Encouraging Collaboration in STEM

KEY POINTS

• Encourage teamwork via project-based learning.
• Embrace failure and encourage learning from mistakes.
• Give students time to create together.

Effective teamwork is one of the most important concepts that a student can learn in the modern STEM classroom. The real-world breakthroughs and milestones reached in the STEM subjects that we see all around us do not come from lone individuals working by themselves in a lab. Every day, STEM professionals rely on fellow researchers and teammates to develop solutions to real problems. It is therefore vital to foster the idea of collaboration and cooperation in the STEM classroom, ensuring that the next generation of STEM explorers have the skills to take on the challenges of tomorrow.

WORK THROUGH PROBLEMS USING PROJECTS

Project-based learning is a great way to incorporate collaboration in your STEM classroom. Try to focus on projects that require teamwork in the form of brainstorming, exchanging ideas, and iterative prototyping. Try to avoid projects in which students are able to split up and complete tasks by themselves instead of working together. To get the best results, offer rewards to student groups that put the principle of teamwork to practice throughout the course of a project. This approach also allows students to be less dependent on the educator, allowing them to rely on each other instead of the teacher as they make their way through a project.

EMBRACE MISTAKES AS THEY ARRIVE

In scenarios where a student’s grade is determined only by their correct answers, students often hold back from taking risks and expressing creativity out of fear of failure. Even worse, in group project settings, this grading approach can lead to a lack of collaboration between students; when students are afraid of getting the wrong answer or outcome, they are much less likely to trust and implement the ideas of their teammates. This can lead to serious stagnation in the teamwork practiced by a group of students. To avoid this outcome, adopt a more flexible grading system and reassure students that their grade will not be solely determined by how successful their final product is, but also on how well they communicate with and build upon the ideas of their teammates. When student groups inevitably do fail on their first try, encourage them to rely on their teammates as they reflect and make improvements to their project.

MAKE TIME FOR CREATIVITY

Allowing students to take a break from the day’s lessons and create freely also builds an environment where teamwork thrives. Classroom makerspaces allow students to innovate and collaborate with each other as they explore the STEM subjects. These spaces unite students as a team and give them a chance to work in a kind of environment that closely mirrors the workplace of real-world STEM professionals. No matter what way it is achieved, creativity and collaboration among students is essential to enhance learning experiences in any STEM environment.

— Dr. Jake Roark