Learning and Leading - September/October 2009

with an Internet connection, so they do not have to be in the same physical place to collaborate. Wikispaces offers a discussion board for each page, allowing students to discuss their work separately from the product they create and giving the teacher an easy way to track discussions.

Microsoft Office programs, although not as flexible as wikis, allow users to track changes as well.

Each method described here allows students to demonstrate their contribution to the teacher. Recently, Ben Smith’s AP Physics students worked on a joint project with the AP Government students. Although it is likely that the students knew each other, most of the students did not share common schedules. The assignment required students to work in a group composed of students representing both classes. Their task was to communicate how

government and science are related. One group chose to focus on Ben Franklin, and another group examined both the science and politics of the Atomic Age. They established a wiki for the groups to use and required that all collaboration be visible. Each group chose to communicate in a different way. One group used the discussion board in the wiki, while another used the wiki itself to keep a running list of what they had done and what they needed to complete. A third group used e-mail, and the final group used a combination of all three, including evening synchronous chats. Some groups used the wiki as their final project, while others made their own webpage, which was posted on our website.

We understand the importance of requiring students to use communication tools and to collaborate on their

work. These skills will translate to a new way of working and will increase productivity. As teachers, we must encourage students to use these devices appropriately. Students are developing their own written language for texting that is appropriate for their friends, but not necessarily for the classroom. Instead of complaining about the erosion of their writing skills, we need to guide students to use an appropriate style according to the medium and context. By helping our students become more effective communicators, we are helping them grow into global contributors.

—Jared Mader is the director of technology at Red Lion Area Senior High School in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. He has been a chemistry teacher for 10 years.