What is Collaboratory?
Collaboratory captures an institution’s community-based activities and organizes them into a framework that institutions (and the faculty and staff within them) can leverage for reporting, storytelling, and community-level change.
It is important for faculty and staff to capture their engaged work in Collaboratory as a way to showcase their efforts and connections to community, while also being a part of their institution’s larger story of engagement.
Because there is no one standard way to engage with community, Collaboratory encourages faculty and staff to enter all of their community engagement and public service activities, recognizing that the ways individuals, groups, and institutions engage in community varies greatly. Read more about what data can be entered in Collaboratory.
Collaboratory Glossary
The Glossary provides clear definitions of key terms and concepts used within Collaboratory, helping users navigate and understand its features. Whether you're new to Collaboratory or seeking to refine your usage, the glossary serves as a valuable resource for accurate terminology and consistent application.
Activities as the Core Unit of Analysis
Collaboratory’s central unit of analysis is the activity - what faculty, staff, and students are doing in/with community. Activities capture who is involved, what issues are addressed, and what outcomes are achieved. When proxying activities, consider:
What is the faculty, staff, or students doing with community?
Who are the partners and populations served?
What is the intended purpose and impact?
Enter Your Engagement + Service Activities
Step 1: Log in
Log in to your institution’s Collaboratory (top right corner of homepage).
Scroll to the bottom of the homepage and click “Add Activities.”
Step 2: Choose Create or Clone
To enter a new activity, select “Create.”
To duplicate a previous activity, select “Clone an existing Activity.” Read more about how to clone activities.
Step 3: Complete the Decision Tree
Click “Begin” to answer 4 questions to confirm your activity belongs in Collaboratory.
You’ll then be directed to the full activity entry form.
Step 4: Fill Out the Activity Form + Submit
Work through the sections of the form.
Fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are required.
Save progress at any time by clicking “Next” at the bottom of each page, or “Save + Exit” on the final step.
Drafted activities are stored in “My Activities” on your dashboard.
Submit your activity on the final step of the form. When it is submitted, your activity is forwarded to an administrator for review. You will receive a notification of your activity's approval or denial. Once it has been approved, it will be made public in your institution's Collaboratory.
Tips for Strong Entries:
Title Clearly: Avoid generic names like “Internship” or “Course Project”.
Description: Concisely state the purpose and focus of the activity (2-3 sentences).
Add a Visual: Upload an image to make the activity engaging.
Connect Partners: Identify each community partner and their role.
Link Coursework: If connected to a course, add the section(s). For ongoing work, add new sections each term.
Select Target Populations + Focus Areas: Only choose those directly addressed.
Align with Campus Initiatives: Tag relevant programs or institutional priorities to connect your work to larger institutional goals.
Show Outputs + Outcomes: Document what you expect vs. what was achieved.
Stay Current: Update activities each semester with new course sections or outcomes.
Additional information and a video tutorial can be found HERE.
Invite a Proxy to Enter Data on Your Behalf
Collaboratory lets you invite someone else (e.g., graduate assistant, administrative staff) to enter activity data on your behalf.
Step 1: Log in
Log in to your institution’s Collaboratory (top right corner of homepage).
Scroll to the bottom of the homepage and click “Add Activities.”
Step 2: Select a Proxy
Click “Invite a Proxy.”
In the modal, click “Select” next to “Intended Proxy.”
Search for the proxy by name.
Step 3: Send the Proxy Invitation
After identifying your proxy, supply the title of the activity for context.
Click “Continue to Create Activity” and answer 4 questions to confirm your activity belongs in Collaboratory.
Once complete, Collaboratory will send an invitation to your proxy requesting their completion of your activity.
Note:
The proxy can either submit the activity directly for publication or return it to you for review before submission.
If returned to you, you must approve and submit the activity for it to be published.
Until publication, the proxy retains the ability to edit and submit.
Considerations when Entering Activities: One Activity or Many?
When proxying activities, a key decision is whether to track each activity individually or combine similar experiences into a single entry. Deciding whether to proxy one activity or multiple activities depends on how similar the work is across partners, populations, and outcomes. The choice affects the level of detail in reporting and analysis.
Proxy One Activity if:
The engagement is unified (e.g., same partner(s), same goals, same populations
Example: A recurring health clinic with the same partners and purpose
Example: An annual campus food drive serving the same community partners
Proxy Multiple Activities if:
Different groups or projects have distinct goals, partners, and/or focus areas
Example: Faculty research projects with different community partners
Example: A class where student groups each work with different nonprofits on different issues
This principle applies broadly - whether the engagement is course-based, research-focused, service delivery (e.g., clinics), or another type of community collaboration.
One or Many Course-Based Activities?
Consider: Did all students do the same work with the same partner(s) and pursue the same learning objectives?
Yes → One Activity
Example: The entire class organized a single food drive with one community partnerNo → Multiple Activities
Example: Individual students each worked with different organizations on distinct issues
One or Many Internships, Practicums, + Teacher Placements?
Choose the level of granularity that balances accuracy and efficiency for your context.
Enter Each Placement Individually → Detailed view of partnerships
Example: 30 students placed at 30 K-12 schools = 30 separate activitiesGroup Similar Placements → Faster, simpler entry
Example: 20 students at 5 firms = 5 activities (grouped by firm)
Additional information about capturing one vs. multiple activities can be found HERE.
Need Help?
In-App Chat: Use the Collaboratory chat feature for quick answers from the Collaboratory support team.
Institutional Administrators: Reach out to your campus’ Collaboratory administrator(s) for support.