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Katie Byrnes Assignment 2: Collaboration 1) Read the article: “In Defense of Cheating” by Don Norman; accessible via: http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/InDefenseOfCheating.html and comment on the following issue: do you agree or disagree with Norman’s position? Why? I agree with Norman's position. The most powerful learning occurs in collaboration either with other people or with a text or technology or something. When I teach I specifically de-emphasize grades and emphasize learning. I allow my students variety and choices in their assignments so they can use their strengths and demonstrate what they know rather than focusing on what they don't know. Cheating is a serious problem and is often a desperate measure by a student because of other circumstances going on in his or her life. I definitely agree that punishments and prohibitions about working in collaboration are detrimental to students' learning and I not only support but enact the kind of curriculum Norman wants to see in more classrooms. - how does his view relate to your own experience in your school, university, and working life (in case you have worked somewhere sometimes)? In my role as a teacher I have already explained the connection to a collaborative learning atmosphere. I also announce on the first day of class that collectively my students know more and have had more experiences than I have as an individual. I try to get my students thinking about the power and the resources that exist in our learning community outside of my own knowledge and expertise. I remember first experiencing the power of collaboration in my academic life in my master's program in education where we were all becoming certified to teach and so shared many common interests and concerns. It was fun working with other people dedicated to and passionate about teaching and learning and students. Here at CU, I took a challenging course last semester that I believe I learned more working with my classmates than from the professor. 2) Visit one of the following websites and explore it as a medium for collaboration http://www.mamamedia.com 3) Briefly discuss for your chosen website: what did you find interesting about it? in which way is it related to “collaboration”? how does it compare with the Swiki used for our class? ~The site was extremely colorful and inviting. On the home page you can immediately tell that it is for kids. Most of the words used are active verbs like draw and create. ~ Kids can submit artwork and stories and they can play games on the site. They can respond to polls and see what other kids think about various topics. ~ It is a way for people to communicate on their own time, using resources that are meaningful to that person. It is a way to see what other people think about a topic you are thinking about. 4) which is your favorite website / system in support of collaboration (briefly justify your opinion)! The discussion section of WebCT was an effective way for students to continue to conversation outside of class. I enjoyed reading what people were thinking about and how they were making connections between the class and other areas of their life. People were able to share their thoughts if they were uncomfortable speaking in class or if they didn't get a chance to say something in class. It was interesting to see different people's personalities come through in their postings. 5) have you ever read a book(s) / article(s) (or books) about collaboration? if yes: NO choose the most important one provide title and one paragraph what you found interesting about it!