Collaboration Center on Education & Lifelong Learning Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

Collaboration is not a “thing” ---it is a way of doing things. Collaboration refers to how teachers are carrying out a specific task or activity, not the nature or purpose of the activity. 9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

Defining characteristics of collaboration: It is voluntary. Teachers may be required to work in close proximity, but they cannot be required to collaborate. They must make a personal choice to work collaboratively in such situations. 9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

It is based on Parity. Teachers who collaborate must believe that all individuals' contributions are valued equally. The amount and nature of particular teachers' contributions may vary greatly, but the teachers recognize that what they offer is integral to the collaborative effort. 9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

It requires a mutual goal It requires a mutual goal. Teachers collaborate only when they share a goal. If goals are poorly defined, they may unintentionally work on different goals. When this happens, miscommunication and frustration often occur.   9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

It includes shared responsibility It includes shared responsibility. Although teachers may divide their labor, each one participates equally in making fundamental decisions about the activities they are undertaking. 9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

It is based on shared resources It is based on shared resources. Each teacher participating in a collaborative effort contributes some type of resource. This has the effect of increasing commitment and reinforcing each professional's sense of parity. Resources may include time, expertise, space, equipment, or any other such assets. 9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

It includes shared accountability for outcomes It includes shared accountability for outcomes. This follows shared responsibility. If teachers share key decisions, they must also share accountability for the results of their decisions, regardless of outcome.   9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

Emergent Characteristics While these elements, to some degree, are required at the outset of collaboration, they do not have to be fully developed in a new collaborative relationship. As teachers become more experienced with collaboration, their depth and complexity with these elements will mature and grow into successful collaborative relationships.   9/19/2018 Collaboration chart

The 5 C’s Congeniality - social chit-chat, sharing about personal activities, kids, recipes, games Communication - Sharing information, keeping each other informed, congenial Coordination - avoiding duplication or overlapping efforts Cooperation - working together but for a separate goal Collaboration - shared resources, shared accountability 9/19/2018 Collaboration chart