ABSTRACT
Collaborative skills such as communication, respect for others, and ability to appreciate the roles of one’s collaborators are central to the 21st-century workplace (Hilton & NRC, 2010; NRC, 2010; Nuffield Foundation & University of York, 2006; Snyder et al., 1999). These skills can be developed when students collaborate on complex science topics in classrooms. Many describe advantages for collaborative learning (e.g., Brown & Campione, 1994; Burbules & Linn, 1988; Cohen, 1994; Johnson & Johnson, 1999; Linn & Hsi, 2000; Scardamalia & Bereiter, 2006; Slavin, 1990). These include learning from others, achieving integrated understanding, learning to jointly solve problems, developing ability to monitor progress, and autonomous learning. Collaborative activities help students appreciate the ideas of others, learn how to negotiate meaning, take advantage of distributed expertise, become effective teachers, evaluate arguments, and develop community-wide criteria. Collaborative activities make the diverse ideas of students visible. They can give participants insight into culturally distinct views and encourage them to integrate these ideas.
