“Group Work Can Work:” How to Incorporate Collaborative Learning Techniques into Your Classroom

As practiced in college classrooms, collaborative learning has come to mean students working in pairs or small groups to achieve shared learning goals. This session introduces several collaborative learning techniques (CoLTs) that were implemented by engineering faculty in the Speed School of Engineering as part of a faculty learning community (FLC). Students often complain about “group work” and faculty are often hesitate to implement for a host of reasons, yet collaborative learning develops self-management and leadership skills and prepares students for real life social and employment situations.

As a result of attending this session, you will be able to:

• State the advantages of collaborative/cooperative learning and appreciate the benefits offered students by these active techniques;
• Gain a more in-depth knowledge of 5-6 techniques by reviewing case studies from the Speed FLC experience; and
• Understand changes you would need to make in one of your courses to incorporate one or more CoLTs as part of your next course delivery.

• 3/10/2016

  Thursday, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
  Delphi Center, Room 244
  Ekstrom Library

  Register Now

Presenter Bio

Patricia A. S. Ralston, Ph.D., is professor and chair of the Department of Engineering Fundamentals. She teaches undergraduate engineering mathematics and performs educational research on the effective use of technology in engineering education, the incorporation of critical thinking in undergraduate engineering education, and retention of engineering students. She leads an active educational research group whose goal is to foster active interdisciplinary research which investigates learning and motivation to promote retention and student success in engineering.