P ac ice Pape
Recommended ci a ion: Agga wal, A., & Ba y, K. (2025). A Re lec i e
Collabo a ion Model o Fos e Inclusi e Dialogue o Collabo a i e Lea ning. In
Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Jä inen, H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53 d Annual
Con e ence. Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI), Tampe e,
Finland. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17631678.
This Con e ence Pape is b ough o you o open access by he 53 d Annual Con e ence
o he Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI) a Tampe e Uni e si y in
Tampe e, Finland. This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion-NonComme cial-Sha e Alike 4.0 In e na ional License.
(4 spaces)
A REFLECTIVE COLLABORATION MODEL TO FOSTER INCLUSIVE
DIALOGUE FOR COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
Annie Agga wal a,1, Ka ie Ba y b
(1 space)
a Educa ion and S uden A ai s, Uni e si y o Technology, Del , Ne he lands, 0000-
0001-6302-2862
b Teaching and Lea ning Se ices, Uni e si y o Technology, Del , Ne he lands
(2 spaces)
Con e ence Key A eas: Di e si y, equi y and inclusion in ou uni e si ies and in ou
eaching; Enginee ing skills, p o essional skills, and ans e sal skills
Keywo ds: Re lec ion, Dialogue, Collabo a i e Lea ning, Inclusion
ABSTRACT
Collabo a ion is a i al skill o u u e enginee s and esea che s, ye na iga ing
di e se class ooms can be challenging. Highe Enginee ing Educa ion (HEE) o e s
nume ous oppo uni ies o collabo a i e lea ning, o en h ough eamwo k o o he
p ojec o cou se- ela ed in e ac ions. Howe e , un esol ed con lic s due o
di e ences in mo i a ion, expec a ions, o cul u al aspec s can hinde lea ning.
The Re lec i e Collabo a ion (RC) model was de eloped o acili a e inclusi e
dialogue and p omo e e ec i e collabo a ion. I emphasizes h ee key a eas: sel -
e lec ion o au hen ici y, e lexi i y in ela ion o o he s, and collec i e dialogue o
os e connec i i y. The model se es as a p ac ical amewo k o posing e lec i e
ques ions o guide discussions and sca old collabo a i e lea ning in HEE con ex s.
Applica ions ange om mul i-s akeholde wo kshops on inclusion o p ojec -based
cou ses and o ma i e eedback h ough e lec i e dialogue. The pape highligh s
s uden -cen e ed ac i i ies and he ole o educa o s as media o s in acili a ing
o ma i e assessmen o collabo a ion. I also highligh s he need o in eg a ing
collabo a i e lea ning wi hin cu icula by p o iding su icien ime and space o
e lec i e dialogue.
By s uc u ing e lec i e discussions, he RC amewo k suppo s skills de elopmen
o inclusi e collabo a ion. Ins ead o ocusing solely on heo e ical ins uc ion, i
p omo es expe ien ial lea ning, encou aging s uden s o engage in meaning ul and
media ed dialogue o enhance hei collabo a i e abili ies.
1 Co esponding Au ho
A. Agga wal
[email p o ec ed]
1 COLLABORATIVE LEARNING IN HIGHER ENGINEERING EDUCATION
Collabo a i e lea ning is a s a egy whe e s uden s lea n oge he and om each
o he (Kilpa ick e al., 2003; Laal & Ghodsi, 2012; Sal iel & Reynolds, 2001).
Common app oaches include g oup wo k, challenge-based, p oblem-based, and
communi y-based lea ning. O he in e - o ansdisciplina y cou ses, ac oss acul ies
and wi h communi ies, o oppo uni ies o engage in discussions du ing pee -lea ning
sessions also o e scope o collabo a i e lea ning when app op ia ely suppo ed.
As global challenges become inc easingly complex and he numbe o wicked
p oblems g ow (Lönng en and S ans öm 2015; Yea wo h 2015), he In e na ional
Cen e o Enginee ing Educa ion and UNESCO (2021) highligh he need o
enginee s o conside en i onmen al, e hical, and socie al impac s in de eloping
sus ainable solu ions. These global solu ions equi e u u e p o essionals, including
enginee s, o wo k oge he ac oss disciplines, na ionali ies, and gene a ions.
Subsequen ly, collabo a ion is becoming an inc easingly essen ial skill o enginee s
who ind hemsel es wo king in globalized, mul idisciplina y eams (Kossiako e al.,
2011). And in alignmen , Indus y 4.0 demands skills in eamwo k, communica ion,
p oblem-sol ing, and p oac i i y (Jeschke, 2016).
