Student Collaboration Improves Retention Enhances Learning

What Is Student Collaboration? “Collaborative learning is an educational approach to teaching and learning that involves groups of learners working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product.” (Srinivas, 2009)

What Is Student Collaboration? “Collaboration is the social process that supports learners' development of capabilities in which they learn to do without assistance things that they could initially do only with assistance” (Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology, 2003).

What Is Student Collaboration? Collaborative learning is instruction that involves students working in teams to accomplish a common goal. (Johnson, Johnson, and Smith, 1991)

Is Collaboration Necessary? In recent years, learning process has changed. Then: Individual's acquisition of knowledge. Now: Socially-enabled developmental process. Collaboration is required!

What Students Need To Collaborate Task/Problem/Project Positive interdependence Individual accountability Time to interact Appropriate use of collaborative skills Meaningful guidance & assistance Assessment of progress

Collaboration Improves Retention "The extent the individual becomes academically and socially integrated into the academic and social systems of an institution determines whether or not a student decides to leave an institution.” (Tinto, 1993)

Collaboration Enhances Learning Cultivates brainstorming Stimulates critical thinking Provides better interactive support Reduces processing time Develops higher level thinking skills Builds self esteem in students Enhances student satisfaction Student collaboration:

Collaboration Enhances Learning Promotes positive attitude toward topic Promotes active, involved learning Promotes higher achievement Addresses learning style differences Resembles real life social & job situations Increases leadership skills Student collaboration:

References Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLTC), Georgia State University. (2003). Enabling student collaboration for learning. Retrieved May 29, 2010 from Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (1991). Cooperative learning: Increasing college faculty instructional productivity. ASHE-FRIC Higher Education Report No.4. Washington, D.C.: School of Education and Human Development, George Washington University. Srinivas, H. (2009). Collaborative learning. Retrieved June 1, 2010 from Tinto, V. (1993). Tinto's dimensions of institutional action. Retrieved May 29, 2010 from