Collaboration, Technology and Affordances

Abstract

At Horton High School, there are approximately 150 music students and 80 Grade 10 drama students. I teach all these students, in bands, choirs, orchestras, classes, and small ensembles. It is my hope that, before leaving my department, these students all understand the importance of collaboration and creative problem solving and therefore I strive to find for them every opportunity to hone their collaboration skills, and to be creative, collaborative problem solvers. I do this because I firmly believe that if they can creatively problem-solve, within a productive, collaborative group, then they can succeed at whatever they wish. I also know that collaborative work encourages critical thinking (King, 2008; Gokhale, 2008; Vygotsky et al., 2004).  Rather than simply relying on the natural tendency for musical groups to be collaborative, I assign work that puts students in a position to collaborate. With the integration of technology into education, I have been able to use collaboration in new and exciting ways. Google Apps for Education (GAfE) has supplied many free and accessible ways to allow both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration between and among students. This work can be done face-to-face, or over a distance; there are more options available than I have ever experienced before. Faced with the prospects of an exciting new frontier, I find I must keep my enthusiasm in check and pace the introductions of new technology to my students. After having presented the classes with a few of the new possibilities, I noticed some students shutting down, or getting overly frustrated, or becoming very stressed and anxious. Does the integration of technology create too steep a learning curve for some students? Can I continue to share collaborative opportunities with my students using our newly implemented technology, without causing undo stress and anxiety? With the right pacing, a thorough understanding of the learning curve associated with technology integration, and knowledge of how the user interface and platform effect the perception of affordances, I believe that specific collaboration projects can continue in my program, with the inclusion of technological integration.