Collaboration; working together has long been taught to us in our younger years but once we finally grow up, the idea of collaborating and sharing ideas has been dismissed. The one place that it is important to collaborate is inside schools but that’s most likely the least place you’ll see it.
In the “WorldChanging” blog(http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/006927.html), edubloggers and Suzie Boss collaborate to explain how teachers can reach out to the cyber world to help create greater connections while instilling project based learning in the classroom. After reading this blog, I thought about what I would do if I were placed in the unfortunate circumstance of working in a school with a lack of colleague collaboration.
Yes, not every school is down for collaboration but I believe every teacher should be prepared for the worse when first entering schools. We can’t always bet on being blessed on having great administration and fellow teachers to work with, therefore, why not collaborate with other peers who may or may not be in the same town let alone the same state?
This is where Web 2.0 technology comes into play. Transforming the teaching world may be simpler (in some aspects) than we think. Techniques like blogs wikispace, and podcasts are a few of many ways that teachers can collaborate with one another across boarders and continents. What stumps me is why teachers and administration have not embraced it all sooner? This is where isolation comes into place. Schools are now being mixed with teachers who have grown up with technological generation and teachers who have grown up with the traditional teaching techniques. Neither wants to teach one another and both don’t want to accept one another’s presence in the classroom.
Yes, I am part of the group that is being taught to teach using technology but that doesn’t mean I (we) must completely reject the traditional forms of teaching too. What use am I if I show a power point on a Smartboard? Is that really improving the learning experience for my students or is that sticking to the traditional form of teaching?
Like Roland Barth says, “If one day we educators could only disclose our rich craft knowledge to one another, we could transform our schools overnight”. In other words, in order to create an educational transformation, we must teach those who are cemented to the traditional forms of teaching, while at the same time, we must expect to learn things from them too.
Felicia brings up many points that are important to teaching. As teachers we should be collaborating with each other. No teacher should feel isolated however that is not the case. Using Web 2.0 technology allows teacher to reach anywhere in the world. Blogs, podcasts, and wikispaces are just some of the things we could use. I like that you also mention that we do not have to stray away from traditional teaching. The standardize testing is something as a history teacher you have to prepare for. However everyday power point is not doing anything for students. In the end the quote by Roland Barth says it all.
ReplyDeleteI agree that schools do not always (and should) embrace new technologies in the classroom. That is the beauty of emerging Web 2.0 technologies however. They do not require and funding or other institutional support. All they require is the effort made by the teacher. As long as the teacher can effectively employ wiki's, blogs, and other technologies and justify their use to administrators, I do not think there would be a problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree that schools always don't have collaboration but as a new teacher you should try to start your own collaboration with others, you might be successful. this goes alon with incorporating new technology into the classroom, you can try something new and if it fails then try something else but if it doesn't fail you can build on this new technology
ReplyDeleteExcellent post! You brought up a key point that we may not actually have the chance to collaborate with our fellow teachers in our school (worst-case scenario) and that Web 2.0 actually plays a vital role. It made me think that maybe Web 2.0 plays a more vital role in those first few years than I originally believed.
ReplyDeleteI think collaboration really helps fill the gaps in our own understanding and gives us resources.
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