Collabo a ion in educa ion se es as bo h an essen ial lea ning objec i e and a way
o lea ning (E ans, 2020). As a way o lea ning, in e ac ion os e s engagemen ,
ocus, and c i ical hinking (Johnson & Johnson, 1999; P ince, 2004). I enhances
s uden mo i a ion, cogni i e pe o mance, me acogni ion, and social ela ionships
(Kuma , 2017; Wu & Huang, 2010). Fu he mo e, pee lea ning p omo es well-being
by coun e ing s uden isola ion (H as inski, 2008; Van Den Be gh, 2022).
As is e iden , he e a e se e al a enues and ad an ages o embedding collabo a i e
lea ning in he HEE cu iculum. Ye as class ooms and uni e si ies g ow mo e and
mo e di e se, he e a e also many mo e di e ences o na iga e.
The nex sec ion e iews di e si y and inclusion expe iences in HEE, ollowed by
de ails o he Re lec i e Collabo a i e (RC) Model and i s applica ion in os e ing
e lec i e and inclusi e dialogue wi hin he cu iculum. The scope o li elong lea ning
and skills de elopmen o s uden s and educa o s is discussed u he .
2 CONTEXT AND REFLECTIVE COLLABORATION MODEL
2.1 Di e si y and Inclusion in HEE
HEE ins i u ions comp ise a globalized people who a e di e se along se e al axes o
pe sonal iden i ies, social s uc u es, and sys emic (dis)ad an ages. While he HEE
landscape is becoming mo e di e se, e o s and suppo o equi y and inclusion a e
s ill lacking. Se e ely impac ing s uden and educa o expe iences, and he quali y o
esea ch and inno a ion (C addock, 2024; Ha des y, 2018; Ba y, 2021).
Fu he mo e, adi ional equi y esea ch disagg ega es s uden popula ions
acco ding o designa ed ca ego ies (gende , ace, social class, i s language, i s -in-
amily s a us), a p ocess o ‘dissol ing people’s iden i y in o b oad, unchanging
classi ica ions’ and which aligns wi h a da a-d i en pe o mance cul u e in
uni e si ies (Naylo , Coa es, & Kelly, 2016, p. 269). The b oad, unchanging
classi ica ions may ail o ep esen and subsequen ly include unique and
in e sec ional iden i ies. Collabo a ions ake place amongs indi iduals wi h social,
cul u al, and academic di e ences alongside s eng hs, s e eo ypes, biases, and
p ejudices. O en su ounded by sys ems ha se e he no m, wi h se e ely lacking
co ec i e e o s. This may lea e many HEE membe s (s uden s, eache s, and
s a ) being and eeling excluded, and acing se e al disad an ages.
S uden expe iences in p ac ice ange om a lack o mo i a ion, whe ein many “ ind
hemsel es o ced o wo k in g oups” when hey eel limi ed membe ship, due o
language ba ie s o skewed “gende a ios o one in 15”, o “ iends being
sepa a ed”. G oups migh also s uggle wi h unequal dis ibu ion o con ibu ion,
which migh lead o ‘ ee ide ’ (Hall & Buzwell, 2012) beha iou in eams. Some
migh e en miss he oppo uni y o collabo a i e lea ning, when s uden s di ide up
he p ojec in o pa s o b ie ly in eg a e hese be o e submission, ha dly engaging in
discussion o dialogue. Mo eo e , di e se g oups o en ace di icul con lic s due o
di e ences in communica ion s yles, ways o wo king, doing, o hinking. And
di e ences in p e-exis ing knowledge and speed o comp ehension can be
ulne able aspec s wi hin s uden g oups. Poo collabo a i e expe iences se e ely
impac s uden s’ pe sonal expe ience in e ms o hei sense o belonging and
mo i a ion, ine i ably a ec ing hei academic de elopmen (Nichols & S ahl, 2019).
O en imes, skills o e lec ion and dialogue migh be seen as ‘so ’ skills in many
HEE acul ies, ou side he scope and bounds o he eache / esea che in STEM.
