Group work can be the basis for encouraging student cooperation, one of the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. But designing group work is not always as easy as one might assume.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Teaching, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology Director Claire Lamonica and Jim Gee explore the differences between cooperation and collaboration in the classroom. Lamonica shares her extensive experience designing group-related learning activities, and she gives her take on whether it’s better to let students pick groups, pick groups for students, or leave it to random chance.

Let’s Talk Teaching is a free podcast for instructors at the Illinois State University, produced by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology. You can listen to past episodes and subscribe using your favorite podcast app or through iTunes by going to CTLT.IllinoisState.edu/Podcast.

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