Collaborative learning is a teaching and learning approach in which educational activities take place as a team work. It occurs when a group of students come together to work on a project, carry out a research, or solve a problem. In this case, the students involved and their teachers have to put their intellects together to succeed.
Collaborative learning has so many advantages. One of its major benefits is that team members enjoy the benefit of relying on the strength and skills of one another. This means that they have better chances of performing whatever task that is assigned to them without hitches. They share duties among themselves depending on each member’s area of interest. This is to say that when every member handles the part of the task that interests him or her, it will give the team the opportunity of not only doing the task very well, but enjoying the whole exercise. In other words, collaborative learning motivates students and teachers to carry out academic activities.
Owlypia is a platform that encourages collaborative learning among students. In Owlypia Global, students are expected to complete their tasks in groups of three candidates each. However, every member of a group must participate in the task allotted to his/her group. This is to say that Owlypia Global is a challenge that encourages students to bring out the best in them.
Specifically, Owlypia Global gives participants the chance to enjoy the following:
a. Shared Duties
Whether they are studying for the competition or writing the tests, students can share the tasks assigned to them among team members. This makes it less burdensome and faster for them to accomplish. Of course, as expected, it is always better for three people to accomplish a task than for just an individual to do so.
Another good thing about sharing duties is that tasks are assigned to team members according to their interests and knowledge. For instance, a group partaking in Owlypia Global may decide to break each of the five subjects into subcategories and then allot every member the area he or she has most interest in. When things are done this way, the students will gladly study for their tests and will not have difficulties with answering questions during the exam.
b. Improved Critical Thinking
One of the joys of working in a team is that it provides participants with the opportunity of deliberating on any given subject matters. The process of presenting opinions, asking questions and analysing details during researches increase the chances of these students developing and improving on their critical thinking abilities. This will help them to successfully solve the tasks involved in the competition tests and any other challenges they meet in their lives.
c. Motivation
Sometimes when a person struggles through a task alone, it will become too cumbersome for him or her. This can actually end up discouraging the person and cause him/her to suspend the task. But this can hardly happen in the case of Owlypia Global competition because team members will inspire one another to keep pushing with solving the problems. The participants will also be encouraged to carry on with their assignments because they know that they have team members that will stand by them to ensure that the competition is a success.
There is no gainsaying that collaborative learning is beneficial to both learners and teachers. It is fortunate for the participants for Owlypia Global because they will engage in this educational approach in their competition. This is to say that these participants will enjoy solving the tasks associated with the competition and learn during the process..
Written by Ozioma Okey-Kalu
