Name : Husnul Amalia

NIM : 20400118043

Collaborative Learning

A. Definition of collaborative learning

Collaborative learning is an educational approach to teaching and learning that

involves groups of students working together to solve a problem, complete a task,
or create a product. According to Gerlach, "Collaborative learning is based on the
idea that learning is a naturally social act in which the participants talk among
themselves (Gerlach, 1994). It is through the talk that learning occurs." There are
many approaches to collaborative learning. A set of assumptions about the
learning process (Smith and MacGregor, 1992) underlies them all:

1. Learning is an active process whereby students assimilate the information

and relate this new knowledge to a framework of prior knowledge.
2. Learning requires a challenge that opens the door for the learner to
actively engage his/her peers, and to process and synthesize information
rather than simply memorize and regurgitate it.
3. Learners benefit when exposed to diverse viewpoints from people with
varied backgrounds.
4. Learning flourishes in a social environment where conversation between
learners takes place. During this intellectual gymnastics, the learner creates
a framework and meaning to the discourse.
5. In the collaborative learning environment, the learners are challenged both
socially and emotionally as they listen to different perspectives, and are
required to articulate and defend their ideas. In so doing, the learners begin
to create their own unique conceptual frameworks and not rely solely on
an expert's or a text's framework. Thus, in a collaborative learning setting,
learners have the opportunity to converse with peers, present and defend
 ideas, exchange diverse beliefs, question other conceptual frameworks,
and be actively engaged.

Collaborative learning processes can be incorporated into a typical 50-minute

class in a variety of ways. Some require a thorough preparation, such as a long-
term project, while others require less preparation, such as posing a question
during lecture and asking students to discuss their ideas with their neighbors (see
concept tests). As Smith and MacGregor state, "In collaborative classrooms, the
lecturing/listening/note-taking process may not disappear entirely, but it lives
alongside other processes that are based in students' discussion and active work
with the course material." Regardless of the specific approach taken or how much
of the ubiquitous lecture-based course is replaced, the goal is the same: to shift
learning from a teacher-centered to a student-centered model.

B. Core principles of the Center for the Collaborative Classroom

 We must actively create and support an inclusive, caring, and safe

learning community. We have learned through years of experience and
careful reading of research that in order for students to be successful, they
need to feel a “sense of connectedness” to school. They need to develop
positive relationships with peers and teachers. By feeling safe, connected,
and supported, students can then take the risks they need to take in order to
grow and thrive. Additionally, teachers and other school staff need to work
in the same sort of environment-one that makes them feel safe and
supported.
 We must integrate social and emotional learning into academic
instruction. Powerful teaching means incorporating authentic ways for
students to collaborate so that they may grow ideas, deepen learning, and
engage in intelligent discourse. Doing this requires that students develop
the social skills that they need to interact with others in ways that foster
meaningful learning. By integrating social development into core
academic instruction, teachers ensure that social development does not get
 marginalized and pushed out of the school day. Instead it becomes integral
to student learning and success.
 Lessons must build on and support students’ intrinsic motivation.
Teachers can present great lessons and content, but in the end, the student
decides what gets learned. This simple idea-that the learner is in charge of
the learning-forms the centerpiece for the lessons and learning situations
that students experience. We believe that classrooms need to be organized
so that students are motivated to engage in the learning, with each other,
and in the greater learning community.
 Learning situations should center on students’ thinking and action.
We want students to be doing most of the talking, thinking, and action in
our classrooms. We believe that learning experiences need to be
constructed so that most of the classroom time is spent with students doing
engaging and active work such as reading, writing, talking, drawing, and
making things-not on teacher talk and presentation.

All the partners in the Center for the Collaborative Classroom encourage these
principles to be shared as widely as possible with the hope of enlarging our
community of like-minded educators. If these principals fit with how you see
education unfolding in your classroom, school, or district, consider joining our
community.

C. The benefits of collaborative learning

Why use collaborative learning? Because every organisation can benefit from
having an energized and informed workforce. There are many benefits of
collaborative learning, both for the organisation as a whole and the learners as
individuals.

The organisational benefits of collaborative learning

  Develops self-management and leadership skills,When individuals are
tasked with working together to achieve a common goal, they are being
given the opportunity to develop high-level skills.While having to
organize, assign, and teach, they are learning how to manage both
themselves and others while leading in a productive fashion.
 Increases employee skills and knowledge,When employees participate
in collaborative learning, they are developing a wide range of skills and
knowledge. Not only will they strengthen their existing skills by having to
teach others, they in turn will learn new skills from other employees.This
reduces the need for formal training while encouraging employees to
continually upskill in known concepts and engage with new concepts.
 Improves relationships across teams and departments,When
individuals have limited contact across teams, it is difficult to foster
connections and teamwork. Collaborative learning across teams forces
individuals to develop new connections and find ways to work
together.This can be especially beneficial for organisations that depend on
remote workers, as fostering strong connections among distant workers
can be difficult.
 Improves knowledge acquisition and retention,Studies have shown that
utilizing collaborative learning may lead to increased involvement and
better retention of knowledge.The process of collaborative learning allows
participants to achieve higher levels of thought and the information is
retained much longer than when learned in a non-collaborative setting.
 Improves employee retention and promotes workplace
engagement,Employees that are given the opportunity to learn new skills
tend to be more satisfied in their work, and are less likely to seek out other
opportunities.Satisfied employees are more productive and will engage in
their work, leading to increased efficiency and output.

The individual benefits of collaborative learning

 Turns learning into a truly active process,The learner must organize
their thoughts, present a cohesive argument to demonstrate their point,
defend that point to their peers, and convince others that their argument is
correct.This active engagement means that the individual learns, and
retains, more knowledge.
 Promotes learning from others viewpoints,Learners benefit from
hearing diverse viewpoints. Studies show that when a person is exposed to
diverse viewpoints, especially from people with varied backgrounds, they
learn more.
 Teaches how to think critically and quickly,The learner must quickly
synthesize responses and, if they find that their argument is lacking, adjust
their ideas on the fly.Individuals learn how to think critically and quickly,
while intaking new information and adjusting their own viewpoint as new
ideas are introduced.
 Promotes listening to criticism and advice,The learner will also listen to
others talking through their ideas, offering their thoughts for or against
their peers’ arguments.This dynamic approach means that learners gain a
more full understanding of the topic, as they have to consider it from all
angles.
 Develops public speaking and active listening skills,Individuals learn to
speak well in front of an audience of their peers, to listen actively, to
challenge ideas and build a framework of ideas in conjunction with
others.This increased social ease will help individuals both socially and at
work.
 Improves cooperation,When given a specific goal, learners are more
likely to engage in thoughtful discussion with each other, improving both
their understanding of the subject and their esteem for each other.