Approaches and Strategies of
learning Physical Science:
Collaborative Learning
Difference between cooperative learning and
collaborative learning.
Collaborative Learning Cooperative learning
Encourages self-governance, shouldering The centre of authority is the teacher,
responsibilities according to one’s group is held responsible for collective
interest and skill. Each member is learning.
accountable for the task.
Groups are often given more open-ended, Group tasks are usually more closed-
complex tasks. Solving a problem, doing ended. Task can be done by one way
experiment/activity/project demands only, e.g. learning formulae or writing or
collaborative set-up. chemical equation as given in the
textbook.
Collaborative style is used for higher Cooperative learning style is used for
level, less foundational knowledge. foundational knowledge (traditional).
One of the most important goal of education is to prepare learners
for the world of work.
Requirement for the world of work are exploring and developing
one’s own ability to:
work collaboratively;
communicating effectively and convincing others with one’s own
idea; and
critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Collaborative learning approach develops both
academic and social skills in learner in an integrated
manner.
In CLA, learners take responsibility of their own learning. It
promotes self learning skills in them. They have to discuss their
ideas with their group members, relating it to their previous
experiences.
Teacher facilitates situations for active participation in teaching-
learning process by encouraging collaboration among the learners.
She communicates the goal to be achieved within a limited time
frame realising and respecting diverse needs of the learners and
their different styles of learning.
In the collaborative set-up, each learner individually and socially
constructs meaning as she learns.
Collaborative learning enhances motivation to learn and increases
depth of understanding.
In the group setting, learners develop a positive attitude towards the
learning and materials on which they work on, as they contribute to
it. Learning is more effective as students themselves take care to
resolve any conflicting observation and opinion.
It also gives them opportunity to apply the concepts in real-life
situation and to learn to solve a problem through multiple ways.
Disinterested students readily learn from their peers as their learning
problems and issue are better appreciated by the peers.
Working in a group, students move beyond the caste,
creed, region and get opportunity to develop friendship
with each other.
Students learn the qualities of doing collaborative and
team work, patience, persistence of effort, completing the
task within a set time frame, and sense of belongingness to
the group as well as to their learning.
They get to know who they are in the opinion of others
and identify their own social and academic potential.
Steps of collaborative approach
Problem, issue or concept is identified to be dealt within a
group situation. It may be small or big, simple or complex,
depending upon learning environment and teaching-learning
process.
Formation of groups (say 3 to 6 students) is facilitated by
the teacher. Students are also facilitated to take up the task of
their choice.
There is exchange of ideas, discussion on the issue at hand
or performance of activities or experiment to clarify the
concept in group situation. Sharing of ideas facilitates
visiting and revisiting the concepts.
Teacher facilitates their interactions directed towards the
set goal within stipulated time frame.
Learning evidences are assessed throughout the teaching-
learning process and feedback is provided to all groups of
the learners.
After discussing the concept of GRAVITATION in Class
IX Science, the teacher decided to solve following
problem by collaborative learning approach.
The mass of the earth is 6 × 1024 kg and that of the moon
is 7.4 × 1022 kg. If the distance between the earth and the
moon is 3.84×105 km, calculate the force exerted by the
earth on the moon. (Take G = 6.7 × 10–11 N m2 kg-2)
She invited one of the students on the blackboard and
initiated solving the problem with the help of the class.
In another activity She facilitated the class to assemble in a group of 3-4
students to work on the problem and gave them 10 minutes time.
An object is thrown vertically upwards and rises to a height of 10 m.
Calculate (i) the velocity with which the object was thrown upwards
and (ii) the time taken by the object to reach the highest point.
She observed that:
Students started interacting with each other actively. One of the group
members was writing the solution and all other members were justifying
their points and steps to be written.
Even shy students were not hesitating to ask questions or share their
ideas in the group setting.
Students learning with different paces were able to understand the
concept of Gravitation easily when explained by their peers and by
sharing their idea.
Individual understanding of almost all students was shared
by each other in the groups, making their thinking explicit.
Itsaved much of her time and energy, but not at the cost of
learning of students. Group leader was selected by the group
themselves and the teacher was facilitating the work of
group through the group leader. Instead of checking the work
of 32 students of the class, she corrected the work of 8
students only. These 8 students facilitated their group
members to solve the problem correctly.
