collaboration scenarios

Collaborative Writing - One Example

Assignment
I want my students work to combine their different perspectives on a topic, research it, and write a paper that reflects the group's findings and conclusion.

Skills To Be Developed
Critical thinking, brainstorming, negotiation, delegation of tasks, writing

Technology Support for Student's Work
Ability to author and edit content collaboratively -- live and in real time. Ability to maintain versions. Ability to track changes and contributions.

LEAP (Liberal Education & America's Promise) Essential Learning Outcomes (pdf)
Intellectual and Practical Skills, Personal and Social Responsibility, Integrative Learning

LEAP Principles of Excellence (pdf)
Art of Inquiry and Innovation, Assess Students' Ability to Apply Learning to Complex Problems

For Example
Students are arranged in groups (either by the instructor or self-organized) for the purpose of writing a shared document (research paper, story). They have a group space defined using a web-based, shared collaborative tool in which versions of their document is stored.

Shared collaborative tools allow group members to view and comment on changes as they occur. These applications also allow for the creation of richer documents (includes of higher level formatting, tables, images, etc) then traditional shared content creation applications, such as wikis. This cuts down on the need for group meetings to review revisions.

Those not in attendance for a shared collaborative session can still review the changes contribute. Users log in (either synchronously or asynchronously) to contribute to the document. The contributions are tagged and versions are saved. Access to viewing the report remain closed to those members. Group space may be provisioned to allow for instructor to have access, or students may need to provide access to instructor. Instructor access would require rights to view contributions and versions, as well as any stored conversations or discussion threads. This will help the instructor determine how much each student contributed.

If the instructor wished to have other groups see the completed work, access rights would need to set to allow viewing rights. It is assumed that all access outside the class is closed. If access to those outside the class is desired, it would require steps to ensure student privacy is retained.

Once activity is completed, students email final document to instructor and delete from shared server. Instructor assesses results of collaboration, as well as the collaborative process. Privacy issues would need to address any search engine crawling that might expose student content to the public. Releasing of protected student data (Name, Email address, etc) Data backup, retention, and ownership (intellection property rights) also need to be addressed if technology used resides outside of campus control.

Students Critiques - One Example

Assignment
I want my students (or groups of students) to view/read the work of other students and provide constructive feedback.

Skills To Be Developed
Productive criticism

Technology Support for Student's Work
Ability to upload work, ability to control access (viewing/editing), ability to comment, track participation

LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes (pdf)
Intellectual and Practical Skills, Personal and Social Responsibility, Integrative Learning

LEAP Principles of Excellence (pdf)
Art of Inquiry and Innovation, Assess Students' Ability to Apply Learning to Complex Problems

For Example
Students are arranged in small groups or pairs (either by the instructor or self-organized) for the purpose of critiquing another student’s document (research paper, story, essay). Each student accesses the document and follows an instructor-provided rubric to critique the document. The instructor may wish for anonymous critique, in which case the method of accessing, editing, and commenting should appear anonymous to the students.

A collaborative tool may be used to make inline comments as part of the critique or to append comments to the document. The author of the document may wish to reply to the critiquer to request clarification. The document and/or the comments are private to the author, the reviewer, and possibly the instructor. At some point, it may be pedagogically beneficial to extend viewing rights to the class. Final submission of the assignment will be based on the content and quality of the essay, according to the rubric, and the quality of interaction between the author and critiquer. Instructor assesses results of collaboration, as well as the collaborative process.

Privacy issues would need to address any search engine crawling that might expose student content to the public. Releasing of protected student data (Name, Email address, etc) Data backup, retention, and ownership (intellectual property rights) also need to be addressed if technology used resides outside of campus control.

 

Student Reflections - One Example

Assignment
I want a space where students can reflect on a topic. I want other students to comment on those reflections. I want a process that will expose them to different points of view.

Skills To Be Developed
Reflection, exposure to different opinions

Technology Support for Student's Work
Ability to control access. Ability to control rights (edit/view). Attribution of comments to a person (non-anonymous).

LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes (pdf)
Intellectual and Practical Skills, Personal and Social Responsibility

LEAP Principles of Excellence (pdf)
Art of Inquiry and Innovation

For Example
Each student has his/her own space in which to post personal reflections to a class topic. Access to post main content is restricted to that student. Other students can view student's reflections and comment on it. Rights are granted to post comments and view. Access to view and post comments is also granted to instructor. Access to view and comment is closed to the public. Instructor assesses results of collaboration, as well as the collaborative process.

Group Presentations - One Example

Assignment
I want my students work to combine their different perspectives on a a topic, research it, and create a presentation that reflects the groups conclusions.

Skills To Be Developed
Working in groups to develop consensus, presentation skills, delegation of tasks, encouraging accountability for assigned tasks.

Technology Support for Student's Work
A way to author and edit presentation content in real time. Ability to narrate presentation with audio and video, if necessary. Ability to store and maintain past versions. Ability to control access rights (viewing/editing)

LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes (pdf)
Intellectual and Practical Skills, Personal and Social Responsibility, Integrative Learning

LEAP Principles of Excellence (pdf)
Art of Inquiry and Innovation, Assess Students' Ability to Apply Learning to Complex Problems

For Example
Students are arranged in groups (either by the instructor or self-organized) for the purpose of writing a shared presentation. They have a group space defined in which versions of their document is stored. Users log in (either synchronously or asynchronously) to contribute to the document. Shared collaborative tools allow group members to view and comment on changes as they occur. This cuts down on the need for group meetings to review revisions. Those not in attendance for a shared collaborative session can still review the changes contribute.

The contributions are tagged and versions are saved. Group space may be provisioned to allow for instructor to have access, or students may need to provide access to instructor. Instructor assesses results of collaboration, as well as the collaborative process. Instructor access would require rights to view contributions and versions, as well as any stored conversations or discussion threads. This will help the instructor determine how much each student contributed.

Once presentations are completed, either students present results in class, or students from other groups visit the group spaces and view the presentations. Access rights to view and perhaps comment would need to be set up. It is assumed that all access to those outside the class is closed. If access to those outside the class is desired, it would require steps to ensure student privacy is retained.

Once activity is completed, students email final document to instructor and delete from shared server. Privacy issues would need to address any search engine crawling that might expose student content to the public. Releasing of protected student data (Name, Email address, etc) Data backup, retention, and ownership (intellection property rights) also need to be addressed if technology used resides outside of campus control.

Group Problem-Solving - One Example

Assignment
I want to pose a problem or present a set of data and have the group analyze it, brainstorm, and plan and implement the group's solution to the problem.

Skills To Be Developed
Critical thinking, brainstorming, negotiation, presentation skills, writing,

Technology Support for Student's Work
Ability to schedule meetings, manage versions of documents, facilitate editing and commenting from members, ability to present results to non-group members.

LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes (pdf)
Intellectual and Practical Skills, Personal and Social Responsibility, Integrative Learning

LEAP Principles of Excellence (pdf)
Art of Inquiry and Innovation, Assess Students' Ability to Apply Learning to Complex Problems

For Example
Students are arranged in groups (either by the instructor or self-organized) for the purpose of working on a problem to resolve. This could include working on a data set, mathematical problem, program, or case study. Students work together to solve the problem or suggest possible solutions. Each member brings his/her perspective and world view to the project. Roles are defines and tasks are assigned. Students use collaborative software for task management, communication and/or creation of final report of solution, if required.

Scheduling of meetings, posting of meeting notes, upload and versioning of documents, progress reports, and assignments are examples of tasks requiring technologies. Group space may be provisioned to allow for instructor to have access, or students may need to provide access to instructor. Instructor access would require rights to view contributions and versions, as well as any stored conversations or discussion threads. This will help the instructor determine how much each student contributed. If the instructor wished to have other groups see the completed work, access rights would need to set to allow viewing rights.

It is assumed that all access outside the class is closed. If access to those outside the class is desired, it would require steps to ensure student privacy is retained. Instructor assesses results of collaboration, as well as the collaborative process. Privacy issues would need to address any search engine crawling that might expose student content to the public. Releasing of protected student data (Name, Email address, etc) Data backup, retention, and ownership (intellection property rights) also need to be addressed if technology used resides outside of campus control.

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