Page 16 - CBSE Cover Jan-March 2014_16-07-2014 FINAL

Collaborative Learning: A Constructive Process Dr. (Mrs.) Neeru Joshi* Every individual has the talent to become successful and great. With this unique idea CBSE wants every school to focus on the signifcance of working together so that students develop the ability of inquiry, interaction, elaboration with the fellow students. Tis will for sure help them sustain in the fast developing modern world. Collaborative learning involves joint intellectual efort by students or teachers and students together but the outcome of this learning is also child-centred. Learning is an active as well as constructive process. At times students do not want to study or skip very important concept on the premise that concept is tough and they fail to perceive but by collaborative learning students are given enough space to explore them as teachers are the vanguard of this system. Tey shift the learning from lecture method to connecting to real life situations or introduce students to course material via interesting and innovative ways so that students do not feel the pressure rather, they enjoy the entire process. Tis is called learning by doing or learning by involving all components. Education is not the subject but a medium helping us to explore ourselves. Unfortunately, we restrict ourselves with the given study material and this is not learning. Tis is memorizing the facts or rote learning as actual learning is that easy fow of water that carries not only the mud, but also other things in the way. In this pedagogy students at various performance levels work together in small groups towards a common goal. Students are responsible for one another’s learning as well as their own where by success of one helps others be successful too. Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking and students work in groups toward a common academic goal. If small groups are made in class to dissect the concept, learning would be efective as it will give chance to each member to contribute subsequently and pave way for interpersonal development. Students learn to relate to their peers and other students as they work together in a group. Tis technique also develops the social skills in students as each group can create products that refect a wide range of perspectives and is thus more complete and comprehensive. Learning is an active and constructive process. Teachers should make students understand the signifcance of working and learning in a team and teachers can even experiment this by giving individual learning in one chapter and collaborative learning in other chapter and can have assessment after this and result will be in favor of collaborative learning. At their best collaborative class rooms motivate both students and teachers. In the most authentic of ways, this learning process models what it means to question, learn and understand in concert with others. Learning collaboratively demands responsibility, persistence and sensitivity but the result can be a community of learners in which everyone is welcome to join, participate and grow. “It is wonderful to create Collaborative classrooms and undoubtedly a rewarding opportunity but it is infested with challenges and myths”. It is my humble urge to the teach- ing communities to be very sincere in their planning, and then execution could be a remarkable one and students will be beneftted and the eforts by the CBSE to raise the standard of education be truly served. “TEAM TOGETHER” * Principal, B.B.P.S, Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh 14 Collaborative Learning