Colab_eu course by Melina Cundari https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu Learning diary of the course: "Collaborative Teaching and Learning" European Schoolnet Academy. PLEASE READ UPSIDE DOWN... start from the bottom en-us 2016-10-24 18:34:56 UTC 2025-10-11 14:35:23 UTC hello@padlet.com Module 1: What is collaborative learning? melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/133690621 2016-10-27 16:45:05 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/133690621 1.1 What is collaborative learning? melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/133700688  This video explores what is meant by the term collaborative learning and summarizes the key benefits for students as well as the specific skills developed through it.
VIDEO
What do you understand collaborative learning to mean? In your experience of implementing collaborative learning in the classroom, have you witnessed academic achievement, student attitudes, engagement and retention being enhanced? What about the skills mentioned in the video – have you witnessed your students develop these as a result of collaborative learning?
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Collaborative working is much more than just working in groups.
It means
- working together,
-assuming decisions,
-sharing responsibility,
-creating interdipendentely a product,
It needs some skills to be developed:
-negotiation,
-feedback,
-listening,
-self-evaluation,
-team working,
-leadership...
In a few words for me collaborative working means creating together something that cannot be achieved if it missed only one of the co-workers.
I cannot talk about my experience because I haven't experienced real collaborative working yet.  ]]> 2016-10-27 17:09:03 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/133700688 1.2 Collaborative learning in a flexible classroom melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/133707242 After watching a video showing how a flexible and interactive classroom environment can facilitate collaborative learning reflect:
Is your classroom set-up flexible and interactive like the one shown in the video? Without necessarily having access to flexible classroom furniture, has the video inspired you to see how you might make your classroom environment more collaboration friendly? What about the technology and online tools used by the students; have you used these with your students and have they effectively facilitated collaborative learning?,
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I would be very happy to work in such an innovative  and flexible classroom, unfortunately my classroom has very old desks arranged in rows. When I want me children working together I usually rearrange the desks so that four/six children can work around the same table. In my classroom there's an e-board and I use my laptop. Children can use my computer, too, or tablets (depending on what they have to do). We have 15 tablets, but I cannot connect all the tablets to internet at the same time (the connection is very bad!). We can also use a very small room where we have the e-board, five computers and a large table where a bigger group of children can work together. ]]> 2016-10-27 17:24:29 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/133707242 1.3 Collaborative learning through project-based learning melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/133718556 A video illustrates how project-based learning can facilitate effective collaborative learning in the classroom.
VIDEO
Have you ever carried out a similar exercise to the ‘circle time’ described in this video, where the teacher explicitly discusses with students how the group work went, what were the positive and negative aspects and what could be solutions for the future? If so, has this improved your students’ collaboration skills and have you seen evidence of this in collaborative work carried out afterwards? The teacher states that ‘Technology becomes useful in class especially when collaborative practices are used’. Do you agree, and why?
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I usually use circle time when I want to assess a collaborative activity. I start asking if they liked what we did and the way we did it and they honestly say what went right and what went wrong.
Children like circle time, they feel free to say whatever they think about the topic and every child understands that his/her opinion is important for me and for the schoolmates.
About technology: I'm fond of it!
I use lots of technology in my teaching practice, children are used to it... and they like it a lot!]]> 2016-10-27 17:52:04 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/133718556 1.4 A foreign language teacher’s experience of collaborative learning melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134047697  An English language teacher explains to us her experience of carrying out collaborative learning with 14-19 year olds through a project-based approach and various online tools. She explains the challenges she has faced and offers some solutions and related questions for us to reflect on.
VIDEO
In your experience of collaborative learning, is behavior management and getting students to stay on track a challenge? Do you agree that assessing collaborative learning is particularly difficult, and what are your experiences of this? How do you monitor teamwork? Do you find the ways mentioned in this video (e.g. through self and peer assessment) useful? What about the online tools mentioned?
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Collaborative teaching and learning, in my opinion, is much more difficult with younger students. Talking about behavior, for instance, students, expecially younger students, usually have to work silently and quietly, that's why when they meet a different way of learning (like collaborative learning and group-work) they "forget" to adjust the volume of their voices. Also about assessment I think self evaluation with rubrics and peer reviews are a pretty good way to assess secondary school students, but they can hardly be used to assess younger students. I agree with Anna that is challenging to assess long-life skills like collaboration, personal responsibility, leadership, time-management and organisation. I usually observe my students while working and use a gride where I put kind of marks to evaluate how they are working together.]]> 2016-10-29 17:30:59 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134047697 1.5 A History & Geography teacher’s experience of collaborative learning melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134050977 Collaboration between teachers:
I usually find it very difficult to collaborate with my colleagues for many reasons:
- different teaching methods
- different approach with technology
- lack of time
- too much self-esteem (maybe expecially from my side),
but when it happens that I can work collaboratively with a colleague... it's a kind of magic: I learn a lot and have fun (which is always veryimportant!).
Collaboration between students:
Grouping - I use to group my students depending on what they have to do... depending on their skills and also depending on their behavior.
Assessing - I think is better to give two different "marks": one for the whole group and another individual (for the individual work within the group).]]> 2016-10-29 19:00:31 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134050977 1.6 Learning Activity melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134069664 Reflect on some recent learning activities you have carried out with your class in the past year, which have included some level of collaboration, and follow these steps:

