COLLABORATION IN THE DIGITAL AGEPatrick Woessner

MICDS Professional Development 2010

SESSION AGENDA

Why Collaboration Cooperative Learning Project Based Learning Authentic Assessment

Classroom Examples Type -- Tool -- Task

Compare and Create Wikispaces Google Apps for Education

Assessing Collaboration Q and A

Image Source: http://spacewithapurpose.wikispaces.com/Wikis+Home

WHY COLLABORATION IN THE CLASSROOM? Support group projects/group authoring

Greater accountability Connect students and facilitate peer review

Synchronous and asynchronous communication Organize and distribute resources

Class page/project website Showcase student work

Control access Provide timely feedback

Makes learning transparent

Image Source: http://www.jeffstanger.net/blog/

BENEFITS TO STUDENTS Opportunities for

collaboration Learn to work together Learn from each other

Engage every student Everyone

participates/contributes Extends the learning

environment Resources always

available Improves organization Provides cohesion to the

learning experience

Image Source: http://sciencenotes.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/wiki_web_c-by-andrew-weldon.jpg

WIKIS IN PLAIN ENGLISH

2ND GRADE: WINTER OLYMPICS

Type: Class Project Tool: Wikispaces Task: Class created their own Olympic torch

and attempted a “virtual” torch relay. Their goal was to see if they could get their torch to all five regions represented by the Olympic rings.

URL: http://globetrotters.wikispaces.com/Winter+Olympics

5TH GRADE GEOGRAPHY: GEO-SQUIRTS

Type: Class Page Tool: Wikispaces Task: Teacher-managed portal for

collaborative projects with other schools; also serves as a showcase for student work.

URL: http://geo-squirts-usa.wikispaces.com/

6TH GRADE HISTORY: ROME AND CHINA

Type: Project Wiki Tool: Wikispaces Task: Students individually researched a

question related to Han China and Imperial Rome. Findings were shared on the wiki and the activity culminated in an oral presentation.

URL: http://romeandchina.wikispaces.com/

7TH GRADE SCIENCE: EVOLUTION

Type: Project Wiki Tool: MediaWiki Task: Students (working alone or in pairs)

chose one of three questions to research and used the wiki to organize their findings. Final product was an image-based presentation.

URL: http://wiki.micds.org/wiki/The_Evolution_Project

7TH GRADE ENGLISH: ANIMAL FARM

Type: Project Wiki Tool: MediaWiki Task: Students worked in small groups and

completed several tasks that would enable them to teach two chapters of Animal Farm to their peers.

URL: http://wiki.micds.org/wiki/Animal_Farm

8TH GRADE ENGLISH: SINGLE SCENE PLAY

Type: Project Tool: MediaWiki Task: Working in small groups, students wrote

a single scene play that included cast descriptions, stage directions, and dialog.

URL: http://tinyurl.com/wikiplay

9TH GRADE ENGLISH: SURVIVOR ISLAND

Type: Project Tool: Pbworks Task: Transform “Lord of the Flies” into a

cooperative learning experience where groups of students are “stranded” on an island and survival is the goal.

URL: http://lordofsurvival.pbworks.com/

AP CALCULUS: SOLUTION MANUAL

Type: Student Resource Tool: Pbworks Task: Students help each other learn by

writing a collaborative solutions manual that includes a detailed annotation of the steps involved.

URL: http://apcalc2008.pbworks.com/

ADVANCED CHEMISTRY: LAB REPORT

Type: Project Tool: MediaWiki Task: Students published their lab reports

and included statements of contribution and concurrence. Note use of tables and formulas.

URL: http://tinyurl.com/micdschemlab

ACTIVITY: EXPLORE A WIKI

Browse through the selection of example wikis provided and consider how you might use a wiki for communication and collaboration.

GETTING STARTED: WIKISPACES

Available at http://www.wikispaces.micds.org/ Only MICDS students and faculty are

members Log in procedure:

MICDS username (e.g. pwoessner) password = micdsrams Users should change this password after login!

ACTIVITY: EDIT A WIKI

Go to the Workshop Sandbox and request to join the space

Once approved, begin editing your page. Add common elements such as text, hyperlinks, and widgets.

A WORD ABOUT PERMISSIONS

Wikis can be public or private If public, students should not share

personal information If private, you control who can edit and view Important pages should be locked from

editing

GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION

GOOGLE SERVICES

IGOOGLE START PAGE

Gadgets change the functionality of your page and can be added, moved, and removed

Use the “Add stuff” link to add Google Docs, RSS, and Calendar to your iGoogle page.

Themes change the look of your page and are available under the “Add stuff” link.

ACTIVITY: CUSTOMIZING IGOOGLE

Google Docs is a web-based word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, form, and data storage service.

GOOGLE DOCS

ACTIVITY: CREATING, UPLOADING, AND SHARING DOCUMENTS

Create a new Document, Presentation, or Spreadsheet and explore the formatting features.

Upload a Document, Presentation, or Spreadsheet into Google Docs

Share your Google Doc with another user in the workshop

The “Old” version of Google Spreadsheets allow for the insertion of Gadgets

GADGETS IN GOOGLE SPREADSHEETS

Forms allow for surveys that organize response data into a Spreadsheet. They can be shared via link or embedded.

GOOGLE FORMS

Google Reader constantly checks your favorite news sites and blogs for new content.

To add a site to your reader, click the RSS icon in the address bar

You can subscribe to student blogs by importing an OPML file (see your CIT for more information)

GOOGLE READER

Choose from the following options:1. Add a Gadget to a Google Spreadsheet

2. Create a Google Form

3. Subscribe to an RSS feed from a blog or website

ACTIVITY: GADGETS, FORMS, RSS

iGoogle Google Reader Google Groups Google Sites Docs and Spreadsheets

GOOGLE APPS IN THE CLASSROOM

Users can import, export, share, embed, and subscribe to Google Calendars

GOOGLE CALENDAR

Google Groups: Create and manage groups of MICDS students/users

Google Sites: Create a webpage/website with access control

Google Video: Upload, share, and manage video (up to 300 MB) with MICDS users

Google Mobile: Access Google Apps through your SmartPhone

Aviary: Suite of browser-based design tools available from within Google Apps

OTHER GOOGLE APPS/SERVICES

ASSESSING COLLABORATIVE WORK

Process is as important as Product Utilize document/site history, in-class

observations, & peer review Read-Write-Think offers a

5 category wiki rubric: Content Organization Attractiveness Contribution to the Group Accuracy

Tools like Rubistar and iRubric can greatly aid the rubric creation process and allow for easy collaboration among teachers.

QUESTIONS?