CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Collaborative Learning
Many teachers in the developing countries, such as Indonesia, keep conducting and applying the best method to achieve their learning goal especially for English
subject. Because the global demand of mastering English has spread all over the world, therefore, it is really essential to apply the best approaches in teaching
English. One of the approaches that can be used by teachers to accomplish their goal of
teaching is Collaborative Learning. Below are the further explanations about Collaborative Learning.
1. The Theory of Collaborative Learning
Collaborative learning is related to social constructivism. One of the famous social constructivists is Lev Semionovich Vygotsky. He is a Russian psychologist
who died in 1934. He proposed that cognitive development of students is strongly linked to the input from others. Students need to get input or any information to
support their learning. To support his theory, he introduced a concept called Zone of Proximal Development ZPD that is “the range of the task that are too difficult
for children to master alone but can be learned with guidance and assistance from adult or more skilled children”.
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Like Vygotsky, Dewey, one of the constructivists, in Oxford 1997 also states, “Learners do not learn in isolation;
the individual learns by being part of surrounding community and the world as a whole”.
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This really supports collaborative learning method in solving students’ learning problem. When students can not master a subject alone, the guidance
from adult or more skilled peer can enable them to master it. The ZPD concept introduced by Vygosky is based on the idea that
development is defined both what a child can do independently and by what the
1 John, W.Santrock, Educational Psychology, 2
nd
ed, New York: McGrawHIll,2004 p. 51 2 Rebecca L. Oxford, “Cooperative Learning, Collaborative Learning, and Three Communicative
Strands in the Language Classroom”, The Modern Language Journal, Vol. 81 No. 4 1997, p.447
child can do when assisted by an adult or more competent peer.
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This really helps the students’ learning, moreover, when the students’ can give the assist back to the
students who assist them. This will create a positive interdependence. The students will gain this in collaborative classroom.
2. The Definition of Collaborative Learning
To collaborate students in their learning activity is not something new for most teachers nowadays. They believe that to gather students into a group and let them
get involved and be active will make the goal of teaching a lot easier to be achieved. The concept of collaborative learning, the grouping and pairing of
students for achieving an academic goal has been widely researched and advocated throughout the professional literature. Like Kristin Gerdy of Brigham
Young University once wrote:
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‘Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than a solo race. Good learning, like good work, is collaborative and social, not
competitive and isolated sharing one’s ideas and responding to others’ improves thinking and deepens understanding’
From her statement, it can be concluded that collaboration can be applied in every aspect of life especially education and learning. Even in the international
field, we can see that every country have to work together in order to survive, no matter how powerful they are.
After viewing the role of collaboration in any field, now let us look at some definitions of collaborative learning proposed by figures concerning about
education. John Myers Cooperative Learning vol 11 4 July 1991 points out that the
dictionary definitions of “collaboration”, derived from its Latin root, focus on the process of working together.
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The term “collaborative learning” for Barbara Leigh Smith and Jean T McGregor is defined as an umbrella term for a variety of educational approaches
3 Robert, E,Slavin, Educational Psychology:Theory and Practice, 8
th
,ed, New York:Pearson Education Inc, 2006 p.46
4 Http:www.law.byu.edulawyering_skillssection_9 5 John Myers, Collaborative Learning: What is Collaborative Learning
Http:www.londonmet.ac.ukdeliberationscollaborative-learningpanitz-paper.cfm
involving joint intellectual effort by students, or students and teachers together.
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They view students not as passive objects who can only receive the lesson from teacher by listening and miming or imitating, on the other hand, students are
active and they certainly should be involved in the learning process. Nunan also gave his definition about collaborative learning, in his opinion,
collaborative learning is an approach that entails students working together to achieve common learning goals.
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They share together, they learn together, they solve their learning problem together, and in the end, they achieve the great result
together. Nunan also stated that collaborative learning stands in contrast with competitive learning, for example: when learners work collaboratively with some
learners in a small group, but competitively against other learners in other groups. This can cause the increasing of their learning achievement.
