Collaboration


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

In order to enhance a collaborative experience, I believe you have to have an overall authentic and engaging introduction and lesson. I believe this is the first step to authentic collaboration. Secondly, I believe it is necessary to use tools that are relevant to students' lives today and tomorrow. Using tools that reflect their real worlds as well as their future worlds would be ideal in this situation.


 * 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?**

I will support students' efforts by acting as a facilitator. I have already and will continue to encourage students to use their peers as well as technology as a resource. I will assist in that process, but will act as more of a "guide on the side" when it comes to students trying to identify problems.

Learners in all groups will be heterogeneous in nature, including gender, race, and learning ability. I want to create groups that come from different abilities as well as different backgrounds. I believe the mixture will bring different experiences to each group. Furthermore, I do not want to single out groups based on a particular aspect that might bring attention to a particular individual or individuals. Ideally, my groups would be from three to four people.
 * 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 following tools and websites I am considering for collaboration:
 * Which digital tools and websites are you considering for collaboration in your unit?**
 * Twitter
 * Skype (or another videoconferencing tool)
 * GoogleDocs
 * Gmail
 * Moodle


 * 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.)//**

//Note: An assessment rubric has been designed in Lesson C, which assesses collaboration in the final project. This is a struggle for me because I believe collaboration is essential for success. However, I find it very difficult to be objective when grading in terms of collaboration. This is why I tend to have less priority placed on collaboration. This is an area where I am still trying to find a solid foundation.//