As educators learning alongside our students, we recognize the value of collaboration and reflection. Our faculty recently had the privilege of collaborating with Dr. Diane Kashin and Louise Jupp, post-secondary professors engaged in social media research. Diane and Louise, as colleagues, researchers and educators, spent two afternoons with our faculty at Richland to review our documentation, and the process of evaluating and reflecting on our work collaboratively. “Documentation is now in the mainstream of education literature, research and practice. The Ontario government supports the use of documentation in early years settings and this is evident on the OELF (Ontario Early Learning Framework) website” – Technology Rich Inquiry Based ResearchThroughout this collaborative process there was deep reflection on the three essential elements to the documentation process:  OBSERVE, DOCUMENT, INTERPRET(ATION).

The role of documentation in the process of learning cannot be underestimated. Through listening, recording, and sharing; the ideas and interests of our students are revealed and guide us through the inquiry.Reflective practice is “a dialogue of thinking and doing through which I become more skillful.” – Donald A. Schön, The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action (New York: Basic Books Inc., 1983)In depicting the learning through documentation, teachers must master many skills:  an art director, a writer, a photographer, and an educator. What am I seeing?  How do I capture this?  How do I present and share this? How can I enrich this learning experience and deepen understanding?  Diane and Louise generously shared their protocol for evaluating and reflecting on documentation, which they recently developed through this collaborative journey with Acorn School and Richland Academy. These clearly defined considerations provide insight on the process, and offer deeper understanding of documentation.We are grateful to Diane and Louise for their insight and support, and share their passion for learning. To gain greater insight on the work of Diane and Louise, we encourage you to explore Technology Rich Inquiry Based Research. Are you an educator developing your skills in documentation?  Are you wanting to engage in documentation as an educator, but aren’t sure where to begin? We recognize the power of collaboration and would love to hear from you!