Srinivas defines Collaborative learning as an educational approach to teaching and learning that involves groups of learners working together to solve a problem,
complete a task, or create a product
. 8
Collaborative learning is based on the idea that learning is a naturally social act in which the participants talk among themselves. It is through the talk that
learning occurs
.
Through talk, students can learn the lesson with more understanding and provide opportunities to practice using the language that is
being learned. Even Roger E. W-B Olsen and Spencer Kagan stated that collaborative
learning offers ways to organize group work to improve learning and increase academic achievement and also it provides interaction between students.
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From their statement we can draw a conclusion that collaborative learning does not only
emphasize on the goal of teaching and increase students’ academic achievement, but also it helps students to socialize with their friends in the same or in the
different group. Therefore they can reach their goal together. The definition about collaborative learning also has been stated by Christina
6 Barbara Leigh Smith and Jean. T. McGregor, What is Collaborative Learning?, Pennsylvania: National Center on Postsecondary Teaching , Learning and Assessment,1992
7 David Nunan, Collaborative Language Learning and Teaching, Cambridge:Cambridge University, 1992 p. 3
8 Hari Srinivas, Collaborative Learning: What is Collaborative Learning? http:www.gdrc.orgkmgmtc-learnwhat-is-cl.html
9 Carolyn Kessler, Cooperative Language Learning: A Teacher’s Resource Book New Jersey:prentice-Hall, inc, 1992 p.1
Carleton, she stated that collaborative learning is a pedagogical approach where students have responsibility for their own learning and they are encouraged to
have an active role in the learning process.
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There are many approaches to collaborative learning. A set of assumptions about the learning process Smith and MacGregor, 1992 underlies them all:
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1. Learning is an active process whereby students assimilate the information and
relate this new knowledge to a framework of prior knowledge. 2.
Learning requires a challenge that opens the door for the learner to actively engage hisher peers, and to process and synthesize information rather than
simply memorize and regurgitate it. 3.
Learners benefit when exposed to diverse viewpoints from people with varied backgrounds.
4.
Learning flourishes in a social environment where conversation between learners takes place. During this intellectual gymnastics, the learner creates a
framework and meaning to the discourse.
In small groups, students can share strengths and also develop their weaker skills. They develop their interpersonal skills. Collaborative learning provides a
place where:
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• Learners actively participate; • Teachers become learners at times, and learners sometimes teach;
• Respect is given to every member; • Projects and questions interest and challenge the students;
• Diversity is celebrated, and all contributions are valued; • Students learn skills for resolving conflicts when they arise;
• Members draw upon their past experience and knowledge; • Goals are clearly identified and used as a guide;
• Students are interested in their own learning. From the definitions and explanations of collaborative learning above, there
are some words that can represent collaborative learning, those are: learning together, sharing difficulties together, students involvement, competition, and
sharing responsibility between teacher and students. They complete a task, together with their group member, find the best solution of their difficulties to get
the highest score since they also compete to another groups. They also take responsibility on their learning under the assistance of the teacher. Finally, writer
10 Christina Carleton, Collaborative Learning, http:www.case.eduartselenglemmonswritingpedagogycollaborative.pdf
11 Barbara Leigh Smith and Jean. T. McGregor, What is Collaborative Learning?, Pennsylvania: National Center on Postsecondary Teaching , Learning and Assessment,1992
12 Cohen, G, Designing Group Work: Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom
Http:www.thirteen.orgedonlineconcept2classcoopcollabindex.html
comes to the conclusion that collaborative learning is the approach in grouping students in a group of learning to get them more active and to encourage them to
build their social skill. Collaborative learning is also the methods that do not only encouraging the sense of togetherness but also competitiveness and still, their
learning goal is the guide and has to be achieved.
3. Elements in Collaborative Learning
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