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    The Benefits of Collaboration

    By Learning Forward
    Categories: Collaboration, Learning communities
    August 2016
    Because many school and system leaders and policymakers advocate and support teacher collaboration as a means to improve student achievement, it’s important to understand how collaboration, teacher characteristics, and school characteristics interact to affect student achievement — and how the Standards for Professional Learning (Learning Forward, 2011) fit into this equation. What are the Components of a Strong Collaborative Environment? How can schools and systems create structures and supports so educators engage in the kinds of collaborative problem solving and intentional learning that they value? What do lead learners need to consider? Here are several critical factors in supporting meaningful collaboration and questions to ask when addressing each. Time When educators talk about their learning needs, they cite time as the resource they need to

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    Where Strong Collaboration Does Exist, The Benefits Are Substantial

    Teachers whose schools have strong collaboration report dramatically higher satisfaction with day-to-day work. Strong collaboration prepares teachers to face key challenges (e.g. use of data, technology, differentiation).

    Overall satisfaction with day-to-day “workflow”: 47%

    Satisfaction with time spent/sustainability: 29%

    Perceived efficiency: 40%

    Perceived effectiveness: 59%

    I effectively use student data: 40%

    I effectively integrate digital teaching tools: 34%

    Helps me to differentiate: 50%

    Satisfaction with curriculum & lesson design resources: 37%

    Satisfaction with formal collaboration: 24%

    Satisfaction with coaching & training: 25%

    Source: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (2015). Teachers know best: Teachers’ views on professional development. Seattle, WA: Author.

    References

    Goddard, R., Goddard, Y., Kim, E.S., & Miller, R. (2015, August). A theoretical and empirical analysis of the roles of instructional leadership, teacher collaboration, and collective efficacy beliefs in support of student learning. American Journal of Education, 121(4), 501-530.

    Learning Forward. (2011). Standards for Professional Learning. Oxford, OH: Author.

    Ronfeldt, M., Farmer, S., McQueen, K., & Grissom, J. (2015). Teacher collaboration in instructional teams and student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 52(3), 475-514.


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    Learning Forward is the only professional association devoted exclusively to those who work in educator professional development. We help our members plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so they can achieve success with their systems, schools, and students.


    Categories: Collaboration, Learning communities

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