AVID: Collaboration

AVID Collaboration

EQ: How can AVID Collaboration strategies help support student learning at all levels in my classroom?

Why should we collaborate?

AVID: Collaborative Structures

Collaboration Tool Kit

Numbered Heads Together

Quick Start Tips for Collaboration

How Collaboration Promotes Deeper Learning

Content Specific Rescources

Carousel Brainstorm

Quick Start Resources

Collaborative Study Groups

Jigsaw

AVID Chapter 3: Collaboration

Refining Resources

Collaboration StructuresContent Specific Resources

Numbered Heads Together

Numbered Heads Together is a collaborative learning strategy that promotes teamwork and accountability. Students are placed in small groups and each member is assigned a number. The teacher poses a question, and group members “put their heads together” to discuss and agree on an answer. Then, the teacher randomly calls a number, and the student with that number shares the group’s response. This strategy ensures that all students stay engaged, think critically, and are prepared to contribute to their team’s success.

CollaborationQuick Start Resources

Collaborative Study Groups

Collaborative Study Groups are structured peer-learning sessions where students work together to deepen understanding of challenging concepts. Each group member brings questions or topics they find difficult, and the team works collaboratively to explore solutions, clarify misunderstandings, and support one another’s learning. This strategy encourages active participation, critical thinking, and communication skills while fostering a supportive academic community.

Jigsaw

Jigsaw is a cooperative learning strategy that turns students into “experts.” Each student in a group is assigned a different part of a topic to learn and master. After studying their section, students meet with others who had the same piece to deepen their understanding. They then return to their original group to teach what they learned. This strategy builds accountability, strengthens comprehension, and promotes teamwork as every student’s contribution is essential to completing the “whole picture.”

Carousel Brainstorm

Carousel Brainstorm is an interactive strategy that gets students moving and thinking collaboratively. Groups rotate around the room to different stations or chart papers, each with a unique question or topic. At each stop, students add their ideas, comments, or answers before moving to the next. This activity encourages participation from all learners, builds on others’ thinking, and sparks creative, well-rounded discussions.

How Collaboration Promotes Deeper Learning

The article argues that learning should shift from being strictly individual-focused to a more collaborative, collective endeavour. It presents a framework for designing classroom experiences that are intentional (designed with purpose), interconnected (drawing on diverse disciplines and perspectives), and impactful (rooted in real-world relevance). By foregrounding peer interaction, empathy, and shared goals, the piece suggests students not only deepen their thinking but also become more engaged, empowered, and ready to contribute meaningfully to their communities.

AVID Chapter 3: Collaboration

Featured in this chapter: Creating a Collaboration Social Contract Achieving Effective Collaboration Group Roles Collaborative Group Projects Debriefing Collaboration Collaborative Study Groups

Collaborative StructuresRefining Resources

Collaboration Quick Start Tips

To maximize the positive impact of effective collaboration, a teacher needs to focus attention to the guiding questions when planning from the document linked.