investigating the use of ICT in collaborative learning

It has been observed that ICTs can and do play a number of roles in education. These included important changes like rethinking teaching practice (Flecknoe, 2002; McCormick and Scrimshaw, 2001); developing the kind of graduates and citizens required in an information society (Department of Education South Africa, 2001) and improving educational outcomes especially, as Wagner (2001) and Garrison and Anderson (2003) observed, in terms of enhancing pass rates and improving the quality of teaching and learning. The study deals about collaborative learning, Collaborative learning promotes learner –centred approaches to education as oppose to teacher-centre approach. Learner-centred approach view the teacher and learner as learning from one another. Because collaborative learning is learner-centred, it keeps learners active in that learners are given an opportunity to help each other and they are given responsibility or ownership of class objectives and the learning process (Brooks and Brooks, 1993). From the above view, learner-centeredness therefore offers more than a normal or traditional classroom situation The role of ICT in collaborative learning ICT has an important role to play in promoting collaborative learning. ICT enhances avenues for collaboration among learners, among learners and teachers, family members and the school communities (Bialobrzeska and Cohen, 2005). Collaborative learning has numerous benefits. According to Johnson et al. (1981), Dansereau (1983), Slavin (1987) and Sharan (1990), collaborative learning has the potential to improve learners’ learning and to revitalize school teaching My study will investigate the use of ICT in collaborative learning through awarenet as a social network. In awarenet learners interact with one another individually and also work in groups, locally and also across the globe. It has a potential to bring learners all over the world together in collaborative learning.
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Posted: November 13th 2012 09:41