A Reflection About The Real-World Collaboration Lesson 5.5.4

Real-world collaboration involves knowledge building. In this course I have found out that there are two forces i.e collaboration and Inertia.

 Collaboration involves learners to exchange ideas, divergent opinions and conflict management within their group group. They can use various platforms more especially technology to communicate straight to the desired audience.

Inertia on the other hand involves those forces that tend to deter the knowledge building and real collaboration to take place. They include: some members hoarding information, social conflicts, delay in response and the inability to use a given collaboration platform very well. i.e  technology deficiencies.

I learned that there is no straight forward designed path for collaboration and knowledge building but an interplay of steps and I have observed that the central aim of Real-World Collaboration is to create or build knowledge. I based my learning upon the well referenced model below:

Source: Stahl, G. (2000). A Model of Collaborative Knowledge-Building. In B. Fishman & S. O'Connor-Divelbiss Eds.), Fourth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (pp. 70-77). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. 

I experienced hardship in collaboration because some technology platforms were time bound for example the wikispace and Google Docs had links given by our tutor which would expire technologically before I could utilize it so I had to refer to the tutor all the time for a possible reset or re-sending of the links.

We used technology tools or collaboration platforms like Wikispaces, Google Doc and Mindmeister. They were good collaboration tools: Mindmeister helps in brainstorming and creating precise answers by a group in a summery form. Wikispaces and Google Docs almost play the same roles because they are collaborative platforms which any learner in a group can access when invited and can edit it as he or she contributes to the Knowledge Building process in an engaged collaborative way-That is exactly the way I i'm going to use it in my teaching at our school.

However, learner can use Digital cameras, mobiles phones and laptops as data capture tools in the field, and then collect data in order to solve the real world problems.

Knowledge Building Reflection 5.4.4

Educationally, it is an approach to learning that takes seriously the goal to prepare learners for the knowledge society. Students as members in a knowledge building group or community actively engage in brainstorming ideas, identifying problems, researching for solutions and evidence, debating and discussing with peers. These activities have a clear goal of co-creating new perspectives and advancing knowledge beyond the limit of an individual.

Numerous research findings show that KB induces motivation to learning, improves learners’ higher order thinking e.g. critical thinking, problem-solving, and fosters personal development e.g. communication skills, interpersonal skills and lifelong learning attitudes. Even young children are found to be capable of engaging in KB work given that they are provided with appropriate opportunities and support. Some emerging research evidence also indicates that KB improves the aspects of academic performance formally measured by school and public exams. On the other hand, it is to be noted that progress in knowledge building does not happen naturally without facilitations. 

http://lcp.cite.hku.hk/resources/KBSN/Q1/default.html 

Meaningful Learner Engagement in Classroom

• What is the essence of engaged learning?
• “There is now a massive amount of evidence from all realms of science that unless individuals take a very active role in what it is that they're studying, unless they learn to ask questions, to do things hands on, to essentially recreate things in their own mind and transform them as is needed, the ideas just disappear." - Howard Gardner
• In the above case therefore, engaged learning helps students to understand what is being learned, encourages constructivism and generally reduces the work of a teacher to that of a supervisor. 
• Is technology a critical role-player in engaging learners?Technology is a critical role player and can be observed in the Venn diagram below

• What are the limitations of technology in engaging learners?

However the limitations of technology like WhatsApp, Face-book  as  learning tools is that they are as well a social media tool. It is a destructor because as students carry out the lesson activities, other messages pop in from out side school in the social media arena and students turn to reading personal messages which divert them away from the lesson.

The use of smart phones,Podcast and Ipads excites learners but in our school in Uganda, mobile phones are not allowed in classrooms and even at school for the learners. This can limit the meaningful learner engagement. 

Reflection 5.3.1 Meaningful Engaged Learning

Reflection 5.2.4: Innovative Learning Activities

When teaching, students need to find applicable or real world situations, collaborate and share as a group, apply critical thinking under the guidance of the teacher, and then communicate to each other in order to create new mental experiences and new mental processes.

Relationships are very important in education because they build a critical thinking in a free mind which makes a learner able to learn. In this case, learners develop a thinking that individualism or selfishness does not work; it is the community as a whole that matters in order to create a comfortable zone in this challenging world. 

Real innovative learning is sub-divided into two parts or arms according to the traits or characteristics of the definition of an innovative lesson i.e aspects of learning and then innovative activities as below:

Innovative aspects

1.    Creativity

2.    Learner engagement.

3.     Problem solving

4. Relevance and supported by evidence.

5.   Room for choice by learners.

6.   Doable and not mythical.

7.  Reflective practices

8. Inspiring

Aspects of Learning

9. Monitoring

10. Collaborative /Teamwork

11.   Interactive

12. Technology

13. Communication

14. Learn

15. Critical thinking

The above are the main basic aspects of an innovative learning activity of which any practicing teacher or policy maker should put into consideration. Such characteristics are not the ultimate traits of innovative learning and any body can add on to the list but at least the list covers a bigger percentage of the concept-innovative learning.