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Within each Design Challenge, there are numerous opportunities for collaboration with other participants around the world. ePALS' community and tools make it easy for you to take collaboration out of this world!
(In addition to these tips, you may also wish to refer to the ePALS Teacher to Teacher Guide, our
Tips for Successful Telecollaboration and our presentation, ePALS for Educators.)
Before you start: Do a search of the ePALS database to find other members working on the Design Challenges. Use the keywords "Space Day 2002". Contact the members found in your search to see if their classes or groups would be interested in taking advantage of the collaborative opportunities within the Design Challenges by working with you.
Here are some tips for integrating collaboration into the Design Challenges and for working with national and international partners outside of the walls of your classroom.
| Tips for Incorporating Collaboration |
| Step 2 - Leadership: Encourage each role to be a collaborative role. For example, the lead research scientist could brainstorm with other lead research scientists. After a search of the ePALS database, contact the members you find to see if they would like to work with you. Alternatively, you could post your request on the Space Day discussion board or our Teacher Talk discussion board, which is reserved for teachers only. Our private chat rooms and instant language translation can be used to let students have real time discussions about their roles, whether it be as Lead Research Scientist, Team Ambassador, Senior Design Engineer or Mission Specialist! |
| Step 4 - Scheduling: Create a schedule collaboratively. Your Team Ambassador can check in with other Team Ambassadors and create a schedule together through email. This step suggests a weekly meeting which could be done in an ePALS private chat room, allowing a team in a different location to take part in the meeting with you. The private chat rooms could also be used to allow members from different teams to discuss their roles and the issues that arise throughout project. |
| Step 5 - Research: Two teams from different geographical locations could split the scope of their research and pool their knowledge at the end, allowing them to work more efficiently. They can collaborate via email to determine who will do what. Any number of team members from both teams can work together on the research in this way. Through ePALS webmail, they could also suggest resources to each other, ask questions and catch up on anything they may have missed. You may also wish to use the Space Day discussion board to talk to other teams about resources that they have found and used. |
| Step 7 - Reporting to Your Team: This happens on a weekly basis. Reports can be done electronically in a journal or diary format. Partners on both teams can work together by peer editing the reports. Or you can archive the week's activities in an "activity chain"-type email. By using the reply function for all your Design Challenge email, you will have a continual, chronological record of progress.
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| Step 9 (optional) - Collaborate: If you have used ePALS to complete any of the earlier steps, you are already collaborating! Continue using email, discussion forums and private chats to help you come up with an "out of this world" Design Challenge solution.
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| Step 10 - Design and Create: Use ePALS' Design Challenge discussion board, email and private chat rooms to show other teams your solution as it evolves. Discuss the elements of the design that have challenged you to come up with new ways of thinking. If you've never submitted work electronically before, take advantage of the knowledge of other participants for help. . |
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Tools Available For All Design Challenges:
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