Though many challenges wi hin collabo a ion a e owed o poo and lacking
communica ion and dialogue. The e is also li le esea ch on how o os e his
dialogue, owing o i s ans e able na u e and di icul y in compiling i s measu able
c i e ia owa ds angible lea ning ou comes. Subsequen ly, educa o s ace di icul ies
in add essing con lic s o e di e ences, assessing indi idual con ibu ions, o
shaping app op ia e collabo a i e lea ning ac i i ies. Mo eo e , guidance and
assessmen o collabo a ion equi e addi ional e o and expe ise. Especially in
highe educa ion o STEM, he p edominan ocus on disciplina y knowledge lea es
li le o no space o coaching, e lec ion, o collabo a i e exchange. Hampe ing he
lea ning p ocess o s uden s and eache s alike. Communica ion and skills o
inclusion a e no only essen ial o s uden s o de elop; hese a e equally impo an
o educa o s and o he HEE s a as well. The pu sui o inclusion is ongoing, and so
is he de elopmen o skills o collabo a ion. Whe e one con inuously lea ns o be
inclusi e in e e y new si ua ion, wi h e e y new pe son, g oup, o gene a ion. In ha
sense, collabo a i e lea ning oppo uni ies mus ex end o s uden -educa o
collabo a ions and a collabo a i e eaching eam.
2.2 Re lec i e Collabo a ion o Inclusion
Collabo a i e lea ning, when suppo ed by e lec ion and dialogue, enables space
and unde s anding o indi idual expe iences. Embedding e lec i e dialogue wi hin
lea ning lines and ac i i ies can enable skills o lea ning in di e se communi ies,
de elopmen o inclusi e a i udes, and add essing a ious lea ning needs. A
Re lec i e Collabo a ion (RC) model is de eloped o guide e lec ion and dialogue o
collabo a i e lea ning. The model e e s o he socio-cons uc i ism heo y o
lea ning, which ames lea ning as a social p ocess ha occu s wi h o he s in a
speci ic con ex (Vygo sky, 1978). Addi ionally, e lec ion is iden i ied as an in eg al
pa o he lea ning cycle as i signi ican ly impac s he de elopmen o in-dep h
knowledge and building social connec ions (Kolb, 1984). Speci ic o enginee ing
educa ion, Mello & Wa e (2021) desc ibe he signi icance o e lec ion o he
de elopmen o ans e able skills. The RC model d aws upon he a ious ace s o
sel - e lec ion o de elop awa eness o au hen ic engagemen wi h lea ne s
(C an on and Ca use a, 2004) and u he expands upon he concep s o
Au hen ici y, Re lexi i y, and Connec i i y in he con ex o collabo a ion. As a
p ac ical guide, he model ou lines h ee o ms o e lec ion: on sel , on and in
ela ion o o he s, and oge he . Au hen ici y is a he co e o e lec ion. I is essen ial
o de elop in an en i onmen wi h a di e se popula ion o cul u es, ages, o
pe sonali ies, whe e a lea ne can lose hei sense o sel . I is one hing o be
di e se (wo k wi h a g oup o people who ep esen a ich a ia ion o sel es) bu
ano he o be inclusi e. Re lexi i y in he o m o e lec ion on he in e play be ween
lea ne s and he en i onmen ha su ounds hem can allow all lea ne s o ha e he
oppo uni y o pa icipa e ully and wholly connec wi h he lea ning p ocess. In a
global landscape becoming inc easingly compe i i e and pola ised, he ea o no
succeeding, he lack o con lic managemen o nego ia ion skills, de imen ally a ec
bo h s uden s and educa o s. Fos e ing Connec i i y h ough collec i e e lec ion can
p omo e ca e o sel , o he s, and he en i onmen .
Au hen ici y o engagemen | Who am I? | Wha ha e I lea n ?
Au hen ici y e e s o de eloping an awa eness o onesel . The sense o sel e ol es
wi h expe ience and comp ises many laye s, om ecognizing ou endencies in
speci ic g oups o de eloping communica ion s yles o unde s anding iden i y
aspec s. One’s conscious and unconscious s anda ds, alues, con ic ions, biases,
p i ileges, and expe iences a ec he way one looks a and in e p e s he wo ld. I
also di ec ly a ec s how one expe iences in e ac ions and lea ning. Awa eness o
one’s lea ning s a egies, beha iou s, a i udes, alues, ambi ions, pe sonal a ge s,
and mo i a ion enables one o ake esponsibili y and show owne ship o hei
lea ning (He msen e al., 2023). When awa eness is consciously os e ed owa ds
de elopmen , i can enable au hen ici y ha is ongoing and ans o ma i e, as people
( e) o m and ( e)shape hei sense o sel , hey na u ally ques ion hose alues and
assump ions hey had p e iously unc i ically assimila ed (C an on, 2006). C i ical
e lec ion can, u he mo e, os e au hen ic ela ionships when di ec ed owa ds he
na u e, quali y, and eelings owa ds he ela ionships and in e ac ions wi hin he
g oup and socie y. Momen s o sel - e lec ion o guide one’s lea ning jou ney and
egula ly examining alues, goals, and assump ions in ligh o ongoing in e ac ions
can enable indi iduals o engage wi h o he s om an au hen ic place, wi h he goal
o lea ning.
