Collaborative learning in a model of higher education

Abstract

Nowadays collaborative learning is seen as a response to the current educational needs that go beyond teamwork; the aim is to provide a complete formation to people in the personal and social areas. Collaborative learning model has been studied during the last five decades from different views. According to Webb (1989) educational methods based on collaborative learning have been applied and spread all over the world. This type of model enhances students' participation; it leads students become leaders and make decisions (Petit, 2006). Collaborative learning is characterized by social situations where people have common aims and reach them with each other's help; thus, a person achieves his goal when the rest of the group does it too. Members of the group work effectively, they look for the development of their knowledge in class, are responsible and help to develop their classmates' skills and at the same time they obtain benefits by building concepts all together (Deutsch, 1949; Kelley & Thibaut, 1969; Johnson, Johnson & Holubec, 1999; Peralta, Roselly & Borgobello, 2012). Then, the characteristics of collaborative learning are observed in the number of members of the group (small), in the common objective they have, and in the interest everybody has not only in individual learning but group learning. Various studies have been conducted on collaborative learning for teaching English as a foreign language or as part of teacher training worldwide: Malaysia, Chile, Spain, Mexico, and Argentina among others. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods were used in these studies. The instruments used vary from participative observations, collaborative homework, interviews, video and audio recording, questionnaire to pre-test and post-test. The results from these research demonstrate the importance of collaborative learning model, because this type of learning encourages peer exchange, discussion, scaffolding on meaningful learning, problem solving, teachers' professional development, students' responsibility, socialization, communication in the target language, among other benefits. The educational model of the Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL) focuses on student learning with an emphasis on meaningful learning and it encourages new ways of thinking. It is intended to include activities, strategies, assignments and assessments in educational plans to implement competency-based education. Collaborative learning is considered as a methodology that enables competency-based, as an active methodology, it intensifies greater students' participation (De Miguel Diaz, 2006). Therefore, a quantitative descriptive study was held with the objective of characterizing the way teachers involved in a training program for foreign language teachers at higher education apply the collaborative learning model in the classroom. The random sample consisted of 20 teachers and 44 students who answered a survey as a tool for data collection.

Full text

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING IN A MODEL OF HIGHER EDUCATION
E. Alvarado, M. Cocca, Ma. Rodríguez
Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (MEXICO)
Abstract
Nowadays collaborative learning is seen as a response to the current educational needs that go
beyond teamwork; the aim is to provide a complete formation to people in the personal and social
areas. Collaborative learning model has been studied during the last five decades from different views.
According to Webb (1989) educational methods based on collaborative learning have been applied
and spread all over the world. This type of model enhances students’ participation; it leads students
become leaders and make decisions (Petit, 2006).
Collaborative learning is characterized by social situations where people have common aims and
reach them with each other’s help; thus, a person achieves his goal when the rest of the group does it
too. Members of the group work effectively, they look for the development of their knowledge in class,
are responsible and help to develop their classmates’ skills and at the same time they obtain benefits
by building concepts all together (Deutsch, 1949; Kelley & Thibaut, 1969; Johnson, Johnson &
Holubec, 1999; Peralta, Roselly & Borgobello, 2012). Then, the characteristics of collaborative
learning are observed in the number of members of the group (small), in the common objective they
have, and in the interest everybody has not only in individual learning but group learning.
Various studies have been conducted on collaborative learning for teaching English as a foreign
language or as part of teacher training worldwide: Malaysia, Chile, Spain, Mexico, and Argentina
among others. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods were used in these studies. The
instruments used vary from participative observations, collaborative homework, interviews, video and
audio recording, questionnaire to pre-test and post-test. The results from these research demonstrate
the importance of collaborative learning model, because this type of learning encourages peer
exchange, discussion, scaffolding on meaningful learning, problem solving, teachers’ professional
development, students’ responsibility, socialization, communication in the target language, among
other benefits.
The educational model of the Universidad Autonóma de Nuevo León (UANL) focuses on student
learning with an emphasis on meaningful learning and it encourages new ways of thinking. It is
intended to include activities, strategies, assignments and assessments in educational plans to
implement competency-based education. Collaborative learning is considered as a methodology that
enables competency-based, as an active methodology, it intensifies greater students’ participation (De
Miguel Diaz, 2006).
Therefore, a quantitative descriptive study was held with the objective of characterizing the way
teachers involved in a training program for foreign language teachers at higher education apply the
collaborative learning model in the classroom. The random sample consisted of 20 teachers and 44
students who answered a survey as a tool for data collection.
