Introduction 

 What is Collaborative learning?

Collaborative learning is a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together. Unlike individual learning, people engaged in collaborative learning capitalize on one another’s resources and skills (asking one another for information, evaluating one another’s ideas, monitoring one another’s work, etc.).More specifically, collaborative learning is based on the model that knowledge can be created within a population where members actively interact by sharing experiences and take on asymmetry roles. Put differently, collaborative learning refers to methodologies and environments in which learners engage in a common task where each individual depends on and is accountable to each other. These include both face-to-face conversations and computer discussions (online forums, chat rooms, etc.).Methods for examining collaborative learning processes include conversation analysis and statistical discourse analysis.

Example

• Collaborative learning in a composition classroom can unite students when assigned open-tasks. Kenneth Bruffee introduced the learning method, Classroom Consensus Group, in which the instructor allocates groups of three to five (three being ideal) students and assigns a problem to be solved or question to be answered. There are two directions the nonfoundational task can be presented: as an indistinct, no right answer that generates discussion or propose an answer and request questions and a process of how the answer came to be. Once the task is assigned, the instructor backs off in order to resist the urge to intervene in students' conversation. The goal is to remove focus of the instructor's authority. The instructor must keep time to ensure the students are centered on analogizing, generalizing, and bridging their comprehension with others. Following group discussion, the instructor is to evaluate, not judge, the students' work. Ideas should be presented to the entire class thus allowing the small groups to come together as a whole. It is then that the answers can be compared, gaps can be filled, and authority is not on one individual.^[19]

44 Benefits of Collaborative Learning
	Develops higher level thinking skills Promotes student-faculty interaction and familiarity Increases student retention Builds self esteem in students Enhances student satisfaction with the learning experience Promotes a positive attitude toward the subject matter Develops oral communication skills Develops social interaction skills Promotes positive race relations Creates an environment of active, involved, exploratory learning Uses a team approach to problem solving while maintaining individual accountability Encourages diversity understanding Encourages student responsibility for learning Involves students in developing curriculum and class procedures Students explore alternate problem solutions in a safe environment Stimulates critical thinking and helps students clarify ideas through discussion and debate Enhances self management skills Fits in well with the constructivist approach Establishs an atmosphere of cooperation and helping schoolwide Students develop responsibility for each other Builds more positive heterogeneous relationships Encourages alternate student assessment techniques Fosters and develops interpersonal relationships Modelling problem solving techniques by students' peers Students are taught how to criticize ideas, not people Sets high expectations for students and teachers Promotes higher achievement and class attendance . Students stay on task more and are less disruptive Greater ability of students to view situations from others' perspectives (development of empathy) Creates a stronger social support system Creates a more positive attitude toward teachers, principals and other school personnel by students and creates a more positive attitude by teachers toward their students Addresses learning style differences among students Promotes innovation in teaching and classroom techniques Classroom anxiety is significantly reduced Test anxiety is significantly reduced Classroom resembles real life social and employment situations Students practice modeling societal and work related roles CL is synergystic with writing across the curriculum CL activities can be used to personalize large lecture classes Skill building and practice can be enhanced and made less tedious through CL activities in and out of class. CL activities promote social and academic relationships well beyond the classroom and individual course CL processes create environments where students can practice building leadership skills. CL increases leadership skills of female students In colleges where students commute to school and do not remain on campus to participate in campus life activities, CL creates a community environment within the classroom Collaborative Learning in Project Work When students complete collaborative projects, they might create individual outcomes, collective outcomes, or both. Students could collaborate to learn new content or gain diverse perspectives, then describe their learning in a paper, project, or presentation. This can be described as an individual outcome of a collaborative process. Alternatively, students might collaborate and work together to produce one project, paper, or presentation that represents everyone’s work. This can be described as a collective outcome of a collaborative process.

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