MCC Daily Tribune

Collaborative Learning Course Designation at MCC

Do you use active and collaborative learning in the courses you teach? If so, please consider having your course designated as a Collaborative Learning (CL) course.

Why should you consider designating your course as CL?

Collaborative Learning (CL) represents a High Impact Practice at Monroe Community College, includes all disciplines, and encompasses a variety of activities in the classroom, lab, studio, and/or field. CL-designated courses provide active, cooperation-based academic environments that emphasize learning the language, skills, and processes of the discipline through collaborative engagement with peers and professors.  Collaborative Learning (CL) combines two key goals: learning to work and solve problems as part of a group of interdependent individuals and sharpening one’s own understanding by listening to and reflecting on the insights of others, especially those with different backgrounds and life experiences.   

The CL-designation identifies courses that incorporate CL activities by providing an active learning environment that emphasizes cooperative learning in the classroom. The purpose of a CL-designation is to promote a culture in which students of varied backgrounds are encouraged to work together to solve problems and/or create products relevant to the discipline being studied

What are the requirements?

There are no specific requirements as to how the professor accomplishes this objective nor does a CL-designation require particular assignments. The type of teaching methods to be used in the classroom and the level at which these methods are applied will be determined by the instructor(s) teaching the course and/or (in the case of a “blanket” designation) approved by the department. Assignments and/or projects in the course that integrate Collaborative Learning amount to a minimum of 30% of class time/course work and/or account for a minimum of 10% of the grade.

If you are interested in designating your course as CL, or if you have more questions about CL, please feel free to contact Ryan Clemens (rclemens@monroecc.edu), Chemistry and Geosciences.

Ryan Clemens
Chemistry and Geosciences
09/18/2023