Online group work and collaboration

Group work is a valuable components of many courses. It provides an opportunity to include activating and engaging activities into your course. Collaboration also helps students develop skills that are increasingly important in the workplace. However, to be of benefit to the learning process, group work should be well designed: purposeful and effective. Getting students to work together effectively in an online environment requires some specific preparations. Let's find out more!

On this page, you'll find information on how to stimulate effective online group work and collaboration among students. First, we'll give you three essential tips to remember when designing group work projects. The video then shows show a good practice example of online group work. At the bottom of the page you'll find teaching techniques, examples and tools on online group work and collaboration, plus a collection of valuable sources on the web.

The way to do this #1:
Ensure group work is meaningful and purposeful. Communicate the learning objectives, end product they are working towards, and assessment strategy at the start of the course.

The way to do this #2:
Facilitate the collaboration process. Getting started in an online environment can be hard, especially when students don’t know each other well. Provide groups with a set of steps they can follow, including steps for getting to know and trust each other, for group role assignment, and for subtasks to complete.

The way to do this #3:
Provide the technology of choice for the group work. Technology should not be a threshold for students: it should be failsafe, accessible and easy to use. Preferably, it would allow you to monitor student progress.

Group work can be an effective method to motivate students, encourage active learning, and develop key critical-thinking, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills. But without careful planning and facilitation, group work can frustrate students and teachers and feel like a waste of time. The guide to implementing group work takes you through all the necessary considerations, regardless of whether your course is online, blended or offline.
View guide to implementing group work Links to an external site. Group work, especially in an online course, should be highly organized and required skills to be learned. A smooth start encourages the right mindset in students, and the right level of support and facilitation will assure successful completion of the group work. Our step by step guide takes you through the specifics of organizing online group work. Skills for being an effective group member Links to an external site.