Additional information
| Dimensions | 8.5 × 11 in |
|---|---|
| Cover | Paperback |
| Dimensions (W) | 8 1/2" |
| Dimensions (H) | 11" |
| Page Count | 74 |
| Publisher | Edge Enterprises, Inc. |
| Year Printed | 1992 |
Collaborative Problem Solving
E. Ann KnackendoffelSuzanne M. Robinson
Donald D. Deshler
Jean B. Schumaker
The key to solving shared problems relies, in large measure, in the communication skills of the people associated with those problems. Although designed specifically for use in educational settings, Collaborative Problem Solving outlines the communication skills needed to solve problems within any group. These skills include listening actively, reflecting another person’s statements back to that person, asking questions, and summarizing. The skills are then incorporated within a problem-solving process that can be used to structure meetings between two or more people, especially those working together to support specific students. Numerous examples of this process are presented throughout the book, as are opportunities to practice the skills.
This process is appropriate for any educator, parent, or person interested in improving communication while working with others to help students succeed. It is especially useful for teachers in cooperative teaching relationships and in collaborative relationships between general and special educators.
$10.50
Description
Research on the Collaborative Problem Solving Program
Overview
The Collaborative Problem Solving Program is used by teachers to work together to solve student-related problems. Such collaboration can be critical to the success of students with disabilities and other at-risk students who are enrolled in inclusive classes. This study investigated the effects of teacher instruction in Teaming Strategies to be used during Collaborative Problem Solving. The Teaming Strategies were (a) Problem Solving, (b) Targeting Setting Demands, (c) Negotiating Win/Win Solutions, and (d) Coaching Professional Change.
First, 15 special education teachers participated in a multiple-baseline across-strategies design to evaluate the effects of the instruction on their behavior in role-playing situations where they were asked to collaborate with another teacher (played by a researcher) in relation to a specified problem. Each teacher learned two strategies. Observers of the role-play situations recorded each behavior a teacher used during each role-play performance on a checklist before and after instruction.
Next, eight additional special education teachers were instructed on how to use all four of the Teaming Strategies. They each targeted several content teachers with whom to collaborate. A total of 22 content teachers participated. Data were gathered on the eight teachers’ skill levels and collaboration with content teachers.
Results
The results of the multiple-baseline study with the 15 special education teachers showed that all of the teachers made gains with regard to using the strategies in role-playing situations. The mean pre-training score on the Problem Solving Strategy was 41.5%. The mean post-training score was 94%. The mean pre-training and post-training scores on the Setting Demands Strategy were 26% and 88%, respectively. The mean pre-training score on the Negotiation Strategy was 20%, and the mean post-training score was 89%. The mean pre-training score on the Coaching Strategy was 35%; the mean post-training score was 89%. All of the teachers exceeded the mastery level (85%) on all of the strategies within one or two practice trials.
When the eight teachers in the second group were asked to rate their own collaborative skills at the beginning and end of the study on a seven-point scale (with “7” representing “Much Skill”), their mean rating was 4.5. When the content teachers rated the special education teachers’ collaborative skills, their mean rating was 5.0. At the end of the study, the special education teachers’ mean rating for their own skills was 5.6. The mean rating of the special education teachers’ skills by the content teachers was also 5.6. Not only was the overall rating higher at the end of the study than at the beginning, but each individual strategy rating was also higher. The content teachers reported that the special education teachers used the Teaming Strategies with them by recording many instances of strategy use. In addition, the content teachers rated their relationship with the special education teacher higher at the end of the study (M = 6.0) than at the beginning (M = 5.1), and they rated the outcomes of their consultation sessions higher at the end of the study (M = 5.7) than at the beginning (M = 4.8).
Conclusions
The multiple-baseline design study with the 15 teachers showed that teachers could learn to use the four Teaming Strategies at a high level of performance after only one or two trials. Improvement occurred in each case only following the instruction. The study with the second group of teachers showed that teachers would use the Teaming Strategies with other teachers in their school. Additionally, it showed that the content teachers rated their relationship with the special education teachers and their collaboration outcomes more positively after the special education teachers learned the four Teaming Strategies and used them.
References
Knackendofl, E. A. (1989). Development and validation of a set of Teaming Strategies for enhancing collaboration between secondary resource and content teachers.Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Lawrence: University of Kansas.
About the Author
E. Ann Knackendoffel, Ph.D.
Affliations
- Associate Professor
- Kansas State University
My Background and Interests
I entered teaching as a special educator and have taught at both the elementary and secondary levels. I have been involved in many educational teams over the years, and problem solving has been integral to the success of all of these experiences. As a university faculty member, I now instruct teachers at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This involves working with pre-service general education teacher candidates and special education teacher candidates at the graduate level. One of my favorite courses and area of continued study is collaboration and consultation. I teach collaborative problem solving in the special education introductory course I teach for general education teachers and in the advanced collaboration and consultation course I teach at the end of our master’s degree program in special education. I consider it a basic “tool” for all teachers in today’s collaborative climate in schools.
The Story Behind Collaborative Problem Solving
As a special education teacher, I knew that I was a key component in making inclusion work in my school and ensuring the success of students with special needs. Problem solving was required daily in my role as a special educator but none of my training to become a teacher prepared me to work with other adults, especially when we saw problems through different lenses. When my colleagues and I began to look at how general education and special education teachers problem solve, we learned that they too lacked training in effective strategies for working with others, problem solving, and negotiating in the professional arena of schools.
Increasingly, educators are recognizing that the needs of students who are at-risk for academic and social failure can best be met if professionals work together as teams in designing and delivering educational programs. Many times, the problems of these students are complex and go beyond the expertise of one professional. A team of professionals is often needed to clearly understand the needs of students, and, in turn, specify appropriate actions to be taken. While there are many collaboration skills that are needed for teams to be successful, collaborative problem solving seems to be at the heart of teaming. Without this foundational skill, teams often find that their valuable meeting time is less effective and efficient than it could be.
As my colleagues and I watched many teachers problem solve, we realized the most productive collaborative relationships were characterized by mutual respect, trust, and open communication. It did not serve the students or the teachers well if one person took on the problem without the true collaboration and input of others. We developed Collaborative Problem Solving to guide teachers in this process and to give them the tools they needed to be successful in their problem-solving efforts. We drew on the work of many effective problem-solving models but then tailored them to meet the unique framework of special and general education teachers working together. We listened to the feedback of teachers who implemented Collaborative Problem Solving, and, through our field tests with many teachers, we learned what worked and the parts that needed refinement before the final product was published. We think we came up with a product that has stood the test of time and that is a useful tool for teaching partnerships or larger school-based teams such as teacher assistance teams or school improvement teams.
My Thoughts about Strategic Instruction
When I was first introduced to strategic instruction over 25 years ago, I knew it made both intuitive sense and was supported by good research.
Teacher or Student Feedback on Collaborative Problem Solving
The response from teachers in the field has been very supportive. They have been much more visionary than I was when I first created Collaborative Problem Solving and found a multitude of uses for the model beyond just their collaboration with general and special education teachers. They have found the process helpful with working one-on-one with colleagues, but they have been most enthusiastic about how it helps when they have multiple participants in a meeting such as a student improvement or IEP meeting. Teachers have also reported it useful when they are meeting with parents or working with students. They find the Problem-Solving Worksheet keeps them on task and focused on the problem rather than straying off into areas that detract from solution finding.
My Contact Information
Ann Knackendoffel, Ph,D.
Dept. of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs
Kansas State University
knack@ksu.edu
