At Don Valley Academy, we constantly assess our teaching style. Our goal is to build the confidence and social skills of our students so that they can reach their goals and positively contribute to society. A great tool for creating these skills is student collaboration.
Peer learning is excellent for both instructors and learners. We all know student collaboration is fun, but according to research, it has much more benefits than just pure pleasure. Read on to find out what are the main advantages of peer learning.
Higher-level thinking skills are developed
One of the biggest advantages of student collaboration is the promotion of higher-level thinking. Unfortunately, there is still a popular misconception that working in groups is more about having fun than learning. Science, however, proves collaborative learning can help students who are struggling with learning materials.
According to research, traditional passive lectures have a 1.5 times larger chance of failing. On the other hand, students, which used active learning methods, had a better performance.
When students collaborate, it creates a safe place to ask questions and create meaningful discussions. That, in turn, enriches the learning process and helps students become a meaningful part of the community.
It improves leadership skills
Student collaboration is all about working in groups. For it to work, students must learn how to manage their goals and roles within the group. To have a positive experience, group members must learn not only how to lead but also to self-manage. In a way, student collaboration teaches about yourself.
Students can discover their strengths and weaknesses and understand how to adjust their roles to achieve better results. Regardless of what career path your child may take, these skills will be essential to their success. Through student collaboration, u learn how to be leaders also outside of the school’s walls.
It promotes critical thinking
Working in groups is never easy. To solve problems and achieve goals, students must learn to listen to others and voice their own opinions. With collaborative work, issues may arise, and then they must use their critical thinking to find a proper solution.
Critical thinking skillsets are crucial in today’s world. When there is so much information available, it is important to assess what is useful and what is not. Student collaboration proves to be excellent training for this.
It helps with student relationships
Making friends can sometimes be a challenge, especially for shyer students. Collaborative learning creates an opportunity where students may improve their relationships with one another. What is more, it is also a great learning hour on different personalities.
Group work can help with understanding different perspectives and accepting opinions that don’t always align with yours. In collaborative learning, students have to embrace each other’s strengths and find ways to achieve the best result. This will serve as a preparation for real-life social and employment situations.
Contact us
At Don Valley Academy, we take our student’s education seriously. Your bundle of joy will receive a quality and individually tailored education, which will help them reach their goals. Thanks to our small class sizes, we are able to provide an encouraging and welcoming learning environment.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about the benefits of a Don Valley Academy education, reach out to us today at 416-223-7561. You can also send us an email at info@donvalleyacademy.com or through the contact portal on our website at https://donvalleyacademy.com/contact-us/. We look forward to hearing from you!