The Four C’s in STEM: Collaboration

Over the years, it seems like students are getting better and more comfortable with working in a group, but it such an important skill that it really bears emphasis.

Google Drive

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Google Drive.  I use it with clients all the time to share files and pictures.  If you’ve not experimented with it lately, I encourage you to as Drive is free and contains an arsenal of tools.

With Drive, collaboration could not be easier.  Students can use their software of choice and upload their document to Drive, either in its native format or to be converted to a Google format. Or, start a new document in Drive.

Once the document is in Drive, students can share it to their team to edit and revise simultaneously.  By also sharing the document with their teacher, he/she can provide comments and feedback through the comment function. After receiving a comment, students can reply for clarification or resolve the comment, thus strengthening their digital collaboration skills.

LiveBinders

If you are researching a specific topic, LiveBinders is an ideal place to collect all of the information you find including web sites, files, pictures and videos.

Users can create a free account, then assemble a virtual binder that can then be shared with others.  Students can invite collaborators to collect and organize their materials within their binder and even create different binders for different topics or collect binders from others using the “Add to Shelf” function.

Check out the STEM Skills Challenges, focusing on skills employers want!