9 students mostly explore and apply the course material together by participating
and working as partners or in groups. The group activity is filled with questions, problems, and the challenge to create something.
Slavin 1995 states that “the more time members of group spend together,
the higher inter-member acceptance and collaboration become ” as cited in Lin,
2015, p. 15. To implement collaborative learning among students, it is better to implement it in a small group in order to make the discussions significant
Pandian, Cakravarthy Lah, 2003. Slavin 1988 suggests that “groups that are
too large, with more than five” not only invites the “free rider effect” but also lead to “diffusion of responsibility where dominating individuals decide that it is a
waste of time interacting with introvert group members” as cited in Pandian, Cakravarthy Lah, 2003. Brufee 1985 also adds the idea of collaborative
learning within the limit of five members per group as cited in Pandian, Cakravarthy Lah, 2003.
a. Collaborative Learning as a Method, Approach, and Techniques
This part elaborates some definitions of collaborative learning as a method, an approach and a technique.
1 Collaborative Learning as a Method
Gokhale 1995, p. 22 defines collaborative l earning as “an instructional
method in which students at various performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal” as cited in Lin, 2015, p. 17. Hawkes 1991
10 states that collaborative method is an adaptable method that can accommodate
many different teaching purposes as cited in Pandian, Cakravarthy Lah, 2003. However,
Dillenbourg 1999, p. 5 argues that, “collaborative learning is not a method because of the low predictability of specific types of interactions.
” In his explanation, he elaborates that collaborative learning usually takes the form
of in structions to subject, for example: “You have to work together,” “Team
mates work on the same table,” “Each group member will receive the mark given to the group project.” This is why the „collaborative’ situation is a kind of social
contract.
2 Collaborative Learning as an Approach
Lin 2015 explains the definition of collaborative learning as an approach which is developed as a formal group of four students working together on
specific collaborative learning tasks in constructing and maintaining a shared conception of knowledge. Collaborative learning is the principal instructional
approach employed in the teaching and learning processes to maximize students’ learning. Through the process, the students collect various information and
knowledge as the foundation of their group’s concept for their project.
3 Collaborative Learning as a Technique
Jacobs, Power, and Loh 2002, p. 1 give an explanation of collaborative l
earning as “principles and techniques for helping students work together more effectively.” as cited in Lin, 2015, p. 17
