Abstract

This article is a partial report of a study underway which focuses on collaborative learning to redefine the concept and impact of teacher collaboration among the faculty at a Teacher Training Institution in Durango, Mexico. The study used a qualitative methodology based on an Action-Research, a practical-deliberative type methodology and Elliott's model (1993, cited by Latorre, 2003). A survey technique was used to diagnose the problem and collect data through an open-ended questionnaire answered by seventeen (17) teachers. Cisterna's (2005) model of categorization and triangulation was also used to systematize and validate the information. The results were used to develop the diagnostic phase and design of an intervention based on two categories: the concept and its possible impact. According to the findings of the study, academic collaboration has been, largely, untapped and its ramifications are associated to technical issues and competition. Empirical and theoretical data were combined to design a proposal which ranges from epistemological to didactic knowledge. Based on the conclusion, since there given the many notions among teachers regarding academic teamwork and its possible impact on developing institutional activities, the concept must be redefined through the implementation of collaborative learning strategies.

Keywords Academic Teamwork; Teacher Collaboration; Active Learning; Teaching Practice