Howard Rhiengold’s belief that it is human nature to collaborate and work in a group seems broad and too generalized. In many cultures the group needs each other to survive and without collaboration essential needs may not be met. However, to state that it is human nature I would have to disagree. In today’s western culture collaboration seems to be a somewhat foreign concept. “Looking out for number one” and the emphasis on independence and individualization do not breed a collaborative nature. In educational environments, processes and guides have been developed by theorists and instructors to get the desired results through collaboration (Chinn, & Chinn 2010). This illustrates that successful collaboration will not come naturally.
Having said that, I believe collaboration is important to the realm of education. Learners need the opportunity to develop collaborative social skills (Chinn, & Chinn, 2010). Instructors face the challenge of teaching students how to collaborate and work together while battling the basic ideas that in is all about the individual and not the group.
Technology can be a great tool in the collaborative process. Such media as blogging, discussion boards, and social networks learners can create ongoing learning experiences through peer interaction. Collaborative learning can be justified through constructivist principles of active learning and the creation of new knowledge by engaging in rich contexts (Smith, & MacGregor .1992). Accessing technology to create rich interactions and extended learning beyond traditional classroom settings can empower and engage learners to develop strong collaborative skills and address student diversity and the social aspects of learning. (Smith, & MacGregor. 1992)
References:
Chinn, C., &Chinn, L. Collaborative learning (2010). Retrieved from http://www.education.com/reference/article/collaborative-learning/
Smith, B. & MacGregor, J. (1992). What is collaborative learning? Retrieved from http://learningcommons.evergreen.edu/pdf/collab.pdf
