Introduction
Problem Statement
I am part of the opening team of a new elementary school in the southeastern United States. Our technology team includes a Local School Technology Coordinator, Technical Support personnel, and a computer lab teacher. As the lab teacher, my responsibilities include ensuring that students at each grade level have mastered the technology competencies as set forth by the school district’s list of Academic Knowledge and Skills. As an educator, I know that skills are best learned when integrated into the curriculum, rather than taught in isolation. Therefore, it is my goal to work collaboratively with the classroom teachers in order to enrich curriculum by integrating technology. As my school does not have a curriculum map in place, collaboration is necessary so that I am aware of the curriculum being taught at each grade level, as well as its scope and sequence throughout the year. In this way, I can better meet the needs of teachers and students, while fulfilling my job requirements.
Purpose of Study
The purpose of my study is to examine the effects of collaboration and determine the positive and negative perceptions of collaboration, as well as identify potential barriers to effective collaboration. My rationale is that successful collaboration allows teachers to learn from one another and encourages trusting professional relationships. These relationships foster a sense of shared decision-making and community critical for the successful opening of a new school.
Research Questions
My specific research questions are:
- What is the nature and extent of collaboration achieved by myself and the classroom teachers?
- What are the teachers’ views on positive and negative features of working collaboratively?
- What factors promoted or hindered effective collaboration?
- What were the effects of collaboration related to instruction?
Limitations and Delimitations
- As the person collecting data and doing the collaboration, teachers may be unwilling to be honest with me.
- Results will be for this school, at this time, with these people. Results will not generalize to other settings.
Validation
To ensure the validity of the participants’ responses on the surveys, participants were assured that their completed surveys would be turned in anonymously with the researcher being the only person who had access to the data. A statement to that fact was included in the consent form which was signed by each participant (Appendix B). The content of this consent form was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Georgia (Appendix E).
Literature Review
Importance of Collaboration
A growing number of factors compel education personnel to collaborate on behalf of their students. Federal legislation mandates educational teaming for students with disabilities. The mainstreaming provides a special challenge to teachers who lack adequate preparation. In addition, collaboration fosters a sense of shared responsibility for educating heterogeneous groups of students. A wider range of responsibilities and demands can be addressed by a collaborative or team approach than by individual, isolated efforts (Gable, 2004). Successful schools can be differentiated from less successful schools by establishing time for teacher talk, teacher observation, and teachers teaching each other (Campo, 1993). Particularly in an elementary school setting, collaboration may lessen teachers’ feelings of isolation as they lack peer relationships that are enjoyed by teachers in secondary schools that are divided into academic departments or teams. Furthermore, management theory asserts that teachers want to help other teachers (Cooper, 1990).
Methods of Collaboration
There are several types of and methods for implementing collaboration. Collaboration can take place system-wide, by clusters, school-wide, by grade level, or by subject area. Collaboration can be:
- Indirect - This usually takes place before or after school, or during common planning times. Those involved usually explore reasons for educational problems and brainstorm solutions.
- Intervening Assistance and Mainstream Assistance - Collaboration for intervention assistance usually involves an interdisciplinary team of five to seven people where a problem-solving exchange occurs. Mainstream assistance is planned around a professional consultant/consultee interaction.
- Direct - Direct collaboration is commonly known as cooperative teaching, where more than one teacher has equal responsibility for planning and instruction of a heterogeneous group of students in a regular education classroom (Gable, 1997).
There are also sequential phases for assessing professional collaboration. In the primary phase, the teacher recognizes student underachievement or mounting behavior problems. Informal collaboration is initially sought, then a request is brought to the interdisciplinary team, often referred to as the student study team. In the secondary phase, the team participants problem-solve and generate a plan for instruction, implementation, and monitoring of educational outcomes. Finally, the tertiary phase includes reflection on the collaborative process so that strengths and weaknesses in the process can be identified to maximize potential for future success.
Role of the Collaborative Technology Teacher
Educators are often resistant to using computer technology in the classroom. Changing teachers’ attitudes is a key factor in fostering technology integration (Christensen, 2002). If curriculum and teaching standards for technology are to become a vital addition to public school curriculum, two challenges must be resolved:
- The technology teacher must communicate clearly what technology education is and what technology education teachers do.
