Learning is a continuous process that involves imparting knowledge and skills to learners to assist them in their personal and career lives. Making the learning to process is necessary to ensure that students understand and store concepts for the future. In addition to theoretical-based learning, teachers should introduce real-life experiences to assist students in grasping knowledge faster. The strategies employed differ from one setting to another, depending on the set objectives of a lesson. Teachers need to prepare students to be college and career ready at graduation; hence, they will need to update their teaching skills. The teachers should also emphasize on developing standards that focus on problem-solving and the use of investigation. The students should also be in a position to deal with informational texts and integration across various content areas. Thus,
Collaborative, also known as cooperative learning, takes place when students work together in small groups and each one participates in learning tasks. The teacher focuses on meaningful learning by using different strategies to establish an environment of cooperation and collaboration. Different collaborative approaches involve different types of organizations and tasks (Education Endowment Foundation, 2015). In cooperative learning, the student is expected to participate in negotiating roles, responsibilities, and outcomes actively. Here, the cooperation of students could involve projects that a whole class undertakes such as an environmental project within the school or community survey. In this case, there are various collaboration strategies that the teacher could use to facilitate the learning process and ensure the accomplishment of specific objectives.
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The teacher should ensure that the environment through which students learn is safe and healthy. The physical environment of learning can significantly impact the educator-child relationship (National Research Council, 2015). Collaborative learning for toddlers and infants should involve the creation of an inviting and safe environment to enhance interactions. At the same time, the creation of a safe environment will encourage explorations. The strategy foe teaching toddlers and infants is to create space and use play materials. Parents play a significant role in the learning process of children. Hence, the parents should have sufficient space to visit, breastfeed, encourage, and develop a bond with their children (National Research Council, 2015). The environmental settings also provide an opportunity for teachers to incorporate health and safety education and skills, and the teachers will be role models for good health habits. Thus, collaborative learning for toddlers and infants should involve the creation of a safe environment for them.
Currently, there have been significant technological advancements that have influenced the learning process. In some instances, there have been negative impacts of technology, but if properly used, it can lead to better learning (Higgins, Xiao, & Katsipataki, 2012). The development of the collaboration plans pointed out that teachers can use technology to promote collaborative learning. Video recording can be used to assess the performance of teachers and ensure that they improve on their weaknesses and focus on strengths. As a result, collaborative learning will be improved because of the provision of feedback necessary to enhance the learning process. Therefore, teachers should consider technology as a source of advantage in the promotion of collaborative learning in the educational setting.
The development of the collaborative plans showed that diversity is a concept that cannot be ignored in the learning environment. In cooperative learning, teachers should understand the cultural values of students they serve. Developing an in-depth understanding of the cultural diversities of learners facilitates strong relationships with families (National Research Council, 2015). Besides, this process can be essential in the creation of continuity for children at home and in education settings. Teachers should first understand their cultural backgrounds as this will allow them to be sensitive to the culture of others. The classroom climate should demonstrate respect for culture and diversity among children and families. Collaborative learning involves the practice of democracy and the promotion of equity and social justice (National Research Council, 2015). Students will learn more from the character of teachers and the virtues that they display when dealing with students from diverse backgrounds. Generally, collaborative learning involves respecting diversity and cultures and taking the necessary steps to promote equity and social justice.
Another lesson from the collaborative plans is that various issues emerge when teachers and schools shift from traditional to collaborative teaching. The issues are of concern for teachers, administrators, and parents. An institution and all stakeholders should be prepared psychologically, emotionally, and financially before considering to change their mode of learning. The process of shifting to collaborative learning requires a well-laid plan that does not cause disruptions. One lesson learned from the preparation of the collaboration plan is the need for an evaluation of the progress of given initiatives before advancing to others.
An educational institution requires a follow-up plan as it serves different purposes. One is that a follow-up plan provides a platform to understand the progress of learners, and this helps in determining what should be done to improve the learning process. Engaging teachers and students in day-to-day learning lead to the development and maintenance of better relationships. As a result, there will be a promotion of efficiency and effectiveness in the education setting. Collaboration plan involves planning to establish a collaborative team with teachers (Coady, Harper, & De Jong, 2016). A collaborative team is essential in ensuring the effectiveness in engaging learners from diverse backgrounds to promote efficiency in learning.
