Do I need these commas in the case below?
I'm debating back and forth on some grammar choices because I can't decide for certain whether the second parts of my sentences are independent clauses since their subjects are in the first parts of the sentences. My gut says to take the commas out, but when I read them aloud I feel like the commas are needed. Do I need the commas that I currently have in the following sentences? (Note: these are both bullet points so there isn't much of a contextual frame for the sentences themselves.)
Online collaborative assignments that provide an opportunity for online and in-person classes to work together, and that enable students in similar courses to connect with one another and build a shared knowledge base.
Contextualized assignments that allow students to apply the skills they are learning to real-world problems, and provide occasions for different departments to work together towards common goals.
Solution 1:
Both of your examples are not actually full sentences. The first example has a subject and two subordinate clauses, but no main verb. Do you want one of the main clauses to become the main verb?
(Online collaborative assignments)SUBJECT (that provide an opportunity for online and in-person classes to work together,)CLAUSE and (that enable students in similar courses to connect with one another and build a shared knowledge base.)CLAUSE.
instead can become
(Online collaborative assignments)SUBJECT (that provide an opportunity for online and in-person classes to work together,)CLAUSE (enable)VERB students in similar courses to connect with one another and build a shared knowledge base.
or
(Online collaborative assignments)SUBJECT (provide)VERB an opportunity for online and in-person classes to work together, and (enable)VERB students in similar courses to connect with one another and build a shared knowledge base.