- The technology teacher must be prepared to collaborate in different school settings with teachers from different disciplines.
With communication and collaboration, teachers, students, and educational leaders can recognize technology education’s value across the curriculum as school subjects provide opportunities to develop technology curriculum into the public school curriculum. The goal of the instructional technology profession is to produce students who are competent with varied aspects of technology. By collaborating, the practical value of technology education becomes an integral part of the public school curriculum (Linnell, 2001). Without collaboration with fellow educators, technology instructors cease to have a purposeful mission in the life of the school. Students benefit when the programs are woven together (Bush, 2003). Teachers make sure curriculum is enhanced through technology when technology teachers, classroom teachers, and students work together. In this manner, the school environment becomes a sharing community (Gersh, 2001).
Perceived Benefits of Collaboration
Supporters of teacher collaboration list many benefits. Participants receive moral support from their peers as frequent discussion and dialogue carries them through the frustration and uncertainties of change. This leads to increased confidence to adopt, delay, or resist new ideas. Collaboration increases efficiency by eliminating duplication so that the quality of student learning is improved by improving teacher effectiveness. For example, workload is reduced as pressures and burdens are shared. Collaboration promotes reflection as peers serve as sources of feedback and teachers are afforded an opportunity to reflect on their own practices. Finally, it promotes teacher learning from each other, which leads to an unending process of continuous improvement (Johnson, 2003).
Team decision making, which includes setting goals and implementing plans, enables participants to gain ownership of the instructional process. Teachers have the opportunity to learn from each other and establish long lasting and trusting professional relationships. The idea of collaboration is predicated on equality and, therefore, encourages new perspectives and attitudes. Those involved consider themselves accountable for achieving predetermined goals (Gable, 1997).
Negative Perceptions of Collaboration
While collaborative ways of working help most teachers feel better about themselves and their work, there are also those who see many negative aspects or dangers in collaboration. Many involved in collaborative groups claim that instead of alleviating work loads, there is an actual work intensification as they need to meet more frequently with colleagues, taking time away from normal duties. Implementing collaborative ways of working in school involves major changes to established routines. In this manner, teachers are expected to accept extra responsibilities, without being allotted more time or money. In addition, many feel a danger of loss of autonomy. These participants report feeling constrained and pressured to conform that often leads to interpersonal conflict. Furthermore, as different levels of participation and enthusiasm exist, power struggles emerge. As schools become more collaborative, they can also become micropolitical in terms of power and influenced-based interactions Johnson, 2003). There is a danger of group thinking, or uncritical conformity to the group, which represses individual dissent and encourages group acceptance of new ideas without critical thought. In this way, collaboration can underplay the role of diversity, dissent, and disagreement (Achinstein, 2002).
Summary
Collaboration holds great promise for addressing educators’ and the public’s demand for fundamental change in schools. If supporters are to be believed, it has the potential to create a climate in which all students can become successful learners. However, most authorities agree that there is an unmistakable divide in what literature says about collaboration and how it actually happens in schools (Gable, 2004).
My study is to identify and evaluate the factors that influence positive and negative perceptions of teacher collaboration in order to maximize the benefits for all those involved. My specific research questions are:
- What is the nature and extent of collaboration achieved by myself and the classroom teachers?
- What are the teachers’ views on positive and negative features of working collaboratively?
- What factors promoted or hindered effective collaboration?
As schools and their communities rush to provide students with access to technology, they overlook the vital issue of implementation. Teacher training remains a significant obstacle. Few teachers are adequately prepared to use technology themselves, or help students use technology in the classroom (Smith, 2003). As I open a new school as a technology instructor, I believe that for technology to become successfully integrated, the primary stakeholders must be part of the ongoing process.
Methods
Introduction
The purpose of this research is to identify and evaluate the factors that influence positive and negative perceptions of teacher collaboration in order to maximize the benefits for all those involved. My hypothesis is that successful collaboration allows teachers to learn from one another and encourages trusting professional relationships. These relationships foster a sense of shared decision making which is critical for the success of a new school.
Participants
This study takes place in a suburban community in the southeastern United States which is comprised of approximately 600,000 people. Approximately 63% of the population is white, 20% black, 14% Hispanic, and the remaining 3% is of other nationalities.
