Collaboration

= **What is collaboration?**  = Collaboration is working together. It is more than the sum of various parts combined because it allows individuals to bring their own experiences, knowledge and personality to a pursuit time and again; reacting to and working with others until a desirable product is achieved. =Describe a collaborative learning environment. (back to top)=

For Campus-Based Administrators:
While not a democratic approach, a collaborative approach to educational systems involves stakeholders at every point of the process. Collaboration allows individual passions to be put to work where they are needed most. This could mean allowing faculty meeting agendas to be developed over time with administrators, faculty, parents and students contributing ideas and insights on the issues that need the most immediate attention on each campus. With all concerned parties collaborating on the same agenda, some topics would find resolution without physical staff meeting time while other topics with true relevancy would be discovered and prepared for by decision-makers in advance.

For Teachers:
Teachers could lesson plan with each other in a setting where administrators could contribute and observe the progression and professional development of educators; bolstering confidence and mutual respect among staff. Individual teacher weaknesses are buttressed by a network of other educators able and willing to enhance their lessons and increase their performance in exchange for that teacher's contribution to other areas of weakness in the network. Even students' feedback could be solicited at the conclusion of a lesson in order to assess which activities they found rigorous and relevant.

For Students:
Students would benefit from increased opportunities to learn from each other as well, but beyond the instructional strategy of group work we may find ways to encourage students to collaborate with experts and professionals to develop learning networks that would extend beyond the walls of our schools. The most meaningful experiences here don't just occur when a student benefits from the expert's knowledge, but when the expert benefits from the unique perspective and knowledge of the student. =What does CCISD need to do to foster these environments? (back to top)=

Professional Development
Administrators need to be given opportunities to collaborate with each other using the methods and tools they intend to open to other stakeholders with enough time and incentive to increase their own comfort level and usage. Then they need to be prepared to not only present their own work to teaching and paraprofessional staff, but allow that work to be manipulated by that staff. We need to become comfortable with and be ready to practically address the 21st Century Learner's mindset of intellectual property rights as quickly as possible. The same time and incentive offered to administrators needs to be offered to staff members during this transitional process. Good examples of projects to focus on initially could be collaborative calendar of events, bell schedules, announcements, campus policy documents, or staff bio pages.

Student Portfolios
Students need opportunities to collaborate on projects with each other, teachers and professionals. Educators need to find authentic assessments for these projects which may not always resemble traditional class projects as students are encouraged to find creative connections between subjects, classes and levels. Teachers need to be creative with where we look for TEKS to be demonstrated in such assignments.

Technology Resources
Technology has the potential to enable many of these collaborative opportunities, but it will even more often play the role of documenting interactions. Whether it is typed, recorded, photographed or all of the above, the internet and software tools developed to make it user-friendly will play a crucial role in proving that collaboration happened and hopefully, will continue happening. =How will we know when we're successful? (back to top)=

=Make a proposal. (back to top)=