Fostering Collaboration in Our Classrooms

Fostering collaboration among students and educators enhances learning, builds essential skills, prepares students for the future, and more! Explore practical methods to enhance collaboration, such as project-based learning, game-based learning, and leveraging digital tools to align technology with students’ needs and goals, leading to meaningful engagement.

One thing that I have focused on a lot more over the past couple of years is creating more opportunities for students to collaborate with each other and also, for my own learning, to be able to collaborate with other educators. As we moved through changing learning environments, from fully remote to hybrid and, fortunately, back in person, there were a lot of challenges, and being able to collaborate was definitely one of them. One of the essential skills that employers seek is teamwork, which grows from opportunities to collaborate and build relationships. As we consider how to best prepare our students with the essential skills they need, there are many ways that we can foster meaningful collaboration in and beyond our classroom spaces. Not only will these opportunities benefit students’ learning and growth, but they will also greatly benefit our work and getting to know our students.

As students collaborate more, they can engage more meaningfully in learning and have fun. Brainstorming ideas together, providing feedback, working through learning challenges, and even teaching each other benefit their growth and learning journey. They will also build confidence in the classroom and feel more confident speaking in front of and working with their peers. This will impact them far beyond the physical classroom space.

What are some quick ideas for boosting collaboration?

We can select different methods to have students work together in or outside our classrooms. Some methods, such as project-based learning ( PBL) or problem-based learning, or through STEM-related activities, for example, provide students with opportunities to work independently and collaboratively towards a common goal or to solve a problem. These student-driven methods foster greater connections with the content knowledge, offering more learning choices and leading to more active learning. In my classroom, when students have designed their own PBL experience, it empowers them with more choices and helps them to develop self-management skills when setting goals. Some students may need help with choices during student-driven, independent work such as PBL and setting goals. However, having classmates to support them will help them to develop these essential skills further, such as self-management skills. Exploring something more authentic, such as a personal interest or a curiosity, also promotes student agency in learning.

Continue reading on Defined Learning to learn about Kialo Edu, Wakelet, and more ideas.

Originally published at http://rdene915.com on March 4, 2025.