Board 254: Developing Tools, Pedagogies, and Policies for Computer-Based Collaborative Learning Activities

Collaborative learning can improve student learning, student persistence, and the classroom climate. Most of the evidence-based practices for collaborative learning rely on the assumption of face-to-face interactions or asynchronous online activities. In this paper we summarize the milestones, lessons learned, and preliminary research findings for the NSF IUSE project award #2121412 titled “Enhancing Equity and Access Via Digitally-mediated Collaborative Learning Experiences”. As part of this project, we have developed tools and pedagogies for synchronous computer-supported collaborative learning activities that can be used in online and in-person classes. More specifically, we will describe 1) the computer-based tools that facilitate group assignments and distribution of tasks; 2) how the tool has been adopted by several courses in different institutions and 3) how it has impacted students' sense of belonging.