Collaborative Writing: A Powerful Teaching Strategy

Use Collaborative Writing effectively with LAMS

Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Benefits of Collaborative Writing
• Examples of Collaborative Writing Success Stories using LAMS
• Conclusion

Introduction

Collaborative writing is a teaching strategy that involves multiple students coming together to create a written response. It can be applied in various educational settings and professions. Collaborative writing is known to improve critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills, as well as encourage creativity. This makes it a valuable asset for students and professionals alike.

Benefits of Collaborative Writing

When it comes to collaborative writing, there are numerous benefits to be gained. Not only does it enhance critical thinking, but it also improves communication skills, develops teamwork skills, and encourages creativity.

Through collaborative writing, students are able to bounce ideas off one another and engage in critical discussions that push them to think more deeply about the topic at hand. They’re also able to work together to address complex issues and build cohesive arguments, which is an important skill that will serve them well throughout their academic and professional lives.

In addition to these cognitive benefits, collaborative writing also helps students to improve their communication and teamwork skills. By working together toward a common goal, they learn to communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and coordinate their efforts. These are essential skills in many careers, and mastering them early on can open up a world of opportunities.

Finally, collaborative writing encourages creativity as it allows students to build on one another’s ideas and take their writing in new directions. It can be a truly enriching experience for students, stimulating their curiosity and imagination and inspiring them to think outside the box.

Example of Collaborative Writing Success Stories using LAMS

As a Learning Design application, LAMS is great for implementing Collaborative Writing in your classroom.

Let’s dive into the exciting world of Collaborative Writing! We’ve talked about the principles and benefits of this method of teaching, but what does it look like in action?

Here’s an example: Collaborative Writing: Climate Change and the Need for Action

Collaborative Writing Learning Design

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Lesson Outline

Collaborative Writing: Climate Change and the Need for Action

Objective:

Students will be able to collaborate effectively in small groups to write a persuasive essay on a Climate Change and the Need for Action.

Materials:

• Laptops or computers with internet access
• Rubric for the persuasive essay

Procedure:

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Start the lesson by introducing the concept of collaborative writing and explaining its benefits
• Explain that students will be working in small groups to write a persuasive essay on a given topic.
• Review the rubric for the persuasive essay and explain the expectations for each component.

Group Formation (5 minutes)

• Divide the students into groups of three to four members.
• Assign each group a topic for their persuasive essay.

Brainstorming & Outlining (10 minutes)

• Instruct each group to brainstorm ideas for their essay, based on the topic.
• Encourage them to think critically and come up with compelling arguments and evidence to support their position.
• Instruct each group to create an outline for their essay, based on the ideas generated during brainstorming.
• Emphasise the importance of organisation and structure in persuasive writing.

Collaborative Writing (40 minutes)

• Instruct each group to begin writing their essay, using a collaborative writing (doKu).
• Encourage students to divide up the writing tasks and work collaboratively to ensure that each member contributes to the final product.
• Use doKu to monitor the students progress and offer feedback and guidance as needed.

Gallery Walk (20 minutes)

• Have each group exchange their essays with another group for peer review.
• Encourage students to provide constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement.
• Give each group time to revise their essays based on the feedback received.

Presentation (10 minutes)

• Have each group present their essay to the class.
• Encourage students to explain their arguments and evidence, and to respond to questions from the audience.

For a step by step run of the learning design or to download it and adapt it to your own teaching, take a look at this card:

Collaborative Writing: Climate Change and the Need for Action

Conclusion

Collaborative writing has become an essential tool for students of all ages. It not only enhances their critical thinking and communication skills but also fosters creativity and teamwork. By collaborating with peers, students learn to embrace different perspectives, ideologies, and techniques, leading to an enriching learning experience. Final thoughts: With the world becoming increasingly connected, students must learn to collaborate and work in teams, making collaborative writing an indispensable tool for their personal and academic growth.