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Collaboration and working in groups are deemed 21st Century skills. Advocates point out that more and more projects in the workplace are team efforts, and businesses need individuals who know how to work well with others. But you can’t expect people to learn how to work in groups simply by putting them in groups. If we expect students to learn how to become better at working in groups, it’s not enough simply to assign group work. We must teach them how to be better group members. Collaboration does not just happen—it is a skill that requires instruction, modeling, opportunity, practice, and feedback. It requires a lot of preparation and scaffolding on the teacher’s part as they plan to move from cooperative activities to actual collaborative efforts.
What makes a great group? Great group members value collective intelligence, meaning the group effort is more rich, insightful, and effective than an individual’s effort. Functioning and thriving in a group requires conversational turn-taking and genuine listening. When everyone shares the stage, group intelligence is higher. But, what happens when there are ineffective group members? Learning how to function effectively in a group requires feedback; a weak group member must understand his or her shortcomings with strategies and goals for improvement. But, understanding our adolescent students means that we appreciate that this is a process and maybe even a particularly hard one. Again, it requires that teachers are deliberate and intentional in their instruction of group norms, opportunities to practice with peers in diverse settings, and meaningful and appropriate feedback.
Assessment for collaboration can involve a variety of student evidence such as journals, rubrics, portfolios, and products that demonstrate their mastery of the Standard. Based on the Standard, students can set goals and begin to develop the incremental skills embedded in the Speaking and Listening Strand.
A Guide to Working in Groups
Click on the charts below to examine what students need to do regarding comprehension and collaboration.
  
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