Collaborative Learning Article Review
Erica Grover
Tanza Bauer
MBA 510
December 21, 2014
Collaborative Learning: Article Review The article “Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking” is a study that examined the effectiveness of individual learning verses collaborative learning in drill-and-practice skills and critical-thinking skills. (Gokhale 2) . Collaborative learning was first defined by Gokhale as, the grouping and pairing students for the purpose of achieving an academic goal. (1) . Collaborative learning is referred to as an instructional method in which students performance levels work together in small groups performing to complete a common goal. Gokhale’s article suggests that the students are responsible for one another learning as well as their own leading to the success of one student helps others realize their own success (1) . The article tested if their would be significant difference in achievement on a test composed of drill-and-practice items or critical-thinking items and would their be a difference between students learning individually and students learning collaboratively. The independent variable was the method of instructions on the two categories of individual learning and collaborative learning (Gokhale 2) . The dependent variable was the posttest score (Gokhale 2) . Students were given lecture and worksheets, but collaborate learners, in groups of four, were also given a sheet that had listed the key elements of the collaborative process. The process gave clear instructions to listen carefully to comments of each group member and to be willing to reconsider their own judgment and opinions (Gokhale 2) . The findings of the study after being statistically analysis found that students who participated in collaborative learning performed significantly better on critical-thinking than those who studied individually. The study did reveal that individual and groups performed equally on the drill-and-practice tests. (Gokhale 3) . These findings correlated with the
Tanza Bauer
MBA 510
December 21, 2014
Collaborative Learning: Article Review The article “Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking” is a study that examined the effectiveness of individual learning verses collaborative learning in drill-and-practice skills and critical-thinking skills. (Gokhale 2) . Collaborative learning was first defined by Gokhale as, the grouping and pairing students for the purpose of achieving an academic goal. (1) . Collaborative learning is referred to as an instructional method in which students performance levels work together in small groups performing to complete a common goal. Gokhale’s article suggests that the students are responsible for one another learning as well as their own leading to the success of one student helps others realize their own success (1) . The article tested if their would be significant difference in achievement on a test composed of drill-and-practice items or critical-thinking items and would their be a difference between students learning individually and students learning collaboratively. The independent variable was the method of instructions on the two categories of individual learning and collaborative learning (Gokhale 2) . The dependent variable was the posttest score (Gokhale 2) . Students were given lecture and worksheets, but collaborate learners, in groups of four, were also given a sheet that had listed the key elements of the collaborative process. The process gave clear instructions to listen carefully to comments of each group member and to be willing to reconsider their own judgment and opinions (Gokhale 2) . The findings of the study after being statistically analysis found that students who participated in collaborative learning performed significantly better on critical-thinking than those who studied individually. The study did reveal that individual and groups performed equally on the drill-and-practice tests. (Gokhale 3) . These findings correlated with the
Cited: Gokhale, Anuradha. “Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking.” Journal of Technology Education 7.1 (1995) : 1-6 Web. 21 Dec. 2014. Thompson, Leigh. Making the Team: A Guide for Managers. 5th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print