Collaboration

In the course I am currently teaching online, I shared my own experiences, both good and horrible, with my students. My hope is that they will learn from my mistakes, as well as my successes. My students are interns all working on the goal of earning their credential. It has been difficult for them to meet the rigors of coursework with their busy schedules. The class is online in the evening. I am the nag that pesters them with the reminder to submit their work in a timely manner. The biggest hurdle is setting aside time to devote to collaboration.

Remember that forced collaboration is not collaboration. Set your mindset to teamwork. Embrace the opportunity to support each other for the best interest of students. Pace youself with the end-goal in mind.

For those who are new to working collaboratively, there are steps you can take:

Build trust by agreeing on a common goal (to help students succeed) Put it in writing and sign it.

Maintain Open Communication (regular check-ins, make time!) Even a quick chat or an email keeps you connected.

Create a safe space (keep confidential information to yourself) Try to find common ground. Don’t be territorial. Avoid the tendency to control.

Clearly define roles and responsibilities (to avoid ambiguity and misunderstandings). The more you compromise and value each other’s strengths, the better the outcome.

Students can sense tension. Make sure you model respect.

Resources:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/6-steps-collaborative-decision-making-georgina-hughes/

https://asana.com/resources/collaboration-in-the-workplace