Deeper Learning: Tools to Support Collaboration. This set of tools for teaching collaboration was the result of a networked design development study that took place across nine schools and involved 25 educators over the 2018–2019 academic year. They were designed to support teachers in developing their practice related to fostering students’ collaboration skills as an aspect of deeper learning. The design includes an instructional sequence designed as an enhancement to units of study that include collaboration, an instructional framework that describes teaching practices that support the development of students’ collaboration skills, and a generic student rubric describing the skills of collaboration, together with language stems. The design also includes a sequence of professional learning collaborations to guide collaborative inquiry teams of educators in exploring their practice together.

Exploring Professional Collaboration in Schools as a Way to Sustain and Develop Educators Throughout Vermont and New Hampshire by Carrie Fitz, MEd, Aimee Gonzales, MEd, Jennifer Settle, EdD, and Adam Norwood, EdD (2024). This action research project explored how professional collaboration affects teacher job satisfaction in Vermont and New Hampshire, drawing on theories of collaborative learning and communities of practice. Using qualitative methods and a needs assessment across nine K-12 schools, the study introduced a structured meeting agenda to improve collaboration. While the intervention made meetings more efficient and satisfying, teachers felt their needs were not fully addressed, and meeting topics were not always aligned with school goals, possibly due to existing meeting cultures and facilitation practices. The study highlights both the value and challenges of structured collaboration, suggesting further research is needed to better align collaborative practices with teacher input and educational objectives.

The Elements of Effective Collaboration in Education: Impact on Teacher Job Satisfaction by Aimee Gonzalez, MEd, Paul Hammond, EdD, Jennifer Settle, EdD, and Adam Norwood, EdD (2023). This study explored teacher job satisfaction (TJS) by providing teachers with two Needs Assessments to identify issues affecting their satisfaction at work. Based on these findings, teachers completed a Pre-Survey, participated in a structured team meeting protocol using the Team Functioning Scale, and then took a Post-Survey after a set period. The analysis focused on how the structure and effectiveness of staff and team meetings influenced job satisfaction, revealing three main themes: Sense of Belonging, Perceived Value, and Appreciation for Structure. Conducted across eight public and private schools in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont, the study found these elements had the greatest impact on TJS, while also acknowledging neutral effects and other factors influencing satisfaction, which are further discussed in the findings and limitations.