The Three C's

I have become familiar with constructivist epistemology and how both cooperation and collaboration support it. I had not, previous to reading the article by Panitz, distinguished between the two models. The difference is defined as largely a matter of how "teachers tend to make different assumptions about the nature and authority of knowledge" (Bruffee 1995 p. 12). The teacher's judgment about the students' expertise with material would dictate which was used; cooperation or collaboration. I had not considered the two in linear structure (cooperative first, then collaborative), one building upon the other. If Brufee is correct, foundational knowledge is the beginning point-learning the jargon and basic concepts-- and nonfoundational knowledge is dealing with the "dubious or ambiguous answers" which are arrived at by judgment based on knowledge. Maybe one reason some collaborative projects (calling for reasoning and questioning) fail is that the underlying knowledge is not yet established (the cooperative job of building vocabulary and basic precepts). Students cannot be expected to participate in full collaboration (creating a product) until the bridge to foundational knowledge is established through cooperation (learning to work together and communicate). I also appreciated the discussion (Rockwood 1995) about the authority for validity. In collaboration, the product is checked against the small group, the whole group, and the existing knowledge of the wider community. This view parallels "real-world" work more than a central authority like a teacher (autonomous and alone) determining the validity of group process. Many of the elements of cooperative learning (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec) like interdependence, individual accountability, promotive interaction, interpersonal skills, and group processing could also be applied to collaboration. The question of motivation (intrinsic or extrinsic) is answered only be examining the classroom environment, teacher belief, and the reward system in place. The use of cooperation and then collaboration should build student autonomy and intrinsic reward in learning, a shift from knowledge transmission (knowledge flowing from the teacher) to knowledge construction (Lee 1997). Bruffee, K. (1995). "Sharing our toys-Cooperative learning versus collaborative learning." Change, Jan/Feb, 1995 (pp 12-18). Johnson, D.W., Johnson, R.T., Holubec, E.J. (1991). Cooperation in the Classroom. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Co. Lee, G.S. (1997). Internet communication. Institute for Distance Education: Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. Panitz, T. "Collaborative versus cooperative learning- A comparison of the two concepts which will help us understand the underlying nature of interactive learning." Ted's Cooperative Learning E-Book. (Chapter 2) http://home.capecod.net/~tpanitz/ebook/contents.html Rockwood, R. (1995). National Teaching and Learning Forum (4)6.