Defining Collaboration

COLLABORATION

A Simple Definition (off the top of my head)
Where a group of students/people work together on a shared vision or goal. Each person has certain responsibilities.

Pros & Cons
+students enjoy the opportunity to talk and be with friends in the class
+some students really excel at working with others
+divide the work into smaller components
+distributed leadership in the class

-many students do not like relying on others to do the work
-students have difficulty trusting others to do their job or to produce quality work
-some students dominate and tell others what to do
-some students don't really participate

The Technology Integration Matrix

Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology,
College of Education, University of South Florida © 2011.

Teacher POV
The difficulty I have with collaboration is how to assess collaboration.
Should it be based on roles?
Should it be on the process or the product/outcome?
What if someone does not complete their portion of the work?
What about fairness?


I will admit that these questions and definitions are based on the "old" way to collaborate--having students work inside the classroom without technology. I do have students collaborate through Socratic Circles, Forum Discussions, Jigsaws, etc. I also have tried many applications for student to do their work. I just really want the two ideas--technology and collaboration--to be fused. So, I consulted a few professional reads for more formal definitions:

Dr. Harvey Silver, Ed.d defines collaboration as:
1. helping students increase their sense of responsibility for learning
2.  a focus on metacognition
3. improving their social and interactive skills in a  work situation
4. fostering improved attitudes toward academic achievement, subject matter, and peers 
 Source: Silver, Harvey F., J. Robert Hanson, R. Wilson. Strong, and Patricia B. Schwartz. Teaching Styles and Strategies. 3rd ed. Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ: Thoughtful Education, 2003. Print.

From the National Institute for Science Education
1. opens doors
2. diverse view points
3. challenges students socially and emotionally
4. Assimilate old and new knowledge
5.A framework for meaningful discourse

Education.com
addresses the greater need for Professional Learning Communities so that collaboration can be sustained

NCTE Journal on Collaboration
Comments from the editor rang out to me on so many levels, but ultimately collaboration should
1. be opportunities rather than an enforcement of something
2. authentic
3. "To collaborate is to be human"--Aristotle's Poetics

And off to Tech Cafe for more help...

Is It Worth It?

There were several questions that challenged me in my goal setting meeting today:
1. What does collaboration mean to you?
2. What protocols do you need to set up in order to have students working in and outside of the classroom?
3. What do you think about Facebook? Or other tools to get the students collaborating?
4. Is it worth it?

Needless to say, my meeting was of whirlwind of explanations trying to convey what I think I mean and want from my SMART goal. I knew when I sent my goal setting sheet to Mr. Horsington, that my goal was too large. I think it is because I really like the ISTE standard because of the combined creativity and collaboration component. I felt I needed to justify but also talk this out with him.

The second explanation I felt obligated to address is why I do not do Facebook. I can see how it would work in schools--but I am a skeptic here. I do not like the idea of being so attached and obligated to such social media. Sure, it makes life easier--but for me--it is just one more things to manage. I am not sure I want to give in to this media-peer pressure.

When Mr. Horsington said protocols about how to use the technology, I figured that is where I will ask KP for help. I really have no idea what this really means. In my mind, Mr. Horsington wants me to ensure safety. Our discussion revolved around which grade this would be most appropriate in. Certainly grade 11 because they are are older and we are working in media right now. Grade 10 is an option, however, I feel like it would really just be for peer review. But I feel most comfortable with grade 9. There is also more flexibility in our units. However, are they too young to be using social media? I think not (considering they are all on Facebook!)

I will head to the next Tech Cafe for help.

