Group Learning Spaces

I Found it challenging to distinguish the characteristics of collaboration, cooperation and group work. but by considering the setting and context of the lesson and the needs of the learners there are very important features to these teaching and learning methods. 

Collaboration enables students to create a piece of work that would not be possible independently and include diverse opinion’s and information sources.

Cooperation evolves around the communication and social cohesion of the group. I feel that this system suits lessons where students are focused on working together better, rather than achieving a quantity or quality of work.

Group work elicits that the members share relevant characteristics such as reading level, math’s ability or specialist subject professionals. this allows teachers and students to work towards specific goals and meet targeted outcomes. 

This knowledge of group work will assist in planning and remind me to include purposeful grouped tasks that are authentic and significant. 

Week 6 Update

I feel I’m making strong links in this unit, amalgamating knowledge from past unit’s readings and other students. I think my experience on placement has assisted me to take risks and access technologies and systems which are somewhat alien.

I am able to use the information from week six practically in my planning for group work. remembering to plan for;

  • Team rewards,
  • Individual accountability
  • Equal opportunities for success.

This aligned with the motivational teaching philosophy and informs my pedagogy to design purposeful collaboration.

 

Considerations for Assignment 2

An important criterial that will need to be addressed in detail is the educational value and justifications of learning space(s). for each learning space I will need to outline the curriculums demand for the setting and design or the learning space. likewise, identify the pedagogical techniques which are present in these learning areas.

The Australian Curriculum Establishes ICT as a General Capability http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/information-and-communication-technology-capability/introduction/introduction

This may be a necessary reference

I will need to explicitly point out the role and responsibilities of the teacher and the student in the learning space(s). identifying behaviours, requirements, resources and support structures or mechanisms that constitute the learning space.

Thoughts on Classroom Design

When I think of historical classrooms and school environments from 50+ years ago I immediately hum the Pink Floyd hit “Another Brick in the Wall” (I listen as I write) and I like to think that things have changed for the better. I feel the best way to describe the classroom designs from yesteryear would be conceived to support the commonwealth, where there was a transaction

  1. Knowledge and skills came from the teacher into the students
  2. Students recalled those knowledge and skills in an exam.
  3. Students graduated and went to work for king and country according to the information they recalled in the exam.

This dictated the layout of education facilities and conceivably still does guide classroom design.

Read’s article identifies (thirdly) the perspective of the student in relation to classroom design. Read Goes into detail about line, shape and the artistic criteria of a modern classroom that resinate with students, I feel that reads work highlights the necessity of giving the students ownership and prerogative in classroom design. I believe it must be a shared process when physically decorating and equipping a classroom, democratically carried out with equitable concern for the students.

Reflection on my current stage (Salmons 5 stage Model)

I Feel my engagement with this unit via LEO and WordPress is developing and maturing in a professional sense. Reflection on my abilities as an online learner, acknowledging Salmons 5 stage model I can already identify development. This is affirming and gives me a sense of my strengths and weakness that I can focus on.

Having ticked the access and motivation boxes in the previous module, I can now identify traits and behaviours that I show which align with the later stages of the model. I can identify elements of both the socialisation and information exchange stages, observing myself posting in forums, expressing ideas and observing the view of peers. I was tempted to put myself in the knowledge construction category, I did not due to my lack of discussion and communication and because some of my beliefs and ideas have not yet matured regarding online learning.

Salmon, G. (2011). E-moderating: The key to online teaching and learning. New York:

Routledge.