Collaboration

Project IDEA Corner

In 1998, I was nominated to participate in Project IDEA, an adult education capacity building and teacher action research initiative funded at El Paso Community College by the Texas Education Agency, Division of Adult & Community Education. After consulting with my students, we decided to take part in this project-based program. Through participation in the project, students in my ESL workplace class learned to be change agents for displaced workers in our community. Our classroom project was the development of a booklet to help workers understand the training requirements necessary for different types of jobs. This booklet is entitled, "A Path to the Future."

Project-based learning has been defined by Heide Spruck Wrigley as"a group of learners taking on an issue close to their hearts, developing a response, and presenting the results to a wider audience" (Wrigley, 1998, p. 13). Some of the usual phases in a project-based activity that are identified by Wrigley include: identification of a problem or issue; preliminary investigation; planning and assigning tasks; researching the topic, implementing the project; and developing the final project (1998, p. 13). This process occurred throughout the development of our project.

First, students brainstormed about problems they were facing as individuals, at home and in the community. In this phase, the hierarchy between teacher and student almost disappeared because the teacher became a learner as well. It was the first time they were active in deciding what they wanted to work on. I wanted to know more and more about my students' worries. I only used prompting questions as stimuli. Students brought up many important issues. We made a list on the board of all the things they wanted to change. After a very positive discussion, we realized that the origin of most of their problems and frustrations was the lack of a job. My students were facing a variety of problems, having been laid off from their jobs due to the impact of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Act). The students concluded that lack of education had impacted their lack of success in the changing workforce. They decided to do extensive research on the types of jobs available in our area and the training required to perform these jobs. I was surprised that the students wanted to take on such a complex topic.

Imel (1991) proposes that in collaborative learning, knowledge is considered to be located in the community. We knew that we had to go out into our community to look for information and we knew we were going to need the help of many different agencies to get all the information we needed. However, we did not know where to begin. The students decided to invite representatives from PREP (El Paso Proactive Re-Employment Project, a Department of Labor grant for displaced workers) who were knowledgeable about all the training programs available in the El Paso area.

In collaborative learning, the facilitator is responsible for creating an environment in which everyone's opinion is respected and planning is democratic. To create this kind of environment, we did a lesson on how to interview, how to ask the right questions, and how to value all the information given to us. After giving careful thought to what questions to ask and in what manner, students created a script of the best questions to ask our visitors from PREP. We rehearsed asking our questions in English.

In the planning phase of the project, the students worked in small groups. The group arrangement was at my discretion, to ensure everyone's participation. The group composition consisted of a very outspoken student, a technology-orientated student, and a low English level student so that they could both assist and learn from each other. Each group was responsible for deciding which school to invite and finding out contact information. The information was given to me so I could do the initial call, find the contact person, explain the project, and ask for their collaboration. Students then took action. More outspoken students called the schools or agencies, extended an invitation, and negotiated times and dates. Others made arrangements to have refreshments for the speakers. The students who were technology-orientated used the computer to write thank you letters to each speaker. By breaking down the project into a variety of tasks for students with different abilities and interests, all were able to help reach the project goal.

Students wanted to make the information they had gathered assessable to as many displaced workers as possible. They therefore compiled the information into a booklet. All learners were able to contribute to this part of the project as well. Students decided to make the booklet bilingual, so students with limited English skills typed the Spanish portions and the higher level students typed the English portions.

Learning opportunities for everyone were plentiful throughout the project. Students learned how to write a letter, plan for an event, and ask and answer questions in English. In creating their booklet, learners became aware of the components involved. Students became team players and also improved tremendously in their use of the English language in general. One change I noticed as a teacher was that learners became more confident about making things happen. I can also say that most of these students have met with success in whatever goals they have taken on after our project. I believe that working in a collaborative way and letting the students take on the project, developed a bond among the members of the group that was very beneficial for learning.

Whipple (1987) mentions in his article, Collaborative Learning: Recognizing It When We See It, that when students become more active in the learning process, a sense of community is created, knowledge is expected to be located in the community and not given or transferred from the teacher to the individual. According to Susan Imel, collaborative learning assumes that knowledge is acquired socially, rather than individual and that it is constructed by communities of individuals in which anyone can participate. These ideas certainly were evident when working on our project.

As much as my students learned, I also learned many important things about my students and about me as a teacher. Project-based learning not only helps the student, but also the teacher learns about students' needs, fears, likes, and dislikes. Why is this important? I believe that knowing the recipients of one's instruction helps us to be more effective. As a result of Project IDEA, my practice has become less rigid and more student driven.

Laura Molina has a Bachelor's degree in Spanish and Psychology and is currently working on a Master's degree in Spanish Critical Writing. She has taught adults for about five years. During the last three years, she has worked for the Socorro Community Learning Center as an ESL/Spanish GED teacher for NAFTA dislocated workers. Laura is currently a field specialist for the ESL Professional Development Project at Texas A & M University Kingsville. You may e-mail Laura at lmolina@socorro.k12.tx.us

Imel, Susan. Collaborative Learning in Adult Education. ERIC Digest. Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse on Career and Improvement. 1991. (ED334469).

Wrigley, Heide Spruck. (1998)."Knowledge in Action: The Promise of Project-Based Learning." Focus on Basic 2D, 13-18.

Whipple, W.R.(1987)."Collaborative Learning: Recognizing It When We See It." AAHE Bulletin (October 1987): 4-6 (ED 289-396).

Barbara Baird, Project Director

(915) 831-4777 or e-mail: barbarab@epcc.edu

or

Rebecca Davis, Project Coordinator

(361) 592-4735 or e-mail: rebecca.davis@tamuk.edu