Collaborative learning is an educational approach that involves groups of learners working together to solve problems, complete tasks, or learn new concepts. Collaborative learning can occur peer-to-peer or in larger groups, and it can involve pairs or small groups of students working together to discuss concepts or find solutions to problems. The benefits of collaborative learning include the development of higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management, and leadership skills, as well as an increase in student retention, self-esteem, and responsibility. Collaborative learning can also promote student-faculty interaction and expose students to diverse perspectives.

Effective collaborative learning requires structured approaches with well-designed tasks that lead to the greatest learning gains. There are many theories about how collaborative learning might benefit pupil outcomes, such as developing explanation, demonstration, problem-solving, and metacognitive skills, or sharing the load of challenging tasks. It is important that schools ensure that all pupils, particularly those with low prior attainment, are supported to fully participate, and that the make-up of pairings and groups is carefully considered.

To foster collaborative learning within an organization, there are many ways to encourage it, such as pairing newer employees with more senior ones, participating in a question and answer session, and creating a collaborative learning community. Collaborative learning requires active learning, in which students must engage with course material in ways that lecturing alone cannot support, and it takes advantage of the notion that teaching is learning and provides a structure for peer teaching. By unsettling what students are often used to, collaborative learning reminds students that learning requires more than listening, and that reminder may be an early step toward metacognition, the practice of thinking about ones own thinking.