Rheingold (2005) noted that humans have a basic instinct to “interact and work as a group.” I agree with Rheingold’s premise. He gave examples of Wikipedia, Mozilla, Linux, Amazon, as businesses that work as collaborative entities. While collaborating with the public, these tech companies are also creating new forms of wealth, since people rarely commit and sustain acts of altruism in their collaborative efforts. Society is composed of collaborative groups that work together, often cooperatively, to complete tasks that are beyond the individual’s capabilities. The group’s survival may mean the individual’s survival.
Technology can facilitate collaboration by building on the prior knowledge and experience of others who forged the path to the present. Technology has made it so much easier to communicate and work with others without the constraints of time and distance.
A quantitative study (Aaron & Roche, 2011) on “cloud computing,” using 80 survey respondents, supported collaboration as a valuable tool. The study focused on four functions of cloud computing: file storage, file synchronization, document creation, and collaboration. The collaborative capabilities of GoogleDocs, where several people can view and edit documents simultaneously, provide benefits to all participants that allow sharing of ideas and resources.
Aaron, L. S., & Roche, C. M. (2011). Teaching, learning, and collaborating in the Cloud: Applications of Cloud computing for educators in post-secondary institutions. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 40(2), 95-111. Retrieved from http://www.salt.org/salt.asp?ss=l&pn=jets
Rheingold, H. (2005). The new power of collaboration. [Podcast]. TedTalks. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html
Responded to: Amanda Langston (langstoneducationaltechnology.blogspot.com); Regina Malz (http://educationaltechnologyrm.blogspot.com/)
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Clarice,
ReplyDeleteI agree that technology can help collaboration with building upon prior knowledge. My question is what happens when you have a student in your classroom or a co-worker that is very withdrawn and lacks social skills? Will these people collaborate even using technology? In my experience with students that have autism, they often use technology, but struggle with finding the means to communicate using it. They often do not use skype or AIM because that is putting them in a social setting that is not comfortable.
Clarice,
ReplyDeleteIt's like technology has become a tool that we wonder what we did before it was created. Just like we say what we did before Air Condition though they are some people in the world that still don't have Air Condition. Do you think their some people that just will not get on board with collaboration though they may have been born with the instinct?
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI think technology help students to stay focused and become proficient in literacy. My students love to use computers when they are completing lessons in compositions. They can proofread their work and make accurate revisions. Technology helps students to pay attention and learn by navigating to and from different sites.