A collaboration toolkit�created by teachers, �for teachers
Are you ready for it?
Take the collaboration continuum quiz …
©2012 TeamMark Collaboration Solutions®, All Rights Reserved
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NOTE: the following slides are intended to provide background knowledge and of how TeamMark helps teachers.
COLLABORATION CONTINUUM QUIZ
TeamMark really can make your life easier!
When reflecting on
collaboration documentation and discourse, are you:
The Collaboration Continuum: Where are you?
Searching through binders or files?
With TeamMark, when you are done,
you are done! Get on with the fun!
As you distribute, organize, and store
collaboration documentation, are you:
The Collaboration Continuum: Where are you?
Investing precious time in redundant tasks?
With TeamMark, you have time to enjoy the content and process of dynamic collaboration!
When planning for and facilitating collaboration, are you:
The Collaboration Continuum: Where are you?
Buried beneath the many resources required for effective collaboration!
With TeamMark proficiency, all stakeholders experience engaged learning!
What is the outcome of your collaborations:
The Collaboration Continuum: Where are you?
Not quite inspiring learning
for students and faculty?
Effective and efficient – collaboration for learning �like you have never seen before:
What will your next step look like?
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TeamMark . . .
What I think it is | How this aligns with collaboration/PLC research | Questions I have |
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RESEARCH QUOTE
Schmoker (in DuFour, Eaker, & DuFour, 2005, p. xii)
“If there is anything that the research community agrees on, it is this: The right kind of continuous, structured teacher collaboration improves the quality of teaching and pays big, often immediate, dividends in student learning and professional morale in virtually any setting.”
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OUR STORY
Our story, the short version:
In 2007, two teachers working collaboratively in a PLC felt they could be more effective if their collaboration documentation was better organized.
In order to engage in meaningful collaboration and document effectively, this collaboration required multiple binders, files, note taking templates, and more. . . and even still, they wasted precious time accessing data, copying or saving notes, & tracking agendas & action plans efficiently.
Our story, continued:
These teachers asked, What might it look like if we had a program that organized everything we need to collaborate automatically for us?
With the help of many wonderful colleagues and partners, TeamMark was born as a solution to this question.
Our story, the Present:
We now refer to TeamMark as a collaboration toolkit, integrating over 20 collaboration resources into one collaboration protocol. Most importantly, the toolkit has been designed by teachers, for teachers and continues to updated based on user feedback.
TeamMark is designed to be simple to access and use, making collaborative work easier, highly efficient, and deeply effective.
FOUNDING VISION
Three key ideas.
NOT rules . . . just the founding vision:
1. If possible, project TeamMark when your team collaborates so all team members view and engage with the collaboration documentation.
Increase Focus & Attention:
Engage Visual Modality
Shift Attention
Chunk Info
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Projecting TeamMark while we meet . . .
Challenges | Reasons to overcome this challenge | Possible solutions |
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2. During collaborative meetings, a facilitator/note-taker moves the team through TeamMark’s protocol and documents value-added collaboration notes in TeamMark.
Features
System
Change, at times, speaks for itself . . .
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Suggested Activity B:
A “system” increases effectiveness and efficiency.
Identify how student and teacher learning increases/improves from
increased efficiency and effectiveness?
Effectiveness | Efficiency |
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3. TeamMark is designed for face to face collaboration – the tools should be used collaboratively, as a team gathers to discuss teaching and learning.
Access collaboration logs,
Student Alert notes, data, grouping history & more at any time to share with teams, admin, parents.
TeamMark anchors a collaborative face-to-face team as they engage in dynamic discourse regarding students and learning from the community of practice within which they work.
Suggested Activity:
Resources that support virtual collaboration and idea sharing
Google Docs
Blogs
4 CORE QUESTIONS OF A PLC
Establishing a professional learning community
requires a systemic shift in both the
thinking and action of teachers and administrators.
This shift can be complex and the results can be scattered if the community does not commit itself to collaboratively answering the following questions –
Let’s take a look at how TeamMark supports teams as they engage with these questions . . .
You may want to take a moment at this point to briefly preview TeamMark.
If you choose to preview TeamMark through your account:
You may also simply proceed to the next slide . . .
TEAMMARK LOGIN PAGE
Access TeamMark at – www.myteammark.com
All collaboration documentation saved & accessible anytime, anywhere!
The Collaboration Log is the “heart” of the program and where most teams spend most of their time. Before getting into the log, lets take a look around . . .
CREATING A TEAM
First, unique teams will need to be created.
COLLABORATION SCHEDULE
Teams should create a collaboration schedule using the Collaboration Schedule tool.
Teams should create a collaboration schedule using the Collaboration Schedule tool.
If your team has a consistent collaboration day, use the Recurring Event link to easily pre-set all collaboration dates.
NORMS
Now the fun begins.
Teams create Group Norms in TeamMark.
Notice that images can be entered for each norm along with text. Additionally, team members are encouraged to actually Accept or Deny the norms their team creates.
