The Use of Classroom Instructional Technology as a Possible Solution to Poor Design

In the 1980s, Robert Slavin investigated cooperative learning and outlined three key features that this technology might encompass:

  • Task Instruction
    • This involves a mixture of the day’s activities. I have plenty of them in my vault; I need to find and organize them in one place.
    • The way I deliver my work includes the lecture part of the lesson, the action part of the lesson, projects and discussions, and both group and individual work.
  • Reward Structure
    • In cooperative learning, the reward is not the achievement of one individual but rather the collaborative result of group work.
      • It’s like a β€œThink Tank” of three to four students.
      • It doesn’t necessitate another student’s relative failure. In other words, there’s no competition.
        • When this occurs, it’s a negative reward interdependence, whereas collective success has positive dependencies because students’ rewards are linked to each other.
        • Actually, it’s difficult to foster. My experience tells me it doesn’t so much bring about collaboration as it does excitement to do something out of the ordinary.
      • Individual independence fosters something different, where you learn to achieve results single-handedly.
        • I’ve been thinking it’s also an important skill to teach. Not to rely on anyone else. Obviously, students are good at working alone, but they are also good at cheating alone.
        • So the question stands: do I inadvertently teach them something negative, like to rely on your classmates and that help will always come? I need to think this over.
  • Authority Structure
    • It’s up to me to impose a certain level of control. Allow freedom where it’s okay and restrictions where it’s necessary.
      • An example of this could be my two simple rules:
        • No one sits alone, and no more than four people around a table.
    • I limit students to activities they are going to perform in the classroom and the form these activities should take.
    • Though I don’t limit them in how they should interact in the classroom, another rule is: if you talk to me, do it in English.
    • Students can decide how much and what to learn, but they have to follow a pre-designed plan.

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