In addition, it is necessary to involve various stakeholders in the educational setting in the learning process to improve performance. Teachers should be evaluated to determine their progress in teaching students. The government is involved in regulating the practices of a school, and this helps in ensuring that there is effective and efficient collaborative learning. One way to support collaborative teaching is to ask students questions and solicit answers from them. Questioning students provides an opportunity for them to discuss opinions and ideas and alternatives (Udvari-Solner & Kluth, 2017). Brainstorming helps in the generation of better options for doing things. Formal and informal feedback also helps in the improvement of the performance of students. Teachers can provide examples to students as a strategy for encouraging learning. The learners will solve a problem and complete a task by following the procedure that the educator used. In this case, some strategies that educators can use to enhance learning are questioning, feedback, and solving examples.
Metacognitive strategies are also essential in empowering students to think about their own thinking. The teacher is responsible for creating awareness during the learning process, as this will allow students to control their learning. Metacognitive strategies also enhance personal capacity and provide a chance for students to manage their motivation for learning (Nisbet & Shucksmith, 2017). The teacher can monitor the students’ comprehension capability by evaluating their progress through examinations. Thus, teachers can use metacognitive strategies to allow learners to think on their own and be motivated to learn.
Individual differences exist among students because of heterogeneity in grouping. However, the major concern to address is the increasing advantages of collaboration. As professionals, teachers should believe that low-achieving students also have much to contribute to the learning situation. Those students perceived to show low achievement have insights and ideas that go beyond teachers’ expectations. Educators should not worry about high-achieving students being held back. During an encounter with the community, it is essential to learn to balance the learning capabilities of students as this will lead to the achievement of learners in several areas. Generally, the contribution of all students will lead to a rich pool of collective knowledge because of exposure to diverse experiences.
Collaborative learning involves the application of instructional strategies. Teachers should select the best instructional strategy that is best suited for the student’s needs and the content they hope to learn. Given the differences in the learning capabilities of students, teachers should diversify instructional strategies. Besides, there is a need to organize the classroom around a validated, research-based curriculum that addresses the needs of the institution, teachers, students, and other stakeholders.
Teachers should also use collaborative learning to influence student behavior. Educational institutions should establish rules and expectations of students to allow the learning process to be smooth and effective. The policies that schools establish should prevent typical discipline problems that may arise during the teaching process (National Research Council, 2015). The strategies incorporated should support the development of positive relationships within schools and should promote and teach responsible behavior. Teachers should also address problem behaviors constructively while considering diversities among students.
Generally, collaborative teaching involves the use of various strategies to ensure better performance of students. Some of the techniques include questioning, feedback, metacognitive strategy, giving examples, and others. An educational setting should be conducive and safe for students, and teachers should be role models of health habits. Collaborative learning involves understanding and respective diversities and cultural differences among students and promoting equity and social justice. For infants and toddlers, parents should get sufficient space to be involved in the learning progress of their children. In conclusion, collaborative learning involves the inclusion of different stakeholders in improving the performance of students within an educational setting.
References
Education Endowment Foundation. (2015). Retrieved from https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/
Higgins, S., Katsipataki, M., Villanueva-Aguilera, A. B., Coleman, R., Henderson, P., Major, L. E., ... & Mason, D. (2016). The Sutton Trust-Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit.
Higgins, S., Xiao, Z., & Katsipataki, M. (2012). The impact of digital technology on learning: A summary for the education endowment foundation. Durham, UK: Education Endowment Foundation and Durham University .
National Research Council. (2015). Transforming the workforce for children birth through age 8: A unifying foundation . National Academies Press.
Nisbet, J., & Shucksmith, J. (2017). Learning strategies . Routledge.
Udvari-Solner, A., & Kluth, P. (2017). Joyful Learning: Active and Collaborative Strategies for Inclusive Classrooms . Corwin Press.
