The Best Examples of Collaborative Learning Strategies for Study Groups

Real-world examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups

Let’s skip the theory and go straight into practice. When people ask for examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups, they don’t want vague advice like “work together more.” They want step-by-step ways to run a session so everyone actually learns.

Below are several of the best examples you can start using this week. You can mix and match them depending on your subject, exam, and group size.

Strategy 1: The Teach-Back Circle (Peer Teaching)

One classic example of collaborative learning is the teach-back method. Each person becomes the “mini teacher” for a specific topic. This works beautifully for subjects like biology, history, or any standardized test with big content chunks (AP exams, MCAT, LSAT, SAT, GRE, etc.).

Here’s how it plays out in a real study group:

You divide the chapter or unit into sections. Each member prepares a short, 5–10 minute explanation of their section before the meeting. During the session, you go around in a circle and each person teaches their part while others:

• Ask clarifying questions
• Add missing details
• Summarize what they just heard in one or two sentences

This is one of the best examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups because it forces deep processing. You can’t teach something you don’t understand. Research from Harvard on active learning has repeatedly shown that students learn more when they explain and apply concepts rather than just listen passively (Harvard University, 2019).

Pro tip: Rotate who teaches what each week so no one gets stuck in the same comfort zone.

Strategy 2: Rotating Roles for Focused Sessions

Another powerful example of collaborative learning strategy is assigning rotating roles. Study groups often fall apart because nobody is clearly in charge of time, tasks, or keeping things on track.

Try these roles:

• Facilitator: Keeps the group on the agenda and moves the session forward.
• Timekeeper: Makes sure each activity stays within the planned time.
• Question Leader: Brings practice questions or creates new ones.
• Summarizer: Ends each section with a 2–3 minute recap of key points.

For instance, in a two-hour exam prep session, your facilitator might open with a quick check-in and outline the plan. The question leader runs a set of practice questions, while the summarizer closes each section with a quick “Here’s what we just learned.” Next week, everyone rotates.

This is one of those examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups that sounds simple but transforms the vibe from chaotic to purposeful.

Strategy 3: Structured Problem-Solving Rounds

For math, physics, chemistry, or data-heavy exams, students often ask for examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups that go beyond “let’s just do problems together.” Structured problem-solving rounds provide that structure.

Here’s a real example:

You pick one challenging problem. One person talks through their approach out loud while solving it on paper or a shared digital whiteboard. Everyone else:

• Listens for assumptions
• Jots down alternative methods
• Flags any step that feels confusing

When they finish, the group discusses:

• Where the method was efficient
• Where it got messy
• Whether there’s a faster or clearer solution

Then you switch to a new problem and a new “solver.”

This process mirrors how collaborative problem-solving is used in professional STEM environments and aligns with what the National Science Foundation and many universities recommend for active STEM learning (NSF.gov). It’s a very practical example of collaborative learning that builds both accuracy and speed.

Strategy 4: Quiz-Chain for Active Recall

If your group is prepping for content-heavy exams like the NCLEX, USMLE Step 1, bar exam, or AP tests, you want examples include strategies that hammer memory in a friendly way. Quiz-chain is perfect.

Here’s how it works:

One person asks a question—maybe from a question bank, textbook, or one they wrote themselves. The first person to answer correctly must immediately ask the next question, either from their notes or on the fly. The chain continues around the group.

Why this works:

• Everyone has to stay alert; you never know when it’ll be your turn.
• You practice both recall (answering) and retrieval plus synthesis (asking good questions).
• It mimics the rapid-fire pressure of many real exams.

This is one of the best examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups because it builds the exact skill standardized tests demand: pulling information out of your brain quickly, not just recognizing it on the page.

Strategy 5: Case Studies and Scenario Labs

For nursing, medicine, business, law, and social sciences, your instructor probably already uses case studies. You can borrow that idea for your group as an example of collaborative learning strategy that feels more like real life than a worksheet.

Imagine your group is studying for a nursing exam. You create a patient scenario:

A 65-year-old male with a history of hypertension presents with chest pain and shortness of breath…

As a group, you:

• Identify key data points
• Decide what to assess first
• Prioritize interventions
• Explain the reasoning behind each decision

This method lines up with recommendations from organizations like the National League for Nursing, which encourages simulation and case-based learning to build clinical judgment (NLN.org).

Similar examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups work for business (market entry cases), law (hypothetical fact patterns), or psychology (client scenarios). You’re not just memorizing—you’re thinking like a professional.

Strategy 6: Jigsaw Method for Big, Overwhelming Units

The jigsaw method is one of the best-known examples of collaborative learning and still works beautifully in 2024–2025, especially for large, intimidating units.

