Collaboration and critical thinking are connected in one very important way, and that is the process of active learning in groups. Researchers have learned that when students of varying ages are placed in groups for working on projects, learning and applying new information, and encouraged to collaborate and work together to produce a final product, they are able to learn more effectively and think critically to complete their work. This is often referred to as higher-level learning, meaning that the process of collaboration and critical thinking forces students to recall what they have previously learned much more effectively. These same principles can be used in the workplace as well.
The method of active learning as referring to education is relatively new. Previously, instructors would rely on simple lecturing most of the time, and students would take notes and work on assignments independently. Active learning, however, gets them involved in the learning process in a practical way, by teaching them the information and then allowing them to apply it almost immediately in a hands-on assignment. When this process is combined with group work, students are responsible for completing the assignments as well as essentially helping other students learn. This further reinforces the information they are working on, and helps to take it from their short-term, working memory to their long-term memory.
When these principles are applied to collaboration and critical thinking, it is often possible to see the immediate benefits. Students are often assigned to work in groups, either on an everyday basis or with specific projects, to encourage them to boost their collaboration and critical thinking skills. Teachers must make sure to monitor the students and ensure they stay on track, and are actively asking questions and working to come up with ideas, and teach each other information that is correct. The need to produce a final product or to share their information with other groups or the rest of the class often improves the collaboration and critical thinking going on in each individual group.
It is important not to limit the idea of collaboration and critical thinking just to education, however. In the professional world, working in teams to solve problems and brainstorm ideas can lead to more effective problem solving, and often better ideas than an individual would come up with independently. Many businesses make use of these principles with regular meetings to brainstorm ideas, or even groups of employees who regularly spend their day working in teams for a variety of different tasks.
