Expanded

Collaboration
Audrey Steele
ITEC 7602/ Fall 2021
 Coaching learners to
collaborate in all interactions
Conversation
Incorporating different types of conversation among students will
support collaboration in the classroom. This allows each individual
to have a voice and share their thoughts and opinions. Discussions
can take place in the classroom or outside of the classroom using
online platforms.

In my classroom, I often use conversation starters like “think, pair,

share”, “sentence frames”, “would you rather…”, and many more. I
also like using technology tools like blogging, JamBoard, or
FlipGrid. These tools are a great way to promote discussion in the
classroom and at home.
Group Work and Member Roles
Teachers can provide students with group work that they can work
collaboratively on. Giving member roles during group work can
help each person in the group have a voice and responsibility
during the assignment. When the teacher sets expectations and
models group work, students will be prepared to participate and
contribute to the group work.
I assigned a research-based project to students and made sure to
provide a role for each of the 3 members of the group. The
students embraced their responsibilities and knew they had to
uphold their parts to complete the project.
Rubrics
Rubrics can be used for students to check over their own work
independently before submitting. Rubrics can also be used for
group work. Students can evaluate and provide feedback to their
peers using rubrics, which also starts up great reflective
conversation. I often provide opportunities for students to check one
another or reflect on their peers participation with rubrics. This can
build trust and promote open communication among students.

Here is a great example of a collaboration rubric from the

University of Wisconsin by Dr. Karen Franker.
Tools and strategies to acquire
real-time feedback and data
 Teacher Observations
Collaboration between adults is just as important as collaboration between
students. Both administration observing teachers and teachers observing
teachers is an important strategy to use for acquiring real-time feedback and
data. My school conducts both types of these observations and it is very
informative to receive feedback from supervisors and colleagues about the
lessons I teach.
These observations happen formally and informally, but always follow up
with a conversation about the design of the lesson and observations on the
students receiving the content. During these discussions, adults collaborate
to review the data collected and make plans of improvement and note what
is working as well. We also reflect on how things will move forward and
discuss the needs of the students. These observations are a great way for
educators to collaborate and learn from one another.
 Formative Assessment Tools
Using formative assessment tools, like Kahoot, Blooket, Socrative, or Quizizz
is a great way for teachers to collect real-time feedback and data on students’
understanding of the concepts being taught. Students enjoy the game-based
platforms that provide engagement and review, while teachers can evaluate
what their students know and improve curriculum from the results.

Formative assessment tools give me an idea of what my students are

understanding about the content and what I need to revisit. For example,
recently I knew I had to go back and focus on vocabulary when writing
algebraic expressions due to the fact that my students were getting a lot of
questions wrong on Kahoot. I retaught the vocabulary and had them work with
partners on an activity so that they could discuss the wording of the problems
they were given.
 Building relationships with all
stakeholders that fosters success
Learning Buddies
My school participates in “learning buddies”. Classes are paired
together from a variety of grade levels to work on activities
together. For example, my 7th grade class worked with a 1st
grade class in our school community garden, while both classes
were learning about plants. I have also had an 8th grade class
work with a 3rd grade class on narrative writing.
Learning buddies are a great way to connect students across
different grade levels and subject areas. This gives the older
students a leadership opportunity and the younger students have
someone to look up to and learn from other than their classroom
teachers or parents.
Middle School Book Blog

Students in middle school are required to read 30 minutes each

night and practice their literacy skills by writing a summary about
what they read at the end of each week. Students are always
looking for book ideas, since they have to complete 5 books by the
end of the school year.
Students use a blog to write book reviews and recommendations.
Students can ask each other questions and write responses to one
another in the blog. Blogging is a great way for students to
communicate with one another and collaborate on an activity they
all have to complete.
Social Media
Social media platforms are a great way to connect students with
outside communities. Students can collaborate to communicate
their learning to all stakeholders, who can view what they are
learning in the classroom.
My 8th grade class has been traveling across the state of Georgia,
while learning about the 5 regions of Georgia and their state’s
history. As we travel, students take pictures and document our
adventures on our 8th-grade Instagram account. Parents,
students, and members of the community and communities we
visit can connect with the class through the account. This is a great
way for my students to share their learning globally with others.
Committing to timely personal
interactions with learners
 Examples of Personal Interactions

Small Math Groups Whip-Around Wednesdays Group Scavenger Hunts

Weekly, I work with Every Wednesday I assess I make QR code scavenger

small math groups of 7 student understanding of
students. This allows me concepts or clarify any
to co-plan with students. questions they may still have. I
use sentence frames and have
We review their goals
every student “whip-around”
and discuss strategies
to respond to the prompt. This
that will help them reach
allows communication with all
their goals in math.
students.
hunts for my math and
science classes. I put
questions in the 8th-grade
hallway. Students work in
pairs to find questions, talk
through the problems, and
come up with an answer. It
is a great way for students
to talk with peers about
their understanding of
concepts.
 Resources
Alber, R. (June 19, 2017). Deeper learning: A collaborative classroom is key. Edutopia.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/deeper-learning-collaboration-key-rebecca-alber

Burns, M. (November 22, 2016). 5 strategies to deepen student collaboration. Edutopia.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-strategies-deepen-student-collaboration-mary-burns

Clifford, M. (n/a). 20 Collaborative learning tips and strategies for teachers. TeachThought.
https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/collaborative-learning-tips/

Gust Author. (October 5, 2018). Why you should create a collaborative classroom this year. Getting Smart.
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2018/10/05/why-you-should-create-a-collaborative-classroom-this-year/

Poth, R. (October 11, 2018), Collaboration: Bringing students together to promote learning. Getting Smart.
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2018/10/11/collaboration-bringing-students-together-to-promote-learning-ca
n-move/