{"id":380,"date":"2012-04-15T13:23:05","date_gmt":"2012-04-15T13:23:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/?p=380"},"modified":"2012-04-15T13:23:05","modified_gmt":"2012-04-15T13:23:05","slug":"encouraging-student-collaboration-steven-herder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itdi.pro\/blog\/2012\/04\/15\/encouraging-student-collaboration-steven-herder\/","title":{"rendered":"Encouraging student collaboration – Steven Herder"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>\u201cCollaboration creates just the right amount of tension to get lots done.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Collaboration helped me to launch the idea of MASH Collaboration among my fellow MA students and gave me the confidence to face the enormous challenges of joining a team to build an International Teacher Development Institute called\u2026 iTDi.<\/p>\n

\u201cCollaboration may not be for everyone, but for me it is everything.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Why bother with encouraging student collaboration?
\n<\/strong>Collaboration works. There are countless success stories based on collaboration: The Beatles in music, Apple and Microsoft in corporate giants, the Wright brothers in inventions and Warner Bros in entertainment. The list goes on and on\u2026<\/p>\n

What are the advantages of collaboration?
\n<\/strong>It makes it easier for people to take a chance and try things. Everyone is good (or good enough) at something. They can choose to do the things that they have confidence to do. Collaboration builds confidence by letting individuals shine at what they do best while being supported in their weaker areas. Collaboration creates an incredible balance between many important functions of learning: confidence, motivation, support, pressure, expectations, success and achievement.<\/p>\n

Samples from the classroom
\n<\/strong>I have done many collaborative writing and group projects. Here is a synopsis of one \u2013 My second year high school students had to (or more appropriately \u201cgot to\u201d) write an original story and produce the actual story book in groups of 2, 3 or 4 students (based on their proposal of how many people were needed). We spread the activity over three 90-minute periods. Most groups couldn\u2019t finish in three periods but eagerly did the homework necessary to be finished on time. There were several steps and several different roles to be filled:<\/p>\n

Steps:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Brainstorm a story genre<\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Decide on the characters<\/li>\n
  3. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Draft a storyboard of 16 pages<\/li>\n
  4. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sell the story to the teacher (i.e. get approval to continue or revise)<\/li>\n
  5. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Begin to write the story (35 \u2013 50 words per page, depending on the class)<\/li>\n
  6. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Peers check the grammar. Then check it again, and again.<\/li>\n
  7. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Final check by the teacher, then revise towards a final draft<\/li>\n
  8. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Design the pictures to match the story<\/li>\n
  9. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Draw the pictures, and then color the pictures<\/li>\n
  10. Design a front and back cover<\/li>\n
  11. Present the book to the class<\/li>\n
  12. Give a speech about the experience, discussing problems and solutions<\/li>\n
  13. Put your book on the shelf for all other students to read<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Roles:<\/strong><\/p>\n