The participants in this study are fifty teachers in a large elementary school within this community. The school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2004. 58% of the faculty have post-graduate degrees. 45% have teaching experience exceeding ten years. 5% are first-year teachers, with the remaining 50% having teaching experience of between two and nine years. All participants bring their classes to the computer lab for instruction by the computer lab specialist for four consecutive days for a period of fifty minutes per day. Those involved were advised that participation was voluntary with no repercussions for non-participation. Permission from the local administration is documented by the Local School Research Request Form (Appendix A), and consent forms (Appendix B), were distributed and collected from each participant.
Research Design and Procedures
I met weekly with grade levels to discuss curriculum needs and to collaborate with classroom teachers in order to more effectively integrate technology. My research questions were:
- What is the nature and extent of collaboration achieved by myself and the classroom teachers?
- What are the teachers’ views on positive and negative features of working collaboratively?
- What factors promoted or hindered effective collaboration?
- What were the effects of collaboration upon classroom instruction?
I implemented survey research to gather the necessary data. Survey research allowed me to gather information about the participants’ opinions and attitudes. The survey consisted of a series of questions which enabled me to draw inferences relating to the research questions. It did, however, rely on the participants’ self-reporting. Participants may have responded according to what they thought I wanted to hear. To minimize this possibility, all surveys were anonymous. In addition to the survey, (Appendix C), I used an open-ended questionnaire (Appendix D). To maximize return percentage, I distributed questionnaires and surveys at grade level meetings and asked that they were returned to my mailbox within the school. Therefore, I was assured that I had received an adequate number of responses to ensure a representative sample of participants.
Data Collection and Analysis
I began collaboration with grade levels during the second week of school in August. I attended grade level meetings which are held regularly once a week before school. I was only able to stay in each meeting a short time as to allow for grade level business to be completed, as well as to assure that I was able to attend each grade level (first through fifth) meeting. Between meetings, I frequently emailed teachers with whom I was collaborating to assess needs and progress. Upon receiving IRB approval, I began to distribute consent forms to participants, making sure that all realized that participation was completely voluntary. After four weeks of collaborative meetings, I distributed the surveys to all those participating. I used a rating scale to more accurately evaluate participants’ attitudes regarding collaboration.
After data collection was complete, I compiled results for each survey and questionnaire response to:
- determine participants’ attitudes toward collaboration.
- determine the participants’ perception of the nature and extent of collaboration
- identify perceptions of positive factors which enhance collaboration
- identify perceptions of negative factors which inhibited collaboration
- determine teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of collaboration upon instruction.
Position of the Researcher
I am a first year computer lab teacher. I have been a classroom teacher in grades three and five for the last seventeen years. I am aware of the time constraints and frustrations of having to plan for content area instruction and prepare students for mandated local, state, and federal testing. Although the academic merits of technology use is evident, I am cognizant of the fact that many teachers view it as an additional area to plan for, and it often is the first to be ignored in favor of more traditional instruction methods which the teachers are already comfortable with.
I believe that an important factor in meeting the needs of students is for collaboration to occur among teachers, particularly in relation to technology tools and skills. If I am aware of the content areas that teachers are attempting to cover, I can provide resources and suggestions to better integrate technology into both the instruction and student presentation for assessment. In this way, my technology instruction is more meaningful to the students.
Results and Discussion
In this chapter I present the results from the surveys. Of the fifty teachers with whom I attempted to collaborate regularly, either through face-to-face meetings or through the use of email, forty surveys were returned to me as well as thirty-six collaboration questionnaires. The compiled results for the collaboration survey are shown.
