Strategies for Collaboration Diverse Students Learning

Collaborative learning in the classroom An effective educator recognizes the

encourages deeper knowledge and allows importance of meeting the diverse needs of
students a greater opportunity to students (“Professional Dispositions of
participate in their educational endeavors. Learners,” n.d.). The type of teaching
Students can learn from each other to employed in the classroom must be diverse,
solidify understanding. Small groups that because the learners are diverse. It is
are purposefully chosen by the teacher will crucial to employ differentiated
allow for students to work together and instructional strategies to help students
have input (The George Washington achieve academic standards (CCSSO, 2011).
University, n.d.). Collaboration groups The use of differentiated instructional
should have established rules, targets, and strategies provides all students with the
roles for maximum effectiveness. The opportunity to realize better understanding
expectations can be modeled for students so so that they may use the knowledge for
they can recognize what they need to do. more advanced applications. Whether the
Once students know what the criteria are, diversity is due to learning levels or
they can work toward a common goal. cultural differences, by providing
Another important aspect of collaborative differentiation or modifications, all students
learning is that students should feel as if have the chance to learn and grow. It is the
they all contribute to the larger task. This responsibility of the educator to identify the
can be accomplished by giving each group a disparity in learning so that other
different aspect of the problem and strategies and materials can be provided
assessing them on their own efforts. When (Promedion Productions, 2010). Student
students work collaboratively, they exercise success is the goal, so educators should
their metacognitive strategies. They think adjust their approaches to teaching to help
about their thinking. Students can make every student succeed.
stronger connections between what is
learned in the class and what happens in References:
Council of Chief State School Officers. (2011, April). Interstate Teacher
the real world (Hammond et al., 2001). The Assessment and Support Consortium. (InTASC) model core teaching standards:
opportunity to monitor and reflect on their A resource for state dialogue. Washington, DC: Author.
Driscoll, M. P. (2005). Psychology of learning for instruction (3rd ed.). Boston,
own work is a byproduct of effective MA: Pearson. Retrieved from http://gcumedia.com/digital-

collaborative learning. Teachers can steer resources/pearson/2004/psychology-of-learning-for-instruction_ebook_3e.php

The George Washington University. (n.d.). 10 strategies to build on student
students toward knowledge, but the student collaboration in the classroom. Retrieved from https://gsehd.gwu.edu/articles/10- Reflection of How People Learn
strategies-build-student-collaboration-classroom
must encounter the understanding within Hammond, L, Austin, K., Orcult, S., and Ross, J. (2001). How people learn:
the framework of problem and solution for Introduction to learning theories. [pdf]. Retrieved from Maria Salmon
https://web.stanford.edu/class/ed269/hplintrochapter.pdf
the knowledge to endure (Driscoll, 2005). Professional Dispositions of Learners. (n.d). Retrieved from
https://students.gcu.edu/Documents/15GCU0264-COEProDisposition- Grand Canyon University: ELM 500
120115_v1.pdf
Promedion Productions. (2010). Educational psychology in the classroom [Video
file]. Retrieved from March 1, 2020
https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=96349&xtid=115832
 Classroom Environment Teaching Practices
The teacher must consider the variety of There are different learning theories that can
learners when deciding on the type of align to the teaching practices and classroom
teaching that will be employed in the environment. Learning theories include
classroom environment. An environment behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism
that views mistakes as a learning (Driscoll, 2005). Behaviorism subscribes to the
opportunity is key to creating a secure idea that new behaviors are developed
atmosphere. A combination of techniques through relationships between stimuli and
would be valuable in facilitating learning. reaction. The classroom environment would
There are times when traditional teacher incorporate repetitive practice of learning
lecture and modeling is appropriate for the concepts and added incentives to motivate
class, but other times a more experience students. This suits learners that can
based, collaborative learning environment remember facts and need the immediate
is more conducive to learning. When the recognition of meeting a goal. This can help
How Students Learn teacher is the director of the learning auditory and visual learners. Cognitivism
process, the students absorb the supports the idea that learning happens with
Learning is a shift in how a person performs, information and can memorize facts and inner information processing, not just the
creating behaviors that were not formerly procedures. A classroom that promotes a external stimuli. A cognitivist classroom
demonstrated (Driscoll, 2005). The brain is variety of student-centered learning environment includes connecting concepts,
fueled by outside stimuli. Students learn from opportunities will provide a greater discussions, problem solving, and visual aids.
experiences they encounter in the world. prospect of knowledge retention for future This aligns with students that can process
Learning also happens when students can applications. Offering choices in the knowledge and retain it in their memory for
connect previous knowledge to acquire new classroom will allow a student a sense of later use. Constructivism is rooted in the
knowledge. Students need to have the autonomy (Promedion Productions, 2010). assumption that students create their own
opportunity to use and apply what they have For example, collaborative learning groups knowledge from experiences and previous
learned. Improved learning happens in an gives students the chance to lead the knowledge. The teacher becomes a facilitator
environment that has good stimuli and offers direction of their learning experience. as students pursue knowledge on their own
feedback (Hammond, Austin, Orcult, & Ross, When they participate in their own through projects, collaborative learning, and
2001). Constructive feedback can encourage educational and knowledge development, exploratory experiences. The learner that
and direct students to persist in their the potential for intrinsic knowledge benefits the most from this is the student who
acquisition of knowledge. When students are retention improves. can pull from their knowledge to understand
motivated to continue learning, they can and create new ideas. Experiences and
become independent learners who can monitor interactive applications would offer great
and reflect on their learning (Promedion opportunities for a kinesthetic learner. It is
Productions, 2010). key to consider the knowledge and learning
preferences the students possess, and the
objective of learning, when deciding which
theory’s strategies to implement.