Week 13 Blog

To collaborate essentially means to join/work together. Two chairs put together collaborate to form a set of chairs. Two hands collaborate when one person shakes another’s hand.  4 people working on a project together participated in the art of collaboration.  There are a number of things in this world that wouldn't exist if it weren't for the act of collaboration. Collaboration usually takes place because if one were to work independently, the results necessary wouldn't likely be sufficient. Collaboration often times takes place out of necessity. Oddly enough, collaboration can however take place independently. If I am working on a project, the several tools that I have chosen to make the project all collaborate with each other to form the final product. Even more confusing, collaboration within collaboration can also take place. Let’s say I am collaborating with 3 other people to get a project done. Not only are our collective minds collaborating, but the materials that we come up with are also in collaboration. For example, if I am the one in the group responsible for the computer aspect of said project and the others are responsible for the physical portion (poster board, etc.). The digital and physical aspects of our project collaborate together to effectively express our ideas to the intended audience. As to the role that collaboration plays in everyday writing, I would argue that collaboration is generally not used in the manner of everyday writing. If you are forced to collaborate with others in your science class on a science fair project, I cannot consider that everyday writing. It is not independent and is clearly regulated. If you have the option to work on your science fair project independently, one might think every day writing is in play, but I can tell you why it isn’t. Although you are working independently, the contents of what you are collaborating your physical and mental tools with are to satisfy your professor, not yourself. Now if you’re writing a letter to a loved one or making a collage for someone special, I would certainly consider that act an example of everyday writing. Collaborating pen with paper, glue with pictures, scissors, etc. all contribute to the end product, which can be considered an example of everyday writing.