Building a Collaborative Culture

Chapter 4 of the Connected Educator is about building a Collaborative Culture. The chapter starts off by giving an example how conversation through an online community of practice can lead to deeper connected learning. When sharing information and getting to know one another within the same community, it would allow us to be able to share information within the same field on a deeper level. Technology can support this inquiry-based learning. It’s also important to note that “the lack of collaboration exists despite the finding that change is more likely to be effective and long lasting if the teachers are allowed to build vital relationships with each other.” (The Connected Educator, chapter 4) In addition, it’s important to create this relationships in order to establish trust. When trust is developed, then collaboration and group development would benefit greatly. 

The chapter then starts to go into more detail about the steps to collaboration. The first step is forming. Forming a group is important because it allows you to get to know one another. At this stage, most are excited to begin something new and are curious to see what benefits the group can produce. The next stage is storming. Storming is the stage where group members get more comfortable and start to disagree.This stage of group development is important because it shows the group is expressing their true values. It’s also important group members know this stage is normal, or else they might give up prematurely. The third stage is norming. This stage is when group  members start to figure out what works best in order for them to get their work done. Lastly, the final stage is performing. This is the final stage where everything really gets put together and works. Every member of the group knows how to communicate effectively and allows for the group's goals to be achieved. At the end of this stage, the group learns how to communicate and collaborate more effectively.

My future career goal is to be an educator. Collaboration as an educator is very important within the community. Collaboration can lead to better professional development as well as student learning. By working together with other educators,  they may share their own experiences that can help with your personal career journey. This collaboration can lead to improvements in methods of teaching and learning. This also directly affects student learning. When educators collaborate they can create more cohesive and integrated learning environments for students. Sharing each of their own resources can in return provide students with a more well rounded education.

Questions to Readers:

    1. Do you recall a time where collaboration has helped you learn more about something?

    2. How do you perceive the role of collaboration in achieving organizational goals and objectives?