Learning with skills oriented collaborations. (2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hans, Sushma; Chakraverty, Shampa
• Is Part Of: International journal of learning technology. Volume 12:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 190
• Page End: 218
• Publication Date: 2017
• Subjects: collaborative learning -- learning skills -- computer use in education -- stable marriage problem -- formal concept analysis -- FCA; Learning -- Periodicals; Instructional systems -- Periodicals; 371.3
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-8386

Abstract

Collaborative learning enhances academic performance by pooling the diverse strengths of co-learners. We believe that mere acquisition of knowledge is not sufficient; a student needs to hone certain fundamental learning skills that facilitate the assimilation and application of knowledge. It thus makes greater sense to focus on the mutual exchange of specific learning skills that members in a collaborative group possess in order to fulfil the skills gap. In this paper, we give a new way of analysing a subject systematically in terms of the set of learning skills that are required to solve different problems of varying complexity. Applying formal concepts analysis on a skills-tagged question bank, we derive a suite of concepts that serve as performance parameters for evaluating students in a skills-centric manner. Subsequently, students are paired up for collaborative learning in competitive and complementary modes. Practical experiments show the validity and practicability of the proposed approach.