Collaboration is educational, but also challenging. Here are some tips. Collaboration is often used to work together on a large project that you couldn't do alone. This is because the assignment is often too large for one person. For group work, it is important that all members of the group work together towards one common goal. It is important to focus on the following points: • Use each other's talents Everyone has their own talents. Make use of them. Divide the tasks in advance and take into account everyone's preferences and qualities. You can also use it to learn from each other. So see it as a challenge to do something with the help of a fellow student that you are not yet very good at. • Emphasize collaboration within the group Realize that criticism of each other's ideas is possible, but a personal attack is not. So when a piece doesn't seem right, give feedback on the piece and not the person. It should also be clear that making mistakes and receiving negative feedback are part of a learning process. Collaborating is not always easy, for example, how do you ensure that everyone does an equal amount? Make it effective with a canvas for the final product. You can record agreements on this. Start the collaboration by filling in the canvas. You can download a standard canvas https://www.vernieuwenderwijs.nl/wp-content/uploads/Basisbladv2a.pdf (see image).
Nokes-Malach, T., Zepeda, C., Richey, J., & Gadgil, S. (2019). Collaborative learning: The benefits and costs. In J. Dunlosky & K. Rawson Zepeda, C., Richey, J., (Eds.), The Cambridge Hand- & Gadgil, S. book of Cognition and Education (Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology, pp. 500-527). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Surma, T., Vanhoyweghen, K., Sluijsmans, D., Camp, G., Muijs, D., en Kirschner, P. (2018). Wijze lessen: Twaalf bouwstenen voor effectieve didactiek. Meppel, Nederland: Ten Brink Uitgevers.