Comments on: Collaboration http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/ Standing on the verge of a technologically educational revolution. Thu, 17 May 2012 09:49:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Ben Grey: When Cool Tools Duel http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-18198 Ben Grey: When Cool Tools Duel Sat, 26 Mar 2011 00:39:30 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-18198 [...] could be used for collaboration.” Let’s not dare actually talk about what collaboration really means or how it’s engaged in the learning [...] [...] could be used for collaboration.” Let’s not dare actually talk about what collaboration really means or how it’s engaged in the learning [...]

]]> By: Sarah http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-13567 Sarah Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:36:44 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-13567 Thanks for the post and I've enjoyed the discussion that's gone with it. @Nadine Norris: I enjoyed the video, thanks for the link. I like his analogy of the production line and I think it's a really good example that emphasises the difference between collaboration and cooperation. (If anyone else is watching this comparison starts at about 6m50secs). I recently wrote a post about a very similar thing: When group work isn't group work (http://bit.ly/gSSDGT) after numerous observations in my own and other classes of how children were working IN groups but not AS groups. For me really highlights the point you're making about collaboration and cooperation. Thanks for the post and I’ve enjoyed the discussion that’s gone with it.
@Nadine Norris: I enjoyed the video, thanks for the link. I like his analogy of the production line and I think it’s a really good example that emphasises the difference between collaboration and cooperation. (If anyone else is watching this comparison starts at about 6m50secs).

I recently wrote a post about a very similar thing: When group work isn’t group work (http://bit.ly/gSSDGT) after numerous observations in my own and other classes of how children were working IN groups but not AS groups. For me really highlights the point you’re making about collaboration and cooperation.

]]> By: Neil Stephenson http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-13552 Neil Stephenson Wed, 22 Dec 2010 19:46:20 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-13552 We're trying to assess collaboration at th teacher level. Read more here: http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/08/deeper-focus-on-teacher-collaboration.html We’re trying to assess collaboration at th teacher level. Read more here: http://calgaryscienceschool.blogspot.com/2010/08/deeper-focus-on-teacher-collaboration.html

]]> By: Clint Lalonde http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-7617 Clint Lalonde Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:12:37 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-7617 A conversation very similar to this trying to understand the similarities and differences between collaboration and cooperation happened recently in the forums over at SCoPE. One of the participants there posted a link to a table created by Dave pollard that I found useful in understanding the similarities and differences between cooperation, collaboration and coordination (just to toss another C in there). The table is at http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2005/03/25.html#a1090 A conversation very similar to this trying to understand the similarities and differences between collaboration and cooperation happened recently in the forums over at SCoPE. One of the participants there posted a link to a table created by Dave pollard that I found useful in understanding the similarities and differences between cooperation, collaboration and coordination (just to toss another C in there). The table is at http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2005/03/25.html#a1090

]]> By: Nadine Norris http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-7612 Nadine Norris Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:09:19 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-7612 The best explanation I've seen lately about what needs to happen for effective collaboration was provided by Randy Nelson from Pixar on the Edutopia site, http://www.edutopia.org/randy-nelson-school-to-career-video . Randy breaks down what's needed for collaboration very simply. He says that collaboration is essentially amplification of a process by connecting interested people who bring their own skills and experiences that include "failure and recovery". In addition, being "interested" in finding solutions or completing the process is essential. Being interested helps the communication process because one who is interested will translate their message in a way that is easily understood by others in the group. I listened to his talk again after reading your post. This time I tried to think in terms of how one would assess the effectiveness or even the existence of collaboration. Perhaps a rubric wouldn't really be the way to go here. I would ask the following questions (based on what I learned from Randy Nelson). Am I "interested" in the process and the other people involved? Did I enthusiastically "accept every offer"? Did I recognize my partners expertise based on their own experiences? Did I contribute my expertise based on how I have "failed and recovered"? Did I make my partners "look good"? If the answer to these questions is yes, I have successfully engaged a collaborative process. The best explanation I’ve seen lately about what needs to happen for effective collaboration was provided by Randy Nelson from Pixar on the Edutopia site, http://www.edutopia.org/randy-nelson-school-to-career-video . Randy breaks down what’s needed for collaboration very simply. He says that collaboration is essentially amplification of a process by connecting interested people who bring their own skills and experiences that include “failure and recovery”. In addition, being “interested” in finding solutions or completing the process is essential. Being interested helps the communication process because one who is interested will translate their message in a way that is easily understood by others in the group.