Re lexi i y as a eam membe | How do I impac o he s and ice e sa?
Re lexi i y e e s o being able o examine one’s eelings, eac ions, and mo i es, i.e,
easons o ac ing and how his in luences wha hey do o hink in a si ua ion. In he
con ex o esea ch, e lexi i y commonly e e s o he examina ion o one's own
belie s, judgmen s, and p ac ices du ing he esea ch p ocess and how hese may
ha e in luenced he esea ch (Finlay, 1998). The esea ch p ocess is ne e neu al,
and e lexi i y challenges he assump ion ha he esea che can s udy social eali y
objec i ely (Palaganas e al., 2017). Re lexi i y in he con ex o Re lec i e
Collabo a ion is e e ed o as examining one’s impac on o he s, and how o he s
impac ou own sel . While e lexi i y is well esea ched in e ms o examining he
esea che ’s impac on hei esea ch, esea ch emains se e ely limi ed on
e lexi i y in he con ex o ou social ela ions and dynamics ha in a iably a ec
esea ch collabo a ions. Ou belie s, alues, a i udes, beha iou , ac ions, and wo ds
impac o he s when we wo k o lea n oge he , and ice e sa. Building social
e lexi i y can enable indi iduals o build unde s anding, alue, and espec o one
ano he . In p ac ice, lea ne s migh egula ly conside and e lec upon how hei own
posi ionali y a ec s o he lea ne s, communi ies, o socie ies, and how hese in u n
a ec hei iews, belie s, and pe spec i es.
Connec i i y as a eam | How do we and should we wo k oge he ?
Connec i i y o Collabo a i e Lea ning is cha ac e ized by an inclusi e and
cons uc i e clima e wi hin a eam; de e mined by he space and quali y o eam
dialogue and e lec ion ha lea ne s engage in oge he . Connec i i y wi hin eams
can no only suppo e ec i e and success ul eamwo k ou comes, bu i also
enables a sense o belonging and connec ion amongs indi iduals, o collec i e
lea ning and g ow h. Much o he esea ch ca ied ou on e lec ion in he pas
decades mainly ocused on indi idual e lec ion and has no su icien ly conside ed
he ac ha e lec ion o en happens amongs se e al people in a g oup (Boud,
2006; Boud & Falchiko , 2006). Some a en ion has been d awn o g oup e lec ion,
such as sensemaking and collec i e mind (C ows on & Kamme e , 1998; Weick,
1995), which aim a collabo a i ely eaching an unde s anding o pas e en s bu do
no ha e he s ong ocus on de i ing insigh s o u u e wo k ha e lec ion has.
Thus, he e is a need o highligh he impo ance o collabo a i e e lec ion and he
impac i can ha e in he long e m. Wi h his ype o e lec ion, membe s mus make
expe iences explici , sha e hem wi h each o he , and discuss hem o gain insigh s
o change in u u e wo k (Dyke, 2006). Collabo a i e e lec ion can enable a g oup
o come up wi h insigh s going beyond indi idual esul s (Hoy up, 2004; Wege i e
al., 1999). I done p ope ly, i also enables pa icipan s o change hei wo k and i s
coo dina ion (Hoy up, 2004; K ogs ie e al., 2013).
