Seven Group Collaboration Tips

The following are a few tips for facilitating collaboration with technology.

1. Begin with an engaging problem. Don’t ask students to imagine that they are this or that. Put them in a real world scenario that immediately engages with a story, a video, a plea for help from a real person. Think Princess Leia's appeal to Obi Wan Kenobi; who couldn't be captured by this approach? "You're my only hope."
2. Ask for one product. Keep the technology use for any one app or program simple.
3. Use cooperative groups. Set students up in groups early on in the year, with different tasks and job titles. Be sure to set norms for each group.
4. Support student growth. After two to three projects have passed, have students switch jobs. The goal is that by the end of a semester, every student has had the opportunity to learn and grow in a new role.
5. Encourage reflection. Have students keep track of their work with a digital log. You can use a Google/Microsoft Form, a Google Sites, Microsoft OneNote for reflection. Rely on classroom wide reflection via online video reflection through Flipgrid or LetsRecap.
6. Make sharing easy. Rely on sharing solutions in your classroom (e.g. Seesaw, Nearpod, YouTube) that make putting content in a shared virtual space (e.g. blog, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Apple Classroom) easy to do.
7. Take paper digital. Even if your students are younger, you can have them work with arts and crafts then take their creations digital. This can be as simple as creating a paper slide show or creating augmented reality.

You may also want to set norms and review project design suggestions.