  • Select two of these learning activities; one which you think required a low level of collaboration from students, and one which you think required a high level of collaboration from students.
  • In your Learning Diary, describe each learning activity in no more than 300 words, clearly outlining the aspects related to student collaboration.
  • In your Learning Diary, explain why you think each activity requires a low or high level of collaboration from students.
LOW LEVEL OF COLLABORATION
Last year my pupils (Primary school - second grade) did four posters depicting the four seasons.
The whole class was divided in four groups and each group had to prepare a poster about one of the four seasons.
Due to the lack of time I gave them all the material and they just decided together who was going to do what.
HIGH LEVEL OF COLLABORATION
During the Europe Code Week 2016 my students (fifth graders) did the Hour of Code through the "Classic Maze" on code.org.
They were working in pairs, but when facing with a new level they discussed among different pair-groups about the new level, listening different opinions, negotiating and giving feedback to me and to other groups. It was exciting!


]]> 2016-10-30 08:11:21 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134069664 First week.... done! melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134272711 2016-10-31 16:02:36 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134272711 Module 2: How can you design collaborative learning in the classroom? melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134290001 2016-10-31 16:49:42 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134290001 2.1 Introduction melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134291720 The learning objectives for this module are: 

  1. Understand how to embed collaborative learning into lesson design
  2. Appreciate the four dimensions of collaborative learning concerning group work, shared responsibility, making substantive decisions, and interdependent work
  3. Understand how the 21st Century Learning Design Collaboration Rubric and Learning Scenarios can help you reflect and design collaborative learning activities
  4. Assess the two collaborative learning activities you described in Module 1, using the 21 CLD Rubric, and report in your Learning Diary
]]> 2016-10-31 16:55:20 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134291720 2.2 Embedding collaborative learning into lesson design melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134291951 VIDEO
Do you agree about the importance to have a shared language concerning what we mean by collaborative learning? Do you agree that having collaborative skills is not a personality trait and that you can design learning activities to develop these skills in your pupils? Professor Butler mentions that ‘Technology can support new pedagogies that focus on learners as active participants with tools for inquiry-based pedagogies and collaborative work spaces’. Do you agree, and what are your experiences of this?
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Difference between collaboration and cooperation -I like this definition:
"cooperation can be achieved if all participants do their assigned parts separately and bring their results to the table; collaboration, in contrast, implies direct interaction among individuals to produce a product and involves negotiations, discussions, and accommodating others’ perspectives." Towards Better Group Work: Seeing the Difference between Cooperation and Collaboration by Olga Kozar
1. I agree about the importance of a shared language (of course).
2. Collaborative skills must be cultivated and of course they grow up just if we design the right learning activities to develop them.
3. Technology allows us to set the right environment for a really collaborative work, expecially if the collaborative work is made between distant partners (like in eTwinning projects).]]> 2016-10-31 16:56:07 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134291951 2.3 The 4 Collaboration Questions melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134326009 VIDEO
What do you think of the 4 major questions presented by Professor Deirdre Butler? Are they useful in helping you design a collaborative learning activity? Have you asked yourself these questions before when designing collaborative learning activities?

Are they working together? It means that they have an opportunity to work in pairs or groups to discuss an issue, to solve a problem or to create a product. 

Do they have shared responsibility? they have to collectively own the work, and being mutually responsible for its outcomes. if the people are equally responsible, and mutually responsible for the tasks

Are  they  making  substantive  decisions? when they have to resolve important issues that will guide their work together. Important issues about the content, the process or the product

And is their work interdependent?
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The four questions are not only very useful, but they are really challenging for us (teachers), expecially the question about "making substantive decisions", because we usually WE tend to make substantive decision both about the process and about the final product... for us (expecially primary teachers) is quite difficult let our pupils take the control of their learning process.

