Collaboration

EdLeader21 defines collaboration as...

  • Collaborate with others.

  • Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams.

  • Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal.

  • Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member.

  • Work productively in teams for sustained periods of time to develop high-quality products.

The EdLeader21 collaboration rubrics take their definition and breaks it down into the following performance areas for grades 7/8 and grades 11/12 at levels 1-4:

    • Leadership & Initiative

    • Cooperation

    • Flexibility

    • Responsibility & Productivity

    • Use of Tech Tools for Synchronous and Asynchronous Collaboration

    • Responsiveness

    • Self Regulation & Reflection

Reflection & Ideas

As you reflect on your own curriculum...

What opportunities do you give your students to work collaboratively?

Collaboration is many times associated with group projects however, it does not always require a group project. Any time students are given the opportunity to share ideas or feedback with others they are collaborating.

How is collaboration taught or modeled in your classroom?

Many studies have shown that just putting students in groups does not ensure effective collaboration; collaboration skills need to be explicitly taught and/or modeled. Effective collaboration requires students to improve their "people skills" including active listening, respect, manners, positive attitude, focus, and social awareness. Try using role play, modeling, and reflective discussion to help students improve these skills.

How are groups decided?

There is some conflicting research about the best way to choose groups for projects however, it may be best to vary your method for choosing groups to give students an opportunity to adapt to working with different people. Consider grouping students of like ability; students from drastically different levels find it difficult to communicate with each other and lower level students can get "pushed out" of contributing. Making diverse groups allows students the opportunity to work to their strengths and exposes students to new ways of thinking. Equally balancing genders in a group may help avoid gender dominance or gender exclusion. Using random groups takes the responsibility away from both the teacher and the students, it also requires students to rely on the group behavior norms to collaborate effectively.

How do you provide feedback to collaborative groups?

There are many digital tools that can be used to promote effective collaboration and feedback however, face-to-face meetings can be very powerful. Make sure that the learning and behavioral expectations are clearly communicated upfront and that the feedback references/relates to these expectations. Consider creating these expectations as a joint effort with your students at the beginning of the course or project. Also, make sure that the feedback is happening throughout the project and not just after they are finished; give students the opportunity to make adjustments and improvements.

Do students receive individual grades or does everyone in a group receive the same grade?

There are definitely pros and cons to both methods of assessment and there really is no right or wrong answer. Consider, for larger projects, having components of each. Give students a group grade for the final product and use aspects of the 4C collaboration rubric to give them an individual process grade. Whatever you choose, communicate the plan to your students before they get started!

What happens when a group breaks down?

Be flexible, it happens! Work together with members of the group to identify what may be causing the breakdown, what solutions might be possible, and what the expectations will be moving forward. The sooner issues are identified, the more time you have to make adjustments.