Developing Independent Learners
Published
How can collaborative learning develop independence?
A collaborative, or cooperative, approach involves learners working together on learning activities in groups small enough to ensure that everyone participates. Effective collaborative learning is deliberately designed so that all learners think carefully, develop their own explanations, and take responsibility for their own learning. It is distinct from unstructured group work where learners are simply placed into groups.
Key messages from the evidence
Do plan collaborative work carefully, ensuring all learners have clear roles, expectations, and outcomes.
Don't allow unequal participation during collaborative tasks, or contributions only from more dominant voices during feedback.
Do design tasks where collaboration leads to clear individual or shared outcomes, ensuring each learner is accountable for demonstrating their own understanding.
Don't leave groups to work independently without providing additional prompts or support for learners who are struggling to contribute.
Do create groups of four to five learners where everyone is required to participate.
Don't place an overt focus on rewards or competition that shifts focus away from learning.
Do encourage teachers to take a facilitative, supervisory, and strategic role when supporting collaborative learning.
About the 16-19 relevant evidence
22
5+
months additional progressThe impact measure shows the number of additional months of progress made, on average, by learners who received the intervention, compared to learners who did not.
Evidence drawn mainly from STEM subjects, but also from social sciences and English.
In addition to impact on academic attainment, some studies also report positive impacts on attitudes to learning, self-esteem, motivation, and social interaction skills.
Evidence gaps
The wider evidence base suggests that competition between groups can be used to support learners to work together more effectively. However, this is not currently supported by the 16-19 relevant studies. The 16-19 evidence base is also too limited to draw clear conclusions about the effectiveness of individual or joint outcomes in collaborative tasks.
How to implement collaborative approaches with learners
Learners usually need time, support, and practice to work well together. Teachers can guide and support learners, intervening to keep collaborative work on track and promote discussion.
Teachers should plan carefully when and how to use collaborative approaches within a unit of work. Learners need enough prior knowledge to contribute with confidence, and some learners, particularly those with lower prior attainment, may need additional support to participate effectively.
Teachers should also consider group composition and role allocation so that collaboration strengthens individual understanding rather than allowing some learners to rely on others.
Learners might first work individually before moving into group discussion. Alternatively, content or tasks might be divided across the group, so learners take responsibility for learning part of the material and teaching it to others. These structures can help ensure collaboration is purposeful and that learners remain accountable for developing their own understanding. Careful structure and oversight from the teacher remain crucial to success, regardless of the task.
Apply the KEEP framework
A spotlight on peer tutoring
One form of collaborative learning is peer tutoring, with learners alternating roles to provide reciprocal tutoring. In this approach, learners take on responsibility for aspects of teaching and for evaluating their success. In the 16-19 studies, peer tutoring was generally conducted during normal class time between learners of the same age.
As with other forms of collaborative learning, teachers play a facilitative and supervisory role, providing prompts and guidance as learners engage with each other. Some studies include structured teacher input at the start, such as covering key content and theoretical background before the peer tutoring phase.
About the 16-19 relevant evidence
14
16-19 relevant studies
6+
months additional progressThe impact measure shows the number of additional months of progress made, on average, by learners who received the intervention, compared to learners who did not.
Evidence drawn from a range of subjects, including maths, science, psychology, computer science, financial accounting, and English.
Questions to consider
- How can professional development support teachers to effectively model collaborative learning tasks?
- How can teachers design peer tutoring so that all learners make meaningful progress?
- What opportunities can you create for teachers to rehearse, reflect on and refine their use of collaborative learning?