]]> 2016-10-31 18:35:54 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134326009 2.4 21 CLD Collaboration Rubric melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134329681 VIDEO
How useful do you find the rubric Professor Deirdre Butler explained? Do you think it is useful in helping you understand the type and quality of collaboration taking place in the learning activities you design? Have you used this or similar rubrics before to help you design collaborative learning activities? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of it?
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I've used Rubrics to assess my own works, I've never used them to assess students' work. I've used RUBISTAR to create rubrics for some projects. To be honest I've never thought about the fact that the rubric is very useful to design learning activities. Of course it's better to design and use them in advance so that you and your students know what you expect from the activity.


]]> 2016-10-31 18:50:56 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134329681 2.4 bis melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134423121 Prof. Deirdre Butler's rubric]]> 2016-11-01 10:52:54 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134423121 2.4 ter Materials and links melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134424188
Angelo Ruffino's translation and others
flow chart
translation in pdf
translation in excell
TOOLS
RUBISTAR
FOR ALL RUBRICS
a useful post
TEMPLATES
Single point rubric]]> 2016-11-01 11:01:17 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134424188 2.5 Collaborative learning scenarios melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134430114 A  learning scenario template developed in a previous project, which can be used as a tool to help reflecting and designing collaborative learning activities.
VIDEO
Check out the scenario template and 6 example scenarios in the resource section of this module. What do you think of the template? What do you think of the example scenarios? Do you find them inspiring? Can you see how you might adapt some scenarios to create collaborative learning activities for your own context? What do you find useful or less useful about these scenarios?
_______________________________________________
21st CLD Learning activity rubrics
learning scenario template
learning scenario example
traduzione di Elvia 
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LOW LEVEL OF COLLABORATION
Last year my pupils (Primary school - second grade) did four posters depicting the four seasons.
The whole class was divided in four groups and each group had to prepare a poster about one of the four seasons.
Due to the lack of time I gave them all the material and they just decided together who was going to do what.
code 2 -
Infact they were working in groups and they had shared responsibility (they were working in groups to develop a common product: a poster depicting one of the four season).

HIGH LEVEL OF COLLABORATION
During the Europe Code Week 2016 my students (fifth graders) did the Hour of Code through the "Classic Maze" on code.org.
They were working in pairs, but when facing with a new level they discussed among different pair-groups about the new level, listening different opinions, negotiating and giving feedback to me and to other groups. It was exciting!
code  5 -
Infact students worked in pairs, had shared responsibility (they completed the maze together using a single device), they made substantive decisions together about process of their work (they had to decide if using one or another block to complete each level) and their work was interdependent (they couldn't work alone in any way).
]]> 2016-11-01 17:26:40 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134565259 Second week... done! melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134579898 2016-11-01 18:03:18 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/134579898 Module 3 - How can you assess collaborative learning? melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/136496134  The CO-LAB Guidelines for Assessing Collaborative Learning (developed by Doctor Luis Valente, from the University of Minho), is the key reference document for this module to design the assessment aspects of a collaborative learning lesson ]]> 2016-11-09 17:46:16 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/136496134 3.3 Assessment for improving collaborative learning melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/136506457 I’m well aware that formative assessment is very important and I try to embed it in every learning activity using very simple techniques, I need it to give my students any scaffolding activity to guide them through the learning process.

About self- assessment I don’t think it’s useful for my students:  they are very young (primary school) and whenever I’ve tried to use it I’ve realized that students always believe they did everything perfect (even if  it’s a mess!)

