Lesson 13: Cooperative Learning with the Computer

The creativity of the teacher will have to respond to the situation, and so cooperative learning will likely be the answer to the implementation of IT supported learning in our schools. But the situation may not be that bad since there are motivational and social benefits to cooperative learning and these can compensate for lack of hardware that educators face.

Defining cooperative learning

Cooperative or collaborative learning is learning by small groups of students who work together in a common learning task. It is often also called group learning but to be truly cooperative learning, 5 elements are needed:


1. A common goal

2. Interdependence

3. Interaction

4. Individual accountability

5. Social skills

Therefore not every group work is cooperative learning since students working on their work sheets physically sat around a table may be working together without these features of cooperative learning.
From several studies made on cooperative learning, it is manifested that cooperative learning in its true sense is advantageous since it:
(a) Encourage active learning, while motivating students
(b) Increases academic performance
(c) Promotes literacy and language skills
(d) Improves teacher effectiveness


Cooperative learning and the computer

Researchers have made studies on the learning interaction between the student and the computer. The studies have great value since it has been a long standing fear that the computer may foster student learning in isolation that hinders the development of the student’s social skills.

Components of cooperative learning


Educators are still wary about the computer’s role in cooperative learning. Thus they pose the position that the use of computers do not automatically result in cooperative learning. There therefore assign the teacher several tasks in order to ensure collaborative learning. These are:
· Assigning students to mixed-ability teams
· Establishing positive interdependence
· Teaching cooperative social skills
· Insuring individual accountability, and
· Helping groups process information

Reflection:

In the modern way of teaching we should let the student to build knowledge through doing activities by themselves. We should develop the 5 elements in collaborative learning, the creativity of the child could be enhance more if they are collaborating their ideas with their peer or group mates.

Lesson 14: The Software as an Educational Resource

     In this lesson we will tackle about the software system that could be used in teaching and learning process. The computer is useless if the software is not installed in it. This lesson not just how to use computer or even know what are the parts that comprises a computer. We will begin our lesson by knowing what are the two kinds of software.

     

There are two kinds of software:

1. The system software. This is the operating system that is found or bundled inside all computer machines.

2. The application software. This contains the system that commands the particular task or solves a particular problem.

In turn the applications software may be:


(a) A custom software that is made for specific tasks often by large corporations,

(b) A commercial software packaged for personal computers that helps with a variety of tasks such as writing papers, calculating numbers, drawing graphs, playing games, and so much more.

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of operating system produced by the Microsoft, it is an operating system between the user and the computer. 

Instructional software can be visited on the Internet or can be bought from software shops or dealers. The teacher through his school should decide on the best computer-based instructional (CBI) materials for the school resource collection. But beware since CBIs need much improvement, while web-based educational resources are either extremely good or what is complete garbage.

Reflection:


Using these software that have mentioned in this lesson are all useful in enhancing the creativity and and skills of a learner. The software that can be downloaded or bought in any sights in the internet are useful but be careful in choosing the program that will be present in the class, there are some programs that  are attractive on the eye but it does not contain a 100% correct content.