Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Module 3 - Constructivism

I do not believe that humans have a basic instinct to “interact and work as a group,” as Rheingold proposed in his discussion of the evolution of Wikipedia as a collectively developed encyclopedia. The question is too simple to be answered simply. Some prefer to work alone. Some do their best work alone. Some cooperate because they have to. Some cooperate at work because they have to in order to meet the mission. Some cooperate in their relationships because, quite simply stated, it’s easier. Some cooperate because they depend on others for support. But there are plenty of folks, if given the choice, that would simply prefer to function alone.

Technology can enhance the collaborative process by allowing diverse groups to get together, anytime. In classroom collaboration, all must be present synchronously. Technology allows collaboration that might not have been possible. Diversity is possible as individuals from around the country work together.
This article highlights a series of activities studying the use of web tools for collaboration focusing on the use of, and potential for, collaborative tools by staff working in business and community engagement.http://www.netskills.ac.uk/content/projects/jisc-bce-collab-tools-study/jisc-bce-collab-tools-study-report-final.pdf
Reference:
Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file].
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3 comments:

  1. UnknownJuly 11, 2012 at 7:51 PM

    Hi Daniel,

    I really enjoyed reading your blog posting. I like the examples as to why people work alone or collectively as a group. Personally, I find that I like working alone. However, I like to collaborate with others to get started or to just bounce ideas back and forth.

    Overall good job,
    Cora

    ReplyDelete
  2. shawkinsJuly 14, 2012 at 7:39 PM

    Hello Daniel,

    Very interesting post that you provided. It is true that some people indeed prefer to work alone and may not have that basic instinct to work with others. Everyone is different and they will work according to the style they feel most comfortable with.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 15, 2012 at 6:45 AM

    Hey Daniel,
    I really enjoyed your post, even though I had a different take on collaboration than you. I think you make a great point when you say that some people prefer to work alone, while others are more interested in collaborating/cooperating. Your comment on my blog was insightful- I was going to write back to you there but I figured you wouldn't go back and check for a response. I am not sure I agree that there are SO many people who want to dissociate themselves from society though. I mean, people like the Unabomber, sure. But even people who want to live on a compound and surround themselves with guns (for example) still want to do that while surrounded by a like-minded community.
    Julie

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