Christopher D. Sessums :: Blog :: ALT-C 2005: Concluding remarks on the Collaboration theme by Stephen Downes

Stephen really knows how to shake things up! Which is why I really enjoy listening to and reading his ideas. Without attempting to recreate his comments, I will summarize with a few quotes and ideas I found triggering:

Why do we think collaboration is a good idea?

Is there a technology of collaboration? (i.e. an ordered method of doing something.)

Would we be collaborating if we weren’t monetarily incentivized?

Should collaboration be reduced to filling out fields in forms?

Can collaboration be reduced to a mechanical process?

Is there a collaborative gene? Is there a collective “style” that determines what collaboration is possible?

Do monolithic projects require monolithic methodologies?

Is there an essence of collaboration that can be thought of independently of the players, the technology?

Collaboration is a question of governance.

Perhaps a parallel can be drawn between collaboration theories and political theories with descriptions ranging from authoritarian to anarchic.

The lecture format offers maximum freedom to the audience, i.e., the freedom to leave, the freedom to stay. Many professors favor it because it preserves this freedom.

Forcing learners to break in to groups forces a structure that may not be conducive to a person’s individual learning style.

Two theories of collaboration:
1) The Essentialist Theory — collaboration based on some sort of sameness: same values, same outcomes, same tools, same funding body. Motivation to collaborate in this regard is most often external.
2) The Exchange Theory – collaboration in this regard is based on autonomous and diverse entities. Motivation to collaborate is intrinsic, voluntary.

Would collaboration occur if we did nothing? If so, is collaboration the objective of collaborative theory?

Are participants aware of power structures within collaboration? If so, how are they addressed?

Is Collaboration a Cold Cure? – i.e., is it like an advertised remedy guaranteed to take care of all of your pain and suffering within five days?

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Although I’m leaving out a great many details, Stephen recorded his presentation which he will probably post some time soon.

One final observation (aka your moment of Zen):
Human beings are mechanisms that allow plows to reproduce.

Don’t think too hard about that one. You had to be there.