Mosaic: Collaborative Method of Learning




One may ask, ‘What is a mosaic and what has it got to do with learning?’ According to Oxford Dictionary, it is a form or work of art, which makes designs or pictures by fitting together different coloured pieces of materials like stone, glass, etc. In a mosaic work, each piece of stone or glass pebble is relevantly significant; its omission leaves a visible gap in the big picture. In collaborative learning process, and this method of learning is successful only when each member of the learning team effectively achieves the learning objectives.
We often have read posts and reports on the efficacy of application based learning and how it can be well achieved through collaborative method of learning, ensuring involvement of every learner in the learning process. We also are aware of the fact that the biggest challenge the educators and facilitators face in collaborative or team learning is to ensure total involvement in the learning process of all the members in the learning team. Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning efficiently takes care of this challenge.
Let us understand the Mosaic Method of Learning with the help of an example. Let us take the Learning Activity of Solar System and the Nine Rasas (Emotions) (Refer to the post: http://sunipslearning.blogspot.in/2017/02/solar-system-navrasas-self-awareness.html) and conduct it using the Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning.
The learners are to learn about the concepts of solar system and its nine planets; the nine plus two basic human emotions (Rasas) depicted in the performing arts and achieve the higher order thinking skill of metaphorically aligning the two primary concepts of the planets and the emotions and assimilate it for self awareness. In Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning, the teacher or facilitator divide the learners into two basic teams. He will assign one team to study the concept of Solar System and the second team to study the concept of Eleven Rasas or Emotions. He will then assign each member the Solar System team to study about a sub-concept: a planetary member of the solar system; study of each of the nine planets assigned to each of the nine members of the team. Likewise, he will assign each member of the Navrasas team to study about a sub-concept of emotion (rasa). Post initial introduction to the concepts and sub-concepts, he briefs each team on the assignment, its objective and the study time allotted to them he will then have the team members work on their assignment. On completion of the individual on study time the Teacher/Facilitator then gets the team members contribute their learning to the team in the form of a presentation and encourages the team to open discussion on the sub-concept and uses a rubric to evaluate the learning objectives achieved by each member of the team in terms of each concept and sub-concepts along with the application and assimilation of the concepts. The teacher/facilitator also shares a rubric with the learners too to evaluate each other on effective presentation and sharing of knowledge/information with the team.        
In the second stage of the learning activity, the teacher/facilitator will then form new teams of two members each, one member from the Solar System team and the second member from the Emotions (Rasa) team to do the second phase of the learning activity. Within the given timeline, the teams are to complete the Planet-Rasa Matrix Sheet and present it to the team. The teacher/facilitator will help consolidate the learning by encouraging all the members of the team to question the sub-team their Planet-Rasa Matrix Sheet. The learning objective of the discussion is to help the learners to filter their comprehension of the relationship between the two concepts of planets and emotions. The discussion of the matrix sheets of all the sub-teams eventually results in proper refinement and consolidation of the Planet-Rasa Matrix. Once the team of learners has achieved this stage of learning, the teacher/facilitator then instructs them to use their learning to fill up each other’s Personality Fact Sheet. He ensures the learners complete the activity within the given timeline and then facilitates team discussion of each Learning member’s Personality Fact Sheet; every member of the team has to substantiate his or her inputs in their team member’s Personality Fact Sheet and the outcome of the discussion is the team member’s own observation of his or her dominant emotion and the observation of that of his team members. Needless to say, this activity in itself is an evaluation process.
The teacher/facilitator then involves the team in the final stage of the activity in which each team member draws the planet he or she identifies with; second, the planet his or her team members identify him or her with and finally, the planetary dominant emotion he or she would like to achieve. The team member then displays the art work of the three planets that describe him or her and enacts the three emotions he or she has depicted in the artwork. The teacher/facilitator ensures that the learners enjoy this stage of the activity and achieve the objective of developing positive emotions especially of empathy. The teacher facilitator and the team members encourage each other by appreciating each other’s performance and also encouraging each other to identify their potential through constructive criticism.
The primary advantage of Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning is to encourage complete involvement of each member of the learning team into the learning process and help the learner to overcome the fear of discussing their doubts and miscomprehension , as well as build self confidence to address a team or team (public speaking). Each learner plays an equally important role in the concerted learning activity and earns positive evaluation of his or her effort in the activity. This helps the learners to learn and appreciate the team dynamics and individual contribution in achieving the learning objectives.
   This Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning can be applied through Blended Learning Approach using computers and internet as learning tools supporting the learning process; it can be successfully applied in Distance Learning through effective use to tools like White Board, Internet, webinar, videoconference, chat-rooms, etc.
Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning’s another major advantage is the dynamic evaluation of the learning objective achieved by a learner as an individual and also as a team member. It is a positive method of evaluation that allows the learners to evaluate each other and help each other in the learning process. It omits the fear from the mind of a learner of not earning proper grades or marks in an examination of a formal assessment process. This method of learning is predominantly an application oriented learning process; therefore, it ensures every learner achieves the learning objectives. You can say this can be effective in skill development and enhancement. Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning is the most effect means of CCE (Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation).

Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning can prove to be quite effective in training the trainers and for quality and performance management. It can be effectively used by an organisation's centres of excellence to propagate compliance and quality initiatives.
Mosaic Method of Collaborative Learning can be used in project and operations management. Each member of the entire design, development and implementation/execution team of a project and operation can be involved from the planning to implementation phase of the project life-cycle using this approach and the major advantage of this method is the integrated involvement of all the sub-teams in the entire project, therefore the inherent problem of the teams working in isolation resulting in blaming each other for their inability to understand the functional challenges faced by each of the sub-teams. The inherent flaw of the teams working in isolation, starting from planning, design, development to implement phase of the life cycle, where, the planners and designers develop a blueprint through extended hours of meeting and hand it over to the development and implementation teams, who have no say in it and execute it with the thought that the planners and designers are not aware of the ground reality and do not do any reality check while drawing the blueprint of the project. This challenge is completely taken care of by the Mosaic Method of Collaborative Project or Operations Management, in which each team member at every functional level contributes to each phase of the project life cycle.    

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Further Reference:

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/reading-like-a-historian-curriculum/embed.js

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