SMART Goal(s)

S--My overarching goal is to integrate technology + pedagogy in the English classroom. I am specifically interested in collaboration and would like to:
“Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual
understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes”—ISTE standard 1 (http://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/nets-t-standards.pdf?sfvrsn=2)

M—I see this being measurable in 3 ways:
       1) have students collaborate not using collaborative tools and survey them about their
           conceptual understanding
       2) have students collaborate by using collaborative tools and survey them about their
           conceptual understanding
       3) look at scores over time to measure student growth (conceptual understanding)

A—I feel this is attainable as long as I have the year to do this and focus on 1 grade level. I feel at this point I would like to focus on grade 9, but it might be more appropriate for grade 10 (might need some advice here)

R—I feel this is realistic in that it is joining technology pedagogy and best practices. The elements are there, but I want the interaction to be greater and to see why and how it makes a difference.

T—This can be timely in two ways: either I do this throughout the course of the year so that I add in 1 collaborative tool per unit. Or I can ensure that one unit is enhanced with many ways of collaboration and only study this for the duration of the unit (would like some advice here as well)

Establishing Goals

Seeking Support

Prior to my October 5th appointment, I needed to set out and ask some questions regarding technology and pedagogy:
1. What am I trying to do with the technology in my class?
2. What is meant by using technology in the classroom?
3. How do I shift my thinking to be more tech oriented...but really tech-pedagogy oriented?
4. Where can I find really useful sites to help me link technology and learning?
5. How am I going to manage all of this?

So...off I went to see Kelly P. The best thing she mentioned to me was the "Golden Triad" of technology integration: Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication.
I loved this. It seemed like common sense and things I already cared about in the classroom as a learner myself and for my students. Now, again, the integration question. I really needed to see some example to make sure I have the concept of linking the learning and purpose for tech--so I am not just doing another gadgety thing. Here is what KP suggested:

Some possible concepts examples: (Communication 1&2)

1) Critical readers -- understanding writing online?; deciphering audience; understanding types of writing from what you read. what happens when print text is converted to online text?

2) Critical writers-- writing for different audience; different medium-- same topic -- different audience?

3) Collaborators-- writing as a collaborative group-- the right way?? Wiki's? Blogs"

4) Editing- 

5) an Investigation-- how is technology changing the role of English Language classrooms-- how do standards of technology apply? (this is a graduate level work but could be done if guided well) writing their own standards for 10th grade student, etc. 

I was not really sure how I felt about these. What helped was also reading the ISTE.NETS Standards. I particularly liked the idea of standard #1 because of the creativity component.

From this, I combined the ISTE #1 standard with KP's suggestions and came up with my goal. 

Goal Setting

Prior to my goal setting meeting, I was charged with the task of choosing a SMART goal for my professional development this year. I knew I wanted the focus to be related to technology, but I was not really sure exactly what I wanted to get out of it. Up to this point, I have always been open to new programs or applications--such as Prezi, Moodle, Dyknow...However, I (felt) feel like it is just more "stuff" to do rather than it enhancing learning or guiding me to be a higher performing teacher.

So, I challenged myself last year to join our technology team in the planning stages of introducing a 1:1 classroom environment. I read the assigned readings and "how to" course book looking for ideas and methods of how to use technology in the classroom. However, the message that kept coming up over and over again was that our school needed more support in the IT area--nothing was about teacher implementation regarding pedagogy. Where was the teacher in all of this? Where was I in all of this?

I will be the first to admit that I hate technology in the ways of stores, cables, gadgets and hardware; I will always leave that up to the IT department. I am also not willing to be beholden to technology: I do not need to live by my phone, Facebook page (more on that later), or my i-whatever. I also do not have any interest in searching the Web just to search and find new things unless I have a specific purpose. And...I am a people-person. I value authenticity and face-to-face time.The conundrum then is why am I so interested in technology in education?

For starters, I like how it challenges me and makes me think.
     I see the duality in it--creative space in which to learn--or--a passive experience
           I have to admit that I am wowed easily by what students are capable of
                It impacts attitudes toward learning
                      It keeps advancing ideas
                           Streamlines responsibilities
                                Empowerment (at least when the internet is not down)
I will then commit to this goal of using technology in the classroom because of the reasons why I like it--not why I don't.