Online CollaborationBob Schoenberg

Overview

•What is Collaboration?

•Collaboration Tools

•Specific Examples (Students’ Work)

•Questions and Answers

What is Collaboration

Working together to reach a common goal.

Collaborate –To work together, esp. in a joint intellectual effort. American Heritage Dictionary

Some Guidelines

•Everyone has an equal voice

•Voice your opinion, thoughts, etc

•Listen and consider ideas, opinions

•Decide who will do what and when*

•Arrive at a consensus / agreement

•Negotiate

•Ask Instructor for help if necessary

Guidelines for Instructors

•Be available to help your students

•Comment on their work

•Be a coach, have a live session*

Collaborative Process

Building Trust

Improving Communication

Negotiation – who is doing what*

Considering different perspectives

Taking Responsibility

(Frames of Reference – a CT Skill)*

Several other CT Skills

Benefits of Collaboration

• Creates a sense of an online community*

• Promotes communication and critical thinking

• Promotes cooperation among students

• Reduces and/or eliminates isolation *

Eastern Michigan University

1. Collaboration ensures a more effective use of individual talents

2. Transfer of knowledge or skills

3. Collaboration may be a source of stimulation and creativity.

4. Provides intellectual companionship.

http://www.rcr.emich.edu/module9/i4_benefits.html

Rochester Institute of Technology

•Promotes critical thinking skills.

•Promotes creative thinking through social stimulation and sharing of ideas.

•Requires active student involvement in the learning process. Students increase preparation and practice working with one another.*

(Continued)

•Provides a social support system for students.*

•Builds diversity understanding among students

•Develops team skills used on the job and beyond.

http://online.rit.edu/faculty/teaching_strategies/collaborative_learning/benefits.cfm

Why Use Collaboration?

"In the working world, many employers do expect their employees to solve problems in teams. It only makes sense that multiple minds are better than one. Therefore, I believe instructors who have their students work in teams better prepare them for the working world."

~Brian Goff, RIT Student

  Rochester Institute of Technology

Key Benefits(Schoenberg)

•Creates a sense of an online community

•Promotes communication and critical thinking

•Promotes cooperation among students

Reduces and/or eliminates isolation

Collaboration Tools

Google

Gmail (demo), Sent Folder, huge storage

Google Phone Calls

Google Docs (demo), including Stars

Demo of actual student work

SKYPE

Live voice communication – PC to PC

Text Chat

Ability to send and receive files

White Board

Video Conferencing

Ability to archive session

Demo – video

Facebook

Profiles*

Chatroom*

Provides Online Community (groups)

Note: Many students use Facebook

Demo – create groups, show chat

Blackboard Collaborative Tools

•Chat Room

•Who’s Online (Instant Messaging)

•Collaborative Folders

•Wimba (Live Voice Communication) and more*

Create Your Own Wiki or Blog

+ Free

+ Control Access

-Learning Curve

-Limited Tech Support

Google “free wiki” to find some

Exception – Wiki via UMB

WIKI

DEMO

•Create Pages

•Limit Access

•Create Collaborative Pages

•Discussion Page

•Include Links to Documents, other Websites, Audio and Video Clips

Wiki Demo

•Home Page

•Lessons and Links

•Discussion Page

•New Page

•Manage Restrictions and Privileges

•Collaborative Pages

Demos of Student Work

•Collaborative Pages of Student Teams: H, G, E, D (actual chat)

•Archived Work Examples “A Demo”

Questions and AnswersHow to tell who did what?

What if a student doesn’t respond to his/her partner?

Student can’t find a partner?

How to apply collaboration to various courses/disciplines

How much structure to provide

How to Make Your Course Collaborative

Blog or Discussion

Have students create a quiz

Assign an on-going Class Project

Study Session – using Google Docs or a Wiki or Video using Skype

Use of Video and Peer Review

Make a regular assignment collaborative

Asynchonous Collaborative Tools

Google Docs

Wiki Collaborative Pages

Email

Collaborative Folders - Blackboard

Synchronous Collaboration Tools

Skype (Includes video)

Wimba

Google Phone

Google Instant Messaging

Who’s Online (Blackboard)*

Chat – Blackboard or other rooms

Questions?

Ask me now – or

Email me.

Bob Schoenbergbob.schoenberg@umb.edu

Resources

Visit my website: www.coursesontheweb.com - info about collaboration and online education and more.

Thank you for attending this Conference.