3 APPLICTIONS AND RESULTS
In eg a ed wi hin di e en o ms o collabo a i e lea ning, ei he eamwo k o p ojec -
based, o communi y-based lea ning, he model can enable educa o s o ame
ques ions and shape pe sonalised lea ning ac i i ies a ound essen ial hemes o
collabo a ion. Subsequen ly, o e ing a sca old o s uden in e ac ions wi hin eams,
p ojec g oups, o men o p og ammes. When app op ia ely suppo ed, e lec ion and
dialogue can enable he de elopmen o inclusi e beha iou s o communica ion,
collabo a ion, con lic handling, and leade ship as well as a i udes o suppo
iabili y, us , openness, and cohesion along di e en eam de elopmen phases as
desc ibed by Delice e . al. (2019). The amewo k can be applied in a a ie y o
con ex s in highe enginee ing educa ion o guide dialogue amongs s uden s,
educa o s, o s uden -educa o g oups. The RC model can p o ide guidance o
e lec i e dialogue du ing di e en eam de elopmen s ages o o ming, s o ming,
no ming, and pe o ming (Tuckman & Jensen, 1977). F om ge ing o know each
o he wi hin a eam, especially a he beginning phases when eams a e newly
o med, o new eam membe s join, and o main aining eam dynamics, o esol ing
con lic s. The b oade ques ions p esen ed in Table 1 can be b oken down as pe
ele ance a he gi en s age o eam de elopmen . Fo ins ance, a he beginning,
he “Who am I” ques ion migh be di ec ed owa ds pe sonali y ypes, skills, eam
oles, communica ion s yles, o iden i y aspec s. Re lec i e ques ions associa ed wi h
he dynamics can be di ec ed owa ds he p ojec (/ eam) wo k, eam clima e, o
con lic handling.
Table 1. Re lec i e Collabo a ion – Ques ions a he beginning & o keep ack.
Sel - e lec ion ques ions
(Au hen ici y)
Pee exchange
(Fo e lexi i y)
As a eam
(Fo connec i i y and
ou comes)
A he beginning: Dialogue o s a ing o on he igh no e
Who am I?
How do you ela e wi h each
o he ?
Who a e you as a eam?
Sel - e lec ion ques ions
(Au hen ici y)
Pee exchange
(Fo e lexi i y)
As a eam
(Fo connec i i y and
ou comes)
G oup dynamics: Discuss a leas once mid-way o be o e, i no mo e.
How do I con ibu e
wi hin he eam?
How do o he s con ibu e?
How do we impac each o he ?
How migh we con inue?
Wha migh we imp o e?
I is impo an o conside including explici and speci ic lea ning objec i es ela ed o
collabo a ion o collabo a i e lea ning. These may include speci ic skills and
compe encies o collabo a ion, such as iden i ying s eng hs in he eam, gi ing o
ecei ing eedback, o handling con lic s o collabo a ion; o speci ic o collabo a i e
lea ning, such as exchange o knowledge and de i ing solu ions oge he , o being
able o de elop an a gumen and eason wi h pee s. Well-de ined lea ning objec i es
can help shape app op ia e lea ning ac i i ies and cla i y he in en o including
speci ic collabo a i e ac i i ies wi hin he cou se o s uden s. Cons uc i e alignmen
(Spel e al., 2014) also speci ies assessmen o objec i es and ac i i ies o lea ning.
In he con ex o collabo a ion, momen s o o ma i e assessmen using e lec i e
ques ions can encou age he de elopmen o pee exchange and g oup dialogue
and suppo Re lec i e Collabo a ion wi hin eams. The model suppo s he
de elopmen o collabo a i e lea ning ac i i ies and o ma i e assessmen by posing
app op ia e ques ions o e lec ion co esponding o each componen o he model,
namely, sel - e lec ion, pee exchange, and ques ions o he eam o espond o as a
collec i e. Table 1a in he Appendix p o ides examples o speci ic e lec ion
ques ions.
In one case, he model was applied o an ac i i y o second-yea BSc s uden s a
a Du ch STEM uni e si y o o m p ojec g oups based on eam oles and skills.
Be o e an in-class session, s uden s no ed down 3-4 echnical skills hey
possess, and h ough a psychome ic es (S a is ical “Which Cha ac e ”
Pe sonali y Quiz, n.d.), disco e ed he dis ibu ion be ween hei ac i e, social,
and hinking-o ien ed ai s (au hen ici y). Du ing he in-class session, be o e he
cou se, s uden s e lec ed and exchanged hei skills and eam oles wi h pee s o
o m eams hemsel es ( e lexi i y). The session ended wi h each eam
p esen ing hei en a i e p ojec goals, s akeholde ques ions o sus ainabili y
alues, and how hey dis ibu e and migh balance hei skills and eam oles
wi hin he eam (connec i i y). The eams also add essed ques ions om p ojec
coaches, and o p ojec coo dina o s in some o he cases.
