I don't know why my response essay showed up in the left hand column of my blog page. I used a flashdrive for the first time and wasn't able to post it to my blog. So, this is just a disclaimer. I didn't mean to put it there! lol
Robin Leigh
Dr. Chandler
Peer Tutoring
September 26, 2009
Why Collaboration Is Not The Best Method For Everyone
Lunsford lists several reasons that show the benefit of collaborating, such as..."aiding in problem solving,
sharper, more critical thinking and...the encouraging of active learning..." (pps. 94-95) I disagree that collaboration
ultimately leads to these results because different students work better in different environments.
I am the type of student who generally cringes when teachers ask us to split off into groups. When in a group,
I'm so concerned that the work gets done correctly that I sometimes take over and do not allow everyone to have a
fair share. This leads to other students not engaging with thinking, talking and writing, as Lunsford says it would.
This goes against Lunsford's theory that collaborating aids in problem solving, and only creates a problem in
itself. Students who are shy found an easy way out of involving themselves in collaborative work, when a
talkative/bossy student like me gets involved in their group. They may have been better off working alone, after being
given an assignment. That would've ensured that they engage wholly in a project, instead of allowing a groupmate to
do the majority of the work.
I think giving students clear roles of teacher/tutor and student/learner helps to aid more critical thinking. Even
if the student becomes the teacher for a period of time, it would allow them to talk about what they have learned, or
reiterate what was taught to ensure they are on the same page. These are examples of the Storehouse and Garret
model of tutoring.
In a class exercise that called for students to switch roles between being the tutor and the student, I found that
collaborating never emerged as a source of help. In this circumstance, we used the Storehouse model when I was
the student. I asked a lot of questions about exactly what the assignment was, if my method would be acceptable,
and how to go about following the guidelines. This method of tutoring gave my 'tutor' the power and knowledge that
was fixed, such as telling me to follow the MLA format.
During that same exercise, I talked about what I gained from
the reading and how I felt about it. That part of our group execise turned into the Garret model. We never used the
Burkean Parlor model, (collaborating) because it didn't seem appropriate. We both did well when power and
knowledge was established.
From my experiences, collaboration is not the best way to get a writing assignment
done. It does not always aid in problem solving, and can actually cause problems. Collaborating does not always
lead to critical, more sharper thinking as Lunsford says because roles can become cloudy. If it is not established
that everyone needs to pitch in equally, some may not engage at all, therefore not be thinking or engaging them-
selves wholly. Because some students can become invisible while collaborating, it does not encourage them to
participate actively, as Lunsford stated.
Works Cited
Lunsford, Andrea. "Collaboration, Control, and the Idea of a Writing Center." Barnett, Robert W. and Jacob S.
Blummer. The Longman Guide to Writing Center Theory and Practice. New York, New York: Pearson Longman,
2008 92-99
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