Collaborative Learning

Numerous eminent thinkers of our time have said that their contributions to innovation, technology, science, and social change were the result of the cooperation of many minds. Humanity's evolution indicates that we have survived and thrived by cooperating with one another, with the group overcoming individual deficits. The pedagogical notion of collaborative learning can be traced back to the writings of John Dewey and Lev Vygotsky, among others. The image of an isolated and solitary learner is a thing of the past, because most 21st-century professions in industry require the ability to work collaboratively on projects in groups or teams where communicating, sharing, and synthesizing ideas is paramount to success, and accountability is accorded to the group. In the United States, the urgency of preparing ...