Learning with Others: Collaboration as a Pathway to College Student Success

Colleges and universities can engage students in ways that prepare them to solve problems in our rapidly changing world by focusing on collaborative learning over individual achievement. Clifton Conrad and Todd Lundberg's book "Learning with Others" provides core practices to empower students to enter, nourish, and sustain collaborative learning and outlines how to blend the roles and responsibilities of faculty, staff, and students. It also explores ways successful antiracist networks of problem-solvers are learning to contribute to the flourishing of their communities.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 10 May 2022
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

Colleges and universities play a crucial role in preparing students for the challenges of our rapidly changing world. However, many institutions prioritize individual achievement over collaborative learning, which hinders students' ability to solve complex problems. In their book "Learning with Others," Clifton Conrad and Todd Lundberg argue that student success should be redefined by focusing on collaborative learning. They suggest that engaging students in shared, real-world problem-solving will encourage them to embrace interdependence and value diverse perspectives.

The book offers a set of core practices to empower students to enter, nurture, and sustain collaborative learning. It outlines how faculty, staff, and students can blend their roles and responsibilities, adopt best practices for receiving and giving feedback, and anchor a curriculum in shared problem-solving. Drawing on a three-year study of student persistence and learning at Minority-Serving Institutions, Conrad and Lundberg provide examples from across the nation's colleges and universities to illustrate their findings.

One of the key insights from the book is that successful antiracist networks of problem-solvers are learning to contribute to the flourishing of their communities on campus and beyond. The authors outline strategies for identifying and dismantling barriers to collaboration, such as cultural differences, power dynamics, and biases. They also emphasize the importance of building trust and respect among students and faculty, which is essential for effective collaboration.

In conclusion, "Learning with Others" offers a valuable perspective on how colleges and universities can engage students in ways that prepare them to solve problems in our rapidly changing world. By prioritizing collaborative learning and fostering interdependence, institutions can help students develop the skills and mindset needed to address complex challenges and contribute to the betterment of society.

Weight: 408g
Dimension: 216 x 140 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781421443515