Computer Supported Collaborative Learning  for Developing Higher Order Thinking Skill in ELT

Ambika Prasad Poudel

doi:10.32674/jimphe.v5i1.2536

Abstract

The practice of integrating pedagogical approaches using multimedia technologies has become one of the common interests in the field of English language teaching (ELT) in recent years. This research study attempts at studying the characteristics of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) tasks used for developing students' cognitive skills within the CSCL approach in the context of ELT in higher secondary school education in Nepal. Non-participant observation of the CSCL tasks assigned to the students in the English class in two different schools, and semi-structured interviews with the students were used as the research tools. It was found that the CSCL tasks were useful for enhancing some cognitive skills of the students, though many of the CSCL tasks assigned gave more attention to enhance the students' lower order thinking skills rather than their higher order thinking skills.

Highlights

The practice of integrating pedagogical approaches using multimedia technologies has become one of the common interests in education in recent years
Among various pedagogical approaches in technology-based education, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) can enable the learners for cross-fertilization of knowledge by creating environment for discussing and negotiating ideas, and for sharing learning resources with different possibilities of improving their quality of cognitive skills (Stahl, Koschmann, & Suthers 2006)
(ii) What cognitive process dimensions do the CSCL tasks contain? This study investigates the characteristics of CSCL tasks that play an important role in developing cognitive skills of the students learning English at higher secondary school in Nepal

Summary

Introduction

The practice of integrating pedagogical approaches using multimedia technologies has become one of the common interests in education in recent years. Among various pedagogical approaches in technology-based education, CSCL can enable the learners for cross-fertilization of knowledge by creating environment for discussing and negotiating ideas, and for sharing learning resources with different possibilities of improving their quality of cognitive skills (Stahl, Koschmann, & Suthers 2006). For appropriate and effective integration of technology-based approaches in education, Koehler, Mishra and Cain (2013) stress the crucial role of technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) of the teacher, English language teachers can take different advantages of multimedia technologies for engaging the learners in negotiating meanings and sharing cognitive resources relevant to problem-solving tasks to enhance the students’ cognitive skills in the CSCL environment (Liu, 2012; Phielix et al, 2011). It is beneficial to study and explore these characteristics of the integration of CSCL approach

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Results

Conclusion