Learning Through Collaboration

The Best Education System in the World Uses Collaboration

Finland is considered the best education system in the world for many reasons, but one thing they understand very well is collaboration. Shorter school days, less years in school and strict expectation of parents are definitely key, but collaboration in the classroom guarantees all students can succeed.

The best education system doesn’t require children to start school until the age of seven. The Finnish believe that play is learning, so they want the children to learn and experience through play before their studies begin. Once the children begin school, the collaboration begins with the way the school system is structured. First, children don’t change schools between primary and secondary education. They keep the same teachers for a longer period time, so the teacher can watch each child grow and develop in a more consistent manner. Slower learners are not separated from the main class. They are kept in the standard teaching room, and everyone participates in making sure they are successful.

Teachers are highly regarded in Finland, and often think of themselves as a school mother who helps guide the kids through difficult times that can inhibit learning. It is an interesting concept that the best education system in the world is so different from the system in the U.S. To the Finnish, school should not be rigid. It should be fun, team or family oriented, and less time intensive.

This unique model means that the country has the highest literacy rate among teenagers and the highest percentage of regular readers. Finnish students excel in math and science, too. They are only second to South Korea in math, but South Korean kids keep very long school hours.

The Finnish believe that a heavy economic investment in being the best in the world is the future of their country due to their small, affluent high-tech position in the the world.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration Tagged With: Education, Finland, K through 12, Learning Through Collaboration, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, South Korea, State school, United States

Second Life Can Provide Effective Learning

In the age of technology, collaborative learning has taken on a new atmosphere. Second Life can provide effective learning through its virtual class rooms and universities. For those who have to telecommute or engage in online learning, Second Life has become a useful forum for students and teachers.

Many universities have set up virtual campuses on the website. Business also use Second Life to conduct conferences and training sessions. Professors can teach their courses via this new technology. What makes it different from traditional online learning is that each participant has an avatar, or online alter ego, that is present in the virtual classroom. Where it isn’t the same as real human contact, it does take virtual learning beyond the simple webinar.

Second Life began as a social game where people could shop, interact and create an alternate universe to be in. However, it’s potential wasn’t lost on top educators who saw it as a way to create communities among students who wouldn’t otherwise be in each others’ presence. Even medical schools have experimented with using Second Life with their second year students to give them an opportunity to explore the workings of a real hospital and medical settings. To the wary, it’s important to know that these medical students will be expected to make flesh and blood rounds and do real life residencies before they are licensed to practice medicine.

However, the availability of learning opportunities for college students is certainly increased with the virtual college campus and classrooms. Some of the universities that are present in Second Life are Ohio State University, University of Wyoming, Clemson, California State, University of Texas, many international schools and many, many more U.S. colleges.

Courses of study can be anything from medicine, to design, to history or specific cultural studies. The list is large, and really does provide a new and refreshing angle to traditional teaching methods.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration Tagged With: Classroom, E-learning, Education, Ohio State University, Second Life, Student, University of Wyoming, Virtual education

Sylvan Learning’s Corporate Model is a Tutoring Option

If a parent has the resources Sylvan Learning’s corporate model can be a tutoring option for a child who is struggling in a particular subject. Sylvan is also an option for preparing for college entrance exams. Although it is expensive, it can definitely create positive results for the student.

Sylvan offers tutoring in math, reading, and writing. They also offer homework help as well as preparation for the SAT and ACT college entrance exams. For those who do not have a Sylvan Learning Center near them, online tutoring is available, too. The Sylvan Learning Corporation has been around since 1979, and it became a publicly traded company in 1986. The additional funds allowed the organization to expand and reach more struggling students. It has since sold to new owners, and few of the original employees and founders are with the company.

The corporate model is good for spreading the educational help throughout the country in a consistent model. The problematic part of the Sylvan Learning model is that the local branches are franchises, and if they fall into financial trouble, the corporation is not obligated to help bail that local office out. If the office closes, the corporation will not refund the student’s tuition but rather offer online courses in exchange.

Not all children learn the same way, so offering one style of learning in exchange for another may not be a successful match for a particular child. With this in mind, any parent considering Sylvan Learning for his or her child should probably do plenty of research on the financial health of the local office. Parents should ask plenty of questions, get referrals, and ask about the general workings of the company. In a tough economy, expensive tutoring may be a bill people won’t pay. If that happens, then the office would have to close its doors.

