The Collaboration Continuum Overview

Not a fad. A way of being.

While some schools are only just starting to get out of classroom silos, many have been on the path of collaborative professional learning for a number of years. In 2006, Michael Fullan wrote: ‘Collaborative cultures are ones that focus on building the capacity for continuous improvement and are intended to be a new way of working and learning. They are meant to be enduring capacities, not just another program innovation.’ (Fullan: Leading Professional Learning)

Schools with these capacities cannot imagine going back to an individualistic approach to the classroom. Whole school improvement, innovative practice, transformation of teaching and learning, inter-disciplinary approaches – none of these can be achieved without collaboration at their foundation.

Collaboration encourages deep dialogue about our own beliefs, our teaching and learning strategies and, for leaders, our leadership strategies. Unfortunately, my findings in The Buzz diagnostic of over 8000 educators indicates we have a way to go. The statements that trend downward, no matter the level of collaborative culture, are:

1. ‘I am confident to speak up when I see behaviour eroding our school’s professional culture.’
2. ‘I trust my colleagues’ intentions.’
3. ‘As a school we actively seek to challenge each other’s teaching and learning strategies using evidence to inform our dialogue.’
   
   The lowest response across all respondents?
   
   
4. ‘We actively encourage pedagogical debate in our meetings.’

Collaboration is about transforming and expanding teaching and learning, yet many schools’ teams simply cooperate. They have trouble lifting beyond sharing resources and getting to the space of ‘learning out loud’ with each other.

Beyond cooperation

The Collaboration Continuum is useful to reflect on where the work in any particular school or system is needed. We’re aiming for the top two levels: co-creation and collective capacity.

Here’s an overview of the levels, starting at the dreaded bottom.

Collective capacity – learning from our collective wisdom

At this top level, we build our own and each other’s capacity. We actively seek to learn from each other and test our thinking and judgement. We test new ways of working and support each other to try new ways of teaching, assessing impact on learning. We are actively modelling a collective growth mindset. The work evolves and transforms. This is the true nature of a collaborative culture – we’re all seeking continuous improvement and growth, together.

It is also where we find the term ‘collective efficacy’ in practice.

In 2016, Professor John Hattie and the Visible Learning Research ranked collective efficacy as having the greatest effect size affecting student achievement. Jenni Donohoo’s book Collective Efficacy is a thorough and brilliant exploration of this approach. Her definition is worth noting as part of the Expansive skills of a Ferocious Warmth leader.

Collective efficacy is evident when teachers see themselves as part of a team working for their students. When educators believe in their collective ability to lead the improvement of student outcomes, higher levels of achievement result.

Co-creation – together you and me create better

Discussion and activity are centred on working and learning together to create more effective and targeted ways of working, resulting in more effective outcomes. This is collaboration. Teaching teams dive into pedagogical discussions to improve student learning using evidence to guide the conversation. Psychological safety is critical for all members to have a voice. This psychological safety gives a safe learning space for.

This is the place The Buzz comes to life. It’s when we truly step into.

LEARNING OUT LOUD with each other.

Cooperation and coordination

When organisations say they’re collaborating, cooperation and coordination is usually what they’re up to. While these two levels are important, they’re only an immature version of collaboration.

Transactional rather than transformative, knowledge and information is shared and discussed. Work tasks, such as planning, are divided between members to use time more effectively and build consistency. Duplication of thinking and delivery moves toward collective and integrated approaches. Information is disseminated and discussed for coordination and management purposes. Interaction is about smooth processes and organisational issues.

Coexistence

At this level there’s little or no interaction between colleagues beyond being part of a group that co-exist in the same space or content. Coexistence still happens in many schools. The year eight Science teacher sits next to another year eight Science teacher in a staff room, yet they never discuss how they teach concepts and differentiate, or share strategies that help students engage. The reasons? Some of it is simply historical – ‘we don’t do that around here’. Or perhaps their relationship doesn’t extend beyond civility. They don’t know each other and don’t seek to find out. At the other end of the spectrum, but with the same impact, they're good friends and don't go near the teaching and learning discussion. So, they simply bob along in their comfort zone, not realising that gold is uncovered when we can learn from each other.

Corrosion

It’s a pity we need this level at all, but unfortunately corrosive environments exist. When this happens at a leadership level, the whole school is in intense pain with powerplays and egos running rampant, creating havoc on any plans to work together – too much ferocity and not enough warmth. Opportunities to collaborate are derailed by lack of trust and poor behaviour.

My niece was on the receiving end of this corrosion. A Year 12 English internal assessment, set by one English teacher, was on completely different topics to that which the other English class had been studying for. The reason: lack of any sort of professional communication or relationship between the teachers. In the words of a furious 17-year-old, ‘We know they hate each other.’ How’s that for an example of toxic interpersonal relationships affecting student futures?

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