9 Ways Collaborative Learning Benefits Teachers and Students

Editor's note: This story about collaborative learningtechnology-learning-can-benefit-teachers-and-students/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”> originally appeared on the CoSN blog and is republished here with permission.

artificial intelligence (ai) has been around for many years, but the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022 has sparked many discussions about how this technology can impact education, both in how students learn and how educators teach.

While new and emerging technologies can sometimes seem like an obstacle, there is also much to be gained by incorporating them into our curriculum. And those benefits are even greater when educators and students learn together, especially as we navigate new technological enablers like artificial intelligence apps and tools.

The effect of technology on teachers

People who have had difficulty using technology have argued that incorporating too much technology is one of the reasons for teacher burnout. The use and implementation of technology has been a challenge in the classroom, but artificial intelligence technologies, such as ChatGPT, have made it even more controversial. Fear of technology plays a major role in hesitation to adopt it in the classroom. This could be due to a combination of many reasons: fear of change, lack of training, effectiveness of technology, pace of learning, and new technology trends, to name a few. To overcome these obstacles, collaboration and communication are key.

How technology impacts student learning

Today's school-age students have grown up with technology and are often comfortable using it. If we want to create learning environments where students can thrive, we must foster learning environments where students can learn effectively. This does not mean that teachers have to be experts in the use of all technologies, but they must be willing to incorporate technology into their daily curriculum. Fear of technology influences the teacher's thinking, perhaps thinking that many students are more knowledgeable about technology. Most of the time this is not true. Students may know how to use some technology, but not all. If the teacher and student collaborate and start learning technology together, it would be beneficial for both teachers and students.

Mutual benefits of learning technology… together

Learning together with students can provide several benefits for teachers and students to support the overall learning process. Some of the advantages may be:

Improved learning: There are many educational technologies available, including online courses, simulations, virtual reality, and gamification. This would not only allow students to improve their learning but also teachers to incorporate new teaching methods to support students in different learning environments.

Student-centered learning: The incorporation of technology allows learning to be more student-centered than teacher-centered. Collaboration between students and teachers promotes effective understanding of different concepts.

Effective evaluation: Digital tools make it easier for teachers to create and grade assignments, quizzes, and exams. It also allows opportunities to increase constructive feedback to students and teachers to modify and adapt different teaching strategies for students.

Accessibility: The use of the Internet allows students and teachers to access and research information quickly and efficiently to support self-improvement. Access to academic websites, online libraries, and other educational resources puts knowledge at your fingertips.

Flexibility: Learning and teaching with technology provides flexibility as it can take place anywhere. This will promote self-paced learning among students and curricular resources will be accessible at any time.

Commitment: Gamification tools will make learning more fun and engaging for students. These tools can allow teachers to create dynamic and engaging lessons to motivate students.

Modern skills: Today's modern workforce requires digital literacy skills. The use of technology will not only prepare students for this environment, but will also allow them to master the use of different software, analysis tools and digital communication.

Data-driven decisions: Educational technology will allow us to collect data and generate individual student reports. Teachers can use this information to provide additional support to students who may be struggling.

Lifelong learning: Students and teachers are encouraged to adopt new technologies together, which promotes the adaptation of new tools and a commitment to continuous improvement. It also allows students to share ideas with others around the world to enrich their learning experiences.

Moving forward in sync

Successful integration of technology into the curriculum is not possible without extensive planning and ongoing support. technology should not take over all teaching methods, but there should be a balance between the use of educational technology and traditional teaching methods to support various educational opportunities for students. Learning together will promote collaboration and communication between teachers and students, which is imperative as we incorporate generative ai and emerging technologies in the classroom.

Related: Leveraging the K-12 Generative ai Readiness Checklist: A Guide for District Leadership