Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking
...listed his definition of four terms: 1. Collaborative Learning: An instruction method in which students work in-groups toward a common academic goal. 2. Individual Learning: An instruction method in which students work individually at their own level and rate toward an academic goal. 3. Critical-thinking Items: Items that involve analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of the concepts. 4. Drill-and-practice Items: Items that pertain to factual knowledge and comprehension of the concepts. HOW THE TESTS WERE GIVEN The two groups were given the same lecture during the same time of day. Each group was in their own room. Each group was given a worksheet and 30 minutes to complete it. The individual learning students worked at their own level and rate. The collaborative learning students worked on the worksheet together. At the end of the 30 minutes each team was given a solution sheet to compare their answers and understand how to get the right answers. They were given 15 minutes to review their answers. At that time each team was given a posttest that had both drill-and practice and critical thinking items. RESULTS The collaborative learning students graded slightly better in the drill-and-practice items. The big difference came with the critical thinking items. The collaborative learning students scored much higher. I was happy to see that the way UOP is teaching is the way of the future. The collaborative students were given survey asking how they liked the collaborative method of learning. The following is the grouped results of three questions, which wee asked: (Gokhale 6,7) 1. Benefits Focusing on the Process of Collaborative Learning: (# of responses) „« Helped understanding ...