Varied teaching and learning approaches encourage students to plan, communicate, and construct meaning together. According to Smith and MacGregor’s (1992) definition of the phrase, “collaborative learning” is a general term that refers to several pedagogical techniques that involve students’ or students’ and teachers’ joint intellectual effort. Most of the time, students collaborate in groups of two or more to produce a final product while searching for understanding, solutions, or meanings. While collaborative learning activities can take many various forms, they frequently emphasize students’ exploration or application of the knowledge from the lesson rather than just the teacher’s presentation or explanation of it.
When I think about the cooperative nature of this project, I am overwhelmed with pride and satisfaction. Throughout this time, I placed great importance on creating a setting where students felt free to voice their thoughts, challenge assumptions, and participate in deep conversation. After adding cooperative learning activities, encouraging open-ended discussions, and encouraging problem-solving projects, I observed considerable improvements in my students’ ability to engage in critical thought and cooperative problem-solving. Observing how they have grown not only in terms of academic accomplishment but also in terms of their interpersonal and communication skills strengthened my confidence in the effectiveness of a learner-centered teaching philosophy.
What changes in education may we anticipate soon? If I had to draw a conclusion about these methods of teaching and learning for the 21st century, I would say that teachers would still be needed, but their responsibilities will expand and undoubtedly move toward a more individualized learning environment. Future educators will need to be capable of gathering data, as well as analyzing it, planning lessons, working with others, creating lesson plans, synthesizing it, and solving problems. The way and what we teach in our educational system will change as the world we live in transforms to embrace innovative futures to keep up with the increasing demands of the 21st century.
By: Catherine P. Pingol|Teacher II| Olongapo City National High School|Olongapo City
