WAIT a minute … before you take that TOO seriously, PLEASE continue reading. Put that sledge hammer down … we’re not talking demolition … we’re talking global connections! That’s right … you can’t BUILD global connections without FLATTENING those CLASSROOM walls!
There is something SO empowering when students feel personally invested in their learning journey!
This month, our #globalclassroom chat will focus on the POWER of blogging with your students. We are SO fortunate to be teaching in an age when the SKY is the LIMIT with technology. Skype has become a staple in MANY classrooms. No longer are BOOKS our sole way of learning about the world … and, while relying on Google to enrich our inquiries is STILL important, we are NOW able to connect in REAL time with others around the world. This ability to connect synchronously and asynchronously, collaborating with other classes on the other side of the WORLD, has changed our learning FOREVER. We are NO longer just learning ABOUT the world. We are in an age where we are learning WITH the world.
Writing for authentic reasons creates MAGIC moments when your students chant “We should BLOG about this!”
Some things to think about PRIOR to our February chat:
Why is blogging a valuable tool for connecting and sharing global inquiries with a global audience?
What skills can students develop by sharing their learning with a global audience?
If you don’t have access to an NGO, (Non-Government Organization), where do you find collaboration opportunities? How can you find projects to join?
How can you create you OWN inquiry to share?
How do you fit it into EVERYTHING else you need to accomplish in a day?
How do you come up with “post” ideas for your blog?
What are some resources you use? Books? Sources of inspiration?
How do you address digital citizenship? Global citizenship? Online safety?
How do you attract readers to your classroom blog?
If you are interested in learning more about flattening YOUR walls and creating a global classroom for your students, you should DEFINITELY check out the Global Classroom Wiki and the Global Classroom Blog! This learning community is ALL about sharing and mentoring, and there are projects already on the go to help you get your feet wet or to continue to enrich you and your students’ learning journeys! TRUST me … once you START blogging with you students, connecting and learning WITH the world and no longer just ABOUT the world, you will NEVER look back!
After you’re done checking out THOSE awesome resources, mark the February #globalclassroom chat on your CALENDAR! See the times below … we’re looking forward to CONNECTING with you!
Chat 1 – Saturday – February 9th (10:00 GMT)
10AM London, 3.30PM New Delhi, 6PM Perth, 9PM Sydney (AEDT), 11PM Auckland
It’s hard to believe that the January #globalclassroom chats have already come and gone! The new schedule proved to be a huge success, with all three chats occurring within a 24 hour period. Although it was certainly a celebration, it was a powerful work party as well.
It was a WONDERFUL opportunity for participants to share their highlights and SUCCESSES in a #globalclassroom as well as some of the FROGS that @iEARNUSA got us thinking about and sharing during the December “Eat that Frog” discussion. This specific “frog” chat was a highlight for MANY!
@rentonl A1: My favorite chat was about eating frogs! Overcoming the obstacles that get in the way of global activities. #globalclassroom
Several fantastic suggestions were shared for future chats and have been saved in order to guide our journey going forward. Please remember that this is ALWAYS a working “document” of sorts, morphing and changing with the needs of our #globalclassroom participants. If you think of a topic that you would like to see explored you are urged to share it on the wiki or to contact @mgraffin!
The #globalclassroom community is a vibrant, collaborative and generous one. People share willingly and eagerly. Even if you do NOT have a #globalclassroom, this is the place to begin discovering how EASY it is to bring the WORLD to your students, within the supportive #globalclassroom environment! After all, learning WITH the world, not just ABOUT the world, makes our learning authentic, personalized and meaningful!
@rentonl I just can’t believe how much my teaching has changed since I got connected. Lots of true friendships formed too.#globalclassroom
Be sure to check the archives of these chats. Each contains a WEALTH of information, links and on-going projects! Thank you to EVERYONE for making this January chat a HUGE success! We COULDN’T do it WITHOUT you! We are looking forward to seeing you at the FEBRUARY #globalclassroom chats!
It’s a PARTY … okay … a WORKING party, but a PARTY nonetheless!