| To What Extent Did You… |
Not at all |
A little |
To some extent |
To a great extent |
| l. Work collaboratively with the computer lab specialist? |
0 |
12 |
21 |
7 |
| 2. Receive technology integration support from the computer lab specialist? |
0 |
5 |
17 |
18 |
| 3. Feel comfortable asking the computer lab specialist for help/support? |
0 |
6 |
32 |
2 |
| 4. More effectively integrate technology as a result of collaboration with the specialist? |
0 |
15 |
24 |
1 |
| 5. Feel collaboration reduced your workload? |
4 |
12 |
24 |
0 |
| 6. Feel part of a learning community which values shared responsibility for ongoing learning? |
0 |
8 |
28 |
4 |
| 7. Learn about technology integration as a result of collaboration? |
0 |
9 |
30 |
1 |
| 8. Feel pressured to implement the specialist’s suggestions? |
29 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
| 9. Feel professional collaboration is encouraged and supported by the administration? |
0 |
5 |
22 |
13 |
| 10. Possess the skills necessary for effective collaboration? |
1 |
16 |
21 |
2 |
| 11. Work with the computer specialist to solve instructional technology problems? |
0 |
13 |
25 |
2 |
12. Perceive the following as detrimental to the collaborative process:
- Incompatibility issues
- Inability to meet at designated times
|
32
3
|
8
18 |
0
14 |
0
5 |
| 13. Feel collaboration increased your workload? |
3 |
24 |
9 |
4 |
Table 1. Collaboration Survey
Collaboration Survey
Seventy percent of the participants reported that they collaborated at least to some extent (53% to some extent and 17% to a great extent). Eighty-eight percent of the participants felt that they had received significant support in technology integration (43% to some extent and 45% to a great extent). Eighty-five percent of the responders felt comfortable asking for support or help (80% to some extent and 5% to a great extent). One-hundred percent of the participants indicated that they could more effectively integrate technology as a result of collaboration with the computer lab specialist, with sixty-three percent of them feeling significantly more able to do so. One-hundred percent of the respondents also indicated that they felt part of a learning community which values shared responsibility for ongoing learning. Seventy-eight percent responded that they had made significant gains in learning about technology integration as a result of collaboration. Only twenty-eight percent of the participants felt pressured in any way to implement the specialist’s suggestions for integrating technology to improve student learning. All participants indicated that they had worked with the computer specialist to solve instructional technology problems, with sixty-eight percent of them worked to at least some extent to do so. Eighty percent of those responding indicated no compatibility issues which were detrimental to collaboration, while ninety-three percent found the time designated for collaborative meetings as a hindrance to effective collaboration.
Ninety-three percent of those participating felt that collaboration had negative impact upon their workload. No one indicated that collaboration had reduced their workload to a great extent, with only sixty percent remarking that collaboration had reduced their workload to some extent, thirty percent a little, and ten percent perceiving that collaboration had not reduced their workload at all.
Answers for each of the questionnaire questions are summarized below
Collaboration Questionnaire
Please answer the following questions providing as much information as possible:
1. As you reflect upon the collaboration process, what issues do you see as impeding successful collaboration?
- It is difficult to find a time when we can coordinate schedules in order to meet.
- Many times you did not stay long enough at our meetings for meaningful discussions.
- We have too much to teach already without trying to incorporate something else into the curriculum.
- With the pressure that we are under to teach for students’ success on the Gateway, the CRCT, and the Iowa (Test of Basic Skills), there is just not enough time to collaborate with you on technology issues.
- Because of our individual teaching philosophies, we don’t always agree on what the best method for teaching subject matter is; what works for you doesn’t always work for me.
- I feel that I lose some autonomy when you suggest technology lessons. I know that you are trying to help, but it’s my classroom!
2. What suggestions do you have for making the collaborative process more helpful to you?
- Perhaps it would be better if you concentrated on collaborating with the only those of us who are really interested in collaboration. That way, we could spend more time and have more in depth discussions.
- Let us choose the times and the topics that we want to collaborate on.
- Once we get the curriculum map in place, perhaps you could post suggested lesson plans on our school website. That way those of us who are interested or need help in a given area can access them on our timetable.
- Post “how-to” instructions for those of us who need them. For example, how to research on the Internet, how to create PowerPoint presentations, etc.
- Talk to (principal) about regular release time dedicated to collaboration. I would like to sit down and combine our skills and resources without looking at the clock so frequently.
3. How could scheduling for collaboration better meet your needs?
- Release time for more effective collaboration.
- Instead of meeting weekly, maybe we could schedule a meeting once a month for this purpose only, instead of trying to fit everything into that 45 minute block.
- With all we are expected to do, I don’t know how we’d fit another meeting in!
- Maybe provide a staff development session after school once or twice a month for interested teachers to attend.
