Collaborative Learning is a relationship among learners that requires
positive interdependence (a sense of sink or swim together), individual
accountability (each of us has to contribute and learn), interpersonal skills
(communication, trust, leadership, decision making, and conflict resolution),
face-to-face promotive interaction, and processing (reflecting on how well the
team is functioning and how to function even better).
he concept of collaborative learning, the grouping and pairing of learners
for the purpose of achieving a learning goal, has been widely researched and
advocated - the term "collaborative
learning" refers to an instruction method in which learners at various
performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal. The
learners are responsible for one another's learning as well as their own. Thus,
the success of one learner helps other students to be successful.
Proponents of collaborative learning claim that the active exchange of ideas
within small groups not only increases interest among the participants but also
promotes critical thinking.There is persuasive evidence that cooperative teams
achieve at higher levels of thought and retain information longer than learners
who work quietly as individuals. The shared learning gives leanres an
opportunity to engage in discussion, take responsibility for their own learning,
and thus become critical thinkers.