Collaborative learning in higher education: lecturers’ practices and beliefs

Abstract

Collaborative learning can, if designed and implemented properly, contribute to student learning outcomes and prepare them for teamwork. However, the design and implementation of collaborative learning in practice depend on beliefs of lecturers about teaching and learning in general, and collaborative learning in particular. One hundred and fifteen lecturers in higher education completed a survey on collaborative learning practices and beliefs. Additionally, 10 lecturers participated in a semi-structured interview. Lecturers considered the design of collaborative learning to be complicated. Their beliefs about the contribution of collaborative learning to (a) learning outcomes and (b) student motivation were more positive than beliefs about the effort that students are willing to dedicate to collaborative learning. Lecturers’ arguments for applying collaborative learning were consistently more student-oriented than lecturer-oriented. More student-oriented lecturers varied more in their collaborative learning practices. To enhance the benefit of collaborative learning, teachers need more support in the design and implementation of collaborative learning to translate knowledge about collaborative learning into effective practice.