“disruption through collaboration”

“Disruption through collaboration”

Tim Gander and Lynley Schofield

The Mind Lab by Unitec - Post Graduate Certificate -Applied Practice in Digital and Collaborative Learning

Four enabling factors were identified as important in changes to teachers’

thinking and changes to practice following the learning on the Post Grad Course.

● Opportunities to collaborate as a cohort

● Exposure to new knowledge and ideas

● Requirement to reflect on practice

● Challenged to think differently

(Bolstad & Macdonald, 2016)

@ulearnnz #ulearn16 #cenz16

Research Questions

What is the impact of inter- and intra-school collaboration on teachers’ practice?

● What are the main factors that support or inhibit such collaboration?

● How does such collaboration impact on their perceptions of other schools?

● To what extent do teachers perceive that the impact of such collaboration is

disruptive to teaching practice?


Method - how we collected data...

Qualitative

Case Studies

Post Grad

Voluntary

Confidential

Google +

Videos


The Limitations

Selection bias

Studied collaboration

Interested and/or Practiced collaboration

Influenced by our own understandings

Difficult to extrapolate


What Were The Main Factors That Supported Collaboration?

The course (being in a similar situation, assessments, content etc.) - encouraging

professional conversations…

Meeting like minded people

Guided/facilitated professional discussions

Technology

Release time


What Were The Main Factors That Inhibited Collaboration?

Time!!! Sometimes it is quicker to do it yourself rather than working with someone

else, especially outside of your school

Mindset

Scared to collaborate

Afraid to admit what I didn’t know...Comfort zone



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8IpHKLguOQ

Investing in Educational Success-Inquiry Time

“The purpose of inquiry time is to support kaiako/teachers to take time to

undertake structured opportunities to access, observe, collaborate and reflect

with Community of Learning kaiako/teachers across Communities and within

schools.

Allocation : Is a FTTE based calculation 50 hours for every 10 FTTE, with a

minimum of 50 hours per school. “ (MOE, 2016, p.18)


Robinson (2016), argues that CoL’s are a catalyst for change,

not the location of change itself… schools need to build trust.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wek8UayqO2Y

Did Teachers Think That Collaboration Has Disrupted Practice?

More conversations around practice in other schools has been great for idea

sharing and examples of good practice (also helped me appreciate the leadership

styles at our school).

There are some totally awesome schools doing totally awesome things. It has

clearly identified where our school needs to make changes.Makes me think about

the bigger picture and how what we are doing vs what other schools are doing.

It's great to hear what's going on in other schools as we can tend to assume that

we're all doing the same sort of work.

Yes. I have realised that even quite different subjects have similar needs.


How Has Your Thinking Been Influenced?

Confidence

Empathy

Built leadership

Appreciation of others

Widened views and built knowledge

Being exposed to trying new ideas

Sharing resources and ideas

“If you see it happening in other schools, easy to know you are on the right track”


If Collaboration is to Disrupt...

Cross sector collaboration is the most disruptive, but most difficult...

1) School leaders have specific time set aside each week to assist in

collaboration,

2) Opportunities for collaboration should be supported - for all- developing

empathy and trust for other professionals. (Leading from the middle-Fullan)

3) Utilising tools like trello and agile to become transparent

4) Shared vision (Design thinking = Empathy)

5) Challenge yourself by collaborating outside your comfort zone (Diversity)


Further questions…How does collaboration lead into or support leadership?

Are there different types/methods of collaboration, (eg Tairawhiti Men in Education

etc. - PPTA group etc.)

Can collaboration be a negative thing, does it stop schools having their own

identity, does it water it down?

For our own practiceAt least one assessment should be completed collaboratively

Somehow emphasise the merits of collaborating interschools in our content, use

examples of schools that have done it from our research.


Disruption through collaboration?

For teachers, collaborative professional learning can be easy

because as soon as teachers commit, it works.

(Beauchamp, et al., 2014, p.49)


ReferencesAustin, R., Smyth, J., Rickard, A., Quirk‐Bolt, N., & Metcalfe, N. (2010). Collaborative digital learning in schools: Teacher perceptions of purpose and effectiveness. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 19(3), 327–343. doi:10.1080/1475939X.2010.513765

Barber, W., King, S. & Buchanan, S. (2015). Problem Based Learning and Authentic Assessment in Digital Pedagogy: Embracing the Role of Collaborative Communities. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 13(2), 59-67.

Beauchamp, L., Klassen, R., Parsons, J., Durksen, T., & Taylor, L. (2014). Exploring the development of teacher efficacy through professional learning experiences: Final report. Retrieved from http://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA /Publications/Professional-Development/PD-86-29 teacher efficacy final report SM.pdf

Bolstad, R., & Macdonald, J. (2016). by Unitec , Postgraduate Certificate in Digital and Collaborative Learning An analysis of participant blogs.

Dillenbourg, P. (1999). Collaborative-learning: Cognitive and Computational Approaches. Oxford, UK: Elsevier.

Investing in educational success working group. (2014). Investing in educational success. Working group report Part two: Advice and members' independent background papers. Wellington: Ministry of Education.

King, F. (2014). Evaluating the impact of teacher professional development: an evidence-based framework. Professional development in education, 40(1), 89-111.


ReferencesHargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2013). The power of professional capital: With an investment in collaboration, teachers become nation builders. Journal of Staff Development, 34(3), 36–40. Retrieved from http://www.cmaste.ualberta.ca/en/Outreach/ ~/media/cmaste/Documents/Outreach/Norway Energy Camp/2.pdf

Lee, M., & Ward, L. (2013). Collaboration in Learning: Transcending the classroom walls. Camberwell, Victoria: ACER Press.

Ministry of Education. (2016). Community of Learning, Guide for Schools and Kura. Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Parsons, D., Thomas, M., Inkila, M., Nicoll Antipas, P., Valintine, F., Pham, T. & Vo, D. (2015). Transforming Teacher Education with Digital and Collaborative Learning and Leadership. International Journal of Digital Literacy and Digital Competence, 6(4), 30-47.

Rigelman, N. M., & Ruben, B. (2012). Creating foundations for collaboration in schools: Utilizing professional learning communities to support teacher candidate learning and visions of teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(7), 979-989.

Robinson, V. (2016). Communities of Learners: What are the Implications for Leadership Development? Retrieved September 20, 2016, from http://www.uacel.ac.nz/publications/articletype/articleview/articleid/344/communities-of-learners-what- are-the-implications -for- leadership-development

Schleicher, A.(ed.) (2012), Preparing Teachers and Developing School Leaders for the 21st Century: Lessons from around the World, OECD Education and Skills, Publishing, Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264174559-en

Scott, P., & Mouza, C. (2007). The impact of professional development on teacher learning, practice and leadership skills: A study on the integration of technology in the teaching of writing. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 37(3), 229–266. doi:10.2190/EC.37.3.b
