Collaboration

=Collaboration: An Introduction=  Collaboration literally means two or more people working together. Collaboration in learning means more than connecting or communicating or cooperating. It is a higher order thinking and problem solving skill. When it is done across classrooms and across countries it can become a powerful tool for development and knowledge building.


 * Collaboration and Local/Global considerations**
 * Local: Collaborators who are geographically closer provide more opportunity for synchronous communication and often cultural and linguistic differences can be minimized.
 * Global: Collaborators who are geographically dispersed (eg cultural and linguistic differences or different time-zones) require more of an asynchronous approach. However, it is possible for collaborators to be in the same time-zone offering synchronous communication, but geographically distant with cultural and linguistic differences.

=Collaboration: Getting Started=
 * Get connected using common Web 2.0 tools
 * Start small, be organised and have clear aims and structures
 * Choose short activities at first, plan for accessible, short-term interactions
 * Develop digital citizenship skills along the way
 * Monitor student participation, be involved and provide feedback
 * Embed the activity into the curriculum

=Global Collaboration 3.0=
 * Engaged, connected teachers who know how to communicate using Web 2.0 and other online tools
 * Carefully planned and designed projects that are implemented with a view to effectively join classrooms together to enhance learning
 * Common assessment objectives
 * High expectations and requirements for connectivity and collaboration on teachers and students
 * Extended community partners who provide new knowledge, skills and resources for the learning community
 * Use of multimedia to pitch ideas to solve real-world problems
 * Teacher or student initiated themes, student-centered learning