I listened to his talk again after reading your post. This time I tried to think in terms of how one would assess the effectiveness or even the existence of collaboration. Perhaps a rubric wouldn’t really be the way to go here. I would ask the following questions (based on what I learned from Randy Nelson).

Am I “interested” in the process and the other people involved?
Did I enthusiastically “accept every offer”?
Did I recognize my partners expertise based on their own experiences?
Did I contribute my expertise based on how I have “failed and recovered”?
Did I make my partners “look good”?

If the answer to these questions is yes, I have successfully engaged a collaborative process.

]]> By: Frances Bell http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-7610 Frances Bell Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:40:47 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-7610 @Disappointed Teacher I think that the term assessment (like collaboration) is understood very differently by different people. To me, assessment is something that we strive to do well whilst recognising that some of the important things that students might be learning are always slightly out of the reach of our attempts to assess them. I work in Higher Education and expect to have dialogue with my adult students about what they may learn and how that relates to teaching, learning activities and assessment i.e. I can acknowledge the fuzzy relations. So why do assessment? Accreditation of student learning is part of my professional duty (supported by quality systems including external examiners). Also, importantly, students value assessment and if we can encourage them to engage with the process in stead of just consuming the marks, then we can help become better at really tough things like collaboration by carrying forward things like self- and peer-assessment (maybe called reflection and postive communication) into their personal and working lives. Really, they are developing strategies that work for them. @Disappointed Teacher I think that the term assessment (like collaboration) is understood very differently by different people. To me, assessment is something that we strive to do well whilst recognising that some of the important things that students might be learning are always slightly out of the reach of our attempts to assess them. I work in Higher Education and expect to have dialogue with my adult students about what they may learn and how that relates to teaching, learning activities and assessment i.e. I can acknowledge the fuzzy relations. So why do assessment? Accreditation of student learning is part of my professional duty (supported by quality systems including external examiners). Also, importantly, students value assessment and if we can encourage them to engage with the process in stead of just consuming the marks, then we can help become better at really tough things like collaboration by carrying forward things like self- and peer-assessment (maybe called reflection and postive communication) into their personal and working lives. Really, they are developing strategies that work for them.

]]> By: Facilitating Teams in a Collaborative Online Environment | just://in.site http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-7605 Facilitating Teams in a Collaborative Online Environment | just://in.site Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:11:23 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-7605 [...] Ben Grey’s blog was chosen due to his ideas about the differences between collaboration and cooperation. I have to admit I had not thought quite so deeply about the difference until I read his post. [...] [...] Ben Grey’s blog was chosen due to his ideas about the differences between collaboration and cooperation. I have to admit I had not thought quite so deeply about the difference until I read his post. [...]

]]> By: Disappointed Teacher http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-7602 Disappointed Teacher Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:17:29 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-7602 Ben, please tell me that you were being sarcastic in your last paragraph when you spoke about assessing collaboration. If you were, ignore this post. But if you were not, please read on. I felt as though you were on the right path up until that last comment. Gaining a better understanding of collaboration should be for the purpose of encouraging it and the many possibilities that can arise out of it. The more we as educators understand what constitutes collaboration the better we can model it for our students. Not the better we can assess how well they do it. Why must the end goal for many educators always be about assessment? Is it not enough to show the students what a powerful tool it can be? Couldn't they be interested and excited by the possibilities that it opens up for their own learning? Might that alone encourage this type of behavior as opposed to collaborating for the purpose of earning marks? I think it is unfortunate that while I may be providing my students with feedback about ways to make their collaborative time more effective some teachers will be holding clipboards and rubrics while assessing how well their students were using a particular learning and sharing strategy. Ben, please tell me that you were being sarcastic in your last paragraph when you spoke about assessing collaboration. If you were, ignore this post. But if you were not, please read on. I felt as though you were on the right path up until that last comment.
Gaining a better understanding of collaboration should be for the purpose of encouraging it and the many possibilities that can arise out of it. The more we as educators understand what constitutes collaboration the better we can model it for our students. Not the better we can assess how well they do it. Why must the end goal for many educators always be about assessment? Is it not enough to show the students what a powerful tool it can be? Couldn’t they be interested and excited by the possibilities that it opens up for their own learning? Might that alone encourage this type of behavior as opposed to collaborating for the purpose of earning marks?
I think it is unfortunate that while I may be providing my students with feedback about ways to make their collaborative time more effective some teachers will be holding clipboards and rubrics while assessing how well their students were using a particular learning and sharing strategy.

