Module 3 Blog-
I don’t think humans have a basic instinct to work as a group, but as we begin to work together we realize that it does become easier. We are able to gather more ideas quickly by working together. I think that many people have a negative thought about collaboration because often in a workplace there is a lack of trust thought with some workers. The product is on a strict time schedule that there is not a great deal of time allowed for thought on a final product. “You prove to me you are trustworthy, and I will cooperate”(Rheingold, 2008). However, being able to work in cooperative areas such as Googledocs allows more flexibility for people to work together.
This video show how the use of technology and the internet has allowed these students to use collaboration with students in a variety of countries to create a web-design project. Collaboration, learning, and thinking in this manner could allow for students to be more engaged in the education they are experiencing.
A current research study I looked at was a study to see the effects of collaboration and knowledge building. The study did find “engaging students in knowledge building is beneficial to enriching their view of collaboration, making them able to see collaboration not only from a group-based perspective but also from an idea-centered perspective” (Hong, 2011).
Edutpia.org (2009). Web-Design competition sparks collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/digital-generation-thinkquest-video
Hong, H. (2011). Beyond group collaboration: facilitating an idea-centered view of collaboration through knowledge building in science class of fifth-graders. The Asia-Pacific Researcher, 20:2, 246 – 260. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html
Kellie,
ReplyDeleteIn addition to issues of trust and scheduling conflicts, do you also find that an unwillingness to compromise inhibits the number of people who are willing to work in a group? I have worked with several people who believed that they were the only ones who had feasible ideas and suggestions. In fact, I have been guilty of this myself at times. How big of a role has ego played in your collaborative experiences?
I agree. I worked at a building where there were 11 people in the grade level. We couldn't agree at all. The last 4 years I've worked at a smaller building where there are only 3 of us in my grade level. It's much easier to come to an agreement.
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