On this page:

• Assessing the Learning Space
• Aligning Collaborative Learning Activities With Your Learning Outcomes and Assessments
• Removing Barriers For Learners with Neurodiversity and Disabilities
• Recognizing Your Own Needs with Collaborative Learning
• Documenting Your Insights for Next Time

Assessing the Learning Space

Before the semester begins, consider the kinds of collaborative work your classroom will support.  

• Classrooms with movable chairs and tables, multiple whiteboards, or wall space for large sticky-note posters provide the widest range of options for group work.
• Auditoriums with fixed seating can work well for activities involving peer discussions or problem-solving with pairs or small groups. They can be modified by blocking off every third row to allow teaching assistants and instructors to walk through the empty rows to interact with groups.
• Beyond the classroom:
  • Try a walking peer discussion, where student pairs are given the option to walk or sit outside to talk or work and then return to the classroom at a specified time.
  • Class visits around campus or in the community offer a great opportunity for collaborative learning. Staff at the Johnson Museum of Art, the Cornell Libraries and their Rare Books and Manuscripts Collection, and Cornell Botanic Gardens can help you plan a learning experience in these places.

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Aligning Collaborative Learning Activities With Your Learning Outcomes and Assessments 

To be effective, the activities you design for your students should closely align with your learning outcomes or assessment expectations. If students don’t see this alignment, they may view activities as busy work.

To help students see these connections

• Review your learning outcomes for the class, and identify areas where collaborative activities would enhance learning or allow students to practice component skills.
• Consider tying collaborative learning into the assessment structure for the class, or using it as time for students to practice and prepare for future assessments.
• Explain the reasons you are using collaborative learning and what you are hoping students learn from it (e.g., collaboration or communication skills, appreciation of different perspectives, analytical skills, etc.). Consider including these learning outcomes in your course syllabus or writing more specific learning outcomes at the beginning of a collaborative activity or project.

To create routines and expectations to provide structure for students

• Introduce group or peer work early in the semester to establish clear expectations and routines for moving in and out of the collaborative activities.
• Communicate expectations for participation and contributions. Will students submit work for participation credit or feedback? What pre-class preparation is required?
• Let students know how much time they will have for group work. Giving a one-minute warning before an activity ends can prompt them to start wrapping up their discussions, while using a distinct sound, like a bell or chime, can help signal when it is time to quiet down again.
• If possible, let students know that you and your teaching assistants will circulate during group activities. We’ve noticed that students seem more likely to ask questions if the instructor is close by, rather than standing at the front of the room. Walking around also allows you to assess their understanding, offer hints when needed, and provide additional instruction. You can also incorporate what you learn from the discussions into the class debrief.

To develop a collaborative learning community

• Provide opportunities for students to develop rapport and group cohesion. Consider starting with low-stakes activities before asking students to work together on higher-stakes assignments.
• Monitor group dynamics. If one student is doing the work while others are off-task, you or your teaching assistants can gently intervene by asking whether everyone has had a chance to contribute yet or how they are progressing.

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Removing Barriers For Learners with Neurodiversity and Disabilities 

While collaborative learning is beneficial for many learners, it can present challenges for students with disabilities or those who are neurodivergent. For these students, small instructional changes, which benefit many students, can have a disproportionately positive impact.

In some cases, offering clear expectations or flexible alternatives to certain learning activities can make a significant difference.

For example, you can:

• Establish predictable routines so students know what to expect (e.g, pair discussions on Tuesdays, group problem-solving on Thursdays).
• Post discussion questions or activity prompts in advance (e.g., on Canvas) to give students time to process ahead of time and reduce anxiety.
• Offer flexible participation options, such as an interactive side of the room for discussion and a quiet side for individual reflection and writing.
• Provide an individual option for group projects when appropriate.
• Assess your classroom in advance when planning activities that require physical movement around the room to ensure that students who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids can move freely.
• See the CTI Accessibility Guide and Cornell’s Student Disability Services website for more information on creating an inclusive and accessible course.

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Recognizing Your Own Needs with Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning can also present challenges for instructors. Consider when you might involve teaching assistants or students in helping to move furniture into groups, distribute materials, answer questions, keep track of time, or facilitate a discussion. If a noisy classroom makes it difficult for you to think on your feet, consider quieter forms of collaboration where students:

• Work together in shared documents (e.g., Google Docs or Slides)
• Use social annotation tools (e.g., Perusall) to add shared comments to a reading.

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Documenting Your Insights for Next Time

Sometimes your activity may not go as planned. When that happens, here are a few things you can do:

• Keep notes for the future and include details such as whether the activity took longer or shorter than expected or whether students seemed confused by the directions, so you can adjust.
• Consider collecting some informal feedback from students, for example, by asking them to write takeaways or things that are unclear on an index card before they leave. 

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Continue on to Forming Groups for In-Class Collaborative Learning →