Collaboration: In and Out of the Classroom

As the world continues to grow, so too will the technology that inhabits it. As a society, we must learn how to utilize the technology we live alongside to its maximum extent. This includes of course, how we utilize technology in the classroom. We can use the technologies at our disposal to increase collaboration between students, allowing them to work together and work alongside each other in ways that can benefit their education. Collaboration in the classroom is more than just forcing students to work together, but instead giving them access to tools that can help them work together in more efficiently and in greater capacity. It is uber important for us to teach our students how to collaborate and how to collaborate effectively because "there are very few jobs that don't require some degree of collaboration"(Sail the 7 Cs  with Microsoft Education, collaborators chapter). The question that remains is.. How? How can educators introduce collaboration to their classroom and their students? 

For students, collaboration in the classroom likely stems from their teachers, so it is crucial that their teachers bring proper and adequate collaboration to the classroom. In a way, collaboration should be instilled as a classroom culture. From day one, collaboration needs to be made the norm, not just an occasional event. Students should always be working together, whether in groups or online. The question now becomes, well, collaboration in the classroom is rather straightforward, but how can students collaborate out of the classroom? This is where the great advances in technology come in, and all educators have to do is harness it. Here are some examples of tools that can be used to heighten collaboration outside of the classroom: OneNote, a digital notebook; Social Media, which can be used to allow students to interact with each other, within school contexts of course; Microsoft Teams, which can create an online, away from school class where students can operate without the binds of class time and fully on their own.  

It is important for educators to grant their students the ability to collaborate, as it is a crucial skill necessary throughout their entire lives. Educators must also utilize tools properly, and that requires work outside of the classroom for them too. However, should teachers create the opportunities, students will surely react positively, as humans love to work together. As the world continues to grow and adapt, so too will the technologies inhabiting it, and educators must continue to stay up to the task of being capable of utilizing these tools to the benefit of their students.