Collaborating online for school
Working with others and sharing diverse viewpoints is a useful skill now and into the future. Learn about what you need to collaborate effectively online.
Project-based learning and collaboration
Collaborating effectively online is an important skill for both students and teachers. A good digital citizen can use online tools to work with others.
Many schools use research-backed project-based learning. Sometimes projects require complex research and investigation – tasks that students may need to break into smaller chunks of work.
Learning how to collaborate well and use online tools to their full potential will help you get the best outcomes.
Tips for collaborating online
While the principles of good teamwork are universal, online collaboration comes with some extra considerations. Privacy is one thing to think about. When you share information like your email address, school name, and photo in online tools, there is a risk it could be used in ways you may not have thought about.
- Read about keeping your personal information safe by protecting yourself online.
- Parents can visit the eSafety Commissioner's privacy and your child.
Whether you're working face-to-face or online, you and your group will need:
Effective communication
Keep in mind that written online communication does not come with body language or tone of voice. To make your meaning clear, avoid sarcasm or irony.
Clear responsibilities
Online collaboration often means that group members are working independently, so it's important to ensure that every member of the group has a clearly defined role with specific responsibilities.
Mutual respect
Collaboration works best when you consider a variety of perspectives. You and your group will get the most out of your project if everyone has a chance to contribute. Establishing an expectation of mutual respect will encourage everyone to speak their mind.
Time management
With any project, there's always a deadline. Sometimes it's hard to judge how long a particular aspect of a project is going to take. When distributing responsibilities, try to think about the length of time a task is going to take, so you can share the tasks fairly. Students can try using Microsoft Planner to manage their time.
Teachers looking for more information on collaborating online can visit the eSafety Commissioner's tips for online collaboration tools.
Know your collaboration tools
Most schools will have a preferred online collaboration platform, but a good digital citizen is flexible and adaptable.
The principles of collaboration remain the same across different tools. But learning the strengths and limitations of your school’s chosen platform will help you work together more effectively.
It's a good idea to get familiar with the different systems you may have to work in:
- Google Workspace for Education includes Google Classroom, Google Docs and Google Sites.
- Microsoft Office 365 includes Microsoft Teams and OneNote.
Accessibility
Microsoft Word is a very effective collaborative tool when it comes to accessibility because it supports screen readers and speech recognition software.
For tips, visit The Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training's online collaboration tools.