Collaborate and Communicate

Collaborative wiki editing project and traditional in-class group work have similarities. One similarity is that they both aim to help students learn about collaboration. Another similarity is that they both require students to actively participate. Also, they both allow teachers to supervise students’ work. For wiki editing project, the teacher can track students’ contribution on wiki. For traditional in-class group work, the teacher can look at the group’s completed assignments. On the other hand, the collaborative wiki editing project and traditional in-class group work have their differences. Since wiki is solely online, it is prone to more technical glitches. Traditional in-class group work will not have technical glitches if they do not use technology. Another difference is the traditional wiki project is disruptive. Students can engage in wiki wars which is when one or more students are editing at once. With traditional in-class group work, student can discuss which task they are going to do without having to worry about discarding their present work. Lastly, the wiki project takes more practice because students have to learn how to use the wiki and the wiki features. For traditional in-class projects, students just have to focus on the project.

There are differences between cooperation and collaboration. One difference is collaboration means students work on a single shared goal. Cooperating means students have selfish and common goals. Cooperation means student only helping if there are benefits for involved for them. Collaborating means everyone is in it together. Everyone’s priority is to the group. Cooperating means they simply support the group. Another difference is it is easier to cooperate than to collaborate. Collaboration requires more effort. Students have to unite together.

Collaboration can be taught by requiring students to work together with others to achieve a common goal. This can be done by allowing students in the learning community to feel comfortable and willing to contribute to the community. An example of this is seen in Flat Classroom projects. Students and teachers “friend” others in their immediate team grid. They leave messages of introduction. Also, they welcome each other through the network. Another way collaboration can be taught is by having students engage in dialogue. Teachers can do this by creating interactions. To create interactions, teachers can have students reach out and actively post.