Issues in introducing collaborative learning in South East Asia: A critical discussion

In many South East Asian countries, group learning has been introduced as a method to reform classroom practices. Cooperative learning in particular, based on role division, rewards and competition, is highly popular. On the other hand, collaborative learning, the other type of group learning, based on mutual consultation and help-seeking without the structures of cooperative learning, is a challenge to introduce. The aim of this essay is to discuss the reasons why teachers in South East Asia face difficulty in adjusting to collaborative learning. Three issues are discussed, namely (1) students' reluctance to ask what they do not know due to the lesson structure and negative psychological effects; (2) difficulty in creating sufficiently challenging tasks for students to have mutual consultation, due to the teachers' insufficient experience in academic inquiry and expertise in their disciplines; and (3) connecting their learning from observation and reflection with their own teaching.