From: Shannon Sandall
Email:
Course: psych 100K: Thought and Language
College: UCSC
Instructor: Eugene Matusov
ClassWeb: http://www.ematusov.com/psych100K
ChildrenObservations: Yes
Date: 19 Mar 1997
Time: 20:40:49
Remote Name: ss1mac-05.ucsc.edu
In this study I have chosen to focus on collaborative learning between undergraduates and children at a local Latino after-school program. The main question guiding my research and observations is how collaborative learning is facilitated and the learning that takes place due to this collaboration. I looked at various documented instances of collaboration from undergrad’s fieldnotes in order to answer my question and further my knowledge of the usefulness of collaborative learning. Through other’s fieldnotes and my own observation at this site, I was able to see many examples of collaboration while playing computer games. Based on my findings, I would suggest that collaborative learning was the predominant tool for learning and that it was a positive tribute in the facilitation of learning. The purpose of this paper is to show that at this site collaborative was the means of learning for both the children and the undergrads. This paper was written for educators, students and researchers of programs similar to this one.
Introduction
This program utilized undergraduate students in the facilitation of computer literacy through various computer games. The udergrads came into the program with various expertise with computers and a general knowledge of the world around them. It was through theses computer games that both undregrads and children learned at various levels and with various games. It was the aim at this site as it was at a similar site that,
“The role of the adults... promotes the mutual exchange of knowledge and skills. As friends, the adults, mostly undergraduate students... interact with the children on equal status as collaborators.” (Vasquez 1994 p.123).
Through the presentation of this model, I would suggest that we will see evidence of this collaboration and the benefits it had for both children and undergrads. Also the reader will see how to better facilitate a model like this in our schools and other learning environments.
The study will be presented by starting with our methodology, followed by research and reports made by undergrads. It will show how collaborative learning was facilitated and the evidence of the positive connotation that was achieved by both undergrads and the children involved.
Methods
In my research I observed elementary school children interacting with various computer games. The location was at a local community resource center. The room which our particular program occupied was a room that was lined on both sides with computers and C.D.-Roms. There were approximately twenty computers in all. There were mobile chairs that moved around the room often depending on how many people were at a computer at a time. The games were predominantly in English, however we were fortunate enough to also have some in Spanish.
Our sample came from local elementary schools. The children involved were mostly Spanish speakers from the local area. I used the feildnotes of the students who worked at this site concurrently with a language and cognition psychology class at the local university to aid in my research.
The undergrads came twice a week and were there for the children’s use. They were willing to help the children, observe the children or sometimes even learn from the children. They facilitated a culture of collaborative learning between the participants. After a day at the site the undergrads would discuss what they had done and share it with the rest of the class.
Paper
Although the children at this site used various resources to facilitate learning, for the purpose of this paper I will focus only on the collaboration between the children and the undergrads. In opposition to what one may think, both the children and the undergrads acted as the “more capable other” when the opportunity arose. At times the child would be more familiar with the game at hand. In this situation the undergrad learned from the child and brought to the situation their own knowledge of the world around them. As one undergrad notes,
“I said that I was not good at this game and he (the child) told me that I shouldn’t be hard on myself since I was just learning and that he wasn’t good at first either. We continued to play and he was doing much better than me but kept insisting that the more I would play the better I would get. He also told me how to score more points by shooting the alien craft that are red and at the top of the rows. I tried this and did gain more points. He told me I was doing very well.” (G.B. 02/11/97).
In this episode the undergrad wasn’t familiar with the game an when she tried the game wasn’t very good. The child in this situation acted as the teacher and with his comment, “he told me that I shouldn’t be hard on myself,” he incorporated Vygotsky’s idea of feeding back as a means of assistance. (Tharp & Gallimore 1988 p.54). The child encouraged the undergrad and in effect told her that practice makes perfect. It was also observed that sometimes the children just want the undergrad present even if they (the undergrad) doesn’t know how to play. In instances like these I noticed that the undergrads would try to encourage the children to teach them how to play the game. In fact one undergrad noted,
“A few minutes after the kids arrived, Greg* came up to me with the Oregon Trail box in his hands and asked if I would play with him. I told him that I had never played before and that I had no idea how to play. He assured me that he knew how to play and that he could do it without my knowing how. I asked him if he would teach me how to play along the way and he said he would.” (A.W. 02/07/97).
In this observation the child just wants the udergrad present, most likely for her knowledge of related things, but is also willing to act as a teacher as they participate in the game together.
Another situation that is worth mentioning is when both the child and the undergrad are unfamiliar with the game. In these instances it is observed that what Vygotsky calls a joint productive activity takes place. In a joint productive activity as in other learning environments, it is noted that, “... the active participation is crucial." (Tharp & Gallimore 1988 p.29). This is opposition to the traditional didactic method of teaching. When the child is engaged in their own meaning making, the learning is effective. One undergrad describes an episode in which both child and undergrad were actively participating in order to bring meaning to the game.