What: Celebration Get Together! Where: #globalclassroom chat When: second week in January-ish (See new times and check time zones below.) Who: anyone with a #globalclassroom or dream of creating a #globalclassroom … yes, you can BRING a FRIEND! After all, the MORE the MERRIER!
Bring your #globalclassroom celebrations, frustrations, (or as @iEARNUSA likes to say “frogs”), questions, hopes and DREAMS to our January 2013 chat! By beginning the year with an open discussion, this will be an opportunity for people to share their highlights and burning questions! After all:
“No one is as smart as ALL of us!”
~Japanese Proverb
Things to think about:
your favourite #globalclassroom topic
a highlight of your #globalclassroom journey
some of the pitfalls you’ve overcome in your #globalclassroom
your vision for the future, (hopes and dreams), for your #globalclassroom
topics you would like to explore further during our upcoming #globalclassroom chats
This month, we are implementing a NEW schedule for the #globalclassroom chats, which will now run over one 24 hour period, starting on the second Saturday of the month.
This is a significant change, so please check which time works for you, and put a note in your calendar!
Chat 1 – Saturday – January 12 (10:00 GMT)
10AM London, 3.30PM New Delhi, 6PM Perth, 9PM Sydney (AEDT), 11PM Auckland
Chat times are displayed in UTC+0/GMT+0 (Greenwich Mean Time – No Daylight Saving)
To convert the UTC/GMT time to YOUR time-zone, please click on the event description, and copy the event to your personal calendar. Or you may calculate the chat time for your area with the World Time Zone converter.
Two weeks ago, the world marked “International Dot Day“, a global celebration of children’s creativity. We thought we’d share some of their creations with the wider #globalclassroom community.
The September #globalclassroom chats proved, yet again, to be an engaging conversation around the magic of flattening your classroom, connecting with others around the globe and collaborative sharing by participants. Our topic, “What is Global Taxonomy”, inspired by the tremendous work done by Julie Lindsay & Vicki A. Davis in Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds, proved to be lively and informative.
When asked if there was a progression of global collaboration, it became quickly apparent that there are MANY valuable global projects taking place at all levels within the education system, at each of the levels within the GlobalTaxonomy. There is truly NO lack of opportunity to become involved in taking your classroom global, and this #globalclassroom community shares readily and willingly! Many of the projects are predesigned, “managed global connections” described as level 3 within the Global Taxonomy framework:
The younger the students in your care, however, the greater the intentional scaffolding needs to be. Modelling, focused large group experiences and discussions around digital citizenship, online safety, quality commenting and etiquette are critical pieces of the puzzle which must be thoughtfully addressed and revisited often as you strive toward “gradual release” moving up the levels of this Taxonomy.
Children as young as Kindergarten are learning how to tweet! It is certainly inspiring to hear that classrooms now include such 21st Century jobs as “class tweeter” and “class photographer” to capture the learning which is later shared through blogging … gone are the days of the “blackboard cleaner”!
Skype is a logical, inexpensive and synchronous tool for connecting our students in real time, as are video conferences, live meetings and chats! The use of asynchronous tools, such as wikis, blogs, google docs, podcasts, e-mail, as well as posting to websites, etc., provide invaluable opportunities to further share our learning discoveries and to continue our learning with a global audience.
Through the tireless and talented efforts of @clivesir, each of these monthly chats are archived and absolutely worth checking out. Even better, this chat is held at three different times during the month, in order to accommodate as many time zones as possible. Although the topic remains the same for each, it is always interesting to see how they develop differently, as a direct result of our own differences in perspective and experience! Check below for the archive links to September’s #globalclassroom chats:
These #globalclassroom chats, held the second or third week of each month, are priceless opportunities for connecting with others interested in flattening the walls of their classrooms. The resources, projects and conversation shared will have you bookmarking, favouriting and researching for WEEKS to come!
@tashacowdy I TOTALLY agree … certainly not enough of it happening … YET! Once people get their TOES wet … there’s NO looking back!
Go ahead … JOIN an already established project or create your own based on your desired outcomes … but DEFINITELY get your TOES wet! It will be WORTH it!
In Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds, Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis suggest using “a steady methodology for taking students from connecting within your classroom to connecting with the world”. The authors describe a taxonomy of five levels:
Level 1: Intra-connection (within your own class)
Level 2: Inter-connection (within school / district)
Level 3: Managed global connection (class to class)
Level 4: Student to student (with teacher management)
Level 5 Student to student (with student management)
The taxonomy is a progression from one level to the next, through thoughtful planning and gradual release. The strategies, tools and products will vary depending on the context, developmental level and experience of the students. In a school where global collaboration is school wide, younger children may end up being more experienced in global collaboration than older students in a school that does not have such a culture. For deeper insight into each of the taxonomy levels explored below, please see The Flat Classroom Storify.
There are many strategies for how to support and encourage global collaboration at each level. This blog post examines each level and how teachers can support, recognise and foster global collaboration though these taxonomies.
Within Level 1, developing intra-connections within your own classroom can be as simple as having students working in partners within close proximity to edit a class wiki or a collaborative document together. Gradually, greater physical distance is placed between the working partners. Soon, students begin to work across the room from their partners, with limited face-to-face interaction. This can be a very powerful way of experiencing the challenges that can come up when you are not longer working side by side with your partner, effectively mimicking a fully developed global project where participants work together across many miles.
As one moves up the Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds pyramid, students begin to communicate through digital connections. Within Level 2, inter-connections are developed between other classes within a school or within the school district. This distance provides powerful teaching opportunities through the use of synchronous, (skype, video conferences, live meetings or chats), and asynchronous tools, (wikis, blogs, podcasts, e-mail, posting to websites, etc.). This level can provide greater opportunities for authentic discussions involving collaboration, digital footprints and citizenship.
Level 3 provides schools with the opportunity to join programs which have already been developed, such as The Lucky Ladybug Project, Shoeless and Bark, and the Life ‘Round Here digital storytelling project, and is a “managed global connection”. Since these programs often have a predetermined outcome, often downloadable materials and prescribed lesson plans are provided. This level moves students out of the ‘inner circle” into communicating with others at a variety of distances.
The student to student connections which are “teacher managed” in Level 4 is the beginning of authentic student global connections. Julie and Vicki describe this as a “jigsaw” of activities. Students may have their own learning goals and, once students have completed their individual pieces of the “research” puzzle, they come together to share their learning with classmates. As the title suggests, the teacher is the project leader. It is their job to facilitate and direct the learning path of the project. The presentations that often go along with this type of project create powerful learning experiences for both the presenters and the audience members.
At the top of the Global Connection pyramid is Level 5: student to student connections where the classroom walls have been completely flattened, students manage the project and the teacher is on the sidelines offering encouragement and coaching as the project grows. It is this level of project which, according to Julie and Vicki, best prepares our students for “the participatory, collaborative environment in today’s work environment and will provide students with real world marketable, beneficial online leadership skills”.
The BEST place to begin a global connection project is by thinking about your learning objectives and desired outcomes, as well as the age of the students you are working with. If you have never ventured into this exciting learning territory before and are worried about the best way to test the waters, it is often easiest to start by joining a project which has already been developed. Believe me, once you try it you will NEVER look back!
What do you think?
1. How do you scaffold global learning from class to world?
2. Is there a ‘progression’ of global collaboration?
3. How does global learning/collaboration differ between younger and older learners?
4. How do you ensure that students have the skills and understanding necessary to participate in a global collaboration project?
5. Which tools do you find most useful for global collaboration?
6. How do you embed global learning in a school’s culture?
7a. Is it important that all students contribute in a project?
7b. If so, how do you ensure this?
8. What are some of the key ingredients of successful global collaboration?
9. What are some of your global collaboration successes?
Please join us for our September chat. The sharing and learning that comes from these discussions enriches our practice and the learning experiences of our students! Check below for the time that best fits with your time zone:
Schedule
Saturday, September 15 – USA, Europe, Africa (17:00 – 18:00 GMT)
This month’s #globalclassroom chats were a fascinating affair, enabling many people to make new global connections, and explore tools and strategies for global collaborative projects.
These chats were personally very significant, as I discovered a fellow West Australian educator participating in the chats for the very first time. Trust me, this was cause for celebration!