4. As you consider the frequency of collaboration meetings, did we meet too often? Not often enough? An adequate number of times? (Please elaborate)
- We didn’t meet too often, just for too short a time during the meetings.
- Met too often - - too much information too often.
- The weekly meetings were great! It gave me ideas to use that week.
- Wish we could have met one-on-one more often – I had many questions to ask you that I didn’t feel were relative to the group.
5. What positive outcomes do you perceive resulted from collaboration?
- We have so much to learn from each other! I realized how diverse our backgrounds are and what we bring into the classroom.
- Collaboration gave us an opportunity to get to know each other. I’m not sure that I would have had the opportunity to get to know you otherwise. Now I feel that I can approach you with questions and suggestions without feeling uncomfortable.
- I think that teachers are the best sources of suggestions for other teachers. We don’t do enough mentoring and collaboration because we’re afraid our ideas aren’t good enough or that we’ll step on each other’s toes. I think we learned that we can work together to maximize student learning!
- We can do so much more together than we can as individuals.
- I have a much bigger pool of ideas and materials to choose from now.
- As a beginning teacher, this allowed me to learn from my more experienced peers, while sharing some new ideas with them which I learning in college.
- The kids loved the change from traditional textbook instruction to the webquests that you created. They also felt like they were being rewarded by completing PowerPoint presentations instead of taking a paper-pencil test. However, the learning which took place was at least equal to what I’ve seen in previous years and the kids were actually enthused about it.
Summary
The participants in this study reported predominately positive attitudes about the collaborative process. Data from the collaboration survey indicates that a majority of the participants felt that they had received support in technology integration. In fact, one-hundred percent of the participants indicated that they were better equipped to effectively integrate technology as a result of our collaboration.
Survey data also indicated that collaboration resulted in the creation of a learning community at our school. Since elementary school teachers are most often isolated, the opportunity to work together provided an opportunity to develop a professional learning community and build collegiality. Most of us work out of sight and sound of each other. Therefore, we plan and prepare lessons and materials alone, struggling to solve our own instructional, curricular, and management problems.The majority of those who collaborated found themselves much better equipped to integrate technology more effectively and, as a result, pointed to increased motivation and learning by their students.
The opportunity to meet regularly with the computer lab specialist also provided a data base for instructional strategies and effective uses of technology without the time factor of locating necessary websites and presentation techniques for authentic assessment. Survey data indicated that the ability to work with the computer specialist had enabled them to solve many instructional technology problems. Content area topics were provided to the computer lab specialist, who in turn located resources and made suggestions for lessons that were technology based.
Collaboration also provided the opportunity to build professional relationships. Because we all came from different schools, we were a little uncomfortable with each other initially. We were able to develop a sense of trust and respect for each other. Data revealed that compatibility issues had no negative effects on our collaborative efforts. Furthermore, an outcome of the collaborative meetings was an opportunity to discuss and develop a shared vision for our school. In fact, when staff meetings were held to determine our school’s mission statement, we found that much of the work had already been done in our collaborative meetings. The nature of our collaborative efforts seem to expand and deepen as we began to work more closely together. We began our relationship by simply learning about each other, then progressed to offering to help or asking for help. We ceased to see ourselves as us and them, instead focusing on how we could maximize student learning by working together. Through our collaboration and conversations about teaching we had the opportunity to support each other’s strengths and accommodate weaknesses.Furthermore, there was increased respect for what others were teaching and the problems they had.
Teachers also reported improvements in student achievement, behavior, and attitude as a result of suggestions made through collaboration. Students seem to be able to sense the consistency of expectations throughout the grade level.
There were, however, some negative perceptions regarding our collaborative attempt. A majority of respondents reported that collaboration had not significantly reduced their workload.Time was mentioned repeatedly as an obstacle. Scheduled grade level meetings left little time to discuss topics other than day to day housekeeping items, such as test schedules, field trips, data collection, and other administrative dictates. Furthermore, some teachers were not open to suggestions, and wanted to continue to do things their way despite evidence that indicated that it was not as effective as others. These teachers had a negative influence on those who would have liked to accept suggestions and discouraged them from offering any. I suspect it was many of these teachers who saw collaboration as increasing their workload, instead of decreasing it.
