Collaborative Inquiry

Working together to solve a problem and /or further investigate a topic or question.

- share knowledge and experience

- bring different expertise

Use each other as resources/become a resource

You can all work together toward finding a solution as a group, or you can all work together and find individual solutions to the same problem using shared resources and expertise

Important to collaborate with teachers, parents and students (Allen & Graden 2002)

Two kinds of performance measures: process and outcome. (Turbin, E., Liang, T., Wu, S. 2011)

Performance

Is the group decision process more efficient and are the members satisfied with the process.

Outcome

Did the new product decision result in success?

Knowledge building and creating (Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. 2006).

Knowledge advancement: improvement of an idea; a community achievement; knowledge of vs knowledge about; discourse rather than argumentation in collaborative problem solving; focus is not persuasion or evidence as they don't generate progress toward solution of shared problem of understanding. Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (2006).

Inquiry

Problem based learning

Asking questions, finding solutions

Collecting evidence

Research

Experts

Anecdotal

Connecting evidence to knowledge gained

Can be individual or collaborative

Problem Solving

Different kinds of problems. (Two main categories) (Jonassen, D. H. 2000)

Well-defined

Less complex. Typical in school, but not common outside of school. EXAMPLE: word problems in math.

easy to assess, but too easy to solve. Not the most beneficial for real problem solving experience.

Can be complex and well-stuctured. Ex: a muscle is complex but still well structured. (Spiro, R. J., & DeSchryver, M. 2009)

Ill-defined

More complex

Typical in real-world situations. There is not always a "right" answer. EXAMPLE: Deciding best course of action for issues like climate change.

More ambiguity and less defined solutions

Need to focus on teaching these types of problems

Gives true experience to help build problem solving skills that will contribute to a child thriving in life

Many different possible solutions

Need open-ended learning environments, goal-based scenarios, and problem-based learning ((Jonassen, D. H. 2000)

Can solve problem as a group or find information as a group/ use each other as resources/share resources to solve individual problems. IE- a shared topic, such as diversification in the classroom, applied individually based on the needs of your own students

4 phases: problem identification, problem analysis, plan development and implementation, plan evaluation (Allen & Graden 2002)

Important for professionals (Jonassen, D. H. 2000)

Must create mental model of the problem = mental space ((Jonassen, D. H. 2000)

Design

Thoughtful planning to meet identified learning needs all students

Learning space/environment

Problems/projects/lessons

Creating ways to apply knowledge and skills to solve problems

Face to face?

Can build morale

Good real time conversations

Some may be more comfortable this way

Online?

Find an effective way that all can and will participate in

Organized and easy to follow

Easy to contribute to

Works with everyone's schedule

Engaging

Technology

Students

Edmodo - like a private and controlled FB!!

Teamie

Let students give considered responses

Kid Blog

SeeSaw

Think Binder

Professionals (Teachers)

IBM Innovation Jam!!

Facebook

GoToMeeting

GAFE

Office365

Twitter

WikiSpaces

Intelligence phase - identify the problem and collect relevant information. Then evaluate the problem to see if it is important enough. (Turbin, E., Liang, T., Wu, S. 2011)

Make sure technology fits and is viable (Turbin, E., Liang, T., Wu, S. 2011)

A way to connect to the world to lean and to share knowledge from knowledge building process Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. 2006).

Allow freedom, but make sure it's not so unstructured that it is overwhelming or student's don't know what to do or where to start.

Make expectations very clear! (maybe include milestones?)

Problem design will vary based on the needs of the group and problem

Online

Face-to-face

The flow of activities

Example (Valkenburg, Dorst 1998)

Name relevant issues

Frame problem

Move toward solution

Reflect on moves

Not necessarily linear

Can be fluid/changing. EX- Reflective practice of design = reflect and change during and/or after process

Physical design

Inviting

Calm

Small but not overcrowded

Private spaces and Group spaces defined

Design spaces that encourage collaboration

Design situation-specific strategies for situation specific needs (Allen & Graden 2002)

How can we most effectively teach such a multifaceted concept and process to students, particularly to students who feel easily overwhelmed by ambiguous concepts?

Clear expectations

Maybe create some type of guide for students similar to the facilitators guide to collaboration?

Can't have direct instructional guidance because it would interfere with conceptual mastery (Spiro, R. J., & DeSchryver, M. 2009)

Problem solver must use related knowledge and experience to infer a procedure to fit the situation at hand (Spiro, R. J., & DeSchryver, M. 2009)