Best Practices in Collaboration
The collaboration outlined here includes campus activities and learning opportunities that conceivably could be done individually but that "we can do better together." Successful collaborations can take on a variety of different forms. When considering collaborative opportunities, here are three types of examples that demonstrate the varying degree of time, energy, resources, and impact:
- Utilization: One-time, impermanent interactions or events; i.e. a class required to attend an already-scheduled campus event or speaker, with or without reflection on attendance (cross promotion of event).
- Invitation: A co-curricular partner invited to speak to a class or a faculty request for a workshop designed and led by a co-curricular partner with relevant experience, passion, interest, or expertise.
- Collaboration: A program, a course, or an event coordinated by the team of faculty member(s) and co-curricular partner(s), in which all parties have significant input into the goals, outcomes, design, and execution of the program. Often these collaborations generate long-term or permanent and reciprocal relationships that result in a deeper integration into a course or specific student experience.
Check out the "Collaborate with Us" section of each of the campus resources listed here to learn more about specific preferences and processes when seeking to collaborate with these offices, departments, programs, or staff.
While each office has outlined their desired types of engagement on their own web pages, here are a few general things to consider when exploring or seeking out collaboration, especially more complex and integrated forms:
-
Outcomes
(What/Why):
Start
with
the
end
in
mind.
Questions
to
consider:
- What are you hoping this collaborative project or initiative will achieve?
- How will it expand and improve the educational experience of your students?
-
Expertise
(Who):
On
a
campus
such
as
CC,
expertise
takes
a
wide
variety
of
forms,
including
scholarly,
practical,
experiential,
and
innate
abilities,
knowledge
bases
and
capacities.
For
campus-wide
collaboration
to
be
possible,
it
is
important
to
consider
and
recognize
the
gifts,
talents,
and
contributions
of
all
members
of
the
campus
community.
So,
think
outside
of
the
box
and
consider
the
wide
variety
of
partners
who
may
be
interested
in
collaborating
with
you
and
able
to
contribute
to
achieving
your
goal.
Questions
to
consider:
- Are their departments on campus doing similar work?
- Do I know of faculty or staff with shared interest?
- Who else might be interested in this project that I may be overlooking?
- What do I hope my partners can bring to the project?
-
Timing
(When):
While
Faculty,
staff,
students,
and
community
partners
may
all
be
eager
collaborators,
each
group
operates
on
different
calendars
and
is
impacted
by
the
pace
of
the
block
in
different
ways.
So,
it
is
important
to
begin
building
and
seeking
out
partnerships
as
early
on
as
possible,
especially
if
you
are
looking
to
create
deeper
collaborations.
Questions
to
consider:
- How long will it take to plan and successfully implement?
- Is there a specific block in which this collaborative initiative must take place?
- What other time constraints are we impacted by?
-
Resources
(How):
As
resources
of
time,
energy,
talent,
and
funding
are
all
limited,
it
is
important
to
consider
what
types
and
how
much
of
these
you
have
at
your
disposal
as
well
as
what,
if
any,
constraints
you
may
be
facing.
- How much will this cost? What are my funding options?
- What kind of commitment am I asking from my own department and from the partnering offices/program/staff?
- Are there other people on campus that might be able to assist with this project?
-
Reciprocity:
Collaboration
should
be
a
co-creative,
reciprocal,
beneficial,
and
multidirectional
process
and
relationship
for
all
partners
and
resources
involved.
- Who is served by this program?
- Is there benefit for all parties given their roles on campus or in the community?
- Is there room for partners to modify, shape, or change the project to est meet their needs or capacities?
- How would each partner measure success?
Additional Campus Resources for Collaboration
- Search the Course Schedule to find classes that might offer convergence opportunities with your idea, program, event, etc.
- Explore the Online Scholarship Database, where you can search key terms or faculty names to find faculty with shared interest.
- Connect with the Crown Faculty Center.
Articles, Publications, & Other Resources Highlighting the Importance of Collaboration