As Mark Otter was unable to participate in the chats due to other commitments, we asked our moderators to share their thoughts and reflections on the chats:
Laurie Renton (@RentonL), who managed to attend two chats, was struck by the diversity of the #globalclassroom conversations ….
This time around, I saw SUCH value in visiting the archives of these discussions. The links shared are invaluable. The varied experiences shared by each of the participants brought such a richness to each of the discussions. Both hours went by SO quickly, and people were SO engaged, than many of us continued to share long after the hour was up!
Donna Roman (@DonnaRoman) and Maggie Powers (@mpowers3) teamed up to moderate the Tuesday night chat, and did an amazing job as first-time moderators.
Their chat explored many of the lessons we’ve learn the hard way, and reflect the considerable experience of some amazing global educators. As Maggie writes;
I’d say the key take-away message was the idea that regardless of the tools, you need passion and authenticity for global projects to happen and work well, this means connecting with “real people” and focusing on a meaningful topic that is directly related to kids’ interests/wonderings.
In terms of specific tools, Twitter came up throughout the chat as a tool to create a global network (for class partnerships) and as a stepping stone for future collaboration / projects.
Storybird was also named as a tool to use with young learners, as well as Google Docs, Skype, Facetime, (quad)blogging, wikis, and projects like Flat Class and Global Classroom Projects. These two projects, in conjunction with iEARN were the main ways people seemed to find classroom partners.
There was a discussion about how some tools (e.g., asynchronous ones) may be better than others when dealing with practical concerns like time zones, such as Voicethread.
The idea was also raised that there’s a need for teachers to have a certain amount of global awareness before asking their students to cultivate that awareness and use these tools.
Finally, we briefly discussed the fact that some schools have a school-wide approach to #globaled (e.g., it’s part of school improvement plan) while other teachers are working independently to get involved in projects and connect their schools. Some teachers are doing this by linking global projects to PBL or Common Core.
Finally, we’d like to warmly thank Julia Skinner (@TheHeadsOffice), who returned to moderate her second #globalclassroom chat, and who has done such an amazing job in growing these chats.
And thanks also go to @clivesir, who quietly and expertly archives the chats each month. You will find the archives for the August #globalclassroom chats here.
Please take a moment to explore, and share your thoughts. We look forward to seeing you for our next chats!
It is hard to believe that the #globalclassroom chat is over for July. This month, I had the incredible opportunity to moderate a discussion around the power of “Blogging as a Vehicle for Global Inquiry”. This was a BONUS month for me, though. Since I am currently on summer break, I actually had the privilege of taking part in TWO of the three chats that are offered monthly in order to include as many time zones and people around the globe.
It was interesting for me to see how diverse these two chats were. Diverse as a result of the participants. Diverse because of the personal experiences and interests that each of these chat participants brought to the conversation. This is a GOOD thing. We learn not because of our similarities but because of our differences. Together we truly ARE stronger.
While the topic was intended to explore blogging as a form of enriching and deepening one’s Global Citizenship Inquiries within the classroom, rich conversations arose through the participants’ varied uses of classroom blogging. Some used blogging as a way of enhancing the writing process, much like electronic journal entries. Others used it as a way of sharing learning discoveries after Skype experiences. Some used their blogs as a way of communicating various learning experiences through a wide array of curricular areas. Blogging, for others, was a way of sharing a very specific inquiry journey with their global audience.
Regardless of how blogging is handled, from one classroom to another, a classroom blog can have the great potential to flatten the walls of a classroom:
@RentonL @iEARNUSAA blog can do this so long as the power of pull is in play.How do you attract readers is an impt ?. #globalclassroom
A blog can be as INTERACTIVE with a global audience as you choose to allow it to become. Depending on the purpose of one’s class blog, a rich learning potential arises when you begin to interact meaningfully with the global audience through comments left on your blog. As Mary Ann Reilly so succinctly puts this in the tweet above, a blog can only truly flatten the classroom walls, can only TRULY create meaningful global connections when there is a “push and a pull in play”. Attracting readers, “reeling them in” so that a relationship is cultivated, is achieved by responding thoughtfully to each and every comment left behind by your readers.