“We were both new to the game so we were learning the rules together as we went along. We had both seen the T.V. version of the game so we had a general idea. Lisa* was not familiar with world geography. She did not understand most of the location clues involved with that portion of the game, so that’s where I found myself jumping in to help a lot." (M.G. 01/23/97).
In this instance we actively see that both the undregrad and the child were new to the game, but the undergrad brought to the situation her knowledge of geography. This point is reinforced describing a similar program. The article states that,
“The focus is not the particular educational value of the games or the didactic moment they might produce, but rather, that they create an opportunity in which children and adults can contribute, as equal partners, to a joint understanding to the problem at hand. The adults contribute their general knowledge of the world...” (Vasquez, 1994, p.124).
Many instances like this arrived when the child was mainly in charge of the game but an undergrad was present and assisted when needed. One undergrad reports,
“Sam* controlled the mouse. He made most of the decisions, but he would also ask for my opinion, and my help. He asked me questions.” (J.A. 02/04/97).
In this fieldnote the undergrad describes how the child wanted to be in charge of the game but when something arose that he didn’t know he would ask the undergrad. This allowed the undergrad to assist when necessary in order for the child to become more competent at the game. As Tharp & Gallimore note,
“The [caretaker’s] guidance permits children to engage in levels of activity that could not be managed alone. The pleasures of the social interaction seem sufficient to lure a child into the language and cognition of the more competent [caregiver].” (Tharp & Galliomre 1988 p.28).
It is through that undergrads knowledge of the world that assistance become a positive means of collaborative learning.
Another way that collaborative learning was facilitated was when both the undergrad and the child were acting as equals and their contribution to the whole was important. This situation is identified by Moll in an article that read,
“The focus therefore, is not on transferring skills, as such, from those who know more to those who know less but on the collaborative use of mediational means to create, obtain, and communicate meaning.” (Moll 1990 p.13).
In some instances the child and undergrad had worked together many times so that each of their active participation was needed. One undergrad describes an example of this,
“He and I were obviously equals at the game, and we felt no sense of competition. What I mean by that is we both had a stake in each other’s game. I would give him hints, and congratulate him if he made a high score, and I would console him if he did not, and Greg* did the same for me.” (J.T. 02/05/97).
The undergrad and child involved in this example were apparently playing against each other but each helped out in order to beat the game. Another instance when collaborative learning and cooperation takes place is when more than one undergrad and child are involved and each person involved maintain a role in the joint productive activity. One undergrad notes a experience like this by stating,
“We all (the undergrads and the kids) had different roles and jobs that were essential to the functioning of the game and were depended on by the other members. Each job was equally as important in the final outcome. We consistently were referring to each other’s information and asking questions of each other to try to make the best decision. Each one of us was very much engaged in the game and had a definite role in leading the activity." (A.W. 01/31/97).
This example shows a collaborative learning experience that involved more than a one-on-one activity. It was a positive experience where all involved were needed.
Discussion
It has been showed that various types of collaboration between the undergrads and the children were present at this site. It is important that children are presented with various types of learning/teaching environments in order for them to grow cognitively. It was show that by acting a equals, the undergrads were able to both learn from and bring in their own knowledge to the children. I believe that the experiences of all those involved are invaluable and will be remembered.
As with all observational type findings, I am aware that my findings may have limitations. These limitations include my personal interpretation of the documented fieldnotes, and my personal bias as a human being. Also there was no measure in the cognitive development of the children only observation from myself and the other undergrads.
It is my hope that other learning environments will see the potential benefits of an informal setting in which collaborative learning prevails. I believe that the benefits of child-run learning promote learning that stays with the child forever. In addition it shows respect for children, which is important for the future of our society.
REFERENCES
Lory, L. (1997) Innovative Teaching Strategies, Are They Working?
Moll, L.C. (1990). Vygotsky and Education: Instuctional implications and applications of sociohistorical psychology. (pp.1-15).
Nicolopoulou A. & Cole M. (1993). Generation and Transmission of Shared Knowledge in the Culture of Collaborative Learning: The Fifth Dimention, Its Play-World, and Its Institutional Contexts.
Tharp R. & Gallimore R. (1988). Rousing minds to life: Teaching, Learning, and Schooling in Social Context. (pp.27-69).
Vasquez, O. (1994). The Magic of La Clase Magica: Enhancing the Learning Potential of Bilingual Children.
*Special thanks to the students of Psychology 100K and their fieldnotes.
*The names of the people sited have been changed in oreder to protect their privacy