Learning to Learn Together

As this edition of the Bulletin goes to press, I am enjoying the wedding day of my eldest son and his dear wife (both Radford Class of 2013). We all know that a marriage is by no means a solo affair, but the coming together of two families for a wedding day is most certainly an example of dynamic collaboration. Individual needs are set aside in order to work towards a final product and all share considerable motivation for its success.

Anyone who has played in a team sport knows the power of collaboration, and enthusiasts of modern music or fashion scenes will tell us with confidence about the magic that happens with ‘colabs’. Indeed, collaboration is a buzz word that is a cornerstone of the 21st Century corporate world. Even though this generation has been accused of being motivated by selfish individualism, collaboration and the skills that foster it are essential ingredients in the successful future of our young people and their world.

The Australian Curriculum places personal and social capability as one of its seven General Capabilities, and states that it is developed through opportunities for collaboration: “Students develop social, life and employability skills through working cooperatively in teams; sharing materials, resources and processes; making group decisions; resolving conflict; and showing leadership.”

I do not remember any instance when I was a secondary student in which I was required to learn in a pair or small group activity. On reflection, this was not surprising since the education environment was competitive and exam focussed. This environment was also reflective of the world of work which we were about to enter. Fortunately, our students in 2022 have a different future to look forward to, albeit with its own challenges, requiring the so-called ‘soft skills’ to get ahead that include collaborative willingness and mastery. Some recruitment processes are even based firmly around demonstration of these traits. Beyond utilitarian benefit, the principals of collaboration sit comfortably with the values of Radford, and this sits well with us as educators of the whole person.

Collaboration rests on principles of trust, respect, open-mindedness and empowerment. When it comes to learning, there is a difference between cooperation and collaboration. This year, I have been part of a Leadership Community of Practice focused on Collaborative Learning with Lisa Plenty, Director of Digital Learning and Innovation, and Nathan Tyler, Head of SoSE. Following a process of research, student and teacher surveys, and lesson observations, we aim to interrogate what collaboration looks like in Radford classrooms. We are seeking to develop the mindset of students from viewing collaboration as somewhat perfunctory ‘group work’ to a dynamic and multidimensional learning experience.

It is hoped that this exploration of collaboration will mesh nicely with Radford’s focus on developing the Self-Regulated Learning traits of our students, as we embed characteristics of co-regulation. This is the aspect of collaborative learning in which the “shared regulation of cognition, behaviour, motivation and emotions are … flexibly supported” (Hadwin, Jarvela & Miller 2018). We have much to learn about the dynamic nature of collaborative learning and its potential to further develop the capacity of our students to face their futures. It is somewhat poetic that we must all work together – teachers, students and parents – in order to support the process and achieve this goal.