William Cope
Pinakini Shah
Nadia Ayub
Miquel Colobran.png "Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi")
Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi
Sara RichterLearning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates
Learning Together: Educational Psychology and the Power of Collaboration
Collaborative learning is one of the vital areas in the learning sciences which educational psychology is a constant contributor. Effective learning happens not with isolation but with engagement and involvement such as seen through the Zone of Proximal Development in the lense of educational psychology. A study in 2022 and 2023 solidifies this fact: learners develop higher-order thinking skills and enhance their social and emotional skills when they engage in dialogue, share perspectives, and co-construct knowledge with their peers and environment (Gillies, 2023; Webb et al., 2022). Through the lense of educational psychology, we can also see the cognitive and emotional dynamics at play such as peer scaffolding, shared regulation of learning, and social interdependence. Learning was never meant to be accomplished by an individual but the whole community with our shared experiences, interactions, and engagements.
Related Video:
Collaborative Learning & Flipping the Classroom: Demystifying Team-Based Learning (TBL)
References:
Gillies, R. M. (2023). Structuring cooperative learning: The role of teacher discourse. Educational Psychology Review, 35(1), 211–230.
Webb, N. M., Franke, M. L., & Ing, M. (2022). Group work and learning: The role of interaction and collaboration. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 31(2), 233–258.
Collaborative Learning & Flipping the Classroom: Demystifying Team-Based Learning (TBL). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anxLsOl6gOw
This is a wonderfully articulated reflection on the significance of collaborative learning through the lens of educational psychology. Your discussion beautifully highlights how learning is deeply social and enriched by interaction, dialogue, and shared experiences. I especially appreciate your integration of Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and the emphasis on peer scaffolding and shared regulation—it shows a clear understanding of how cognitive and emotional growth occurs in collaborative contexts. The connection to current studies and the inclusion of a related video further strengthen your insights, making your post both scholarly and engaging. Overall, this is an inspiring and well-supported perspective on how collaboration truly transforms learning into a dynamic, community-driven process.