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)