Collaboration+Methods

Collaborative Methods to Improving Literacy in the Social Studies Classroom
Gregory Wimmer Central York School District E-mail

media type="custom" key="520219"

Collaboration Sites
[|Google Docs] [|SubEthaEdit]

media type="custom" key="520225" Session blogged by Aly Tapp:** Why do we need to use collaborative technology?
 * Example of SubEthaEdit in Action
 * 1) To conquer very difficult texts
 * 2) To learn collaborative skills as preparation for the 21st century workplace

SubEthaEdit:
 * Created by computer programmers who wanted to write collaborative code.
 * Problem: Kids can delete the document at any time -- give them playtime to have their fun and then make it time to get serious.
 * Insert benchmark questions in a tough document. As kids read and get to the questions, they all post their answers. They can benefit from reading each others' responses.
 * Let the kids manage their chatting -- they will find ways to organize and manage the discussion.
 * Open Google Reader next to SubEthaEdit and ask the kids to discuss the reading in real time You can post questions and get answers from many kids instead of just one kid. The kids will also start side conversations that focus on some particular interest sparked by the reading.
 * Teacher can switch the session to "read-only" and essentially lock out the students from making changes.

Google Docs:
 * Web-based; requires email for each user.
 * Allow the kids to set up their own docs/groups when they are collaborating (this pushes the responsibility onto them for sending all those invites).
 * Use google docs to collaborate with classes all over the world. Finding them can be a challenge. Consider using CILC.org

Uses:
 * Review for a test -- kids post review material
 * Reading notes -- read a document and and their annotations as they go
 * Debate
 * Team definitions
 * Long-term Projects

Thanks Greg! Very impressive stuff!