..
Technology as it develops has become the instigator for collaboration from the renaissance age to modern times. Pre historic man saw the need for survival through team work and collaboration and used collaboration as a tool to survive. Man by nature is selfish and unpredictable and does not naturally collaborate without some gain. We have rules routine and establish principles. there is reward and punishment to keep man in check as they adapt to collaboration.
All the technology tools and learning theory have enabled man to collaborate and survive. Man yearns to be home to retract to his natural condition of selfishness alleviating the pressures of the social community after work. There is no resolve for the psychological and the sociological. Man has to make an effort to uphold his own trust with himself. This uncertainty of man cannot push him forward as a natural instinct to collaborate. There is always some selfish desire that gives reason for collaborating.
Collaboration will always have its advantage. Our natural instinct does not tell us to collaborate unless there is a need at its root. Rheingold (2008 video) concluded by saying that man selfishness will have more to benefit from collaboration. Rheingold’s presentation was technological as to the benefits of collaboration but with little psychological evidence that humans are naturally inclined to collaborate.
Thanks for reading.