Keywords: Collaborative learning, higher education, foreign language.
1 INTRODUCTION
The current society is characterized by the development of science and technology as never seen
before. The globalized world since the end of the XX century and the beginning of the XXI century has
involved all the nations of the world in a new order where this type of development and innovations in
science and technology play a fundamental role, because the economic power of the countries based
on the massive production before, concerns now to the innovations mentioned above.
Countries invest a large part of its budget for quality education in order to enable human beings to
generate new knowledge. This new knowledge is not generated by isolated persons but by large
working teams that may include elements from different nationalities. Collaborative learning arises as
a response to the current educational need that goes beyond the working team pretending a complete
individual formation training in the personal and social areas. The objective of this study is to
Proceedings of EDULEARN16 Conference
4th-6th July 2016, Barcelona, Spain
ISBN: 978-84-608-8860-4
0999

characterize the way in which teachers involved in the training of teachers of a foreign language
program, apply the collaborative learning method in the classroom.
2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The collaborative learning approach has been well researched topic for over the past 50 years from
different theoretical conceptions. According to Webb (1989, p. 5) “cooperative learning-based
educational methods have spread quickly all over the world”. The collaborative learning model is also
called model of cooperative learning, which allows to increase the participation of students and
provide them with leadership and experience in group decision-making (Petit, 2006).
There are different definitions of collaborative learning. According to Deutsch (1949) a cooperative
social situation is like that one in which the goals of the separated individuals go so close that a
positive interrelation exists between the achievements or accomplishments of their objectives. In other
words, a person achieves his objective if the rest of the members also reach theirs. For Kelley and
Thibaut (1969) a cooperative structure is that one in which the rewards or reinforcements of the
individual are straightly proportional to the quality of the work in group. Individuals seek to improve the
general knowledge of the class, maximize individuals´ responsibility which in turn leads to the
demonstration of proficiency in the concepts and skills, taught by each team member. Johnson,
Johnson and Holubec (1999, p. 14) point out that "cooperative learning is the didactic use of small
groups in which students work together to maximize their own learning and that of others". According
to Peralta, Roselly and Borgobello (2012) different participants obtain benefits from the conceptual
development constructed in a mutual way through scaffolding. Then, the characteristics of a true
collaborative learning work can be observed through the number of its members group, an intellectual
common goal among them, and the concern for learning not only in an individual way but as a group.
Collaborative learning is the antithesis of competitive learning; it emphasizes planned and highly
interactive activities which are also centered on students. Students are encouraged to exchange
knowledge and experiences with their peers and teachers; while they develop in them the ability to
accept different ideas. The National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (Aneca, 2005)
indicates that through the implementation of strategies based on collaborative work, students could
develop the following skills: disciplinary and interdisciplinary teamwork, work on international contexts,
and build up their competences in interpersonal relations. It is also important to consider the praxis
teachers made to implement learning strategies; therefore, the items that Ferreiro and Calderón
(2000) explain are estimated as a complement. They suggest ten principles to be observed by
teachers to achieve a successful mediation between students and the curriculum content: explore the
potential possessed by the students in different development areas, investigate students’ knowledge,
their skills, attitudes, values and interests, negotiate meaningful learning to be obtained, offer help for
those difficulties students may have, provide them with freedom to make and create in a responsible
and committed way, teach them to process information, allow them to make mistakes and fix them too,
respect students’ learning styles and learning pace, specify the expected outcome of the activity and
promote expression in different ways. Thus, the importance of collaborative learning model where the
teacher sets aside traditional teaching and cares about the needs of their students, is highlighted.
2.1 Collaborative learning in some countries
Various studies have been conducted on collaborative learning in teaching English as a foreign
language (FL) or as part of FL teacher training. For example, in Malaysia, Rosnida and Malakolunthu
(2013) made a research titled Teacher Collaborative Inquiry as a Professional Development
Intervention: Benefits and Challenges. This research was focused on three main aspects: teachers’
benefits, impact on practice, and application of solutions. A qualitative methodology was followed in
this study where the participant observation, the interview, the audio recording and the qualitative
survey were the instruments applied to two groups: experimental and control. It was found that the
increase in learning of the EFL students was higher in the experimental group where a blended format
was used, than in the control group where students attended to classes, where they worked face to
face. It was concluded that the collaborative learning model could be a viable option for teachers’
professional development. This aspect is linked to the teacher training program in EFL currently
applied in the Sciences Language College of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL).
