ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that collaborating with other students can improve knowledge and understanding. It can help students learn more, and it can assist them in getting to grips with the subject. Collaboration is such an essential and valuable aspect of studying that your lecturers will encourage it. Much of the collaboration will be informal, using social media, for instance. However, there will also be formal group work set by lecturers. Such group work and collaborative exercises will form part of tutorials, for instance. This chapter shows that at other times students will need to collaborate on group work that will be assessed. To ensure they get the best out of group work, it pays to be organised. Set up systems, such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, at the outset of group work to avoid delays. Also, use project management software such as Kanban-style apps to help you manage the group work you will do. Unlike students on campus, those studying online need to be more organised for group work as they will not have the opportunity to meet fellow students ad-hoc. However, even though universities will encourage a great deal of collaboration, they will not expect you to collaborate on individual work that is assessed. This chapter shows there are severe consequences for students who collaborate when the work they are doing is meant to be assessed on the basis it was completed by one individual.
