Students collaboratively building a bridge out of books.

Three Hundred: Can Collaborative Learning Ease Student Anxiety?

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Soraya Malik in Mind & Education August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how the 'Trezentos' method fosters empathy, boosts grades, and transforms the classroom into a supportive community."


From the first day of school, children are filled with curiosity and a hunger to learn, constantly asking "why?" But, all too often, this eagerness fades as they progress through their education. Their natural curiosity is suppressed, and the relevance of what they're learning becomes disconnected from their lives and interests.

Many students enter a competitive and counterproductive academic environment where the focus is on individual achievement, often leading to anxiety and a lack of collaboration, solidarity, and empathy. This "every person for themselves" attitude creates a stressful learning environment.

Imagine entering university with a shaky academic background, only to be met with an unsupportive environment where professors aren't understanding of knowledge gaps. Coupled with isolation and test anxiety, students lose hope, hearing the disheartening message: "This course isn't for everyone!" To combat this, the Trezentos method was created in 2013 to encourage collaboration, guiding students to support one another through their learning challenges.

The Trezentos Method: Fostering Collaboration and Empathy

Students collaboratively building a bridge out of books.

The Trezentos method was initially designed for Calculus 1, a course notorious for high failure rates among first-year engineering and science students. However, its success has led to its adoption in various fields like Physiotherapy, Psychology, Medicine, and Law, and even in high schools. When implemented in a Calculus 1 class of 135 students, the pass rate jumped from 50% to 85%, eventually reaching 95% in subsequent semesters. More importantly, 90% of students felt that collaborative learning through Trezentos reduced test anxiety.

This innovative approach focuses on promoting teamwork by creating groups based on student performance. Each group includes high-achieving students ('helpers') and those who need more support ('helped'). Those being helped are given a chance to re-do a test after meeting specific goals set by the instructor. While helpers don't retake the test, their grades improve based on how well the students they assist perform and the level of support they provided.

  • Mandatory Group Meetings: At least two in-person meetings with all group members, each lasting a minimum of two hours.
  • Assigned Exercises: Completion of exercise lists provided by the instructor.
  • Reviewing Past Assessments: Working through previous tests and quizzes together.
  • Peer-Created Assessments: Completion of a practice test developed by the group leader (the student with the highest grade).
To assess the level of support provided by the helpers, a questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale (from 1 = 'helped not at all' to 5 = 'helped a lot') is used. Helpers evaluate the students they assisted, and their final support score is calculated based on the average of these evaluations. After each assessment, groups are reorganized, and new goals are established. This rotation ensures that students who were previously helped have the chance to become helpers, creating a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.

A Shift in Perspective

The study's findings reveal a significant shift in students' perceptions. An overwhelming majority (85%) believe group meetings offer valuable study opportunities, and 89% enjoy being part of different groups for each assessment. Even more telling, 99% of students feel good when someone they helped improves their grade, and 97% appreciate the method used to improve scores.

While 11% of students initially felt uncomfortable in groups without close friends, this is a natural reaction. As Rogers' principles of learning suggest, anything that challenges our self-organization can be threatening and cause resistance. However, the Trezentos method emphasizes the importance of genuine connections and acceptance among students, mirroring the complexities of human relationships.

Ultimately, the Trezentos method has demonstrated its potential to create a more supportive, collaborative, and humanized learning environment. Despite being initially designed for engineering, its principles can be applied across disciplines and educational levels, fostering empathy and a deeper connection between students and their learning journey.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1590/0104-4060.46800, Alternate LINK

Title: Trezentos: A Dimensão Humana Do Método

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Educar em Revista

Publisher: FapUNIFESP (SciELO)

Authors: Ricardo Ramos Fragelli, Thaís Branquinho Oliveira Fragelli

Published: 2017-03-01

Everything You Need To Know

1

What is the Trezentos method and what are its primary goals?

The Trezentos method is a collaborative learning approach designed to foster empathy, reduce student anxiety, and improve academic performance. It involves grouping students with varying performance levels together to support one another through structured activities like group meetings, assigned exercises, reviewing past assessments, and creating practice tests.

2

How does the Trezentos method specifically address and reduce student anxiety in academic settings?

The Trezentos method directly addresses student anxiety by creating a supportive learning community where students work together to overcome challenges. By fostering collaboration and empathy, students feel less isolated and more supported, which reduces the stress associated with individual academic performance. This is evident as 90% of students felt that collaborative learning through Trezentos reduced test anxiety.

3

How are student groups structured and what roles do 'helpers' and 'helped' students play within the Trezentos method?

In the Trezentos method, student groups are formed with a mix of high-achieving students, known as 'helpers', and those who require additional support, referred to as 'helped'. The 'helped' students have the opportunity to re-do a test after meeting specific goals set by the instructor, while the 'helpers' grades improve based on the performance of those they assist and the level of support they provide, assessed through questionnaires.

4

What are the key activities and requirements that students must engage in when participating in the Trezentos method?

The Trezentos method emphasizes several key activities to promote collaboration and support. These include mandatory in-person group meetings, completion of assigned exercises, reviewing past assessments together, and creating peer-developed practice tests. These activities ensure structured interaction and mutual support among group members.

5

In what subjects or fields has the Trezentos method been successfully implemented, and where did it originate?

The Trezentos method was initially implemented in Calculus 1, a course known for high failure rates. Its success led to its adoption in other fields such as Physiotherapy, Psychology, Medicine, Law, and even high schools. This expansion demonstrates the versatility and broad applicability of the Trezentos method in various educational settings.

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