Cooperative learning is critical for a student to obtain knowledge for themselves allowing them to construct their own ideas / thoughts about a particular topic. It enables them to bounce ideas off of each other giving each other confidence and the willingness to learn. Using cooperative learning groups also promotes social interaction between the students and allows them to become friends inside and outside of school.
The internet has opened amazing and endless possibilities for educators that allow students the ability to cooperate. Students can create projects together outside of school while being at their own houses. Things on the web such as blogs, wikis, and voice threads, makes it possible so that students can interact and share their own personal feelings / thoughts with each other with out the notion of being wrong. I think the internet allows a student to speak their mind and express their true feelings.
One thing that stuck out to me that I never thought about before I read this section in the book is the Web - Enabled Multiplayer Simulation Games section. I didn’t make the connection between the students getting online to play a game and the social interaction that one has while doing such a thing. I have tried this before and it is strange to be able to talk to somebody from a different county while playing a game with them. It is a great tool that can be utilized inside of the classroom if done properly.
It is amazing now a days all the other tools at students finger tips that allows them to interact with each other such as, twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and Podcasts; just to name a few. I am trying to use Podcasting in my classroom after the last course I took but it is so hard to be able to fit it in with the rest of the stuff that is needed to get done on a daily basis. I am currently half way done with teaching my class how to Podcast and trying to get a Podcast done with them. I hope that it works!
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Good Luck with your pocast. What grade are you teaching podcasting too? I would like to do this with my class but I feel that many of them lack the tools to be able to understand how to work on components of technology. I love to use my facebook and interact with all of my friends and collegues. I also agree with you that the internet gives us endless possibilities.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I was also surprised that online simulation games are considered educational social learning; however, if you think about it, they are learning about a historical event while collaborating with others from around the world. It's a great way for the shy students who never talk in class to share their ideas with others. I hope the podcasting goes well! I'll be doing Voice Thread in a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteI teach 6th grade. It will be hard to do with them at first but I think that this will be also motivational because it will be something that they will be able to do outside of school with family and friends. I am going to show them how to do it with some fun things.
ReplyDeleteI actually did a voice thread with my students on Friday about my dog. They liked it.