It provided students an opportunity to develop
interpersonal skills, such as team spirit, sharing of ideas,
listening to others, respecting each other’s ideas and
problem-solving skills.
Itwas easier to deal with the students having attitudinal
problem in smaller group as they felt less threatened than in
large classroom.
Throughout the activity she kept moving around in the
class, listening to their ideas and asking prompting questions
to facilitate solving the problem.
Ensuring meaningful learning through
CLA
Ensure that the group is heterogeneous. There should be learners learning with
different paces and styles in a group.
However, keep grouping pattern flexible and consider the choice of learners also.
Every time keep on changing the members of the group.
Facilitate them to form group rule. If there is a disagreement, consensus should
emerge.
Make it a point that group leader will facilitate the work of the group and keep
them organised. The leader should not dominate over other members.
Tell one student of the class to pass on the name of group members and group
leaders on a piece of paper for your record.
While assessing, you may give same grade to all members of the group as far as
possible. This will prompt the learner learning with greater pace to motivate other
learners to perform.
It will be convenient for you if you start this approach
after 2–3 months the session starts. It will give you enough
time to identify academic and social skills of all the
students and help you to facilitate them in forming the
group.
Ensure that members of all groups should be made
responsible for their work. All members should remain
open to each other’s idea and get equal opportunities to
share their ideas and work
All members should be given liberty to express their ideas
freely and work cohesively towards achieving the goal.
Collaborative learning set up in classroom
Ravi, the teacher interacted with his class to formulate some rules for them when
working collaboratively. The rules emerged after consensus of the class were as
follows:
Speak clearly and in complete sentence.
Listen to each other’s idea attentively without interruption.
Be polite to others. Wait for your turn.
Give value to each other’s ideas.
Evaluate each other’ ideas and communicate it to the respective member.
Member will try to improve without taking it otherwise.
Follow the rule once framed by you. If you feel to bring any change, do with
the consensus of all.
If it is an activity or experiment to be performed in the group, everybody will
get opportunity to try her hands-on it by turn.
Ways of applying collaborative learning approach
There are various ways in which collaborative learning approach may
be applied such as given below.
(i) Brainstorming
A problem is identified.
Small groups are formed.
All members are encouraged to find the solution and express their
ideas.
No idea is criticised. However, ideas can be modified.
Example: How can we minimise wastage of water?
Skills developed: Generating ideas, creativity.
(ii) Task group
A task is identified.
Small groups are formed.
Each group of the class is assigned a specific task to be completed
within a time frame.
Task of each group is evaluated by other group.
Completion of task is responsibility of all.
Example: Prepare models of lever of Classes I, II and III.
Skills developed: Taking responsibility, delegation of work,
initiativeness, planning skills, accomplishment, evaluation and
emotional skills.
(iii) Inquiry group
Teacher creates a situation of some discrepant event during teaching-
learning process.
Students are helped to realise that there exists a problem, solution of
which is to be inquired.
Different groups work on the same problem and may come up with
different hypothesis, solutions and conclusion.
In order to get involved in the inquiry, learners may discuss, share their
ideas, derive the equations, perform an activity, experiments and solve
numericals.
Example: How would our life be affected if force of friction suddenly
vanishes?
Skills developed: Problem solving skill, inquiry skills, analysis, synthesis
and evaluation.
(iv) Tutorial group
Teacher facilitates formation of group according to students’ ability.
A concept is identified by the teacher which can be learned in a group
setting.
A student having good understanding of the concept is identified as group
leader by the teacher. Opportunity should be provided to various students
in turn.
The group leader is assigned the job of facilitating learning to all
members of her group.
The group leader asks questions with the members and encourages them
to discuss their learning difficulties with her.
Example: Determine unknown resistance using a metre bridge.
Skills developed : Basic competencies related to a concept develop in all
members.
Limitation of collaborative learning approach
Teacher’s dominance is reduced. The control is passed onto
the students themselves. As a result, some teachers may feel
like loosing control.
If work of the groups is not properly monitored,
misconception and naive concepts may breed in the thinking
of learners.
A few shy students may not participate actively in the
group. Interaction of all members need to be continuously
monitored.
It may be difficult to check and recheck the work of all the
groups working at one time for an inexperienced teacher.
Very meticulous planning is required for meaningful
learning to take place. Various aspects need to be considered-
needs, interest and abilities of each student, scope of the
activity/concept to be discussed in the group and classroom
management, group dynamics of the class, etc.
