Creation and Implementation of a Collaborative Learning Program in a Chilean University: Challenges and Impact in Engineering and Science Undergraduate Programs

Abstract

Nowadays, it has been recognized at university level that freshmen students need to develop learning strategies and advanced literacy practices (Carlino, 2017) to ensure a successful academic career. Under this paradigm, this action research’s aim is to present the design and implementation of a pilot program about providing an integral accompaniment to freshmen students of a Chilean regional public university; based on collaborative learning between peers. As well as determine the effectiveness of the learning communities’ implementation (CA) as an axis that promotes peer scaffolding. The theoretical foundation is based on socio-constructivism, which defines collaborative learning as the construction of individual knowledge validated in his/her interaction with peers inside a learning community (Barkley, Cross, & Howell, 2007). Descriptive action-research methodology was applied. The results indicate that students who regularly joined the CA obtained better academic performance than those whose participation was low. The results contributed to extent this initiative to other faculties. In conclusion, this institutional action enhanced the progress of freshmen students, in terms of deep learning and transversal skills, reflected in the indicators of academic progress and achievement.