The scenario presented in Topic 3 raises an important pedagogical challenge: how to move students beyond simply “dividing tasks” toward “genuine collaborative learning”. Many students approach group work as a logistical strategy rather than a learning opportunity. To counter this, we as educators need to rethink the design, purpose, and facilitation of group assignments. Meaningful collaboration should not only help students complete a task—it should support the development of essential skills in communication, negotiation, and collective problem-solving, encouraging the creation of a learning community that extends beyond the course itself.
A key takeaway of our group discussions is that group work must be purposeful; if students could complete the task individually with equal success, then collaboration is not justified. Assignments should be designed so that they require diverse perspectives—through case studies, real-world problems, or scenarios that no one student can resolve alone. When students understand the interdependence of their roles, their intrinsic motivation and accountability increase. Of course, this is not always easy, depending on the field.
Several strategies can support this. First, scaffolding group work through clear instructions, timelines, and peer feedback helps students stay engaged. The use of peer review, as well as reflective logs documenting contributions, can discourage “social loafing”. Second, grouping students by shared interests and offering participatory design in task development may increase ownership and investment.
Personally, I was particularly captured by the following question: “Can we learn to learn collaboratively?”. It sounds metaphysical, but it must be possible! It that respect, I found the “Social Learning Theory” of Albert Bandura.
Drawing on Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, students must observe, retain, reproduce, and be motivated to emulate effective collaborative behaviors. This speaks to the power of modelling: teachers should not only instruct collaboration but visibly practice it, perhaps even co-creating knowledge with students in synchronous discussions or shared digital platforms.
Ultimately, the goal is not merely to “get the job done,” but to help students learn how to learn together. Done well, collaborative learning can transform a group of individuals into a community of practice—one that continues long after the course ends.
