We are living in an era of digital transformation where the information society is transforming towards a knowledge society. Feeding society with
adequate information is the key to promoting education for building a strong
nation. To do so, what we exactly need is a digital infrastructure.
Access to technology and proper implementation of it to
promote education and provide adequate information for the same can render a
civil society. Digital infrastructure for the dissemination of information can facilitate
and empower the educators to acquire knowledge and advanced skills for critical
thinking, solving various problems, promoting collaboration, and creating an
environment of teamwork among several others. At the same time, it creates a collaborative
learning environment, promoting participatory education through development
communication.
What is collaborative
learning?
Collaborative learning is an advanced educational approach to
teaching and learning. It involves groups of students brainstorming and working
together in solving a particular problem, completing a task, or creating a
product.
As the name suggests, collaborative learning is based on the
idea of collaboration among the participants where they talk among themselves
to learn, think and discover something for bringing positive social
changes.
Collaborative learning
process can include the following
Advanced learners or the students get and assimilate the
information and relate new information to new knowledge based on a framework of
prior knowledge.
The collaborative learning process needs the challenge to
open the door for the learners to actively engage his/her groups or peers to
process and synthesize information rather than simply studying, memorizing and
regurgitating it.
Learners get opportunities to develop their knowledge and
skill exposed to diverse viewpoints from the people of varied backgrounds.
In a collaborative learning environment, the learners face
both social and emotional challenges when they listen to different
perspectives. They need to study, brainstorm and innovate something to
articulate and defend their ideas coming from the people of varied backgrounds.
To do so, the learners start creating their own unique conceptual frameworks
and platforms to converse with peers in order to accept, defend and develop
ideas. They get an opportunity to exchange diverse beliefs and question others in
conceptual frameworks. Thus, they keep them engaged in the process of collaborative
learning.
Learning gets flourished in a social environment where the conversation
between the learners takes place.
What are collaborative
classrooms?
A collaborative classroom is an advanced classroom engaging both
students and teachers in group learning. Unlike the traditional classrooms
filled with rows of desks, collaborative classrooms include tables and chairs
so that both students and teachers can sit and work together in small groups.
It must include ready to access internet connections, multimedia displays and
collaboration software. The group tables, various internet access points, shared
tabletop displays, and wall displays with unrestricted lines of view will
encourage in sharing and exchanging information and knowledge through a
participatory model.
It needs an instructor station, quiet HVAC, simple remote
control of the technology, modern tabletop displays, and configurable
audio/video.
How digital classrooms
help create a collaborative learning environment
Digital classrooms help learners to participate and exchange
knowledge through various access points and digital channels. They can create
various social media groups, online chat systems and other digital channels available
in digital classrooms to get in touch with others and share knowledge between
them. They can post problems and new challenges coming to their area of study
and find answers through a participatory and collaborative approach. Thus, they
have a chance to access concrete information, develop their knowledge, boost
skills to solve various problems coming to their specialized domains and
enhance the power to face upcoming challenges.
In other words, they can form a development communication model
to bring about positive social changes.