ALC Newsletter - 09/08/2014 (Plain Text Version)
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2014 AFFILIATE COLLOQUIUM CHALLENGES OF COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
As language teaching professionals, we encounter collaboration in two basic contexts. One applies to our students. We design and implement group activities that allow students to actively engage with each other and build knowledge and skills. Although sometimes we may have some reservations about such an approach, we see its benefits and encourage students to work collaboratively. The other type of context applies to our teamwork with fellow professionals. There we build, exchange, and share our professional expertise and cooperate on projects of various kinds. Although yet again we understand the value of cooperation, we may not always feel so supportive of it as we are in our classes. Being active members rather than observers in this context, we are much more aware of the challenges associated with collaborative projects. Among our many positive experiences of teamwork, we also have the experiences of feeling annoyed, misunderstood, hurt, unsatisfied, disconnected, disliked, frustrated, and discouraged. In both instances of collaboration and, in fact, on any occasion when people work together on a shared goal, common challenges occur. Consequently, if these are not prevented or handled well, collaboration becomes counterproductive and its beauty gets overshadowed by difficulties faced by members of the group. To prevent these failures, we need to plan the collaboration through. Effective group work in a language class or collaboration simply needs to be well planned/designed and structured. I have taken part in multiple types of local or international collaborative projects. Those more successful and enjoyable projects have shared common characteristics as have less successful and frustrating ones. The following is a brief overview of what I have identified as basic areas that defined the quality of a collaborative project.
We bring different expectations, experiences, commitments, personal and professional skills, strengths, contexts, cultures, technology skills, and so forth to any project. They can hinder or enhance the group efforts to accomplish a task. If we embrace the principles of effective team work and implement them effectively in collaborative projects we get involved in (or involve our students in), we may find group work effective, motivating, or, simply said, running like clockwork. You can learn more about the topic in the resources provided below. References Zoglio, S. W. (2002). 7 keys to building great workteams. Retrieved from http://teambuildersplus.com/articles/7-keys-to-building-great-workteams Resources Beebe, S. A., & Masterson, J. T. (2000). Communicating in small groups: Principles and practices (6th ed.). New York, NY: Addison Wesley Longman. Christison, M. A., & Murray, D. E. (2009). Building effective teams. In M. A. Christison & D. E. Murray (Eds.), Leadership in language education: Theoretical foundations and practical skills for changing times (pp. 200–218). New York, NY: Routledge. Coombe, C., McCloskey, M. L., Stephenson, L., & Anderson, N. J. (2008). Leadership in English language teaching and learning. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan.
Gabriela Kleckova, a language teacher, university lecturer, teacher trainer, researcher, consultant, and materials developer, is based in the English Department, Faculty of Education, at the University of Western Bohemia, in Plzen, the Czech Republic. She received her PhD in English with a concentration in applied linguistics from the University of Memphis, Tennessee, in the United States. Her main research interests include the effectiveness and utility of the visual design of ELT materials. She is also interested in content and language integrated learning, materials development, English as an international language, and teacher education. She currently serves on the TESOL Board of Directors. |
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