Collaboration.

What is it?
To me it is a way to work together, a way to be connected. Collaboration is:

• Interaction
• Communication
• Sharing
• Dialougue
• Teamwork

I think a class blog has the potential to link us together in ways that may be difficult for us to do in the classroom: It is another learning tool. It gives us opportunities to learn more about each other and our viewpoints, since we really don't have much time to interact or engage in discussion. It also gives opportunities to share information or exchange ideas with one another and to engage in dialouge when a topic is of interest to us. It allows expression without the stress of speaking in class, and gives us time to think and respond without being rushed. As long as students are interested, or better yet, passionate about a common purpose or topic, a class blog will encourage collaboration. I have enjoyed looking at other students' posts since each one answers the Post #3 assignment differently.

Collaboration is meaningful to teachers, for I believe teaching depends on collaboration for sucess. Teachers are bound together with a common purpose: to help students learn and find ways to improve the school system. This "collective focus" requires energy to build partnerships, and involves collaborative planning and problem solving. What a great tool blogging can be for teachers. New technologies can provide new ways to collaborate with interactive on-going dialouge that may be difficult to accomplish in "face to face" meetings. I see blogging as a way to compliment the "face to face" dialouges and planning, but not meant to replace it.

janice (JMV)