Increasing Collaboration in the Classroom Using Technology

By Sarah Barnett

If you have a mobile device . . .

� Try downloading the free mobile apps for Socrative. ◦ Download both “Socrative Student” and “Socrative Teacher.”

Access to Workshop Materials

� All materials can be found on my Schoolwires Website ◦ Woodland High Schoolà Teachersà Sarah

Barnett ◦  http://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/Domain/

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ISTE-Students Standards �  www.iste.org/standards 2. Communication and Collaboration a. Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. b. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media c. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats d. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures e. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

Collaboration means . . .

�  Students are working with their peers learning teamwork and group communication skills.

�  Students are learning how to problem solve, delegate tasks, contribute to a group presentation, take responsibility, be accountable, etc.

�  Students are discussing with or writing for a real audience.

Collaboration . . .

�  Involves interaction. � Requires dialogue. � Encourages discussion. � Can get messy. � Leads to greater outcomes.

� Avoids learning in isolation.

Technology Tools to Facilitate Collaboration

� Blogging � Padlet � Google Docs � Voice Thread � Socrative

Blogging

� Option 1: Schoolwires Blog—to respond to and discuss a teacher-generated prompt

� Option 2: EduBlogs—for students to publish original work; FREE and SAFE ◦ Teacher Blog—classroom hub ◦  Student Blogs—can publish student work;

linked to the teacher blog; teacher controls privacy

Padlet (www.padlet.com)

� Online Sticky Note Board � Whole class or small groups can

contribute to an online post-it note board to share ideas.

� Can be accessed synchronously or asynchronously

�  In addition to text, can add links, upload files, insert pictures

Padlet—Suggestions for Facilitating Collaboration � Use Padlet as a warm-up activity ◦  Students can answer an “opening question”

using their mobile devices. Have the URL written on the board. ◦  Students respond to what others have posted.

� Contribute to a Padlet for HW. ◦ What was the most important thing you

learned from the HW? OR Compare/contrast two concepts from the reading. ◦ Require that students add something that

hasn’t been posted yet.

Padlet—Suggestions for Facilitating Collaboration �  JigSaw Padlet ◦  Create 5 Padlets for 5 different learning stations

in the classroom. Require each group to add something different to the station Padlet after completing the task at that station. Compare all groups at the end of the class period.

� Group Brainstorming ◦  Require students to brainstorm a topic (or

collect quotations, key historical figures, important vocabulary terms, etc.) on a small group Padlet. ◦  Then sort the post-it notes into different

categories. (Use freeform layout.)

Padlet—Suggestions for Facilitating Collaboration � Create a group study guide for a unit test. �  Each person is responsible for multiple sticky-notes

on various topics.

� Collect textual evidence to support a specific position while reading an article. �  Sort evidence into “pro” and “con.”

Google Docs � Does require a Google Account; must be

at least 13; still may want to obtain parental consent

�  Students can collaborate in real-time or asynchronously on documents, spreadsheets, sites, etc. by “sharing” with peers ◦  Saves automatically ◦ Avoids the need to email or multiple saves of

group projects ◦ No excuses about lost/forgotten flashdrives

Google Docs—Suggestions for Facilitating Collaboration �  Small groups collaboratively create a

presentation using Google Presentations (like a PowerPoint)

� Collaboratively complete a graphic organizer ◦ Teacher shares the document with each

group. � Teacher can view each student’s

contributions to the group work by “checking revision history.”

VoiceThread

� Audio “blogging” � Option 1: Teacher uploads a “prompt” and

students respond to the prompt orally; all responses are collected around the prompt and can be listened to

� Option 2: Student uploads pictures/documents and presents using voice recordings

VoiceThread—Suggestions for Facilitating Collaboration � Practice telling a story about a picture in

a foreign language; listen to other students and critique their pronunciation or try to translate the story

�  Student groups can narrate a presentation (a form of screencasting) ◦ Great for the shy students who do not want

to present in front of the class

�  Students upload original work for others to comment/critique

Socrative (www.socrative.com)

�  Student/Teacher collaboration as formative assessment

� Mobile apps or computers

Socrative—Suggestions for Facilitating Collaboration �  Review a test or multiple choice of any kind; ◦  Students predict the distractor answer or find

evidence that disproves specific answer choices �  Exit tickets ◦ What did you learn today?

�  Pre-Discussion ◦  Allow students to answer discussion questions in

writing before the whole-class discussion; prompts the “quiet” students to share ideas

�  Socratic Seminar ◦  Record thoughts while in the “outer circle” of a

Socratic seminar

Access to Workshop Materials

� All materials can be found on my Schoolwires Website ◦ Woodland High Schoolà Teachersà Sarah

Barnett ◦  http://schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/Domain/

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