Collaborative learning (CL) is a term used to identify a variety of educational approaches that involve work done by students, or students and teachers together. Usually, students are working in groups of two or more, jointly searching for meaning, solutions, or creating a project. Most CL activities focus on the exploration or application of the course material through group activities, not simply through lecture.
CL shares the belief that knowledge is socially, rather than individually, constructed by groups of individuals and that those individuals can partake in the shaping and testing of ideas (MacGregor 1990; Novotny, Seifert, and Werner 1991).
It is important for a facilitator using CL to establish an environment and create a group culture in which adults feel comfortable taking risks and sharing ideas (Brookfield 1986).
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Brookfield, S. D. Understanding and Facilitating Adult Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1986.
MacGregor, J. "Collaborative Learning: Shared Inquiry as a Process of Reform." New Directions for Teaching and Learning no. 42 (Summer 1990)
Novotny, A. S.; Seifert, R. G.; and Werner, D. "Collective Learning: A Pro-Social Teaching Strategy for Prison Education." Journal of Correctional Education 42, no. 2 (June 1991)
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Index:
What are advantages and disadvantages of Collaborative Learning?
What Collaborative Learning strategies can I use in my classroom?
Where can I find more information?