With this in mind, it might be worth finding an independent tutor to protect the investment.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration, Workplace Collaboration Tagged With: Education, Entrance examination, SAT, Services for Hire, Student, Sylvan Learning, Sylvan Learning Center, Tutor

The Value of Alternative Secondary Education

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Although there are standard requirements for a secondary education in America, not all students are created equal when learning. There is significant value in alternative secondary education in America.

Where more emphasis has been put on academics in recent years; especially math and science, not all students are equipped to succeed in a technical world. Education systems that recognize this and offer alternatives that speak to individual interests and talents help guarantee that all young adults have a chance to be successful.

These alternative programs can range for science academies to performing arts schools. In some cases, the schools are designed for high achieving, highly motivated and academically advanced students. An example would be Thomas Jefferson in Northern Virginia. However, some schools are designed to enhance the area of interest that best suits the student. For example, The Performing Arts Academy in Dallas, Texas. A child who does not succeed in normal academics can feel successful in these specialized classrooms. It’s also possible to find schools that serve special interest groups, such as LGBT students who may have trouble adapting in a general population.

As long as the basic education criteria are met for a school district, alternative education is possible and even valuable to a community. Some parents choose to home school. Again, the education system will have standards set up that have to be followed in order for that student to receive a diploma.

For highly advanced students, some states allow secondary students to attend community college while still in high school so that they can get ahead in their post secondary education. Many bright students take advantage of this to get core courses out of the way and be better prepared to begin studying within their major when they actually enter college.

Whether the child is college bound or not, alternative secondary education can be the key to that person’s life success.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration Tagged With: Alternative education, Education, Education in the United States, LGBT, Northern Virginia, Secondary education, Student, Thomas Jefferson

The Peer-Led Team Learning Approach

The peer-led team learning approach offers a unique collaborative learning technique that allows groups of six to eight students to work on course study together. A student peer leader will guide the group. The individual who is chosen to lead is a student who has previously succeeded in the course.

As a peer leader, the student receives valuable experiences that can have a huge impact on professional growth. The leader is not there to give answers, but to provide guidance, support, motivation and constructive criticism. This style of teaching helps provide timely assistance when the group encounters a problem, brings new techniques and ideas to problem solving and keeps encouragement in the forefront.

There are six critical components that make peer-led team learning successful. First, the workshop has to be a regular led course that students are expected to attend. The teacher has to be closely involved in the workshop and its leaders. Naturally, the peer leaders have to be well trained and closely supervised. The workshop materials have to be challenging and conducive to collaborative learning. The space, time and other organizational factors have to be optimal for group learning, and finally, the school has to support the peer-led learning approach and it’s innovative way of guiding students.

For those interested in exploring peer-led team learning, there is a website that helps explain and guide, as well as offer current news and publications. It can be found at http://www.pltl.org. The FAQ section of this website is very comprehensive and can answer the questions that even the most critical educator may have about this style of teaching and learning.

What is most important to understand is that the peer leader is not the teacher. He or she is a guide and a support. The experience is about the group, not the individual.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration, Team Building Tagged With: Collaborative learning, Education, FAQ, Learning Through Collaboration, Methods and Theories, Peer group, Student, Teacher

Use Technology to Get Kids to Participate

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Every teacher has the challenge of kids who won’t participate in class. Some are very quiet and simply try to disappear in their seats. They may have excellent grades, but very poor social skills. Some are disruptive, but not involved in the lesson. Technology can provide access to what makes these kids tick. It’s there. Use technology to get kids to participate.

Almost every kid has a facebook page. If you friend them, you can watch their activity and see how they view the world. You may begin to see likes and dislikes. You may see that the child is bullied or is bullying. If they post photos, you’ll start to see how the student see themselves and the world around them.

As you learn about children, you can use that insight to connect in a way they are comfortable with. Children want to matter. Based on what you know, change your communication approach to the non-participatory child. Would this child do better communicating via technology? Are they too shy to speak out? You could then give the child a presence online to help others see them for who they really are and also encourage them with a new found identity.

As for the disruptive child, technology can be a great damper to acting out. Find challenging educational games that the student can be engaged in. Pay attention to the child’s online persona. Give extra attention in the social networking atmosphere. Often, a disruptive child is really looking for positive adult interaction. Without spending valuable classroom time on the youngster, you can give him or her a little nod online.

