Workshop for university teachers: building trust in collaborative learning
Abstract: The objective of the workshop is to provide deeper insight into what collaborative learning is – and what it is not, by distinguishing between working in a group and working as a group. The main focus is on the importance of the activities that precede the main collaborative task, as these are essential for successful collaboration: building trust among participants, developing group identity and creating a safe learning environment.
The workshop is designed to help participants build confidence through hands-on engagement in structured collaborative learning and by experiencing the process of creating a safe learning environment. It aims to encourage the incorporation of innovative pedagogies into participants’ own teaching practice, regardless of their disciplinary background or educational context. The collaborative tasks within the workshop are designed to support multidisciplinary interaction among participants in the international learning context.
The workshop is intended to promote professional development of academic staff and disseminate strategies that ultimately contribute to students’ engagement, inclusion and employability.
Structure of the workshop:
Phase 1: Welcome & Framing
Phase 2: Experiencing collaborative learning in practice
Phase 3: Group presentations
Phase 4: Feedback and reflection
Target group: academic staff, master and PhD students.
Requirements for potential participants: English language proficiency level B1 or higher.
Expected outcomes:
By the end of the workshop, participants will have experienced a supportive and collaborative learning environment, engaged in meaningful interaction with peers, developed trust and respectful communication within the group, strengthened their sense of teamwork, and gained first-hand experience of collaborative learning activities that they can later adapt and implement in their own classrooms.
Maximum number of participants: 25
Workshop Facilitators: Bojana Komaromi, PhD, Jelena Jerković, PhD, University of Novi Sad