@RentonL @iEARNUSA I never know when an encounter will set me off on long comments. Something clicks & my mind races. #globalclassroom
One thing is certain: the harder you work to include your global readers, by asking questions, responding to their comments and reeling them in by asking MORE questions, deeper learning will occur for you, your students AND your readers. Ross Mannell has certainly reinforced this for me on SO many levels.
A global inquiry shared through blogging has the ability to be woven into many curricular areas. Again, it is a matter of looking for opportunities to pull in math, science, social studies and literacy potential:
@markjotter Woo HOO so fun to watch “how do we get from 1367 to 1575″ and see them doing in their heads (Gr 3) #globalclassroom
This is one very powerful way of helping to deal with the many student learner outcomes which must be addressed with your students during the course of the year as well as with the time constraints we all feel daily.
I feel blessed to be a part of the #globalclassroom community. This PLN pushes me, inspires me and helps to enrich my practice. I love that these chats are archived because so many amazing resources are shared during these discussions. Global connections are made:
What a lovely way of staying current, connected and inspired. What a beautiful way to deepen meaningful learning for our students. The #globalclassroom chat schedule is written in indelible ink upon my calendar …it has become a necessary part of my learning journey.
The question for this month’s #globalclassroom chat comes to us courtesy of Laurie Renton, who teaches Grade Three in Alberta, Canada. (@RentonL)
Global Citizenship opportunities are abundant in our connected world. Our mandated curricula contains countless valuable citizenship “learner outcomes” woven in and through various subject areas. Rich with potential for meaningful global connections and inquiry … they are ripe and waiting for development.
Skype is a wonderful way of getting global connections started. There is something magical about connecting students with other classrooms and experts beyond their “classroom walls”. This experience can offer our students the chance to learn more about the communities and concepts they are required to learn about in a far more robust and personalized manner than simply exploring a textbook or conducting google searches.
So … how can we FURTHER engage our students in this work? What is the next logical step? Blogging can be a natural extension of your inquiry.
Blogging is a valuable tool because it allows students to:
reflect upon and share their discoveries with a global audience
explore and wonder about questions and big ideas
write authentically and publish to a global audience
create dialogue with a global audience
connect in a meaningful and personalized way with the curriculum
educate others and spread awareness
enhance their communication skills
further develop digital citizenship and online safety skills in an authentic context
explore multiple modes of expression
What do you think?
How can a classroom blog deepen your global citizenship inquiry?
How will students write? Large group, small group, individually?
How do you keep up with all the comments left on your blog?
How do you develop a “voice” as bloggers?
How do you find the time to post regularly?
What other skills can students discover, beyond writing, while they blog?
What tools do students enjoy and follow closely on their blog?
How do you fit everything else into your day in order to meet other curricular demands?
Please join us for our July chat. The sharing and learning that comes from these discussions enriches our practice and the learning experiences of our students!
Check below for the time that best fits with your time zone:
Schedule
Saturday, July 14 – USA, Europe, Africa (17:00 – 18:00 GMT)
The process of choosing a topic, selecting questions to ask, participating in and moderating the #globalclassroom chat, was an eye opening and rewarding experience.
This chat reinforced, for me, the POWER of my online PLN, and the inspiration that Twitter connections provide for my professional growth as an educator. It was exciting to discover the number of people who are also interested in global inquiry projects and their openness and eagerness to share their discoveries with others.
Creating a meaningful and sustainable global inquiry project is no easy feat. Fostering buy in and personalisation for students, fitting it meaningfully into your daily curricular student learner outcomes is tricky, although it IS possible. This occurs when you are able to connect with experts who are willing to continue a meaningful relationship to enhance your journey, through Skype, blogging, and other such communication tools.
Finding the PERFECT global project to fit your needs IS possible when you nurture it, connect with others, inquire through your PLN and allow your students to ask questions to further enrich the journey and learning experiences. It IS worthy work.
The Archives are now available
Thankyou to Laurie Renton and Jennifer Fenton for helping to organise this month’s #globalclassroom chats. A special mention goes to @WorldVUSE, who although relatively new to Twitter, successfully took on the challenge of moderating their first Twitter chat!
This month’s archives have been saved using Storify, and you can find the links here, or follow the direct links below.
