Collaboration is Constructive

Whether you are pursuing a Data Science profession or taking a Pre-med route, collaboration is an important aspect of learning. Collaborative learning is something that personally did not come naturally. To be completely honest, I am at my default, a very introverted person. This is possibly something that I have struggled with throughout my life, especially my young adult life. But I digress, my attention over this blog will focus on the benefits that pursue in a collaborative learning environment.

1. Learning from your fellow peers — To me, this is the most vital part of Collaborative learning. Putting yourself out there and asking questions to your study group is an essential key in possibly gaining a new perspective; maybe on a problem you are struggling to answer or even being caught up in a certain category you are falling short in. IT IS OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP!

2. Further engaging in learning — When you are feeling lost or even hopeless, expressing yourself can inadvertently help you. By this I mean, by being heard and then coached through it, you can feel valued. By asking for help, the person helping you might learn as well, thus making it valuable for both parties. Overall, the experience of learning can hopefully become more enjoyable, as a group effort.

3. Maybe even gaining some confidence? — Through learning from your peers and ultimately yourself, gaining confidence in your abilities becomes apparent. Now, this does not mean sit back and let your friends do your work for you. But, instead put in as much effort on your end as well. Through this process, with your effort combined with some collaboration you can solve whatever problem lays in front of you. If you are a shy person, such as myself, this process can be extremely helpful.

4. Social Skills — Through conversation and some problem solving it is inevitable that you will have human to human interaction. In order to solve a given problem, it is important that communication is involved. The collaborative learning methodology is ideal for people that have trouble in a social setting.

• In conclusion, an introduction to and an increase in understanding of diverse perspectives, increases productivity. In relation to this statement a correlation between these “methods” and Data Science is prevalent. Immersing oneself into the subject matter, then having a conversation about it is beneficial for all those involved.