(SMART) GOALS
Now that you have created your team and established norms, you may next want to document your teams and/or school’s SMART Goals.
Without goals, your collaborations may be less focused and may be influenced more by day-to-day operations than intentional improvement initiatives.
SUBJECTS
Having created goals sets a team up to identify the subjects on which they will focus during collaboration.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING
What must all students learn? This core question of a PLC becomes an ongoing focus for collaboration. Teams create Essential Learning Objectives in TeamMark for each Subject.
Here is an example of the Essential Learning tool with information entered . . .
This completes any of the frontloading required to fully engage with TeamMark. Please note, some teams find it easiest to skip some of these steps and jump right into the Collaboration Log, utilizing the Successes, Challenges, and Agenda Topics tools until they are comfortable with the basic functions of TeamMark. This is a decision for your school/Administrator to clearly state from the beginning.
AGENDA TOPICS
A focused collaboration is guided by a well planned agenda. TeamMark’s Agenda Topics tool is, well, awesome!
Creating New Agenda Topics is easy.
When a new Agenda Topic is created, all team members receive an email notification.
This helps team members arrive prepared to fully engage.
DRUM ROLL . . . �INTO THE COLLABORATION LOG WE GO!
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COLLABORATION LOG BASICS:�NORM POPUP, MEMBERS PRESENT, SUCCESSES & CHALLENGES, ACTION PLANS
Once your team has created norms, you will automatically be reminded of your norms when you log into your Collaboration Log.
The Collaboration Log is where teams spend the majority of their time. We will show you how it links with the other tools in TeamMark.
SELECT A DATE
First, having already set your Collaboration Schedule, you must choose your current date from the Collaboration Date drop down menu. Note, you also use this menu to view previously completed Collaboration Logs.
First, having already set your Collaboration Schedule, you must choose your current date from the Collaboration Date drop down menu. Note, you also use this menu to view previously completed Collaboration Logs.
After selecting your date, you will notice the tools become active and This Week’s Agenda loads with information from the Agenda Topics tool.
TIMER
Set the timer . . and you’re off and running!
MEMBERS PRESENT
Before you begin engaging in discourse, it is a good idea to document the appropriate members present.
The tool automatically lists your team members as present. This list can easily be edited.
Simply click and drag members between these two lists. Guests can easily be added as well by selecting Guest.
Add as many guests as you like. Including an email makes it so the guest receives the Collaboration Log Report email only for this specific collaboration date. If you prefer the guest not receive the email report, just input a false email.
SUCCESSES & CHALLENGES
We encourage teams begin collaboration by reflecting on Successes and Challenges. Click Edit to activate the Successes or Challenges text box.
Beginning with Successes and Challenges places the team in a reflective stance. We also encourage teams begin a collaboration by viewing their Successes and Challenges from the previous Collaboration Log.
To type a Success or Challenge, just click Edit.
ACTION PLANS
It can be easy to get rolling with an engaging collaboration and never get around to ensuring tasks are being completed. This is why we promote teams address Action Plans early in their collaboration.
Carry Over displays any Action Plan that is from the previous week and has not been marked as complete. This Week’s displays any Action Plans created during the current week.
Click on Details to Interact with Action Plans previously created (Both Complete and Incomplete Action Plans).
From this window, teams can reflect on and discuss what has been completed and what still needs to be completed. Click on Edit to edit Action Plans and Click on the icon in the Complete column to change the status of the Action Plan.
Click on New to create a new Action Plan.
Note: Action Plans can be edited anytime using the Edit link.
Creating New Action Plans is supported with this template. When a New Action Item is saved, the person assigned to this task automatically receives an email notification and will receive a reminder email one day before the task is due.
CHOOSING HOW TO WORK THROUGH THE TEAMMARK PROTOCOL:�SMART GOAL PROGRESS, ESSENTIAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES, �STUDENT ALERTS, AGENDA TOPICS
After working through the Successes, Challenges, and Action Plans tools, teams may vary in their approach to the log.
We promote two commonly used sequences:
Suggested Sequence 1: Members Present, Successes, Challenges, Action Plans, SMART Goal Progress, Essential Learning Objectives, Student Alerts, Agenda Topics.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Suggested Sequence 2: Members Present, Successes, Challenges, Action Plans, Agenda Topics, SMART Goal Progress, Essential Learning, Student Alerts.
1.
2.
3.
4.
6.
7.
8.
5.
Your team’s purpose, and intended outcomes should drive your sequence through the protocol. Most important is identifying a sequence that works for you and that team(s) are consistent with their use of the protocol.
SMART GOAL PROGRESS
A focused team will consistently be committed to their SMART Goals. Therefore, it is important to engage in discourse regarding your goals. Take a moment to document reflections, observations, evidence, and plans for meeting each of your goals using the SMART Goal Progress tool.
From the Collaboration Log, teams can View Details of their goals and Monitor Progress toward their goal.
Click the icon under Monitor Progress to document reflections, observations, evidence, and plans to
meet your goal(s).