In many ways, the crush of technology seems to inhibit social skills. Certainly, a teacher needs to guide kids on how to move through a flesh and blood world, but don’t ignore that technology is bigger than the classroom, so it might be your best avenue to getting some kids to participate.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration Tagged With: bully, Child, Education, Gossip, Student, Teacher, Technology, University of Washington

Do Better Research by Working in Teams

Have you ever worked as part of a team on a research project? If you haven’t, you should take the opportunity to find a team project to work on. Working with teams is a great way to build a project because multiple minds working on research will improve both the quality and the scope of the results. Everyone has a different perspective, so while one person is thinking about it from one angle, another person might approach their research with a completely different view.

If a team was doing a project on the cost of vehicles, there would be many ways to approach it, but not all areas could be covered by one person. Working on a team, each person could take a different angle. One person might be more interested in how costs have changed over the past few years while another person might want to know what contributes to the cost of vehicles. Another member of the team might research auto insurance and auto insurance claims to see how they contribute to the costs of owning a vehicle.

Different people will bring in different types of information as well. Information can be found online through news, government, and car manufacturer sites. Documentaries, journals, encyclopedias, and newspapers are just a few of the other diverse information sources team members may choose to call on.

Working in teams gives people the ability to focus on areas that they are passionate about, learn from other team members, and get work done faster and more effectively. Additionally, the research provided will be more in-depth, more varied, and more valuable. Teamwork on research projects is quickly becoming a preferred method of gathering information for companies, educational groups, and others.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration

Taking Online Classes

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If you have never taken an online class before, you are in for a treat. These days many students as well as continuing education students are taking online courses in order to further their education. Onlinembarankings.com shows you the best schools that would work for you if you are interested in online courses. Taking a class online can be fun as well as easier on you.

First, you can take the class from the comfort of your own home, or wherever else you choose. If you want to take your course at the local coffee shop around the corner, you can do so.

Another advantage of online learning is that you can go at your own pace. While you will still have assignments to complete, you will be able to work slower if you need it. On the other hand, if you find that some classes move too slow for you, you can work ahead and complete assignments as you feel the need.

Online classes are great for class discussions as well. Usually the instructor will have a chat room or message board set up so that students can converse with the teacher as well as other students. If you are stuck on a problem, you don’t need to wait until the next class session to get help; you can just ask around in the chat room or message board for an answer to your question.

People are now obtaining degrees through online learning. Going to class has never been easier. Did you ever think that you would be able to attend class in your pajamas?

Online learning may not be for everyone, so if you are interested, take one class at a time so that you can see what it’s all about.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration Tagged With: E-learning, Education, Student

7 Reasons to Stay in School

Here you are, a teenager in school. And you absolutely hate it. It may even bore you to tears. You might be wondering why you have to endure this almost-torturous experience. Sure, you have your social peers, and they may or may not share your feelings about school and education.

If this is how you’re feeling, you may be considering tossing in the towel, but there are several reasons why you should stay in school. And, every one of them relates to you, not your parents or your teachers. Here are just seven reasons to consider. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration Tagged With: Education, School

What Is Collaborative Learning?

You may not be familiar with the phrase “collaborative learning.” The concept itself is not new, but it is beginning to enjoy resurgence, so you may be hearing it more often.

Simply put, collaborative learning is when learning is done in groups of two or more. If your child comes home from school and says that she is in a reading group made up of two good readers, two average readers, and two readers who need a little more help, and she’s one of the helpers, then she is participating in a form of collaborative learning.

Likewise, when students are assigned to a group for a project, and one is responsible for finding out information on one part of the project, another on the other part, and still another on the conclusion or findings, this is a type of collaborative learning. Each is responsible for a portion of the work, as well as checking up on each other to make sure everything is being done correctly.

Not every subject can be taught through collaborative learning, nor will every child benefit from this specific learning technique. Those subjects that provide a base of knowledge, however, such as reading, usually lend themselves to this concept.

And while children do learn certain things together, they are still responsible for filling in the blanks, especially when it comes to group projects. They must remember that their part isn’t the only one that will be on a test; rather, everything they have learned through their efforts together will be included.

You can find information on collaborative learning by using such sites as Canada 411 to find local education resources. Once you have learned more about it, if your child’s school is not using this technique and you feel it may be helpful, you can approach the teachers or administrators with the idea using the information you have learned.

Filed Under: Learning Through Collaboration Tagged With: Canada, Collaborative learning, Learning Through Collaboration