Here’s the flow:

• You break a big topic (say, the causes of World War I, or all of renal physiology) into subtopics.
• Each group member becomes the “expert” on one subtopic.
• Experts on the same subtopic may meet briefly (in person or online) to compare notes.
• Everyone returns to the main group and teaches their piece, like fitting the pieces of a puzzle together.

This is one of the best examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups because it prevents burnout. No one has to master the entire monster unit alone. Instead, you all share the load and then build the full picture together.

If you’re studying online, this can easily happen over a shared document and a video call.

Strategy 7: Shared Concept Mapping and Cheat-Sheet Building

Visual learners often want examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups that aren’t just talking and quizzing. Concept maps and shared “cheat sheets” hit that need.

During a session, open a shared document or digital whiteboard. Start with a central idea in the middle—say, “Photosynthesis” or “Contract Law.” As a group, you:

• Branch out to subtopics
• Add definitions, formulas, diagrams (described in text if you’re keeping things simple)
• Link related concepts with arrows and short phrases

By the end, you have a visual summary that everyone helped build and everyone can use later. Research on concept mapping in education, including work summarized by institutions like the University of Michigan’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, shows that mapping can improve understanding and retention (UMich.edu).

This is a very practical example of collaborative learning strategy because it produces a shared resource instead of six separate, messy notebooks.

Strategy 8: Online-First Collaboration (2024–2025 Reality)

In 2024–2025, many study groups are hybrid or fully online. That means the examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups need to work just as well on Zoom or Microsoft Teams as they do around a library table.

Here’s a realistic setup for an online group:

• You meet on video once or twice a week for live discussion, teach-backs, and problem-solving rounds.
• Between meetings, you maintain a shared folder with:
  • A running question bank you all contribute to
  • A “muddiest points” document where anyone can drop topics they’re stuck on
  • A shared calendar for test dates, practice exams, and deadlines

You can still use all the earlier strategies—teach-back, jigsaw, quiz-chain—by screen-sharing slides, using breakout rooms, and collaborating in real time on documents.

Many universities now publish guides on effective online study groups and collaborative learning, reflecting this ongoing shift. For example, the University of North Carolina and other campuses share tips on structuring virtual collaboration in ways that reduce social loafing and keep everyone accountable (UNC.edu).

Making these strategies actually work for your group

Knowing examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups is one thing; getting your friends to actually use them is another. A few small tweaks can keep your group from turning into a social hangout or a quiet, awkward circle.

Try this simple structure for a 90–120 minute session:

• 5–10 minutes: Quick check-in and agenda (Facilitator leads)
• 30–40 minutes: Teach-back circle or jigsaw segments
• 30–40 minutes: Problem-solving rounds or case study work
• 15–20 minutes: Quiz-chain for active recall
• 5–10 minutes: Summaries and individual action items for next time

You don’t have to be strict, but having a loose plan keeps the energy up. Over time, your group can adjust how much time you spend on each activity based on what’s working.

Also, set expectations clearly:

• Everyone comes prepared with notes or questions.
• Cameras on for online groups, if possible.
• Phones away unless they’re being used for study apps or timers.

When you combine clear expectations with these concrete examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups, you get a group that’s actually worth showing up for.

FAQ: examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups

Q: What are some quick, easy examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups I can try today?
You can start with a short teach-back circle (each person explains one concept for 3–5 minutes) and a brief quiz-chain (everyone brings two questions and you ask them around the circle). Those two examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups require almost no prep and immediately make your session more active.

Q: What is an example of collaborative learning for math-heavy exams?
A strong example of collaborative learning strategy for math is structured problem-solving rounds. One person solves a problem out loud while others note alternative approaches and ask questions at the end. You rotate problem-solvers so everyone practices explaining their reasoning.

Q: How can online groups use these examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups effectively?
Use video calls with screen-sharing, shared documents, and breakout rooms. Run teach-backs with slides, jigsaw by assigning subtopics to different breakout rooms, and quiz-chain using the chat or a shared question bank. The strategies stay the same; the tools just move online.

Q: What are the best examples of collaborative learning strategies for reducing test anxiety?
Quiz-chain and case studies are some of the best examples for test anxiety. Quiz-chain normalizes being wrong and turns recall practice into a game. Case studies help you see how content fits together, which often makes exams feel more predictable and less mysterious.

Q: Are there examples include strategies that work for mixed-skill groups (some strong, some struggling)?
Yes. Teach-back circles and jigsaw methods are great examples of collaborative learning strategies for study groups with mixed levels. Stronger students deepen their understanding by teaching, and struggling students get material explained in multiple ways. Rotating roles also keeps advanced students from dominating every discussion.