1 | What is collaborative learning? | 25 sept
2 | How can you design collaborative learning in the classroom? | 02 octo
3 | How can you assess collaborative learning? | 09 octo
4 | How can teacher collaboration facilitate collaborative learning? | 16 octo

Two live events

1. Q&A webinar on Collaborative Learning Assessment | 09 octo
2. TeachMeet on good practices from the course’s participants | 16 octo

Skills developed by CL:

CL fosters among students:

Teachers’ role in CL:

Overall benefits of CL:

ICT is mainly used in Literature, and they use Google Doc to collect the information from web pages, and Google Presentation for… support their presentation to the class.

C - As a music teacher I believe that everyone can compose (as they can draw, paint, dance, or write. If it is good or bad, that is a matter of judgement). When I create composing learning experiences for beginners (of all ages), I set a common goal, organise students in small groups, ask them to listen to each other musical ideas, work through trial and error, make suggestions on how to improve other’s ideas, in fact I believe they compose collaboratively. And despite the fact that composing is not a frequent activity that students’ are asked to carry out (unfortunately, in my view), the ones that experience a composing activity managed this way, will always remember their creation, as well as the process. 

L - in small groups they search online different interpretations of the same musical work, or other musics from the same composer, and  use Google Docs to collect the information from web pages, and Google Presentation for… support their presentation to the class.

A - listening with understanding, in semi-circle assembly, to give their opinion, talk about how they relate to that specific version of the musical work;

S - rehearse, instrumental technique in semi-circle assembly;

P - alone or in small groups like in a band, in this case they better collaborate or their rendition of the musical work will be flawed.

To better understand how CLASP activities promote and require collaborative engagement, please refer to the picture below (note: I had to transform the table in a picture as Padlet does not allow tables in its posts).

If there is a field where myths and fallacies spread easily, and where beliefs and attitudes are cornerstone, this field is Education. And so the importance of research like Innovative Teaching and Learning (2011) that shows that if we design learning activities that demand the use of these skills, students will develop them. If we design learning activities that don’t demand the use of these skills, students won’t develop them by osmosis.

When talking about Technology in Education, I always remember that it amplifies everything, the good and the bad, alike. So I could not agree more with the words of Arthur C. Clark in 1980:

What shared responsibility means? It means that they:

What make substantive decisions means? It means that they:

In Performing Solo… students do not work in group, so hands down, Code 1.

When I create composing learning experiences for beginners (of all ages), I organise students in small groups, set a common goal (for instance, compose a musical landscape for a given image), ask them to listen to each other musical ideas, work through trial and error, make suggestions on how to improve other’s ideas. I observe from a distance, and only intervene when groups go rogue or when they look for my help. They have to come up with solutions for their musical problems, and work interdependent, like when one musical idea is better rendered (played) by a different member of the group than by the one who had the idea, and this judgement and decision are made by the whole group. So, definitively Code 5.

We can find the answer to the final question she asks in her own words: “I had to implement an assessment method that relates individual and group outcomes and practices.” For instance two rubrics one for individual technique, and other to individual contributions to the group.

These 3 features are all in the same medium: verbal communication. So, to assess collaboration we have to observe language and communication interactions between group elements (Vygotsky and Engeström).

The tips, guidelines, and examples, are of great utility to improve my constructing process.

There are different methods to teach music. I use a comprehensive method called CLASP (Composing, Literature, Appraising, Skills, and Performance). See what it is about.

Where does my lesson plan fit in the 7 phases of the learning scenario development process (LSDV) mentioned in module 2.4? Depending on the perspective:

The content of the Composition is a tale The Tortoise and the Hare so I planned a collaboration with the English teacher to analyse the text.

Collaboration skills are assessed using Co-Lab checklist for peer assessment and the composition is assessed using a rubric constructed by me using RubiStar.

Finally is the link to my lesson plan (67% Collaboration, 33% Acquisition) https://v.gd/p9qnmS 

Thank you,

Mário Relvas, Portugal - Music