In eg a ing he model wi hin s uden -cen ed and opic- ela ed ac i i ies can p omo e
engagemen and mo i a ion, while o e ing space o e lec ion and dialogue. The
sel - e lec ion ques ions can be sha ed ei he as a b ie , and possibly un, homewo k
ac i i y o in eg a ed wi hin an in-class session, cen ed a ound hands-on ac i i ies o
p ojec opics. The ollowing ac i i ies aim o make e lec ion and dialogue mo e
angible and expe ien ial o s uden s.
Du ing an ac i i y cen ed a ound ge ing o know eam membe s based on
pe sonali y p o iles be o e se ing up eam ag eemen s, Elec ical Enginee ing
BSc. s uden s c ea ed a eam logo using LEDs. The LED colou s
co esponded o speci ic DiSC pe sonali y p o iles (The DISC S yles, n.d.),
which s uden s picked based on who hey a e likely o be in di e en
collabo a i e si ua ions, such as he nigh be o e a p esen a ion, o in e ms o
ecei ing ins uc ions, o as a leade . The ac i i y enabled s uden s o e lec
on hei pe sonali y s yles and sha e wi h eam membe s who hey a e, and
whe e hey migh be coming om be o e making collec i e ag eemen s o
hei upcoming p ojec wo k.
The model migh be applied o os e knowledge-based collabo a i e lea ning o he
con en and collabo a i e p ojec wo k in gene al. When all membe s i s sel - e lec
in e ms o unde s anding, aming hei pe spec i es and ideas o answe s, o
ga he ing knowledge on dis inc opics, ollowed by exchanging and unde s anding
hese wi h he g oup, and las ly, come o a collec i e unde s anding, solu ion, o
s a egy o in eg a ion.
As was he case o second yea BSc. s uden s wi hin p ojec g oups, whe ein
membe s a ended di e en mas e classes o i s unde s and he opic in-
dep h o hemsel es and subsequen ly exchanged knowledge wi hin he
g oup o in eg a e he de elopmen o an Elec ical Enginee ing design
p ojec .
Collabo a ion and collabo a i e lea ning a e o en e alua ed based on p ojec
ou comes, sel - e lec ions, eam epo s, po olios, o p esen a ions. Regula sel -
e lec ion o pee e iew (using ools such as BuddyCheck) can enable s uden s o
ack he con ibu ion owa ds he p ojec (in e ms o ideas, knowledge, and wo k) o
owa ds eam dynamics (in e ms o os e ing a cons uc i e clima e o add essing
con lic s). Momen s o o ma i e exchange and discussion o eedback using
e lec ion ques ions can enable s uden s o manage and imp o e eam dynamics,
de elop communica ion skills o add ess g oup dynamics hemsel es, and also help
alle ia e educa o s om he esponsibili y o managing con lic s o s uden s.
P o iding engaging oppo uni ies o in-class dialogue using ques ions such as “how
a e we doing as a eam, and how migh we imp o e” can also os e iche e lec ion
o connec i i y. A o ma i e app oach can p e en ha ing o objec i ely assess
pe sonal skills de elopmen , which is a mo e e lec i e and expe ien ial p ocess
anyway, app op ia ely aided by collec i e dialogue.
4 DISCUSSION:
Sel - e lec ion and exchange enable le e aging di e si y in e ms o unique
expe iences, and a ibu ing alue o each one in any g oup. Fu he mo e,
collec i ely e lec ing and e aming di e ences as s eng hs in a g oup can enable
connec i i y and inclusi e collabo a ion. Inequi y, exclusion, and di e ences no only
hinde collabo a i e wo k and dynamics amongs s uden g oups, bu hey also
plague supe iso -s uden collabo a ions and educa o -s a engagemen s wi hin
HEE. The Re lec i e Collabo a ion model p o ides a p ac ical amewo k o os e
inclusi e dialogue ac oss di e en collabo a i e p ocesses and con ex s. To uly
le e age he po en ial o collabo a i e lea ning, i is essen ial o sys emically
in eg a e di e en s akeholde collabo a ions wi hin HEE, o ien o onboa d g oups,
and acili a e ongoing e lec ion wi h he p esence o a coach o media o .
O en imes, collabo a i e lea ning ac i i ies wi hin HEE a e inco po a ed in an ad hoc
manne o insu icien ly de eloped as sho du a ions o eamwo k, o i he
cons ain s o a igid cu iculum and a p edominan ly indi idual lea ning jou ney.
