Collaboration

** How will you facilitate an authentic collaborative learning experience to promote deeper student engagement with content skills and concepts? **
 * Incorporating Collaboration**

“Authentic learning is based on active, experiential learning” (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010, pg. 55). Sharing and discussing information is an important aspect in authentic collaboration. Students should be able to reflect, describe, and explain what they have learned (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2010, pg. 57). To help students collaborate while working on their project, I will introduce and model how to us several communication devices. This will help students communicate and share ideas with each other. Groups will communicate using Skype. Students who are shy can use the Skype messenger feature. More outgoing students can use the voice chat feature. Groups will set goals each day of what they will like to get accomplished. Lastly, students will write in a journal each day for the last 10 minutes of class to reflect on what they have learned.

** As members of collaborative groups, how will you support students’ efforts to identify solutions to the problem you are using as the framework for your PBL instructional unit? **

To help students identify solutions, I will facilitate creative thinking. I will ask open ended questions to move students in the right direction. I will give students a list of choices on where they can find information. Students will have plenty of time to complete tasks and given time to implement their solution, make changes, reflect on what they did correctly, and what they might need to change.

** What criteria will you use to assign learners to collaborative groups, including a rationale? **

I like my groups to be homogeneous. When groups are heterogeneous you have stronger learners that tend to do all of the work while others watch. The groups will be assigned based on academic achievement level in the classroom. My gifted students will be in one group, while my average students will be in another, and my below students will be in the last group. I have 3 resource students that will be in their own separate group with their paraprofessional. Special accommodations will be given to this group that goes along with their Individualized Education Program.

** What will be the size of the collaborative groups you will include in your unit? **

The size of my groups will range from 3 to 4 students. I feel this number is a good amount to get conversation and ideas flowing. When groups are too large, you tend to see one or two students in the group that dominate and do most of the work. Large groups also make collaboration more difficult.

** Which digital tools and websites are you considering for collaboration in your unit? **

I will like for my students to use Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint. After class, students can continue planning by using Skype, Meebo, or instant messenger to communicate. Students who are shy can use instant messenger to communicate rather than talk.

** How will you assess participation of the students in their collaborative groups? **

The first participation assessment will be given by the students. Each student in the group will have a rubric to grade the other members in the group. The students will be graded on contribution, respect, and following directions. I will use this same rubric to grade students. I will monitor discussions and pose my own questions to groups to make sure conversation is flowing in the right direction. When grading, I will not base grades on the quantity but the quality of students’ words and responses.

Resources Cennamo, K., Ross, J., & Ertmer, P. (2010). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.