April 11, 2011
So we started off the semester with good intentions of strengthening our collaboration. We Skyped again, soon after the new semester began. The Skype went so much better this time around as we were more prepared and organized. We set up questions ahead of time, like we did before, but we were more organized in the facilitation of the questions so that students could really hear and understand the answers. We had a time limit and kept the Skype focused on getting to know each other. Our intent was to Skype again, and talk more about photography and engage in a discussion about similar work.
However, this semester, has not seemed to be as smooth as last semester. While Kendra and I have been in touch frequently through several emails, we are somewhat out of sync with the students. The vacation differences has been challenging this semester. The time difference also plays a big factor in our communication. Because Beijing is 12 hours ahead of us, it is difficult for Kendra to respond to certain questions and it definitely is challenging because we really can’t have a fluid conversation.
Overall this collaboration has been meaningful, but in some ways I think it has been more rewarding for me than the students. I have learned so much about another culture just through the small ways we have shared ideas and images. I have also learned a great deal from Kendra; we have shared so many concepts, ideas, and strategies throughout the past year and a half. I believe that my curriculum is much stronger as a result. Because I am the sole teacher of Photography and Graphic Design, it has been such a positive experience to exchange ideas with a teacher who teaches similar content.
I do believe that this collaboration has had some impact on student learning, but I saw the influence more with last semester’s classes than I think I will this semester. The students were more in contact with the Beijing students last semester than this semester. It is unfortunate that there is such a lock-down on the Interent in China; my hope was that our students could build more of a relationship than just talking photography. However, this is very difficult to do because the Beijing students cannot go home and access the Internet and tools such as Facebook or even our Ning. This is unfortunate, as the collaboration that they have with my students is in such a controlled setting at school.
It seems like a better question for my inquiry would have been:
What happens to instruction and student learning when teachers who are teaching a similar course collaborate from different parts of the world?
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