After years of remote and hybrid instruction, students are both excited to work with others and nervous about how to. Faculty can help students find supported paths to making connections in the classroom. Collaborative learning encourages students get to know each other, gives them a chance to grapple with unfamiliar insights or viewpoints, and can lead them to establish a sense of shared mission as a class.

To learn more about how to design and implement collaborative assignments, join us on March 31 for “Collaborative Learning Across the Disciplines: A Faculty Roundtable” (details on Campus Connection). Faculty from English, Biology, and Sports Management will share sample assignments and syllabi that showcase student collaboration. Extending the TLTC’s focus on rebuilding student engagement, contributors will focus on group research, course design, and more.

In the meantime, here are a few resources for engaging students in collaborative activities:

1. This very short podcast, from the University of North Carolina—Charlotte, considers how to form student groups.
2. Cornell’s Center for Teaching Innovation posts a list of common group activities, including think-pair-share and case study analysis.
3. For ideas about collaborative strategies in virtual learning environments, check out this collection from the Times Higher Education.
4. Interested in launching more a more sustained collaborative project? Start here with new recommendations on project-based learning.