The SMART Goal Progress link displays an open text box. Type your comments, reflections, observations, evidence, and plans to meet your goal(s) in this text box.
The Progress scale at the bottom of the tool is intended to support discourse as teams reflect on their effort quantitatively. Teams use this tool in a variety of ways. The simplest way the Progress scale is used is by assessing team effort toward the goal. Some teams have created a rubric to guide this conversation in more depth.
When you click the icon under View Details, TeamMark takes you back to your Goals tab. From here, you can view all of your goal details as well as click Progress and view your cumulative Goal Progress notes.
Note the Progress tab. This link will display all progress notes ever created for this goal in the Goal Progress tab in the Collaboration Log.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Now that your team has had a chance to reflect on their Goal Progress, lets ensure we look closely at our Essential Learning Objectives (ELOs).
All information in this tool is first created in the Subjects & Essential Learning tools. Once this frontloading is complete, we encourage teams begin using this tool by clicking on the Previous tab, reviewing previous ELOs, & ensuring learning & instruction has been addressed . Next, teams may enter or view data & plan instruction for their Current ELOs.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES:�DATA
Link to Data tools directly from the Collaboration Log and the Subject and Essential Learning Objective will automatically be selected in the Data tool.
TeamMark’s Data tools are linked to the Subjects and ELO tools. Data can easily be entered multiple times for any ELO (think about pretest data, retesting, multiple formative assessments, etc), data can be sorted & easily color coded.
Entering New Data is simple!
Color coding helps teams identify patterns in data. Color coding data is a breeze! Color codes can be edited anytime.
ESSENTIAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES:�INSTRUCTION
Teams can link directly to the Instruction tools from the Collaboration Log from Essential Learning Objectives. TeamMark will autofill the Subject and Topic in the Instruction Tool.
TeamMark’s Instruction tool supports teachers as they design targeted instruction based on ELO data. Instructional centers, small groups, differentiation, re-teach groups, & more can be documented in this tool. Reports can be generated & used as instructional plans for quick reference.
STUDENT ALERTS
TeamMark enriches the value of discourse. Not only does the tool integrate data progress monitoring, but it also supports the documentation of discourse. Teams use the Student Alert tool to easily document notes, observations, and more regarding students the team puts on “Alert”.
Student Alerts can be created for any student, and any subject created in TeamMark. Click New to create a new Student Alert. Click the icon in the Edit column to document progress notes for a student on Alert.
Student Alert progress notes provide a great record of student observations. Easily attach documents from your personal computer and even set the frequency for how often this student’s alert appears in your collaboration log.
THIS WEEK’S AGENDA
Engage with TeamMark’s dynamic Agenda tools in a variety of ways. Organize, save, and access collaborative discourse and documentation easily, efficiently, and effectively!
Along with creating agenda topics in the Agenda Topics tool, teams can create agenda topics directly from the Collaboration Log using the New quick link. Teams use this quick link for topics they want to add directly to their team’s current Collaboration Log.
The Document icon appears when a document has been attached to an agenda topic (Reminder: documents are attached to agenda topics in the Agenda Topics tool).
This icon shows how a team has categorized their Agenda Topic.
Click here to type your value-added collaborative notes for each Agenda Topic. Notice how the text changes from “New Comment” to “Show/Edit Comment”.
Click on this box to mark an Agenda Topic as complete. Once checked, this Agenda Topic will not appear in the Collaboration Log on future dates, but may still be retrieved in the Agenda Topics tool. Leave Agenda Topics unchecked for as long as the team would like to address the topic.
This is a sample of the text box that will appear when you click New Comment or Show/Edit Comment. When you are done typing your notes, click Save and all notes are saved and organized in TeamMark.
Reminder, you can also create and review agenda topics comprehensively in the Agenda Topics tool (this is also where you attach documents to your Agenda Topics.
CONCLUDING A COLLABORATION SESSION:�TIMER & COMPLETE BUTTON
As your team is deeply engaged in collaboration, keep an eye on that timer (you may even assign a Time Keeper role). When your collaboration is finished, click Complete.
Keep an eye on your time.
When you complete a collaboration, click Complete and a Collaboration Log Report for this collaboration will automatically be mailed to all team members and the School Administrator!
REPORTS
Sample Collaboration Log Report
Reports can always be accessed from the Reports tab.
Free online tutorials available. Click Learn More from www.myteammmark.com
Suggested Activity A:
Free online tutorials available.
Click “Learn More” from www.myteammmark.com
CONTACT US:
www.myteammmark.com 1-877-558-0557 teammark@optimizepd.com
©2012 TeamMark Collaboration Solutions®, All Rights Reserved
REFERENCES
Contact us for a copy of our document, Intentional Design: Aligning TeamMark with Collaboration Research for a list of relevant references and research correlations.
Schmoker, M. (2005). Here and now: Improving teaching and learning. In R. DuFour, R. Eaker, & R. DuFour (Eds.), On common ground: The power of professional learning communities (pp. xi-xvi). Bloomington, IN: National Education Service.