Collaborative learning is the educational approach of using groups to enhance learning through working together. Groups of two or more learners work together to solve problems, complete tasks, or learn new concepts.

1. What is Collaborative Learning?
• Collaborative learning is the educational approach of using groups to enhance
learning through working together. Groups of two or more learners work together
to solve problems, complete tasks, or learn new concepts.
• This approach actively engages learners to process and synthesize information
and concepts, rather than using rote memorization of facts and figures. Learners
work with each other on projects, where they must collaborate as a group to
understand the concepts being presented to them.
• Through defending their positions, reframing ideas, listening to other viewpoints
and articulating their points, learners will gain a more complete understanding as
a group than they could as individuals.

2. Difference Between Collaborative and Cooperative Learning
1. Cooperative Learning and Collaborative Learning are commonly used in group
activities aimed to attain a common objective.
2. In collaborative learning, it is the students who organize their efforts among
themselves. In short, it is group structured.
3. On the other side, in cooperative learning, students are divided into groups and
the teacher assigns specific roles and tasks to each student, and so it is a teacher-
structured activity.
4. While collaborative learning is a voluntary activity, wherein those students who
are genuinely interested can participate, cooperative learning is a compulsory
activity for all the students who are present in the classroom and so they have to
participate to reach the goal.

3. Benefits of Collaborative Learning
1. Development of higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management, and leadership skills.
2. Promotion of student-faculty interaction.
3. Increase in student retention, self-esteem, and responsibility.
4. Exposure to and an increase in understanding of diverse perspectives.
5. Preparation for real life social and employment situations.
6. Peer learning: In group work, students will learn from their fellow students. Sometimes peers will be
able to explain concepts or ideas to their fellow students better than a lecturer or teacher.
7. Improves critical thinking: During the group work process students will be expressing their opinions or
ideas with the other students in the group providing feedback.
8. Enhances problem solving: Each piece of group work provided for collaborative learning will require
some problem solving. Every member in the group will need to help solve the problem in order to
complete the task.
9. Improves communication skills: Working in groups to learn will encourage people to improve their
communication skills.
10.Improves cultural awareness: People from different backgrounds and cultures may have different ways
to learn as well as different opinions or ideas than other people in the group.

4. Disadvantages of collaborative learning
1. People learn at different speeds: People do tend to learn at different speeds, which is why group work can
sometimes take longer than individual learning.
2. Someone may be in charge of the group: In group situations the best case scenario is that no one is in charge and
everyone works together to complete the task.
3. Some groups may struggle if they don’t have group work skills: If people have never worked in groups before,
they won’t have the skills to work together. Teachers and lecturers should help initially by explaining the task and
the aims of the group work required. This should help spark the conversation on the required task.
4. Social loafing/ introverts may struggle: Social loafing is when someone in group working situations puts in less
effort than the rest of the team. This can often happen when there are people who are in charge (of the group)
that they don’t get on well with or the people don’t get on well within the group. Introverts can also struggle in
groups to get their voice heard.
5. Introverts Struggle: Introverted students often prefer to pause, carefully reflect and internally process
information. These students may struggle in a social situation where they have to speak up and be vulnerable.
6. Group Work Skills Training Required: Students cannot simply be thrown into groups and expected to work well
together.
7. Assessment Inequities: Assessment is always difficult with group work. Some students may believe others have
been lazy or undeserving of the group’s high grade, while at other times students feel that others in the group are
bringing their grades down.