Collaborative learning is a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together. Different to individual learning, people engaged in collaborative learning utilise one another's resources and skills (they ask one another for information, evaluating one another's ideas, monitoring one another's work, etc.) More specifically, collaborative learning is based on the model that knowledge can be created within a population where members actively interact by sharing experiences. It is an great way to learn from each other in a way that you do not find when working in silo.

There are both organisational benefits to collaborative learning as well as individual. Some are mentioned below:

Organisational benefits

It can increase employee skills and knowledge

When employees participate in collaborative learning, they are developing a wide range of skills and knowledge. Not only will they strengthen their existing skills by having to teach others, they in turn will learn new skills from other employees. This reduces the need for formal training while encouraging employees to continually upskill in known concepts and engage with new concepts.

It can improve the relationships across different teams and departments

When individuals have limited contact across teams, it is difficult to foster connections and teamwork. Collaborative learning across teams forces individuals to develop new connections and find ways to work together. This can be especially beneficial for organisations that depend on remote workers which is more common after the Pandemic, as fostering strong connections among distant workers can be difficult.

Individual Benefits

It can promote learning from others point of view

Learners benefit from hearing diverse viewpoints. Studies show that when a person is exposed to diverse viewpoints, especially from people with varied backgrounds, they learn more.

It can improve cooperation

When given a specific goal, learners are more likely to engage in thoughtful discussion with each other, improving both their understanding of the subject and their esteem for each other.

A good example of how this can work is through using a Community of Practice. This is a collaborative learning environment that fosters working together to solve problems, prioritises open communication and gives individuals many opportunities to both learn from and teach others. An organisation that chooses to provide these opportunities on a regular basis will create a collaborative learning community, in which individuals will actively participate in collaborative learning. Good examples of collaborative learning activities will have clear instructions, a set goal, mid-sized groups of three to five individuals and flexible rules, so that groups can experiment within themselves and work with open communication.