There are fine lines that describe the differences in the three. Coordination is bringing the parts together to create a whole. Cooperation is acting jointly with others, but collaboration is willing cooperation on mutual goals and outcomes.
Collaboration calls for a new conception of human relationships.
It is the dynamic that makes the outcome more than a sum of the whole. It facilitates looking at program needs for students and citizens. The outcome is more important than the pieces. When we focus on the outcome, it is possible to be more creative in using resources to meet the needs for programs. With the home economics heritage of integration of the sciences and arts to create new meanings in the application of science, we have emphasized all three.