Abstract
Using a grounded theory research design, this paper examined the collaborative learning experiences of secondary school students in Singapore. The core phenomenon that emerged was the need for social interactions in collaborative learning, both in classroom and online settings. Educators often take for granted that effective collaborative learning will occur naturally once students are assigned to work in groups. In examining students’ dissatisfaction when working in groups, this study highlighted the importance of surfacing these hidden assumptions for careful scrutiny. The key factors identified were centered on the need to address social challenges within collaborative learning. These included a pragmatic, results-oriented approach with limited interpersonal engagement used by students that can compromise collaborative learning outcomes. Having a deeper understanding of the challenges that resulted from limited social interactions provides educators with insights when designing classroom and online learning activities. This paper contributes to the understanding of groups’ active learning to inform pedagogical practices for educators engaged in designing better collaborative learning experiences. Educators and curriculum designers need to be aware of the social drawbacks in collaborative learning in order to design a more socially engaging learning environment.
Highlights
Collaborative learning has become increasingly important for contemporary learning environments [1] and it is widely researched for the purpose of achieving better pedagogical outcomes
The following categories emerged during open coding: (1) group processes, (2) group dynamics, (3) group challenges, (4) social challenges, (5) ICT supported teaching and learning, and (6) independent learning
The results suggested that there is value in probing the centrality of social interactions for learning, for secondary school students
Summary
Collaborative learning has become increasingly important for contemporary learning environments [1] and it is widely researched for the purpose of achieving better pedagogical outcomes. Segers, and Kirschner [5], and Soller [6] examined the social interactions that drove teamwork in collaborative learning environments. Tan [7] examined how cogenerative dialogues involving teachers and students, might facilitate the development of teachers’ epistemic agency. Found that various forms of collaborative strategies which involved students working together had significant academic, social, and psychological benefits over students who worked individually. Scholars maintained that collaboration involved a coordinated attempt of peer learning to achieve a shared understanding of goals [1,5,9], which was distinct from the sheer division of labor
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