]]> 2016-11-09 18:10:08 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/136506457 3.4 A sports teacher's experience of assessing students’ collaborative learning melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/137807443 transcription
Assessing groups is a quite difficult task, but Chrysa, using three factors, managed to assess all the different aspects of collaborative learning: individual work, group work and group management. Of course it is very helpful to estabilish evaluation criteria from the beginning. Children are much more focused if they know what is it going to be assessed.
Peer assessment in Primary school is quite difficult in my experience, pupils often aren't able to assess their mates' work. I've noticed that sometimes they tend to give a good feedback to closest friends, but Chrisa through her questions, helped students in the very difficult field of peer-assessment (I learned that is really important to do the right questions!!!)]]> 2016-11-15 16:55:04 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/137807443 3.5 An ICT teacher’s experience of assessing collaborative learning melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/138889335 video
Collaboration between students is very important, but collaboration between teachers (although more difficult) is even more important. Etwinning gives the amazing opportunity to collaborate and my teaching practice has improved due to engagement and collaboration in eTwinning projects.
The seven benefits of collaborative learning are very important, but the one I find more important is "development of 21st century skills" specially: leadership, teamwork, collaboration and cooperation.
The challenge in my opinion is time management: cooperative learning requires more time.
About digital tools I cannot immagine collaborative learning without ICT]]> 2016-11-19 18:05:53 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/138889335 3.6 Collaborative learning and student peer reviews melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/138891078 I prefer to create the groups myself, because I know my students and I try to ensure to each group a well balanced number of students. About the evaluation, since my students are very young they still have to learn to be objective, I try to do peer assessment about very small tasks, but I still have a lot of work to do.
I  cannot say that I use to do collaborative work in my classes, I'm still learning, anyway I already use some digital tools: Padlet (when we are putting together individual works), Tackk (I've created some pages where my students can find games created to review lessons, expecially vocabulary), Kahoot and Quizizz (I always use these tools for formative assessment), Google forms (to evaluate eTwinning projects) and some others.]]> 2016-11-19 18:37:56 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/138891078 3.7 Collaborative learning - What to assess and how? melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/138923315 Transcription
Although I know rubrics and how to construct them, I have to say, honestly, that I've never used them to evaluate students work (I've used them to evaluate my work). 
The video of the course coordinator is very clear and useful and I'll work on it.
What I find very useful is to involve students in the construction of the rubric, it will make students more focused on what they are going to do. ]]> 2016-11-20 11:26:40 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/138923315 3.8 Answers to teachers’ questions on assessing collaborative learning melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139636553 2016-11-23 17:49:02 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139636553 3.9 Module 3 Learning Activity melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139636884 I already have an idea about the Learning activity I want to design.
It's about an eTwinning project not yet started.
This is the link to the project]]> 2016-11-23 17:51:00 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139636884 MODULE FOUR How can teacher collaboration facilitate collaborative learning? melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139639128

]]> 2016-11-23 18:04:10 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139639128 Module three - Done melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139639694 2016-11-23 18:07:51 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139639694 4.1 Introduction melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139639919 The learning objectives for this module are:

  1. Appreciate the benefits of teacher collaboration and how best to take advantage of them, as well as the challenges, and tips and tools for overcoming them
  2. Understand the required skills needed by teachers for effective collaboration, as well as the conditions needed at school level for teacher collaboration to flourish
  3. Understand how technology can facilitate teacher collaboration
  4. Finalize the development of one or more lesson plans integrating collaborative learning and assessment, as well as elements of teacher collaboration, using the Learning Designer.
  5. Peer review the collaborative learning lesson plans of two course participants.
]]> 2016-11-23 18:09:14 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139639919 4.2 A primary school teacher’s experience of teacher collaboration melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139642178 "Co-teaching rotation" is a very interesting way to really collaborate with colleagues. In Italy, in Primary school, we have two hours a week to plan activities with our team colleagues... Years ago we had also "compresenza": two teachers working together (same time - same class), it was really good, because we could easely manage group work or reinforcement for weaker students, Know we don't have it anymore, and it becames more and more difficult to collaborate with colleagues. Things are changing lately (our school sistem is changing a lot... hopefully in a right way!)]]> 2016-11-23 18:21:15 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139642178 4.3 A secondary teacher’s experience of teacher collaboration melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139647538 As an eTwinners I use lots of digital tools to develop 21st century skills (both for me and for my students).
I have three websites where I collect educative games for my students:
tackk.com/melcunda-terza (for my third graders)
tackk.com/melcunda-quarta (for my fourth graders)
tackk.com/melcunda-quinta (for my fifth graders)
I have also created some others tackk pages to collaborate with my colleagues in some projects (for instance for the Europe Code Week).
We use Padlet, Google Docs, Dropbox and many digital collaborative tools like shared Prezi, AnswerGarden, Mentimeter...
I also use Twitter to stay in touch with innovative teachers from all over the world.

]]> 2016-11-23 18:56:01 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139647538 4.8 My learning design melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139649120 This is the LINK to my learning design.
It is about a new Etwinning project ready to start.
Looking forward to receiving peer-assessment!]]> 2016-11-23 19:07:04 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139649120 melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139961717 2016-11-26 11:03:57 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/139961717 My review melcunda https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/141147372 This is the review received]]> 2016-12-01 15:49:25 UTC https://padlet.com/melcunda/Colab_eu/wish/141147372