Collaboration

__Collaboration__ **How will you facilitate an authentic collaborative learning experience to promote deeper student engagement with content skills and concepts?**

My role as a facilitator in a collaborative learning experience is to formulate an environment that allows students to explore collaboratively to solve problems. In order to establish this environment, the facilitator must pay very close to the physical environment. Students should be provided with a setting that allows for discussion and debate. The classroom should obtain a variety of learning materials and references for students to build upon their prior knowledge, demonstrating a variey of unique ways in which the concepts can be explored and represented. The facilitator may want to be in charge of selecting teams for collaborative exploration or simply by facilitating group roles. The facilitator should also establish and discuss collaboration rules to ensure all members of the group participate equally. Additionally, the facilitator should model how to work effectively in a collaborative group by demonstrating how to reflect on learning, how to communicate ideas, listen to ideas, and discuss shared ideas through debate. To support collaborative students' efforts to identify solutions within a PBL instructional unit, I would first begin thinking in terms of students capabilities and limitations (Lev Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development). This would focus on the students abilities to work collaboratively or seek guidance from the facilitator. To ensure that students are moving toward their goal of collaboratively coming to a resolution and producing a product that reflects their understanding, the facilitator will use the technique of scaffolding and discussion. Through this dialogue facilitators will assist students in making a connection from a PBL activity to a real-world situation; making for purpose and meaningful learning. **What criteria will you use to assign learners to collaborative groups, including a rationale? What will be the size of the collaborative groups you will include in your unit?** The students will be assigned to collaborative groups heterogeneously. Students should be exposed to a variety of diverse perspectives obtained from experiences and backgrounds. This also will give a complex population of students the opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning. Students will be monitoring their learning through questioning and self-reflection. This will stimulate critical thinking and evaluative techniques, as students move through the problem-solving process. Students will be arranged in groups of four to five students.
 * As members of collaborative groups, how will you support students’ efforts to identify solutions to the problem you are using as the framework for your PBL instructional unit? **

**Which digital tools and websites are you considering for collaboration in your unit?**

The digital tools and websites that I am considering for collaboration in my trees unit are computer, camcorder, camera, Kids' Vid, Pixie, Microsoft Photo Story, [], and []. These tools will allow students the opportunity to show creativity and understanding. Students should be provided with an array of methods in which they can demonstrate their understanding of concepts. Motivation is a prime factor in establishing motivation. The students eagerness to learn lies heavily on their willingness to participate.

**How will you assess participation of the students in their collaborative groups? //(In Module 4, you will create assessment rubrics in which you will include this element.)//** Students will be assessed on their collaborative participation through a universal rubric. Students will be measured in both independent areas as well as collectively as a small group. In addition to the teacher's assessment, students will be asked to measure their own effectiveness through the use of a rubric. Factors such as student input, willingness to work together, timeliness, and roles will be reflected upon. The inclusion of the student self-assessment will align with the goal of beign independent and self-reflective learners.