It’s important to discuss the benefits of collaborative learning in creating a good collaborative environment. Based on the response of the participants in my group, sharing and fun are standout descriptions given as main benefits of collaborative learning. The ability to share ideas from a diverse group and learn something new from different perspectives are strong points for collaborative learning. Because of exposure to many different viewpoints, collaborative learning becomes an enriching experience and allows one with an open mind to learn more about another’s focus on a different aspect of the same idea.

But to create a good collaborative learning, communication is a vital component in allowing the exchange of ideas from the individual participants to the entire group. Part of establishing a good communication is the challenge of establishing good rapport among the participants. In our ONL group, we talked about creating a space where we feel we belong. The sense of belongingness helped us to established a conducive learning space. We recognized that the dynamics of the group will have a big impact on the productivity of our collaborative environment.

Another factor in creating a good collaborative environment is in choosing a good platform where to share our ideas. Whether in virtual or physical collaboration, deciding which platform to use is important. Our group used Padlet few times and we have found that not only is it a good way to see each others’ contributions, it is also a good way to track participation. With a good IT platform, the facilitator can trace active contribution from team members.