The benefits of collaborative learning include:

• Development of higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management, and leadership skills.
• Promotion of student-faculty interaction.
• Increase in student retention, self-esteem, and responsibility.
• Exposure to and an increase in understanding of diverse perspectives.
• Preparation for real life social and employment situations.

Cornell University Center for Teaching Excellence

In the digital world, collaborative learning can come in many forms. These interactions serve as a microcosm of what learners can expect in the workplace. Learning to work with diverse populations is integral to future success.

Training of Thought includes collaborative learning opportunities for the classroom or online. Alternative strategies are offered to independent learners.

When learners give one another feedback on their thinking and writing they are forced to see their work through the eyes of another. Training of Thought helps learners understand the process of giving feedback as well as hearing feedback that isn't particularly constructive.

Peer feedback can point out faulty thinking or writing failures. Training of Thought offers concrete strategies for heariing, accepting and overcoming the emotional baggage that comes with supposed failures before rewriting their work. This includes allowing the characters from the comics to speak for them.

Peer feedback is also a way of learning empathy, a key to enhancing all types of thinking skills. As learners proceed through the modules, they will be more comfortable sharing their work and the thinking and writing exercises will become more challenging.

Peer feedback can be conducted in the classroom, by phone, with conferenciing software. in a virtual world or by another process of communication.

English is not the first language of many learners and they may need special support when it comes to writing. These learners have a steeper learning curve. However, all learners can benefit from participating in a writing group.

Training of Thought offers guidelines for writing groups that occur in the classroom or online so that learners can effectively support one another in their writing efforts. The guidelines focus less on grammar and editing, and more on the planning and structuring of a written work so it meets the requirements of the assignment.

Writing groups are a fast-track method of learning how to give and receive feedback. Because of the dynamics of group process and the personal nature of writing, high emotions can arise and force learners to think in new ways. However, they can also help learners improve their thinking and writing at a faster pace.

Training of Thought celebrates the use of writing groups as a way of supporting its use in instruction.