Strategy 7: Support Ongoing Collaboration with Group Check-Ins
When groups work together over longer projects, it is important to give them time to reflect on how they are working, not just what they are producing. Building in regular check-ins helps students plan their approach, monitor their progress, and evaluate how they are learning together. Think of these as group “temperature checks”: before beginning, students set themselves up for success by agreeing on goals and norms; during the project, they pause to see if adjustments are needed; and at the end, they reflect on what worked well and what they would do differently next time. These moments build accountability, strengthen collaboration skills, and help groups stay on track.
Consider using this Social Regulation of Learning Student Worksheet from the Collaborative Learning Toolkit with your groups during the Planning Phase (before launching into the project), the Monitoring Phase (mid-point check-in), and the Evaluation Phase (at the end).
Let's see this strategy in practice with Ms. Roberts
As her students work on their carbon footprint projects over several weeks, Ms. Roberts notices that some groups are losing focus while others are running into disagreements about how to move forward. To help them stay on track, she introduces group check-ins.
In Practice with Ms. Roberts
At the start of the week, each group reviews their goals and agrees on what they want to accomplish. Midweek, Ms. Roberts pauses the project for a “temperature check,” asking groups to discuss questions like: Is everyone participating and contributing their ideas? Are we listening to each other and building on different perspectives? What’s working well in our collaboration? What isn’t? At the end of the project, groups reflect on their collaboration by considering what worked well, what they would change, and how they grew as a team. These short check-ins help students see collaboration as an ongoing process, not a one-time skill, and give them the tools to monitor and strengthen their work together.
Image Credit: Allison Shelley for EDUimages
[old] Collaboration - Strategy 7
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Transcript
Strategy 7: Support Ongoing Collaboration with Group Check-Ins
When groups work together over longer projects, it is important to give them time to reflect on how they are working, not just what they are producing. Building in regular check-ins helps students plan their approach, monitor their progress, and evaluate how they are learning together. Think of these as group “temperature checks”: before beginning, students set themselves up for success by agreeing on goals and norms; during the project, they pause to see if adjustments are needed; and at the end, they reflect on what worked well and what they would do differently next time. These moments build accountability, strengthen collaboration skills, and help groups stay on track.
Consider using this Social Regulation of Learning Student Worksheet from the Collaborative Learning Toolkit with your groups during the Planning Phase (before launching into the project), the Monitoring Phase (mid-point check-in), and the Evaluation Phase (at the end).
Let's see this strategy in practice with Ms. Roberts
As her students work on their carbon footprint projects over several weeks, Ms. Roberts notices that some groups are losing focus while others are running into disagreements about how to move forward. To help them stay on track, she introduces group check-ins.
In Practice with Ms. Roberts
At the start of the week, each group reviews their goals and agrees on what they want to accomplish. Midweek, Ms. Roberts pauses the project for a “temperature check,” asking groups to discuss questions like: Is everyone participating and contributing their ideas? Are we listening to each other and building on different perspectives? What’s working well in our collaboration? What isn’t? At the end of the project, groups reflect on their collaboration by considering what worked well, what they would change, and how they grew as a team. These short check-ins help students see collaboration as an ongoing process, not a one-time skill, and give them the tools to monitor and strengthen their work together.
Image Credit: Allison Shelley for EDUimages