Introduction

In cooperative and collaborative learning, students generally work together in groups of two or more. These are usually face-to-face groups but, with the rapid expansion and availability of communication and information technologies, this can also be done effectively at a distance. Sites which deal specifically with the issues involved and technology available for online collaborative learning can be found in the External links page.

Collaborative learning involves students working together in some way to aid their learning. There are a number of models of collaborative learning and these raise issues and concerns for both the teacher and student as well as for course design and administration. We hope that the information that this section leads you to will help in clarifying some of these.

Resource Materials

• Collaborative vs Cooperative Learning - A discussion paper on this issue by Ted Panitz.
  Ted's web site on cooperative learning is a must for anyone interested in the subject.
• Collaborative Learning: Some points for discussion - Starter points for discussion on the subject in a listserv initiated by Ted Panitz. Includes links to comments on the issue from readers.
• How does collaborative learning actually work in a classroom and how do students react to it? A brief reflection An article submitted by Nico Wiersema (2000), giving his own view of collaborative learning and how he put it into practice in his classroom in a private college in Mexico City.

Readers' Comments: A lively and continuous process of debate on learning and teaching in higher education is a key aim of Deliberations. We invite you to share your thoughts on this topic with other readers. Comments are posted in the comments archive.