Types and potential of collaborative learning strategies

For years, companies across the globe have been moving away from traditional, individualized forms of corporate training to more modern approaches that reflect the realities of team-wide project ownership seen today.

With remote and hybrid work policies becoming more mainstream in the last few years, companies must find innovative ways to create engaging collaborative learning experiences for their team if they want to foster a healthy work culture.

This post discusses the fundamentals of collaborative learning strategies as well as ways in which you can start implementing them in your company to foster the kind of training environment your team needs to succeed in their projects.

What are collaborative learning strategies?

A collaborative learning strategy is a training method where two or more people work co-dependently to deepen their understanding of a subject matter and develop skills in a particular area. The end objective is to facilitate the team in achieving a common goal as a unit, be it solving a problem, completing a task, or transferring knowledge from one team member to another.

Collaborative learning has been seen as a by-product of corporate entities moving away from a top-down managerial approach to a low-authority, high-accountability management style in which group work and joint team output are critical to a team hitting its target. As more companies started to adopt this team-centered approach, collaborative learning emerged as a growing trend that has now become a staple among forward-thinking companies seeking to propel growth through active teamwork.

Benefits of collaborative learning strategies for learners

When implemented correctly, collaborative learning strategies stand out for the positive impact they have not only on the target group participating in the exercise but also on the company they work for.

Here are some of the common benefits of collaborative learning:

Boosts interpersonal communicative skills

Whether it’s knowledge sharing, project-solving, or wrapping up a shared task, collaborative learning as a training method forces all parties involved to communicate with each other in some way, shape, or form. Since communication involves both speaking and listening to others, collaborative learning fosters an environment where individuals within a team get to sharpen their public speaking skills while also learning how to absorb information and appreciate different perspectives from their peers on a specific topic.

Strengthens critical thinking and analytical skills

With collaborative learning depending heavily on the sharing of information through communication, it’s natural that teams also end up building strong critical thinking and analytical skills through problem-solving activities. As teams start to examine the problems that they’re presented with in collaborative learning sessions, they must understand them, analyze the needs of a given situation, come up with solutions, and evaluate each one according to what they believe performs best. In doing so, they must also analyze the contributions that their team members have put on the table and share their thoughts and rationale based on careful analysis and evaluation.

Builds stronger interpersonal relationships

Collaborative learning is all about teamwork. The more teams participate in exercises done together, the easier it is to build relationships. This is true both within individual teams as well as collaborative sessions done across multiple departments within an organization. These interpersonal relationships then serve as launch pads for strong cross-functional and cross-departmental relationships in the future.

7 types of collaborative learning strategies

Here are seven common types of collaborative learning strategies that companies worldwide are using to have an impact on employee engagement, team development, and company culture.

1.   Daily discussion questions

A daily discussion question is any question posed every day to a group of two or more people that sparks the sharing of ideas or opinions. Often used in classroom settings to get students engaged, daily discussions have since made their way to corporate settings as a means to lighten the mood among team members and get them engaged in meaningful discussions. Daily discussions can range from work-related topics to everyday situations that spark some controversy.

2.   Cooperative learning

Cooperative learning is a method of instruction seen in classrooms in which two or more students work together to achieve outcomes that are beneficial to them on an individual level as they are to the team as a unit. For example, one team member works on a task that helps them achieve a personal goal associated with a project, which they then share with the rest of the team so that they gain additional insight to further their progress and vice versa.

3.   Jigsaw technique

Jigsaw technique forces each member of the unit to deepen their understanding in one area and then share their knowledge with the rest of the team one by one. In corporate settings, the logic is that it makes it easier for employees who specialize in a specific role or function to easily retain important information while also opening up possibilities for cross-training within the team.

4.   Case studies

Case studies are scenarios in which teams are presented with a story, its context, and a given outcome which they then analyze and present their findings or opinions on. During these activities, team members must present their verdict on whether the case study presented to them was a failure or a success.

5.   Group challenges

Group challenges, also known as stumping your group, is another type of collaborative learning strategy where one or more team members are charged with developing a challenging question that the team must answer. In doing so, each team member must work together to come up with a response that is representative of the entire team.

6.   Roleplaying and reenactments

Roleplaying and reenactments are examples of collaborative learning where individuals disseminate information through acting and role play. Noted for their high energy and fun nature, these two types of collaborative learning examples are known to help increase engagement among team members.

7.   Group-problem solving

Similar to case studies, group-problem solving activities force the team to come up with a solution to a given problem. In these activities, team members must communicate with each other, providing rationales for the solutions they propose as well as feedback to their team members in case there is conflict in the approaches put forward.

Best practices for implementing collaborative learning strategies

Here are some of the best practices associated with rolling out collaborative learning strategies within your company:

• Start small: In large companies, start by trying out one or two easy-to-implement collaborative learning strategies within only one team. Based on the feedback you get, you can then consider scaling these activities to other departments.

• Remember the importance of change management: Any change you implement must be communicated effectively to all persons involved. Be sure to explain the value of collaborative learning to your team members to avoid the likelihood of any resistance to change.

• Be engaging: No one likes to participate in boring activities. Try out fun and engaging formats that keep your team wanting more.

Common challenges of collaborative learning strategies

Despite the benefits that collaborative learning strategies bring to corporate entities, they are not void of challenges.

Here are some of the most common ones that we see companies make today:

• Finding a collaborative learning activity that engages the entire team
• Figuring out the right format to host a collaborative learning
• Choosing an activity that engages both remote and in-office teams
• Measuring impact on team engagement and company culture

Examples of interactive collaborative learning activities

Let’s take a look at some examples of customers who have succeeded in implementing collaborative learning activities that keep their teams engaged.

Adobe

Adobe is a software company that prides itself on designing digital tools that promote creativity, design, and artistic expression. To strengthen their creative base, they partner with educators who help up-and-coming designers leverage their tools in the best way possible.

Since they have a global community, Adobe uses software specifically designed for collaborative training to host engaging, educative sessions.

Through secure training software, Adobe provides safe spaces for its creative community to connect with a like-minded audience, share ideas, and build a growing network of professionals who all want to excel in their careers.

Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is software company that builds tools that help journalists and other broadcasting-related professionals improve their workflow.

Thomson Reuters has leveraged collaborative learning software to create a number of video-related initiatives including legal advisory, and tax-related video content, webinars, and live workshops with its global workforce.

Here’s how Kaltura can help you make your next collaborative learning event a success.

Kaltura solutions for online collaborative learning method

Whether you’ve opted for hybrid, fully remote, or in-office collaborative learning activity, the next step is to ensure you have what it takes to facilitate an engaging program for your team.

Kaltura’s secure virtual training platform helps companies create brand-driven all-in-one training experiences for team members. From built-in engaging knowledge-sharing tools such as virtual whiteboards, multimedia playlists, and quizzes to analytical tools that help you measure and track employee engagement, Kaltura has the complete solution to help you roll out engaging collaborative training sessions.

Find out how you can start leveraging our secure training platform to deliver interactive training programs and measure their success from start to finish with Kaltura.

Conclusion

Collaborative learning strategies are approaches that companies use to build core skills among team members, deepen interpersonal relationships, and facilitate important knowledge-sharing exercises.

When done with Kaltura, you can put on an engaging collaborative learning activity that keeps your team wanting more.

Take a free demo to see first-hand what Kaltura can do for you and your team.