Collaborative learning in speaking class

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6. The Components in Learning Process

One of the objectives of this study is to improve students’ learning process. As this action research is conducted in the collaborative learning environment, students’ collaboration skill becomes one element of learning process that this study focuses on. Further, Lin 2015, p.150 pointed out that the impact of collaborative learning extends beyond classroom learning into lifelong learning skills, which is autonomy. Those components of learning process in collaborative learning environment, i.e. collaboration and autonomy, therefore, become two key terms employed in this study. Those terms are elaborated further in this section.

a. Collaboration

Collaboration in general sense means the activity of working with one or more people together, toward achieving a common goal Dillenbourg Schneider, 2005, as cited in Zygouris-Coe, 2012, p.333. The activity of performing collaboration in learning belongs to the concept of collaborative learning. According to Zygouris- Coe, collaborative learning is “an approach to learning that includes groups of students working together to either complete a task, problem solve, or create a new product” 2012, p.333. She further explains that the ultimate components that collaboration takes are ongoing interactions and communications among learners as they work together toward a particular task. Other than that, in the collaboration process, learners negotiate meaning, share knowledge and intensively communicate among each other Zygouris-Coe, 2012. For these reasons, learners need to have collaboration skills to be able to perform PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 47 the best quality of collaborative learning as each of them is responsible for their own learning and others’ within the group. Johnson, Johnson, and Smith 1991 coined elements that learners should demonstrate in the collaborative learning process, namely positive interdependence, individual accountability, face-to-face promotive interaction, as well as appropriate use of collaborative skills and group processing as cited in Maesin, Mansor, Shafie, Nayan, 2009. Other that those, collaboration in speaking class takes students’ ability to interact and communicate in the target language in order that they are enabled to exchange opinions and ideas. Otherwise, the collaboration process will not work according to the actual intention of the speaking class itself. Apart from that, all these collaboration skills can only be performed with students’ willingness and voluntary contributions. In this action research, one of the learning process components investigated was students’ collaboration skills. Chang 2012 and Lin 2015 note some characteristics that indicate whether students perform collaborative learning throughout the learning process. First of all, students demonstrate collaboration when each of them actively contributes in working with peers, so that they share the responsibility for the learning outcomes Lin, 2015, p.14. Secondly, students realize that their success in learning also depends on others. Therefore, they care about others and support each other regardless of their competence levels, both inside and outside the classroom Chang, 2012. The forms of support are shown when students read each other’s’ assignment as well as give, receive, and exchange feedback for peers’ learning development. Finally, students in PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI