This presentation investigates the benefits and challenges of a collaborative learning (CL) model implemented within a music and movement course in higher education in Macau, China. CL is an educational approach that involves groups of learners working collaboratively to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a project (Laal & Laal, 2012). This university-level music and movement course is structured to promote collaborative learning through small group creative projects and group demonstrations. In addition to the musical and pedagogical skillsets, this course aims at developing students’ 21^st century learning skills: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creative thinking. Research has shown that East Asian students usually tend to learn passively yet low participation is found to be only confined to classrooms as students are generally talkative outside the classroom (Tani, 2005). To engage students through active learning and experience (Dewey, 1938), a pre and post-survey were employed to obtain students’ feedback on collaborative learning. Participants (n=71) were non-music major students enrolled in this music and movement course. Results revealed that the benefit of the CL encourages the 4Cs of 21^st century skills, self-management, leadership skills, knowledge acquisition, social interaction, and so on. Yet, there are also challenges and barriers to implement this model in a classroom where passive learning is ingrained in the culture (Tani, 2005). It is to recommend collaborative learning model to be used more often as a pedagogic innovation to transform the current learning culture in the higher education in East Asia.