Here are some interesting readings that give substantial background on collaboration and network theory. They are not oriented toward education but explain the collaborative principles at work here. All are highly recommended.
Anderson, Chris. The Long Tail. New York: Hyperion, 2006.
Anderson's book is an easy and entertaining read. In it he points out the impact the net economy is having on business and our ability to search for and filter information and products. The implications for education, while not directly addressed here, are obvious.
Friedman, Thomas L. The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005.
This classic best-seller creates a fundamental framework for 21st century communication and is a wonderful treatise on how communication and collaboration is undergoing a paradigm shift.
Kelly, Kevin. New Rules for the New Economy: 10 Radical Strategies for a Connected World. New York: Penguin Books, 1998.
This is an excellent book on connections and network theory as it applies to the real world. Most examples are economic and social, but the application to education is undeniable.
Prensky, Marc. "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants." On the Horizon 9, no. 5 (2001).
This short article is the foundation piece of much of Prensky's work regarding the next generation of learners. If you want to understand why we need to change our methods, this article is a good place to start.