A Justification for Collaborative Learning Environments.
Part 4 - Comparative Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Collaborative learning, a form of active learning, is an alternative learning technique to the transitional lecture based styles. collaborative learning involves teams of students working toward a common solution through group discussion. This form of learning encourages active participation by the learners in the teams. In this style of learning, the instructor's role changes from one of knowledge transfer to one of knowledge facilitation. Instructors focus on encouraging engagement by team members and facilitating the learning process.
Teamwork is a requirement in today's businesses. Organizational structures have seen a change from the tall, formal hierarchies, to flatter, team-based structures. Bishop and Mahajan identified that business managers use teams to meet organizational goals 68% of the time (n.d.). Other studies identify that team development skills as the fourth most most cited required skills in organizations (Blanchard, n.d.). During the process of learning the course objectives in collaborative learning, students develop the teamwork skills organizations rely on so heavily. The process of the classroom is part of the learning.
Two different methods of teaching were used in the same course over different semesters. The purpose of the study was to compare the learning outcomes between lecture-oriented techniques and collaborative learning techniques in a similar course. The study evaluated student's average scores from an activity that was presented as a quiz in a lecture-oriented course against the same activity used as a collaborative learning team assignment in the following semester. Additionally, retention was measured by presenting the above mentioned activity a second time to the collaborative learning students.
METHODS
In the Spring of 2012, a Business Course was taught using a lecture-oriented method. In the Fall of 2012, collaborative learning was introduced for the same course for the purpose of this research. The student's learning outcomes will be evaluated by the following two methods:
1. The same activity was given in both semesters. A careful diagnosis of average scores and student performance between the two semester can be utilized to analyze students' learning outcomes
2. Students in the collaborative learning sections were asked to complete the activity a second time individually, in a later class, to identify retention of the assessed materials.
RESULTS/CONCLUSION
The results of this study indicate that collaborative learning techniques lead to an increase in learning and retention by students.
Although the students in the lecture-oriented course received a longer lecture covering the assessed materials, their average score was 11% lower than the collaborative course students. the average score for the assessed materials in the lecture-oriented course was a 63%. The students who received a more condensed version of the lecture, but collaborated on the activity, averaged 74%.
The second attempt at the activity by the collaborative learning students resulted in an average score of 70%. This indicates a strong level of retention, and again, an increased understanding for the assessed materials over the lecture-oriented method from the previous semester.
INTRODUCTION
Collaborative learning, a form of active learning, is an alternative learning technique to the transitional lecture based styles. collaborative learning involves teams of students working toward a common solution through group discussion. This form of learning encourages active participation by the learners in the teams. In this style of learning, the instructor's role changes from one of knowledge transfer to one of knowledge facilitation. Instructors focus on encouraging engagement by team members and facilitating the learning process.
Teamwork is a requirement in today's businesses. Organizational structures have seen a change from the tall, formal hierarchies, to flatter, team-based structures. Bishop and Mahajan identified that business managers use teams to meet organizational goals 68% of the time (n.d.). Other studies identify that team development skills as the fourth most most cited required skills in organizations (Blanchard, n.d.). During the process of learning the course objectives in collaborative learning, students develop the teamwork skills organizations rely on so heavily. The process of the classroom is part of the learning.
Two different methods of teaching were used in the same course over different semesters. The purpose of the study was to compare the learning outcomes between lecture-oriented techniques and collaborative learning techniques in a similar course. The study evaluated student's average scores from an activity that was presented as a quiz in a lecture-oriented course against the same activity used as a collaborative learning team assignment in the following semester. Additionally, retention was measured by presenting the above mentioned activity a second time to the collaborative learning students.
METHODS
In the Spring of 2012, a Business Course was taught using a lecture-oriented method. In the Fall of 2012, collaborative learning was introduced for the same course for the purpose of this research. The student's learning outcomes will be evaluated by the following two methods:
1. The same activity was given in both semesters. A careful diagnosis of average scores and student performance between the two semester can be utilized to analyze students' learning outcomes
2. Students in the collaborative learning sections were asked to complete the activity a second time individually, in a later class, to identify retention of the assessed materials.
RESULTS/CONCLUSION
The results of this study indicate that collaborative learning techniques lead to an increase in learning and retention by students.
Although the students in the lecture-oriented course received a longer lecture covering the assessed materials, their average score was 11% lower than the collaborative course students. the average score for the assessed materials in the lecture-oriented course was a 63%. The students who received a more condensed version of the lecture, but collaborated on the activity, averaged 74%.
The second attempt at the activity by the collaborative learning students resulted in an average score of 70%. This indicates a strong level of retention, and again, an increased understanding for the assessed materials over the lecture-oriented method from the previous semester.
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