Conclusions
It is evident that many teachers are not only interested, but feel empowered, by the opportunity to collaborate with their peers. Also evident, however, is the frustration of being accountable for an increased curriculum of academic knowledge and skills within the same time parameters. Also apparent is the resistance of some veteran teachers to new ideas and methodologies.
While it is relatively easy to list the merits of teacher to teacher collaboration, the challenge is in developing and carrying out an implementation plan. Schools, especially administrators, should be given freedom and incentives to support collaboration at the school level. In order to best meet the needs of students, teachers need more opportunities to collaborate. A number of factors can help in supporting that collaboration. The current typical school schedule does not allow teachers to interact with each other professionally. Schools need to experiment with scheduling to find more time for collaboration. Resources can be allocated so that school staffs are able to meet longer and more often about curriculum, teaching, and learning. Possibilities include block scheduling, longer days, and reduced teaching loads.
Teachers should be encouraged to work across academic departments and disciplines. Furthermore, making professional development a regular part of the school day provides time to discuss, debate, write, revise, and review a shared vision for the school.
Schools need to develop into institutions where individuals are trusted and respected. Collaboration encourages trust. To achieve this, there should be a regularly scheduled collaborative time for community building.
Educational goals are often mandated. However, mandates without teacher buy-in are most often ineffective. Teachers need to play a stronger role in setting educational and professional goals. Possibilities include collaborative planning at the school, district, and state level.
The collaboration at my school is very definitely in the beginning stages. However, many of those with whom I have worked have remarked on the advantage of collaborating even if it is only to make my computer technology classes more meaningful. Students recognize the authenticity of what we are doing in the lab as usable artifacts are created and shared with their classmates. Additionally, being exposed to information in different formats, rather than traditional text book instruction helps sustain interest and motivation in the content area curriculum.
I realize that changes must be made at my school in order to accommodate those wishing to collaborate. Furthermore, I realize that many of these changes will require an increased commitment on my part. Teachers cannot be required to collaborate. They must make a personal choice to work collaboratively. Therefore, I will continue to meet as frequently as possible with those teachers and grade levels wishing to. In addition, I plan to offer a weekly staff development class after school for those who are looking to more effectively integrate technology into their curriculum. Since my classroom is a computer lab which contains thirty stations with internet access, it will enable teachers to investigate recommended sites and experiment with different ways to present information. I plan to also offer classes on the use of different tools, such as PowerPoint, Excel, Publisher, and various web-based instructional strategies. It is my hope that as teachers are more comfortable with the collaborative process, they will communicate its value to their more reluctant peers.
References
Achinstein, B. (2002). Conflict amid community: the micropolitics of teacher collaboration. Teachers College Record, 104(3), 421-455.
Bush, G. (2003). Do your collaboration homework. Teacher Librarian, 31(1), 15-18.
Campo, C.(1993). Collaborative school cultures: how principals make a difference. School Organization, 13(2), 119-126.
Christensen, R. (2002). Effects of technology integration on the attitudes of teachers and students. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(4), 411-434.
Cooper, B., & Iorio, J.(1990). Organizing schools for teacher collegiality:the new york experience. Education, 111(1), 68-78.
Gable, R., & Manning,M. (1997).The role of teacher collaboration in school reform. Childhood Education, 73(4), 219-224.
Gable, R., Mostert, M.,& Tonelson S. (2004). Assessing professional collaboration in schools: knowing what works. Preventing SchoolFailure, 48(3),4-9.
Gersh, S. (2001). Technology's role in creating the shared-learing environment. Tech-learning, 23-28.
Johnson, B. (2003). Teacher collaboration: good for some, not so good for others. Educational Studies, 29(4), 337-350.
Linnell, C. (2001). Focus on communication and collaboration: suggestions for implementing change in the 21st century. The Journal of Technology Studies, 17-25.
Smith, S., & Robinson, S. (2003). Technology integration through collaborative cohorts: preparing future teachers to use technology. Remedial and Special Education, 24(3), 154.
