Abstract:
This report is written for Australian’s universities to explain some possible advantages and disadvantages of adopting joint research in postgraduate program and give some tactics for the university department to do better in the application of the new requirements. The report displays two advantages of higher motivation and comprehension: learning to collaborate and a disadvantage of wasting time. Although the advantages of cooperative learning have been mentioned and proved by large amount of articles and researches, there are essential components that are necessary in order to make cooperative learning effective.
Introduction
In the Australia’s universities, most subjects acquire the students to do some research in their postgraduate program individually to be judged and to get their certificates. However, a university department is considering changing the requirements of their postgraduate by making it compulsory for students to do joint with another student. As it can be seen from the table below, Dobao (2012) made an experiment to show that the accuracy of students work in groups was higher than those who wrote individually and higher than those who wrote in pairs. They have asked me to do some research on possible advantages and disadvantages of this idea and give some recommendations. I have read a lot of research reports that some peers do to conclude some tips for department in order to adopt the joint research in a better way.
Gain higher motivation and comprehension
It is a good way to stimulate students to join the research with higher motivation and interest.
In collaborative learning, the students are encouraged to articulate the perspectives and settle the differences in understanding. After explaining to others and accommodating the views of others, their understanding of a topic will be more elaborate and systematic. In addition, the process of active learning is regarded as more motivating due to the actively involvement in discussion. (Duffy & Chang & Lee, 2011)
Learning to collaborate
Some students do not want to communicate with other students, especially with international students. They do not think that the majority of the international students have adequate academic abilities to afford postgraduate tasks. It will be a hinder in the classroom in the process of learning and will cripple enthusiasm of the international students because of a sense of discrimination in academic sphere. Analysts have found that the helpful learning circumstance urges understudies to think about each other paying little mind to contrasts in race, capacity, or inability (Johnson, citied in Marr, 1997). Likewise, as a consequence of the coordinated effort and aggregate exertion, understudies' self-regard, socialization aptitudes, and interpersonal abilities are improved (Johnson, cited in Marr, 1997).
Waste of time
Some students do not to want to do research in a collaborative way because of the feeling of wasting time. They believe that it is more efficient to do their research alone without any communications with a partner. Because of the different personalities of students, there are quite a few differences in modes of thinking. Students should communicate and convince with each other before making an understanding of these modes thus it will cost a lot of time.
Osman, et al. (2011) suggested that if there is a big number of study has been appeared to take in the point of the overwhelming support for the collaborative learning so as a consequence the body of research comes up with a question of its effectiveness and need.
For example, Stasser et al. (cited in Osman, et al.2011) found in a collaborative decision-making task that participants tend to discuss what they share in common rather than the expertise each brings to the discussion. Even though the students know that each of them has an expertise of their topic, the participants prefer to discuss what they share in common. This is consistent with Collette et al.’s argument (cited in Osman, G et al.2011 cited in Osman, G et al.2011) that groups very often stay in the comfort zone, sharing their consensus.
Conclusions:
It is critical to note here that simply putting understudies in little heterogeneous groups for instructional purposes does not advance learning and scholarly accomplishment. There are indispensable components to make cooperative learning effective.
The goal of the group should be stablished clearly and achieved possibly by all group members. Each student of the group must be given some specific task for his or her own learning so that they can make a positive effect to the success of the group. Secondly, group members must be encouraged and monitored by the lecturers to evaluate their own effectiveness and acquire the feedbacks during the whole process. In addition, a teacher can also be allowed to give the instructions about the assignment of roles of responsibility during the learning.
5. Recommendations:
Put the cooperative learning under the monitor. One of the factors of making cooperative learning a success is the teachers who enthusiastically participate in the activity. A teacher should walk around the classroom continually to listen, to keep student focused on the task, and, where possible, to ask some questions to challenge the students. It can make a good supervise on the progress of the discussion and make sure that the students can get a better outcome of cooperative learning in class.
Give a specific instruction gradually. Also, the teacher may introduce group work gradually. At the beginning of the class, it should be a brief and straightforward tasks’ description then it should be increased to more complex and demanding tasks as the groups refine their abilities to work collaboratively
Learn the techniques ahead. Moreover, both the lecturers and the students should get trained in cooperative learning techniques. They need to know how to make the cooperative learning more effective to make its advantages overweight the drawbacks.
References
Hudsonm, M, & Hunter, K 2014, 'Positive Effects of Peer-Led Reflection on Undergraduates' Concept Integration and Synthesis during Service Learning', International Journal Of Teaching And Learning In Higher Education, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 12-25.
Littleton, K 2004, 'Learning to collaborate, collaborating to learn.' New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Mcglynn-Stewart, M.E, 'Undergraduate Students' Perspectives on the Value of Peer-Led Discussions.' Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning CJSoTL, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 29-39.
Stasser, G.L 1977, 'A model of social influence during group discussion: an application with four- and six-person mock juries.'
Quitadamo, I, Brahler, C, & Crouch, G 2009, 'Peer-Led Team Learning: A Prospective Method for Increasing Critical Thinking in Undergraduate Science Courses', Science Educator, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 29-39.
Anon, 2000, 'Improving intergroup relations among youth summary of a research workshop.' Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
