Quote-A-Day: Day 213

Working together actually means that you actually have to do some work together. #QuoteADay #Day213 #Collaborate #Construct #edchat #edu

We tend to say we’re more collaborative than we really are, and we also tend to believe collaboration is less intense than it needs to be.

To truly be collaborative, we can’t just chat together.  Nor can we simply plan together.  We actually have to take action together.

One of the challenges that I face, particularly when I consider my involvement with social media, is that I haven’t found a great way to be collaborative through these forums.  They’ve been tremendously helpful for me in building connections, and I’m so thankful for expertise and perspective I’ve been able to gain through these tools (in particular, through Twitter).

But, I’ll also say that I haven’t yet found a great way to collaborate utilizing them.  I tend to talk quite a bit and hear others talking quite a bit, and often there are great ideas floating around, but I’ve only been able to seize a few of them.  I’ve co-written an article through the power of social media and I’ve also built a great science-based chat with a colleague that all started through Twitter. 

So, I ask the question: Am I doing something wrong?

Or, is this fairly common?

A quick note: Social media has allowed me to be even more social (a potential problem, I admit), and I’ve built my learning as well as made some excellent friends.  That being said, I feel like I’ve cultivated a tremendous PLN (Professional Learning Network), but not a PCN (Professional Collaborative Network).

And I would like to.  Because, as much as I welcome the learning that has taken place, I’m left itching to apply what I’ve learned not just with the people I know via face-to-face interactions, but with those I know virtually.

One of the challenges that I see (please let me know if you’ve learned how to overcome this), is that true collaboration is extremely difficult until you’ve actually met (and by “met” I mean face-to-face) the person you hope to collaborate with.  Both social media collaborations I mentioned above happened, and continue, in large part because we met and got to know each other beyond the virtual realm.

Let’s think carefully before we consider ourselves collaborators or believe we’re truly “working together.”  Remember that in order for this to happen, we actually have to do work, together.

I’m curious what you all think about this, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.