Collaboration

**7.1 __Collaboration__**

// 1) What is collaboration? // Collaboration is the joining of intellects so as to accomplish a specific goal. It is a joint venture/undertaking. Two people sharing their thoughts, opinions, and knowledge so as to reach a new academic level.

//2) What are three ways in which students collaborate in your classroom and are they successful?// One way in which students collaborate in my classroom is through the use of "Chalk-talks." This is a teaching method implored so as to activate prior knowledge in some cases, and in other cases, allow for deep discussion in a written public venue. Students write their thoughts and opinions on the board and silently comment on others. I see it as an online chat room of sorts. My students enjoy it very much and often I learn something new myself. Another way in which students collaborate in my classroom is through geography centered group work. Each group ranges from 3-6 students and they are presented with a timed task to perform, which usually involves research of some sort. During such ventures, without careful instruction as to who must perform each role, collaboration can become stinted and sometimes halted (due to a clash of egos). Finally, students engage in collaboration via peer-editing. Students are asked to create mind-maps of certain geographic locations and after they have exhausted their mental surplus, other students are asked to edit and add to their maps. This peer to peer joining of knowledge very commonly benefits both parties.

**7.2 __Video --- Collaboration__**

//** 1) How can expanded use of technology help develop depth and breadth for our students? ** // The use of technology makes students of us all, as the internet is a readily available source of almost everything and anything. If you wish to study biophysics in depth then there are websites in which you can do so - yet, if you wish to merely get an overview of the various different types of sciences, you can do that as well.

//2) What is the difference between cooperation and collaboration? // As odd as it may sound, cooperation, as according to Randy Nelson, is a very individual activity. You engage in an activity, so as another can then engage in an activity. Your work may very well add to the prior person's work, yet at no point are the both of you working in conjunction and translating the end-products to each other (which would be collaboration).

//3) What are the challenges in getting students to collaborate rather than just cooperating? // In order for collaboration to successfully take place, students must be able to self-monitor their learning and approach the words they wish to share from a meta-cognitive perspective. If they are well versed in the subject matter from a visual vantage point, they must be able to translate their ideas to a student who perhaps may be more so kinesthetically intrigued, in a positive manner. Yet, before they can even begin to translate said ideas, they must understand that translating must indeed occur. This step requires our learners to be highly cognizant of their/and other students learning styles.

**7.3 __VoiceThread__**
I view Voicethread as a classroom discussion gone viral. Voicethread offers many different mediums for expression, as you can leave a text, voice, or video response to a prompt. Also, I very much enjoy the idea of other people's responses gathering around the prompt as though it were an intellectual fireplace. If all my students were to have internet access, I do believe this would be an extremely beneficial way to continue classroom discussions at home and perhaps even ask parents to join in.

media type="custom" key="8328856"