Another study was conducted in Chile by Morales and Ferreira (2008). This study is titled: La
efectividad de un modelo de aprendizaje combinado para la enseñanza del inglés como lengua
extranjera: Estudio empírico. Its objective was to visualize how the methodological language
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approaches, education based on tasks, and cooperative learning "can be applied effectively in the
design of activities for the development of linguistic skills in non-face to face and blended
environments" (95). The methodology used was quantitative with an experimental design pre- and
post-test to a control group. The results indicate that the increase in the learning of English as a
foreign language was higher in the experimental group where the blended modality was used with
respect to the control group that worked with the face to face environment. Therefore, including
collaborative learning model may benefit, for example students could share and interchange
information, significant learning through the creation of well-structured and organized learning
environments.
García and Sordo (2008) also conducted an investigation in Spain: La enseñanza-aprendizaje de la
lengua extranjera a través de la estrategia de las webquests: un caso práctico en el Campus Virtual
de la U.C.M. It was intended to address the challenges arising from the innovation in the forms to
generate and transmit knowledge to cope with the changes in the teaching applied in the programs
and projects of the Collage of Education. The applied methodology was mixed with the implementation
of collaborative and individual tasks designed for the Network using ICT and WebQuest, survey,
recording, and class observation. The results reveal that after the didactic procedures applied to learn
languages, the students became more collaborative and responsible, as a consequence of working
with other partners, they got agreements and the social relations were encouraged.
Another study was performed by Peralta, Roselli and Borgobello (2012) in Argentina. This research
was entitled: El conflicto socio-cognitivo como instrumento de aprendizaje en contextos colaborativos.
A quantitative methodology with a design pretest-postest was developed in this research. This
experimental design was formed by three groups: an experimental group formed by collaborative
couples that were observed closely by the researcher, and two controlled groups (one was organized
by collaborative couples without observation by the researcher, and the other one formed by couples,
they worked alone and were not observed). The results showed that the application of sociocognitive
conflict is highly effective in relation to the two dependent variables used: the achieved learning and
the written production; the greater homogeneity of learning in the observed couples was an
unexpected effect.
The results of the diverse presented studies allow to demonstrate the relevance of the collaborative
learning model, because this way of learning promotes the exchange between equals, discussion,
significant learning, scaffolding, solving problems, among some others benefits.
2.2 Significant learning in the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León
As a consequence of globalization, the information and knowledge society, scientific and technological
innovation, and the changes in labour marketing and others factors, the universities of our country are
facing social demands that means having a participation in the projects of social and economic
development. This is why the UANL created the UANL Educational Model; which reflects the goals of
the university community, such as offering solutions to the professional demands in the new contexts
of middle and higher education. This model has three guidelines: structural, operational and
transversal. The former focuses on learning student centred and educational competences; second
one contains a flexible curriculum and educational processes, and the latter includes
internationalization and academic innovation (Modelo Educativo en la UANL: June 2008).
The Educational model of the UANL focuses on students learning, it emphasizes significant
knowledge, and promotes new ways of thinking. It is suggested to include activities, strategies, tasks
and assessment in the educational planning to implement education based on competences.
According to De Miguel Díaz (2006), cooperative learning is considered as a methodology that
facilitates learning based on competences, as an active learning method that implies a greater
participation from the students. Hence, it established the importance in investigating how the UANL
teachers develop the collaborative learning in their professional activity to know how to respond to
education and society needs. The text included in the sections or subsections must begin one line
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3 METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
Considering the importance of collaborative learning in education a quantitative descriptive study was
carried out with teachers and students from the Sciences of Language College (SLC) of the UANL; a
survey was applied as an instrument to collect information. The random sample was formed by 20
teachers and 44 students from all the semesters. The objective of this study was to characterize the
way teachers involved in a training program for foreign language teachers apply the method
cooperative learning in the classroom.
After checking the obtained information of this study, it is observed that teachers think that
collaborative learning is a viable option to increase the educational quality; 95 % of the professors use
this learning strategy as one of the useful elected methods in class. In addition, 90% of teachers
consider that it is important to explain to their students the participation on this teaching strategy.
However, results show that only 52% of the activities that correspond to the collaborative learning are
used by teachers. While of the enlisted activities that are not typical of collaborative learning 75.4 % is
used by the teachers. On the other hand, 84% of the students said that they had knowledge of the
characteristics of collaborative learning, because they were told about them. 84% of the students
believed that collaborative learning is a viable strategy to improve the quality of education, 7% said
that it was not possible and 9% did it not know. In general, the students have knowledge of the
characteristics, of the methodology, and of collaborative learning.
