Higher education faculty are increasingly asked to design learning environments that support not only academic achievement but also belonging, engagement, and student well-being. One instructional lever that directly influences these outcomes is how intentionally instructors structure collaboration. When cooperative learning and experiential activities are paired with strong pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), they can transform classroom culture and foster psychological safety (Hartmuth et al., 2025).
Psychological safety refers to students’ perception that they can contribute, take risks, and express ideas without fear of embarrassment or judgment. Foundational to deep learning, in practice, it emerges when students feel connected to peers, respected by instructors, and confident that mistakes are treated as part of the learning process.
Over a 15-week semester, I conducted a recent mixed-methods study in undergraduate education courses at a private southeastern university. My aim was to explore how structured collaborative learning environments influence students’ perceptions of belonging and psychological safety.
What the Research Shows
Survey and open-ended response data revealed a consistent pattern: students overwhelmingly preferred collaborative learning environments and associated them with greater success, confidence, and engagement.
Key findings included:
Collaboration as the preferred learning environment. Nearly three-quarters of students identified group collaboration as the context in which they learned most effectively. Independent work perceived as less effective. Almost half of respondents reported feeling least successful when working alone. Strong statistical association. Students’ preferences for collaborative learning and their perceptions of successful learning environments demonstrated a substantial relationship. Universal relational outcomes. All respondents reported forming connections and friendships within the course, and students consistently noted looking forward to class sessions.
Qualitative responses triangulated and deepened the picture. Students described the classroom as a safe space, emphasized feeling heard and valued, and connected their learning to peer interaction, applied tasks, and structured collaboration.
Four recurring themes emerged:
Supportive, inclusive classroom environments Relational and structured learning experiences Active, collaborative, applied learning Game-based learning and social brain breaks
Together, these findings highlight a central insight into the vitality of belonging and psychological safety as intentional instructional choices.
Why Pedagogical Content Knowledge Matters
Pedagogical content knowledge is more than knowing what to teach; it involves knowing how to translate disciplinary concepts into accessible, engaging learning experiences (Shulman, 1986; Behling et al., 2022). When instructors intentionally design collaborative structures, they activate PCK in ways that support both cognitive and affective domains.
In the study, experiential learning, cooperative structures, and relationship-building activities created environments where students:
Took interpersonal and academic risks Engaged in authentic dialogue Applied knowledge in real-world contexts Built peer trust and confidence
Students linked these experiences to improved understanding, motivation, and comfort participating in discussions which are hallmarks of psychologically safe classrooms.
Instructional Practices That Foster Psychological Safety
Faculty do not need a full course redesign to begin building psychologically safe learning spaces. The study highlights practical, transferable strategies.
1. Structure Collaboration Intentionally
Developed by Kagan (2021), effective cooperative learning includes:
Positive Interdependence Individual Accountability Simultaneous Interaction
These elements elevate group work into purposeful learning designs that promote accountability and belonging.
2. Embed Experiential and Applied Tasks
Students reported higher engagement when activities connected to authentic contexts, such as:
Scenario-based problem solving
These experiences deepen understanding while reinforcing social connectedness.
3. Build Relational Routines
Psychological safety grows through consistent relationship-building practices:
Morning check-ins or community circles Structured peer feedback Instructor availability and responsiveness
Students repeatedly emphasized feeling known and supported as a key factor in their engagement.
4. Use Game-Based Learning and Social Breaks
Interactive breaks that include trivia, team competitions, and collaborative challenges served as engagement and socializing tools. Students reported that these moments:
Increased comfort participating Strengthened peer relationships
Playful interactions supported both cognitive focus and social bonding.
5. Normalize Risk-Taking and Mistakes
Psychologically safe classrooms frame mistakes as learning opportunities. When instructors model vulnerability, encourage diverse perspectives, and validate student contributions, participation and self-efficacy increases.
Implications for Higher Education Faculty
The findings reinforce a critical shift in instructional design where effective teaching integrates academic rigor with relational pedagogy. Faculty who intentionally incorporate cooperative learning and experiential strategies can:
Increase student motivation and participation Strengthen peer relationships and classroom community Enhance confidence in demonstrating mastery Support social-emotional development alongside content learning
Importantly, psychological safety is a mechanism through which deeper learning occurs.
Moving Forward
Higher education is often structured around lecture-driven instruction and individual performance. This research suggests that students thrive when courses are intentionally designed around collaboration, application, and connection. When pedagogical content is leveraged to build relational, interactive, and supportive learning environments, students experience greater belonging, stronger engagement, an increased willingness to participate, and more meaningful learning.
The message for faculty is clear: the design of classroom interaction is connected to student success. Psychological safety, belonging, and academic achievement are mutually reinforcing outcomes of intentional teaching designs.
Dr. Ana Figueroa is an assistant professor of education and the Co-Coordinator of the Educational Leadership graduate program at the University of Tampa. She teaches courses in the Educational Leadership program and serves as the Lead Instructor for the Education Foundations and Human Exceptionalities courses in the undergraduate program. Her research interests include continuous improvement, differentiated instruction, progress monitoring, teacher mindset, and highly effective instructional strategies. She champions equitable instruction for all learners.
References
Behling, F., Förtsch, C., & Neuhaus, B. J. (2022). The Refined Consensus Model of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK): Detecting Filters between the Realms of PCK. Education Sciences, 12(9), 592. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12090592
Hartmuth, D., Amin, R. M., Schlichting, D., Schött, S., Haudenschild, J., Küchenhoff, H., & Neuhaus, B. J. (2025). Developing science teachers’ enacted pedagogical content knowledge through integration of student feedback into the Refined Consensus Model of pedagogical content knowledge. Cogent Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2470563
Kagan, Spencer, and Miguel Kagan. Kagan Cooperative Learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing, 2021.
Patil, Rajeshwari, Deepali K Raheja, Lakshmi Nair, Amruta Deshpande, and Amit Mittal. “The Power of Psychological Safety: Investigating Its Impact on Team Learning, Team Efficacy, and Team Productivity.” The Open Psychology Journal 16, no. 1 (August 8, 2023). https://doi.org/10.2174/18743501-v16-230727-2023-36.
Robinson, Helena, and Fabian Held. “Psychological Safety in Online Interdisciplinary Student Teams: What Teachers Can Do to Promote an Effective Climate for Knowledge Sharing, Collaboration and Problem-Solving.” Active Learning in Higher Education, September 18, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874241275346.
Shulman, L.S. Those Who Understand: Knowledge Growth in Teaching. Educ. Res. 1986, 15, 4–14.
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