The Collaborative Classroom: Preparing the Learner

The Carnegie Learning Way captures the belief that students develop understanding and skill by taking an active role in their environment. Furthermore, Carnegie Learning believes that effective communication and collaboration are essential skills for the successful learner. Learning is social. Whether students are working in pairs or in groups, the critical element is that they are engaged in discussion. In addition to molding the academic learner, an effective collaborative classroom also takes into account the social and emotional needs of the learner.

Social Elements

Help students get to know each other, and feel comfortable working together, by providing class and group teambuilding activities. To help you get started, a few example activities are listed below.
- Give students a non-academic topic such as “favorite pizza toppings” to discuss. Students will take turns sharing within their group. Have students take turns sharing until the timer runs out.
- Make a statement such as, "If you had a choice, would you rather be a lion or a bear?" Ask students to move to the appropriate side of the classroom. Have students pair up and share why they picked the side they did.
- Have students take out one piece of paper and one pencil per group. Give students a number (such as 12). Set a timer for 1 - 2 minutes. When you say go, students will pass the paper and pencil around the group and take turns writing ways to make 12 on the paper. The goal is to be the team with the most unique ways to make the number you stated. While this activity incorporates mathematics, it is a low floor, high ceiling task that offers every student an entry point.
Have students work together regularly so they begin to feel comfortable working wth others.

Emotional Elements

Let students know how to get help.
Be aware of your verbal and nonverbal cues and what they communicate to students.
Convey your respect for all opinions.
Remember that how you prepare your classroom environment and establish norms impacts how your students feel in your classroom.

Instructional Elements (Learning)

Give students opportunities to practice and reflect on their learning using active learning strategies and Talk the Talk.

Sample Active Learning Strategies
Turn and Talk	Participants: Individual and Pairs Approximate Time: 3-5 minutes The Details: Present a question. Give students individual think time (about 60 seconds). Instruct the students to take turns sharing their answers to the question when you tell them to turn and talk. Ask students to turn back to the front when they have finished sharing.
Think Pair Share	Participants: Individual and Pairs Approximate Time: 3-5 minutes The Details: Students are given 60-90 seconds to complete as many of the review questions as they can. Have students pair with the person to their left, right or in front of them. Set the timer for 90 seconds and have students share their process and answers with each other. After observing students, choose one question to discuss with the class.
Jigsaw	Participants: 3-5 individuals per group Approximate Time: This will vary with the type of activity assigned. The Details: Assign each group one problem or a specific part of a problem to complete. Instruct groups to collaboratively complete their part of the assignment. (Set an appropriate time limit to help students pace themselves.) Have groups showcase their expertise by sharing their portion of the assignment with the class. While a group shares, other students should be listening, taking notes on the problem, critiquing the reasoning of the group, asking questions to clarify their thinking, etc. Continue around the class until all have shared and the students have completed the entire assignment.

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The Collaborative Classroom: Preparing the Learner

Social Elements

Emotional Elements

Instructional Elements (Learning)

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