It is possible to observe that both, teachers and students have knowledge about the collaborative
learning model, and there is concordance between the data obtained from teachers and students
about the extent of application of the method mentioned about, which on average would be 56%. This
percentage indicates that teachers have knowledge of the teaching strategies about collaborative
learning, but in the practice these are partially employed.
In addition, it can be observed that 60% of the surveyed teachers develop social skills related to
collaborative learning, while 40% develop another type of social skills. On the other hand, 65 % of the
students consider important the following learning collaborative skills: to indicate the goal and
purposes of the class, to request team members for individual responsibilities, to ask for results and
the criteria that will be used for it, and to decide the ideal number of members for every team. Most of
surveyed teachers encourage social skills required to carry out collaborative work; therefore, not only
most of the students learn those social skills but consider them important to develop collaborative
work.
Another important aspect to highlight from the analysed data is about strategies and activities used by
teachers to promote a collaborative environment in the classroom. According to the results, it was
observed that 61.7% of teachers applied elements and strategies related to collaborative learning. The
most commonly used elements are the arrangement of chairs in small circles, and the organization in
large groups (4-6 members). According to Johnson, Johnson and Holubec (1999) this organization of
classroom is not appropriate to encourage collaborative learning. When comparing these data by the
teachers on the implementation of strategies for the collaborative learning with the results and
opinions of the students, it is found to be different, more than the half of the teachers (58%) do not use
this learning strategies. According to the collaborative activities teachers (55%) applied in the
classroom, the most common are to provide the topics to learn in class in an oral or written way, and
that students decide the optimal number for teams. This result allows to point out that most of the
activities are not focused towards collaborative learning since students are allowed to organize their
teams freely, and that the evaluation from teachers focus on the results of teamwork, such as Ferreiro
and Calderón (2000) note.
The survey also contains questions about activities that do not correspond to the collaborative learning
model, it was found that 60% of teachers are still using such activities. While for students, 75% of their
teachers use classroom activities that do not correspond to the collaborative learning. That is to say,
more than a half of teachers use activities for collaborative learning and continue other activities that
are not focused in that model.
At last, the survey has some questions about the support from the School Administration to implement
the collaborative model. The purpose was to estimate how teachers feel, and if they receive such
support by the educational authorities. This was done through a survey with a Likert-type scale where
number 5 was the higher level of exhortation.
It is concluded that 35% of teachers indicated they feel encouraged by the educational authorities to
use the learning collaborative model; while 50% of teachers indicated, with No. 4, to carry out this
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model. In addition, following the same Likert scale, 45% of teachers indicated with the No. 3 the
adequacy of the furniture of the rooms to apply collaborative learning. It could be interpreted that the
furniture is within the average to be considered appropriate in the implementation of collaborative
learning; however, the results obtained from the same reflected that 77% of students feel that the
furniture of the educational building is not appropriate to implement the collaborative learning.
4 CONCLUSION
In summary, it is noted that in the Science of Language College with emphasis on Teaching of English
and Bilingual Education the collaborative learning model is not used, at least not in a complete way.
According to the topic experts, to carry out the collaborative learning model requires the entire
educational community gets involved into it. Unfortunately, the obtained results show that only some
teachers applied this model. Therefore, students do not benefit from mutual scaffolding that Peralta,
Roselly and Borgobello (2012) mark.
It can also be said that, the techniques increase its efficiency when the teachers who intent to use
them, have used them in advance, when they have put in practice them personally, and when they
have received social support from colleagues. For that reason, learning to work together is more
attractive if students perceive teachers, through their own behaviour and values what they teach; in
other words, students learn from imitation. Unluckily, this aspect is not reflected within the SCL.
Martinez and Sauleda (2005, p. 13) express “It is necessary to create learning environments in the
higher education level in which each student can develop both critical capacities and capabilities of
participation in the creation of culture, giving them the opportunity to innovate and participate in first
person in the design of the educational process”. Hence, it is suggested that teachers from SLC
should be updated in terms of the principles, strategies and collaborative learning activities that could
be used in their daily practice as Ferreiro and Calderón (2000) suggest. They point out ten principles
to be observed by the teacher to achieve a successful mediation between students and curriculum
content.
Moreover, a substantial aspect is what Stenhouse (1987) indicates, that the improvement in the
teacher professional development depends on his capacity to develop actions collaboratively with
other teachers and students, with those who could exchange knowledge and experiences.
Finally, if teachers get updated, if they work on their professional development, then the educational
model of the UANL could be better implemented; a model that emphasizes significant learning and
competences. So, this student-centred learning model could be implemented through the
Collaborative model in higher education.
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