Collaboration in Student Teaching: Introducing the Collaboration Self-Assessment Tool
Source: Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, Volume 30, Issue 1, January 2009, pages 37 - 48.
The need to collaborate in the fields of business, health care, and technology is not a new concept. Educational institutions, however, have been slow to recognize the need to teach collaboration skills (Brownell & Walther-Thomas, 2002; Jackson, 2004). This paper focuses on the development of the Collaboration Self-Assessment Tool (CSAT). The identification and practice of specific collaboration skills needed in a student teaching experience are emphasized. The paper uses a case-study approach to describe how the tool can be used to enhance collaboration between a cooperating teacher and a teacher candidate, paving the way for a more successful and meaningful student-teaching experience.