Collective intelligence is a form of collaboration. Collective intelligence comes from the combination and sharing of many individual intelligences to problem solve, research or create. Collective intelligence centers around one concept: collaboration. It argues that a group of individuals are more productive and successful than a single individual. The sharing of ideas, problems, and questions can help lead to more effective results. 

Collective intelligence can, and should, take place in many environments. Collaboration is a key component to learning at home, work and school. When considering collective intelligence in the school setting, students should work tougher in groups and act as active learners. The teacher can act as the facilitator, assisting groups of students in discovery, problem solving and development. 

As Gavriel Salomon noted in Professor Cope's link, intellectual partnerships between individuals is caused by collaboration between partners or groups of individuals. Distributed cognition results in collaboration, as it suggests the joining of individual cognitions, items, or ideas. This type of collaboration could also be argued to be collective intelligence (Salomon, 1993).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/12/open-offices-changing-to-include-private-space_n_6669666.html

I read the article above recently on The Huffington Post. As I stated above, collective intelligence can be effective in multiple environments, but it can be especially crucial in work environments that require team projects and planning. Technology, financial and pharmaceutical companies are leading a trend in the work place: The Open Office. This concept creates office space that is built on an open floor plan with minimal walls and private workspaces. Rather, a larger space is filled with desks, couches, and shared working space. While there are opportunities for workers to work in individual, private spaces, the majority of work is completed side-by-side with their coworkers. 

The argument for the “Open Office” centers on its promotion of collaboration, communication, and sense of community. Workers are no longer confined to their offices, and are unable to shut out the rest of the world with the closing of a door. Unfortunately, research is beginning to show that there may be more negative than positive effects of this model. While collaboration is increased, so is distraction, as the above article notes. Studies have shown that this model increases distraction, reduces workers’ ability to concentrate and can create a lack of motivation.

While I’m not sure what the right answer is, I know that there are many benefits of collective intelligence. Collaborating with others can help to foster critical thinking, problem solving and discovery. While the open office model might not be the most ideal example of effective collective intelligence, there are many methods for encouraging collaboration in students and others.  

What do you think: Could you work in an “Open Office”, or would this cause too many distractions? 

Salomon, Gavriel. 1993. “No distribution without individuals’ cognition: a dynamic interactional view.”  In Distributed Cognitions: Psychological and Educational Considerations, Salomon, Gavriel (ed). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. pp. 111-4, 128-35.