]]> By: Gail Horton http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-7595 Gail Horton Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:49:18 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-7595 The process of making a great team is often well underway as the students, often have characteristics identified by those part of the 'thriving' team experience. That a 'great team' is made by 'collaboration and 'facilitation,' becomes an expected part of each of the components of the process, as well as of the final team outcomes. But, what if the team of hard-working, maturely interacting, willing to support each other, individuals have, amongst them, one or more 'social loafers', and what if the team engaged in mandatory peer evaluation, which is believed to provide "considerable incentive " for active participation in team assignments," (Bailey, 2005) fails? Would the social loafer be identified by the diligent, focused others ,and would the social loafer engage in negatives about the diligent students, or even a second social loafer? Based on commentary developed from reading Bailey's articles, I think, it is reasonable to state that thriving teams thrive regardless - "able to deal effectively with unexpected events," (Bailey, 2005), and, although group dynamics shift often to the lowest common denominator, the motivated thriving team will graciously carry the social loafer toward the completion of the task getting the job done. In the U2IG world, high performance results more often than poor performance, however, in the world of the high school students, the development of characteristics of the 'thriving' team requires hard working, diligent, mature, and wise facilitation to create effective and, thus, thriving teams. Bailey. M. 'Ten Great Tips for Facilitating Virtual Learning Teams'. & 'VIrtual teams: Surviving or thriving'? The process of making a great team is often well underway as the students, often have characteristics identified by those part of the ‘thriving’ team experience. That a ‘great team’ is made by ‘collaboration and ‘facilitation,’ becomes an expected part of each of the components of the process, as well as of the final team outcomes. But, what if the team of hard-working, maturely interacting, willing to support each other, individuals have, amongst them, one or more ‘social loafers’, and what if the team engaged in mandatory peer evaluation, which is believed to provide “considerable incentive ” for active participation in team assignments,” (Bailey, 2005) fails? Would the social loafer be identified by the diligent, focused others ,and would the social loafer engage in negatives about the diligent students, or even a second social loafer? Based on commentary developed from reading Bailey’s articles, I think, it is reasonable to state that thriving teams thrive regardless – “able to deal effectively with unexpected events,” (Bailey, 2005), and, although group dynamics shift often to the lowest common denominator, the motivated thriving team will graciously carry the social loafer toward the completion of the task getting the job done. In the U2IG world, high performance results more often than poor performance, however, in the world of the high school students, the development of characteristics of the ‘thriving’ team requires hard working, diligent, mature, and wise facilitation to create effective and, thus, thriving teams.

Bailey. M. ‘Ten Great Tips for Facilitating Virtual Learning Teams’.
& ‘VIrtual teams: Surviving or thriving’?

]]> By:   Facilitating a distributed discussion – an experiment by ClintLalonde.net http://bengrey.com/blog/2010/02/collaboration/comment-page-1/#comment-7574   Facilitating a distributed discussion – an experiment by ClintLalonde.net Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:26:17 +0000 http://bengrey.com/blog/?p=311#comment-7574 [...] Collaboration from Ben Grey questions the differences between collaboration and cooperation. [...] [...] Collaboration from Ben Grey questions the differences between collaboration and cooperation. [...]

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