There are many companies that work in groups. I am on several working groups in my school system. One of those groups is to look at and adjust our teacher evaluation model so it really measures teacher effectiveness. This has been a two-year venture. However, I couldn’t have done this without a group. We needed to melding of ideas to come up with the best model. In a group there will be “pushback” from different members about different ideas. Without this pushback there would be very little thought or investigation into different ideas and thoughts. Therefore, I do believe that when we are creating something large (i.e. Wikipedia, evacuation model, and so on) we do gravitate to or have a basic instinct to “interact and work as a group.”
During the summer of 2009 and 2010, I worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratories. This organization is the definition of group work. Oak Ridge is only one National Laboratories of many Laboratories. Inside the Laboratory, the campus is splintered in many different divisions. These divisions work cooperatively to a common goal. These accomplishments are shared with the necessary parties in other departments and other Laboratories. This information will be used to advance collaborative work somewhere else. Without the advent of technology, this type of work would be difficult to share knowledge and discoveries.
Constructivist’s principles are woven directly into everything that happens at Oak Ridge. There are self-directed learning, collaborative learning, and critical analysis. The world of technology has expanded our world to such an extent that I have had conversations with people that never would have taken place. Being able to tap into these multitudes of resources to solve problems is part of the definition of constructivists.
http://74.125.155.132/scholar?q=cache:5-nX6K2SafkJ:scholar.google.com/+an+effective+tool+for+learning+is+collaboration&hl=en&as_sdt=0,43
Aimee,
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right; collaboration and group work is a common business model in the 21st-century. You mention the existence of "push-back" from different members within a group. The existence of "push-back" can be tremendously effective for growth and success in group work provided that all group members respect the thoughts and contributions of others within the group. I was wondering if you feel that your work in collaborative groups has made you more suited for applying similar activities in a classroom? It seems to me that one of the challenges in encouraging teachers to employ collaborative activities is their overall lack of experience with the practice. Do you agree?
Hi Aimee
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I agree that collaboration is necessary for humans to perform their best. I worked at the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque New Mexico in 2009 and 2010 as well and witnessed the same shining example of collaborative work groups working to in unison to complete huge projects. I once heard a quote, actually from my principal, "Teamwork makes the dream work", I try to remember that as well.
Hi Aimee,
ReplyDeleteThat must have been a great experience to work collaboratively in a National Lab to achieve a common goal. How did the work you and your colleagues completed get exchanged with other labs?
I was also curious as to how the melding of ideas in your district produced the best model for teacher evaluation? Did you need to make many compromises? Thanks Karen
Aimee,
ReplyDeleteI agree that humans do have a basic instinct to interact and work as a group. I too think that the best way to get things done especially in an educational setting is to work in groups. At my school, we also collaborate in groups such as working on our school improvement plan. Often the principal will call all the department chairpersons together as a group, instead of calling a meeting with all the teachers and taking them out of the classroom or away from their planning after school.
Marion Bush
jsherman
ReplyDeleteI do believe teachers do not use collaborative groups because of classroom management issues and not understanding that there is a different way to manage groups than direct instructions. If we used it frequently the students would understand classroom management and know how to cope in a new learning team
Aimee
Karen,
ReplyDeleteThe labs are constantly exchanging ideas through seminars, debriefings, and so on.
As far as the evaluation, the collaboration has been tough. There are a lot of conflicting view and everyone has had to compromise. However, I am hoping all of this will make the evaluation process better.
Aimee
Hi Aimee,
ReplyDeleteI was struck by your comment where you mentioned that you have had conversations with people that would have never taken place if it weren't for the technology. I am constantly trying to convey that to my students as the purpose of technology. It strikes me that they understand that, but not on the level of productive work.
If it were the time the dance started, it would be tweeted all over the place, but the due date of work, "who knows?...I'll ask the teacher if I run into him tomorrow." One step at a time!
Thanks,
Kevin
I responded to Deborah's post
ReplyDeletehttp://moduleresponses.blogspot.com/2011/07/module-3-blog-response.html
I responded to Karen's post
http://karenconnell10.blogspot.com/2011/07/collaboration-technology-and.html