App op ia e and imely in eg a ion o collabo a i e/ lea ning objec i es, ac i i ies, and
eedback momen s wi hin p og amme lea ning lines, cou ses, and p ojec s can
ensu e ha quali y ime and space a e dedica ed o collabo a ion and mas e ing
skills o i .
O ien ing eams o inclusion be o e emba king on a p ojec o any kind o eamwo k
is essen ial. P o iding indi iduals in a g oup he oppo uni y o ge o know each
o he , build us , discuss sha ed alues and no ms, align expec a ions, and make
ag eemen s can enable eams o s a on he igh no e. Well-in eg a ed momen s o
o ien a ion suppo ed wi h e lec i e dialogue can help se he one o engagemen
and inclusion wi hin cou ses o job se ings, o s uden s, educa o s, and s a alike.
Ongoing e lec ion is essen ial o lea ning, speci ically in he con ex o skills
de elopmen , and encou aging an inclusi e a i ude. In his sense, a one- ime
assessmen based on a sel - e lec ion essay, a g ade, o a pass/ ail is o li le use.
Since he essence o e lec ion ( o skills de elopmen and imp o emen ) lies in he
ongoing dialogue wi h sel and o he s, as one e o ms hei sense o sel , and hei
subsequen beha iou s and ac ions. Sca olding collabo a i e dialogue and
deli e ables wi h app op ia e e lec i e ques ions can enable s uden s and eache s
o os e sel -awa eness and iche eam dynamics o collabo a i e and inclusi e
skills de elopmen .
An HEE educa o , s uden men o , o eaching assis an aking he ole o a coach
and media o du ing o ien a ion and eedback momen s can ensu e inclusi e pee
exchange and cons uc i e dialogue. Fo ins ance, c ea ing a sa e space o lis ening
and sha ing, o se ing in e ac ion no ms. The p esence o a media o can also help
enable unde s anding amongs s uden s, by asking open and e lec i e ques ions, o
add ess speci ic si ua ions, o keeping someone who can speak endlessly in check,
and ge ing e e yone o sha e. S uden s migh eel ulne able when sha ing aspec s
such as pe sonal ai s, s eng hs, weaknesses, o in-p og ess ideas o hough s.
Educa o s can play an impo an ole in encou aging s uden s o sha e by modelling
beha iou and sha ing abou hemsel es oo. Engaging in e lec i e g oup dialogue
wi h s uden s also enables educa o s o c ea e a space o lea ning and making
mis akes o hemsel es. Enabling and pa icipa ing in dialogue and e lec ion also
se e educa o s’ li elong lea ning and skills de elopmen , o inclusion and
collabo a ion.
5 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
The e is a g owing ele ance o skills o collabo a ion and de eloping an inclusi e
mindse , owa ds sus ainabili y de elopmen goals, and wi hin highe enginee ing
educa ion o app op ia ely equip u u e p o essional enginee s. Homogeneous
pe spec i es wi hin academia ha e le and can con inue lea ing gaping holes in
inno a ion and esea ch. In wo s cases, des uc i e beha iou and exclusiona y
a i udes may lea e s uden s o educa o s eeling excluded, impac ing hei wellbeing
and mo i a ion. The e is an u gen need wi hin HEE o ep esen a ion and inclusion
o di e si y o in o m and shape esea ch and inno a ion app op ia ely. While slowly
bu su ely, class ooms a e ge ing mo e and mo e di e se, he e a e s ill gaps and
limi a ions ela ed o compe encies, skills, and spaces o bo h educa o s and s uden s
when i comes o collabo a ing and lea ning oge he and om each o he . (C i ical)
Re lec ion, communica ion, and dialogue a e essen ial skills o na iga e di e ences
and de elop inclusi e a i udes. As a guide o os e inclusi e and au hen ic
engagemen amongs lea ne s, he Re lec i e Collabo a ion model desc ibes he
essence o sel - e lec ion o enable Au hen ici y, e lec ion on and in ela ion o o he s
o p omo e Re lexi i y, and collec i e e lec ion o os e Connec i i y. Sys emic
in eg a ion and p esence o a media o can c ea e app op ia e spaces o Re lec i e
Collabo a ion. Sel - e lec ion, exchange, and collec i e dialogue a he beginning, and
egula ly h ough cou ses o p ojec s, can os e inclusi e a i udes and skills
de elopmen o collabo a i e lea ning amongs HEE s uden s, educa o s, and s a .
