Collaborative Learning at TU Delft
By Annie Aggarwal. (Collaborative Learning Project lead/ Interaction Designer)
Study Climate Programme. 30.07.2024
Collaborative Learning is a teaching and Learning strategy to encourage meaningful collaboration for students to learn together and from each other.
Whether through teamwork or simply in the classroom, working in groups enables students to develop inter-personal skills, critical thinking, and an understanding for diversity and perspectives. Collaborative learning also contributes to overall student wellbeing; as it fosters social support and reflective dialogue focused on learning, and connectivity amongst peer and inter-peer groups.
Despite all its advantages, as you may have experienced, group work or collaboration is not without challenges. Students and oftentimes educators, may prefer to work by themselves, especially in case of conflict-ridden interactions adding to the workload, rather than value to the work. Engaging in meaningful collaboration for learning requires skills for dialogue and reflection with others. Students and educators may not always be equipped with these skills or the opportunity to practice them. Based on educator and student experiences at TU Delft, a need for guidance and support was identified when it comes to engaging meaningfully in diverse groups.
As a Study Climate Initiative to support student success through Collaborative Learning, a toolkit has been compiled for teachers in collaboration with the Centre for Language and Academic Skills (CLAS). With the intent of fostering meaningful collaboration, the toolkit addresses common issues that often arise in working together. The tips and tools provided in the toolkit so far, have been identified from literature, and experiences of expert facilitators on topics of teamwork and D&I, TU Delft educational advisors, educational psychologists and learning developers.
Link to (prototype) toolkit: https://www.tudelft.nl/studyclimate/projects/collaborative-learning
Contact a.aggarwal@tudelft.nl to pilot teamwork workshops, coaching and feedback within your courses or to share your collaborative learning experiences at TU Delft.
