Collaboration in Education

Hello Bloggers!

In today’s blog, we will be discussing collaboration.

Collaboration within education can come in many forms. Collaboration could be between teachers, students or even teachers and students working together within the classroom (Barfield, 2016). Collaboration, is working together in order to reach a shared end goal (Smith and MacGregor, 1992).  There is a growing need for collaboration in schools due to more demand for collaboration in jobs, as teamwork is essential for the modern workplace.  

Lloyd and Beard (1995) believe that talking to peers is an educational tool and that it is important in everyday life to communicate. In particular in schools, teachers and students must have good communication in order for students to make the most of the learning teachers deliver. Teachers are not the only source of knowledge within the classroom. It is beneficial for students to be good communicators with other students so that they can discuss ideas, as everyone will interpret things differently. All students also have different experiences that they can share and others can learn from. It has also been identified by Garvey (1984) that by students voicing their own experiences, they themselves are then able to internalize their experience. Barnes (1976) supports this idea of communication with the view that, ‘communication is at the heart of education’.

According to Dillenbourg (2001) being able to interact with others is the new knowledge. In particular it is important for children to understand that although their own opinion is valid, it is important to understand that a peer’s viewpoint may be just as valid (Barnes and Todd, 1977). Listening to and considering the viewpoints of others, is the notion that we call ‘think, pair, share’ in todays classrooms. ‘Think, pair, share’ is beneficial to learning as Kutnick and Thomas (1990) have found that pairs, even if they are unequal in terms of ability, pairs still perform better as opposed to working individually

Although due to collaboration students’ academic levels will increase, their social development may also be positively affected. Vygotsky’s (1978) social interaction theory can be linked to collaboration in schools. Social interaction can be seen to be essential for the developmental process. Social learning theory outlines that we learn best from the people around us, therefore by working collaboratively students are able to effectively learn through others ideas whether those are ideas of peers or a teacher.

Although, being able to work collaboratively is important. It is equally as important to ensure that students are working collaboratively and not just cooperating. In the classroom, there are a number of personalities, at times when working collaboratively sometimes the quitter or less confident members of groups may not want to share ideas or contribute their own ideas to the group. Therefore they choose to just cooperate instead of playing an equal role and collaborating. However, Hattie (2009) research found that cooperative learning enhances students interest and ability to problem solve.

Working with others in the classroom may motivate students. Working with others is more engaging, groups of students can find new ways of learning such as through games or simulations. Using a number of different methods will allow students to enjoy the learning that takes place within the collaborative environment, which may result in the students being more motivated to learn.

As a result of increased motivation when working collaboratively, it can be recognised the change in classroom design. In the 1800’s, tables in classrooms were laid out in rows preventing children from sharing ideas. Attitudes towards collaborative working during these times were that the teacher should be the only person allowed to talk. Teachers taught didactically and there was no space within the curriculum for collaboration. However, today we lay classrooms out in a way that allows and encourages collaboration. Tables are now grouped so students can sit together and share ideas. This highlights the change in times and collaboration.

In today’s society there is higher need for people to work together (Austin, 2000). It has been noted that there has been a shift in today’s job market, from working on their own to now working as part of a team to seek better results. Within today’s society there is also a larger sense of community in today’s society and a growing need to do well not only for yourself but the people around you (Leonard and Leonard, 2001).

Although there has been a growing importance for the need of collaboration within schools and jobs, working with others is not a new idea in education according to Lloyd and Beard (1995). For example, at University we have recently been introduced to the use of Skype. Skype has been accessible for years in order to communicate with others around the world, mostly used by business’ in order to work collaboratively in a business sense. However, recently skype has been used to connect schools all over the world. My University have linked with a school in Nairobi. Using skype we have worked collaboratively with the schools headteacher to exchange information about culture and the difference between our education systems. Although skype has been around for many years, it has only recently been used as a tool in education to allow schools to work together.

Link to video about Cheery School in Nairobi – https://youtu.be/O1csQkePU74

This summer I went out to teach in a small village in Spain. We taught the children in groups and they worked collaboratively to learn English. The pictures below show the children working together to learn simple phrases that related to places or objects around the village. The children would not have been able to complete the task if they did not work collaboratively. 

References

Austin, J. E. (2000) ‘Principles for Partnership, Journal of Leader to Leader’, 18 (2), pp. 44-50.

Barnes, D. (1976) From Communication to curriculum. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

Barnes, D. and Todd, F. (1977) Communication and Learning in small groups. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Dillenbourg, P. (1999). Collaborative learning: Cognitive and Computational approaches: Advances in Learning and Instruction. Pergamon: London.

Garvey, C. (1984) Children’s Talk. London: Fontana.

Hattie, J. (2012) Visible learning for teachers maximizing impact on learning. London ; New York : Routledge.

Kutnick, P. and Thomas, M. (1990) ‘Dyadic pairings for the enhancement of cognitive development in the school curriculum’, British Educational Research Journal, 16(4), pp. 1-26.

Leonard and Leonard (2001) Achieving professional community in school: the administrator challenge, planning and changing, 36(1), pp. 23-39.

Lloyd, C., & Beard, J. (1995). Managing classroom collaboration. (Cassell Practical Handbooks). London: Cassell.

Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.