For this assignment, write at least 250 words - but no more than 500 words - answering

the following question:

What are the benefits of collaborative learning? How does University of the People
integrate community-oriented learning into the classroom? In your response, be sure to
share any experience you have with collaborative learning.

As collaborative learning is a method that emphasizes students working together in groups for
completing a task. It changes the old passive learning method that emphasizes on instructor though only
lecture giving, to new active learning method. Among many benefits of collaborative learning we can
point to developing thinking skill and oral communication, and building self-esteem in student.
Collaborative learning stimulates students to participate and share their ideas, this pushes theme to
think actively and evolve their attitude. Students by stating their ideas can develop their oral
communication which is very important in any environment-from education to work. Self esteem is also
another important thing that is built by collaborative learning that students can express ideas and
defend their ideas, or agreeing and disagreeing.

University of the People integrate community-oriented learning into the classroom by different method
as: discussion, peer reviewing, and group projects. Discussion through discussion forum enables the
students to share their ideas and comment on other students’ ideas, so the students can reply to each
other and defend their ideas. By peer review, students are able to actively criticize and give feedback to
their classmate so it builds a self-esteem in them. And last one is group project that students work
together on assignments.

Personally, I am a big fan of collaborative learning and I believe that education through group learning is
much effective and powerful than one-sided passive leaning that only the instructor teaches. My school
was like any other school had the passive method, but I gathered my classmates and created a group
where we could share our ideas and learn from each other. I believe no one is complete, there are no
back benchers, just we have passive method and no stimuli to change so collaborative learning is the
key.