Book Chapter 9

7/29/2019 Book Chapter 9

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Chapter 9

COLLABORATION IN

TVE:

Teachers CollaborationAhmad Sashwani Azmi

9.1 INTRODUCTION

9.2 COLLABORATION IN TVE

9.3 TEACHERS COLLABORATION

9.4 CONCLUSION

9.6 RECOMMENDATION

REFERENCES


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9.1 INTRODUCTION

Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursiveprocesswhere two or more people ororganizations work together to realize shared

goals, (this is more than the intersection of common goals seen in co-operative

ventures, but a deep, collective, determination to reach an identical objective

for example, an intriguingendeavor that is creative in natureby sharing

knowledge, learning and building consensus. Most collaboration requires

leadership, although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized

and egalitarian group. In particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain

greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite

resources. Collaboration is also present in opposing goals exhibiting the notion

ofadversarial collaboration, though this is not a common case for using the

word. (Wikipedia)

Collaboration is a philosophy of interaction and personal lifestyle whereascooperation is a structure of interaction designed to facilitate the

accomplishment of an end product or goal. Ted Panitz (1996)

John Myers (Cooperative Learningvol 11 #4 July 1991) points out that thedictionary definitions of "collaboration", derived from its Latin root, focus on

the process of working together; the root word for "cooperation" stresses the

product of such work, Ted Panitz (1996)

9.2 COLLABORATION IN TVE

Generally defined, an Educational Collaborative Partnership is ongoinginvolvement between schools and business/industry, unions, governments and

community organizations. Educational Collaborative Partnerships are

established by mutual agreement between two or more parties to work together

on projects and activities that will enhance the quality of education for students

while improving skills critical to success in the workplace.

Collaboration in Education- two or more co-equal individual voluntarily bringstheir knowledge and experience together by interacting toward a common goal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recursionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadershiphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decentralizedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adversarial_collaborationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoolshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Businesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governmentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governmentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Businesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoolshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adversarial_collaborationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decentralizedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadershiphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recursion


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in the best interest of students for the betterment of their education success.

Students achieve team building and communication skills meeting many

curricular standards. Students have the ability to practice real-world

communication experiences. Students gain leadership through collaboration and

empowers peer to peer learning.( Wikipedia)

Most of the current major educational reforms call for extensive, meaningfulteacher collaboration. Two of the reforms--tech prep and the integration of

vocational and academic education--attempt to dissolve the dichotomy between

academic study and preparation for work; in these reforms, teacher collaboration

is essential: Academic and vocational teachers are expected to work together to

alter the curriculum and pedagogy within subjects, make connections between

subjects, and explore new relationships between the school and the world of

work. ( Morten Inger, 1993)

9.3 TEACHERS COLLABORATION

Collaboration can have powerful effects on student learning, particularly forlow-achieving students. However, a number of factors may moderate the impact

of collaboration on student learning, including student characteristics, group

composition, and task characteristics. Although historical frameworks offer

some guidance as to when and how children acquire and develop collaboration

skills, there is scant empirical evidence to support such predictions. However,

because many researchers appear to believe children can be taught to

collaborate, they urge educators to provide explicit instruction that encouragesdevelopment of skills such as coordination, communication, conflict resolution,

decision-making, problem- solving, and negotiation. Such training should also

emphasize desirable qualities of interaction, such as providing elaborated

explanations, asking direct and specific questions, and responding appropriately

to the requests of others. Teachers should structure tasks in ways that will

support the goals of collaboration, specify ground rules for interaction, and

regulate such interactions. (Emily.R.Lai , Jun 2011)


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Teacher collaboration is essential: Academic and vocational teachers areexpected to work together to alter the curriculum and pedagogy within subjects,

make connections between subjects, and explore new relationships between the

school and the world of work. (Morten Inger)

Teacher collaboration is a departure from existing norms, and, in most schools,teachers are colleagues in name only. They work out of sight and sound of one

another, plan and prepare their lessons and materials alone, and struggle on their

own to solve their instructional, curricular, and management problems

(Morten Inger)

Few studies investigate whether students can be successfully trained tocollaborate. As Bossert (1988) observes, specific training in cooperative roles

is not offered in most studies of cooperative learning methods: The activity itself

constitutes the training (p. 227). However, many researchers recommend

providing explicit instruction in collaboration skills (Fall et al., Webb, 1995).

For example, educators are urged to devote explicit instruction to developing

collaboration skills. Such training could include instruction in effective

communication, how toseek help, and how to provide help to others (Fall et al.,

1997)

Similarly, Webb (1991 and 1995) recommends training students in generalinterpersonal and teamwork skills, including coordination, communication,

conflict resolution, decision making, problem solving, and negotiation. Such

training could emphasize how to give explanations, how to directly and

explicitly ask for help, and how to respond appropriately to others requests for

help. Teachers should also provide ample opportunities for students to practice

collaboration skills, using tasks that are similar to those used during group-based

assessments. Teachers should encourage students to actively participate during

group work (Fall et al., 1997).Teachers should also emphasize that multiple

skills are necessary to complete group tasks and each person in the group is

going to be skilled in at least one area (Webb, 1995).


