One of the hardest – yet most important – aspects of collaboration is being able to give and receive feedback constructively. So how do you teach students these skills?

The secret to great collaboration? Encourage student to difference-spot, not wrong-spot. A one-word change in mindset can completely change how teammates view their interactions with each other and can alter the dynamic within a team from dysfunction and conflict to one of trust and psychological safety

The theory of teams is that they are able to achieve more than any one individual. This relies on the team being able to create synergy, where the team as a whole are greater than the sum of their parts

Team conflict is a source of frustration for students and teachers alike within PBL projects. It can sour the interpersonal dynamics within a team and derail the team’s productivity

Whenever PBL is spoken about, the term collaboration generally follows closely. Whilst nobody doubts its importance to students being able to navigate a project successfully, there is much less clarity on exactly what good collaboration is

These skills are widely recognised as being the knowledge that students need to possess after completing their education and, should they have developed them, they will be better able to navigate a complex and rapidly-changing world

One common reason why teams fail is that team members do not fully understand each other and don’t communicate what they want from the team and each other as teammates

Team conflict is a source of frustration for students and teachers alike within PBL projects. It can sour the interpersonal dynamics within a team and derail the team’s productivity