Appendix A
LOCAL SCHOOL RESEARCH REQUEST FORM
Name of School: ________________________________________________
Name of Researcher: ______________________________________________
Position or Grade: ________________________________________________
A. Research Project
a. Title:
b. Statement of Problem and research question: _______________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
c. Subjects or population for the study: _______________________________
_________________________________________________________________
d. Reason for doing this research:
__________Graduate Study at _______________________University/College
__________Publication/Presentation
__________Other (please specify) ___________________________________
e. Dates research will be conducted: __________to _____________
B. All research and researchers must:
a. Protect the rights and welfare of all human subjects.
b. Inform students and/or parents that they have the right not to participate in the study.
c. Adhere to board policies and applicable laws which govern the privacy and confidentiality of students records.
C. This request applies to research conducted within and by local school personnel. All other research requests must be submitted to the Research Office according to the GCPS Research Proposal Format.
D. Principals ONLY need to approve Local School Research Requests. The copy sent to the Research Office for filing purposes only. No further approval is necessary.
E. After approval by the principal, please forward a copy of this completed form to:
Via GCPS Courier:
Via US Mail:
Via Fax:
________________________________________
Principal’s Signature Date of Approval
Appendix B
CONSENT FORM
Identifying Factors for Effective Teacher Collaboration
I agree to take part in a research study titled “Identifying Factors for Effective Teacher Collaboration” which is being conducted by Ms. Sandra Turner (770-972-5218). Ms. Turner is conducting this study for the University of Georgia and her results will be written up and submitted to the Instructional Technology Department as part of her required work for her Specialist of Education degree. I do not have to take part in this study. I can stop taking part at any time without giving any reason, and without penalty. I can ask to have information related to me returned to me, removed from the research records, or destroyed.
The purpose of this study is to examine, identify, and evaluate the factors that influence positive and negative perceptions of teacher collaboration in order to maximize the benefits for all those involved.
I may expect no measurable benefit from participating in this study other than the opportunity to examine the factors than promote effective teacher collaboration.
No discomforts, stresses, or risks are foreseen. The results of this participation will be confidential, and will not be released in any individually identifiable form without my prior consent, unless otherwise required by law. The data resulting from this study will be kept for up to two years in secure office storage for purposes of data analysis.
The researcher (Ms. Sandra Turner) will answer any further questions about the research, now or during the course of the project, and can be reached by phone at (770) 972-5218 or via email at Sandy_Turner@gwinnett.k12.ga.us.
My signature below indicates that the researcher has answered all of my questions to my satisfaction and that I consent to volunteer for this study. I have been given a copy of this form.
______________________________
Signature of Researcher Date
_______________________________
Signature of Participant Date
PLEASE SIGN BOTH COPIES OF THIS FORM. KEEP ONE AND RETURN THE OTHER TO THE INVESTIGATOR.
For questions or problems about your rights, please call or write: Chris A. Joseph, Ph.D. Human Subjects Office, University of Georgia, 606A Boyd Graduate Studies Research Center, Athens, Georgia 30602-7411; Telephone (706) 542-6514; E-Mail Address IRB@uga.edu.
Appendix C
Collaboration Questionnaire
Please answer the following questions providing as much information as possible:
1. As you reflect upon the collaboration process, what issues do you see as impeding successful collaboration?
2. What suggestions do you have for making the collaborative process more helpful to you?
3. How could scheduling for collaboration better meet your needs?
4. As you consider the frequency of collaboration meetings, did we meet too often? Not often enough? An adequate number of times? (Please elaborate)
5. What positive outcomes do you perceive resulted from collaboration?
Appendix D
Collaboration Survey
Date________________
Grade Level _________________
To What Extent Did You…
Not at all
A little
To some extent
To a great extent
l. Work collaboratively with the computer lab specialist?
2. Receive technology integration support from the computer lab specialist?
3. Feel comfortable asking the computer lab specialist for help/support?
4. More effectively integrate technology as a result of collaboration with the specialist?
5. Feel collaboration reduced your workload?
6. Feel part of a learning community which values shared responsibility for ongoing learning?
7. Learn about technology integration as a result of collaboration?
8. Feel pressured to implement the specialist’s suggestions?
9. Feel professional collaboration is encouraged and supported by the administration?
10. Possess the skills necessary for effective collaboration?
11. Work with the computer specialist to solve instructional technology problems?
12. Perceive the following as detrimental to the collaborative process:
- Incompatibility issues
- Inability to meet at designated times
13. Feel collaboration increased your workload?
