Learning is an active process whereby students assimilate the
information and relate this new knowledge to a framework of
prior knowledge.
In the collaborative learning environment, the learners are
challenged both socially and emotionally as they listen to
different perspectives, and are required to articulate and
defend their ideas. In so doing, the learners begin to create their
own unique conceptual frameworks and not rely solely on an
expert's or a text's framework. Thus, in a collaborative learning
setting, learners have the opportunity to converse with peers,
present and defend ideas, exchange diverse beliefs, question
other conceptual frameworks, and be actively engaged.