Collaboration - How We Bring Students Together

🎵🎵 Stop. Collaborate and Listen.  🎵🎵

Now that I have put that song in your head for the rest of the day, let's dive into student Collaboration.  I am a big fan of the 21 Century 4Cs: Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking.  If we bring in digital learning for digital learning's sake, it is just a digital pencil (to paraphrase Alan November).  The 21st Century 4Cs are a powerful way to articulate what students can "do" in class and these four descriptors aren't limited to technology / digital tools - technology can often times make leveraging these actions easier. 

Today we'll focus on student collaboration.  How do we bring students together to share ideas and work?  In our current learning environment it is easy for students to feel isolated, separated.  However, there are some great things we can do to facilitate collaboration in learning.

1. ABC Affinity Chart: Using a Google Doc with a table / box for each letter, students can brain storm ideas, concepts, questions, things that stuck out to them, etc.  Each student uses a unique color to input their thoughts in the coordinating letter box. For example I would use orange and put "evaporation" in the "e" box if I were thinking about the water cycle.  This document can be completed by synchronous students and asynchronous students together.  I recommend keeping the group sizes to 5 or 6 students. Check out the template for this activity linked here. 

2. Pen Pal Class: The four walls of the traditional classroom have come down during this time of virtual / crisis / blended learning.  We are no longer limited by devices or campuses.  This is a great time to pair up students for a virtual conversation - it might be pairing your 3rd period with your 5th period, paring your students with students from the teacher across the hall, or connecting students across campuses.  It doesn't have to be every class every day, and it will need structure. Ahead of time (maybe in class or during a live Zoom) have students come up with questions they want to discuss with their group (what did you think of, how did you feel when, what surprised you).  The first time your groups meet (via Google Meet, Zoom, Flipgrid, Go Synth, or whatever platform you decide to use) expect them to spend some time getting to know each-other.  As they continue meeting their conversations will become more succinct. Depending on where you are in the lesson cycle, students may discuss what they already know about the topic or unit, how they are progressing in their learning, or what has stuck with them through-out the unit. 

If you're already brainstorming about how this might work in your classroom, let's connect for a coaching cycle!  You can use this form or my youcanbook.me link!

Also, this month's Potluck PD will connect to the 21st Century 4Cs.  Flyer linked here!