Chats as a strategy to encourage cooperative learning. An investigation on the practice teaching of future teachers

Resumen

This is an investigation in which information and communication technologies (IT) are used to encourage the cooperative learning. More specifically, we have used Chats (virtual seminars),
understanding that this communication system between people in different locations allows the creation of spaces for discussing and sharing experiences. By discussing and sharing experiences,
reflection is encouraged, leading to a collective creation of knowledge.
This experience was carried out in the teaching practices of future teachers of Physical Education (University of Granada). Chat was used for virtual seminars and tutorships. The objectives of this investigation were to evaluate Chats as a strategy to encourage cooperative learning, relations and communication between students, tutors and supervisors from different institutions. It was also intended to show the different cooperative strategies used by the participants in the experience. In general, it is about learning to cooperate and
cooperating to learn. Results show that Chats are a good strategy to encourage cooperative learning, and that the use of Chats helps to create an interactive reflecti on among students about their practices. They also help to encourage critical analysis and autonomous ways of working, as well as the main competencies required in the initial steps of becoming teachers.