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9.4 CONCLUSION

Serious collaboration--teachers engaging in the rigorous mutual examination of

teaching and learning--is rare, and where it exists, it is fragile. Yet it can and does

occur, and the enthusiasm of teachers about their collaborations is persuasive. When

schools are organized to support it, the advantages of collegial action are varied and

substantial. When teachers work as colleagues, it produces greater coherence and

integration to the daily work of teaching. Further, it equips individual teachers, groups

of teachers, and their schools for steady improvement. In short, it helps to organize the

school as an environment for learning to teach. ( Morten Inger, 1993)

From the teachers' reported perspectives, and generally speaking, the research findings

were summarized in the following five statements:

1. Teachers do not consider their schools to sufficiently exhibit expectations of orsupport for regular, high levels of collaborative involvement.

2. Teacher work continues to be characterized by competition and individualismand lacks the type of trusting, caring environment that is more conducive to

collaborative practice.

3. There needs to be greater articulation of underlying values and beliefs abouteducational practice that is tempered with respect for diverse professional

opinions and practices.

4. Teachers are dissatisfied with scheduling and appropriations of time, whichoften serve to deter collaborative practice.

5. Teachers need professional development directed at improving theircollaborative skills.

Schools benefit from teacher collaboration

Through formal and informal training sessions, study groups, and conversationsabout teaching, teachers and administrators get the opportunity to get smarter

together.


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Teachers are better prepared to support one another's strengths andaccommodate weaknesses. Working together, they reduce their individual

planning time while greatly increasing the available pool of ideas and materials.

Schools become better prepared and organized to examine new ideas, methods,and materials. The faculty becomes adaptable and self-reliant.

9.5 RECOMMENDATION

The obstacles to collaboration between vocational and academic teachers There are

grounds for optimism

First, both groups of teachers share an orientation toward good work habitsand related skills such as punctuality and ability to understand and follow

directions

Second, both vocational and academic teachers aspire to cultivate students'capacities for complex reasoning and problem- solving

Further, the boundaries and divisions are fundamentally at odds with valuescentral to public education, and it is a commitment to deeper values thatenables some schools and their teachers to bridge subject and departmental

boundaries.

Support for teacher collegiality and collaboration has six dimensions.

Symbolic endorsements and rewards that place value on cooperative work. School-level organization of assignments and leadership

Latitude given to teachers for influence on crucial matters of curriculum andinstruction

Time. Training and assistance

( Morten Inger , 1993)


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The strategies listed below have been used to achieve the integration of vocational and

academic education at three Southern Region Education Board/Vocational Education

Consortium pilot sites. (One is a comprehensive high school, the other two are

vocational centers serving four high schools.)

Involve both vocational and academic teachers in the development of integrationgoals and objectives.

Publicize to students, parents, and community the purposes and anticipatedoutcomes of the collaborative efforts of the teachers.

Provide for staff development that is free from the distractions of the day-to-dayroutine of school operations and involves all academic and vocational teachers.

Provide open, unstructured time in a relaxed atmosphere for vocational andacademic teachers to share.

Move classroom locations of both vocational and academic teachers so that theywill have more ready access to one another.

Have vocational teachers share work completed by students with academicteachers so that the academic teachers can determine what skills are used in

vocational classes.

Have vocational and academic teachers share competency lists so they can learnthe basic competencies the others teach or need students to know.

Provide time for vocational and academic teachers to observe and experiencehands-on activities in each others' classes.

Provide adequate planning time for academic teachers to incorporate real-worldexamples in their instruction. This planning time should be shared with

vocational teachers.

Have vocational and academic teachers work in pairs to assure that students are

being taught comparable applications of basic skills. This has the additional

benefit that students can no longer say that the other teacher does not make us

do this.

Administrators need to set the stage, but teachers need to determine the how toof these collaborative efforts.

When vocational and academic teachers share information, small groups of twoto six teachers are better than larger groups. When larger groups meet, sharing

of ideas and planning becomes limited.


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(Morten Inger ,1993 )

REFERENCESWebb, N. M. (1995). Group collaboration in assessment: Multiple objectives, processes,

and outcomes.Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 17(2), 239261.

Emily R. Lai, (2011), Collaboration : A Literature ReviewFall, R. Webb, N., &

Chudowsky, N. (1997). Group discussion and large-scale language arts

assessment: Effects on students comprehension. CSE Technical Report 445.

Los Angeles, CRESS

Morton Inger ,1993. Teacher Collaboration in Secondary Schools

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