The Influence of Collaborative Learning on Students’ Performance

THE INFLUENCE OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE 1
The Influence of Collaborative Learning on Students’ Performance
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

THE INFLUENCE OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE 2
The Influence of Collaborative Learning on the Students’ Performance
Introduction and Context
The level of sophistication in the modern society is continuously increasing as the world
pursues globalization goals. Such a bold assertion is grounded on the fact that broad range of
socialization, business, and learning opportunities are available to people from diverse
backgrounds. This kind of trend has compelled educators to recalibrate their roles in the
intellectual and social development of these individuals (Garrison 2011). For the sake of this
argument, the reader is urged to reflect on the role education plays in the future of learners
regardless of their career choices. It is through this stage that most people develop vital
knowledge and skills for survival. When viewed from this lens, the teacher’s role in the
classroom goes beyond subject proficiency. He or she must have a clear and practical grasp of
‘pedagogy’: this teaching concept mandates instructors to understand the knowledge acquisition
and application process of their students on an individual basis (Freeman, et al. 2014). This
implies that the teacher should focus on promoting his/her students’ learning process in the
socially diverse environment.
The preceding paragraph presents a challenge that remains unmet in most traditional
teaching environments since it demands a shift of focus from the teacher to the students. A
student-centered approach to instruction allows the practitioners to evaluate their learners’
thought-processes through engaging them in academic discourse. Such a framework transforms
the role of a teacher to that of a nurturer while the students become critical-thinkers (Zhao &
Kuh 2004). Fairly speaking, the described teaching approach contradicts the traditional
framework which depicts teachers as the only information source while learners assume the role
of information processors (memorizing and allocating classroom concepts during tests). Modern

THE INFLUENCE OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE 3
teachers must understand that student-centered practice treats the classroom setting as a learning
community where each member is responsible for individual and group progress. In such a
scenario, all members become both learners and teachers at the same time. Note that the teacher
is also included in the learning process as he or she receives and reacts on student perspectives.
At this juncture, one can confidently assert that the modern education environment necessitates
collaborative learning.
The merits and demerits of a collaborative learning environment have been explored by
academicians and professionals from various institutional levels including primary, secondary,
and tertiary. There is a conventional agreement among most if not all of these investigators
regarding the transformative impact collaboration has on the learning process. According to
Hallinger and Heck (2010), this instructional approach improves how students acquire,
synthesize, and apply learned knowledge and skills. It also improves the teachers’ ability to
evaluate performance inasmuch as it complicates the grading system. In light with the presented
argument, this paper presents a reflective exploration of the concepts I have learned with respect
to the collaborative learning environment. Personally, I am inspired by a strong belief that
collaborative learning has positive influence on the students if applied effectively.
Rationale
Collaborative learning improves the experiences of both the teachers and the students.
This is often the case as all members participate in a social discourse geared towards personal
and interpersonal development. Considering the scope of this paper, emphasis will be placed on
the students’ need for this learning environment.
The Value of Group Work

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A major goal of the collaborative learning concept is the utilization of groups to enhance
individual development. Working in groups exposes the students to a broad range of
opportunities and challenges that arise due to interpersonal differences. Before delving into the
benefits of group work, it appears wise to explore the conventional assumptions made by the
advocates of collaborative learning. First, they argue that the learning process is intrinsically
active and constructive. This implies that students are not mere information recipients. As a
matter of fact, they are expected to use the information to develop new ideas and skills. Such an
expectation calls for information synthesis, a critical-thinking process. Goddard, Goddard, Sook
Kim and Miller (2015) believe that the learning process should be geared towards the intellectual
construction of meaning from an acquired classroom concept. This implies that learners should
be allowed to refute and offer alternative explanations during lessons: note that their positions
should also be scrutinized by both the teacher and the fellow students. In this case, one cannot
deny the idea that the learning process is dynamic and constructive. Second, they claim that
learning is a social activity (Kuh 2009). Such a line-of-thought makes perfect sense especially
since a collaborative environment facilitates student discussions. Through sharing of ideas,
students gain in-depth understanding of individual strengths and weaknesses. The knowledge
garnered from such experiences enhances their ability to deal with people – a vital survival tool.
Lastly, they agree that learners are diverse. This sentiment is quite true as the classroom setting
includes students from diverse economic, social, political, academic, and geographic
backgrounds. These differences necessitate a collaborative approach since each student is highly
likely to possess a unique perspective with regards to a classroom concept. As a practitioner who
believes in the social nature of learning, I included it in my third Math lesson (Appendix C): I
engaged the students in story telling activities. Some of the stories we told included Monkey and