In the standard classroom, each student is responsible for their own work, and thus receive their own grade. However, when you think how real life works, we often try to tackle assignments in groups. This old school style of teaching each kid on a individual basis often results in students competing with each other for the highest grade. Competition can be a great thing, when you want to compete. However, competition can create a negative atmosphere which can hinder the learning environment. Giving assignments that require groups can eliminate that negative atmosphere According to this post, "digital immersion has even affected the way they absorb information". Today, if students have a question, they have a myriad of places to go for an answer. Doing a google search, or posting on a discussion board to name a few. Sure, some places will provide the wrong information, but the point is that students like to communicate and interact with each other to get the right answer. It's time to adopt these technologies in the classroom so students can work collaboratively instead of competitively.
http://teachers.net/gazette/MAR09/portner/
http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~lynda_abbott/Social.html
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