Collaborations Around the Planet

Collaborations Collaborations Around the PlanetAround the Planet

Janine Lim

Berrien RESA

[email protected]

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

“Curriculum Videoconferencing”





If your principal or superintendent walked into your classroom during a videoconference, give five adjectives to describe what they would see happening.



Collaborations!Collaborations!

school-to-school collaborations

professional development collaborations


are needed to see this picture.classroom-to-classroom collaborations





Why Collaborations?

Who’s Asking?

Tech Tech CoordinatorCoordinator

“We bought VC. How do we get teachers to use it?”

• FREE• Most closely

matches curriculum• Can be most

powerful VCs

TeacherTeacher

“What’s the value to my students?” Owston 2007

• multicultural understanding and greater positive self-concept Cifuentes & Murphy 2000

• greater understanding of time, distance, and other children Yost 2001

• learn from other viewpoints Martinez & MacMillan, 1998

Curriculum Curriculum DirectorDirector

“How does VC meet state curriculum standards?”

• tailored to curriculum goals

• adapted to curriculum goals

• created from/within curriculum goals

ProfessorProfessor

“Did anyone think about the learning theory?”

• social constructivism - we learn by talking to others Vygotsky

• constructivism - use of VC has a positive relationship with teachers’ preference for constructivism Sweeney 2007

• authentic audience Warschauer 1997

Eco-ConversationsEco-Conversations

Middle School Science

International where possiblewww.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/EcoConversations/

Background science knowledgeAnalysis of scientific method's useEnvironmental perspectivesEconomic perspectivesLocal perspectivesRecommended actions / solutions

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Climate Change Warmer Oceans Environmental Clean-Up Fresh Water Water Bottles

• My students absolutely LOVED IT. You know they really liked it when they are telling other teachers and students about it!!! Talking to another country is by far the best VC out there!! When you have students like those here in Dowagiac who have maybe been as far away as Detroit or Chicago (many not that far) they are fascinated with the accents, language usage…….very cool, I would talk to another country any time it was available!

Eco-Conversations: Carbon Emissions

Halloween and Diwali Exchange with India

MysteryQuest AgendaMysteryQuest Agenda

• Introductions

• Presentation of Clues

• Time to Research

• Clarifying Questions

• Sharing Guesses

• Revealing the Answer

• Sign-Off

School-to-SchoolSchool-to-School

Mars Elementary, Berrien Springs

“While trying to get my teachers interested in having VC Pals, I had to make a point to let them know I only wanted them to share things they already do. Many times when the students do their writings they share as a classroom but that’s it. By sharing during a VC, maybe the work will become more meaningful because they are sharing it with another group of students.”



Monster MatchMonster Match

• Developed by ESC 12, Waco, TX

• Descriptive writing & use of wiki

• RESA to ESC collaboration (125 classes)







• A few of my reluctant writers shocked me with the quality of their writing and enthusiasm for the project. I think having an audience that goes beyond the building’s walls helps too. It makes the project seem more important.

“Gobbling Up Descriptive Writing”

What is TWICE?• www.twice.cc• K12 videoconferencing organization• Volunteer board members, mostly

from educational service agencies• Read Around the Planet• ASK Programs and Michigan Week• Discounts with providers

Read Around the Planet

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Read Around the Planet

• Verification Registration Opens Nov. 1

• Teacher Registration Opens Dec. 1• Teacher Registration Closes (mid

Jan)• Matches Announced (end of Jan)• English & World Languages

February 23 - March 6, 2009

• A directory based on Read Around the Planet

• A way to add VC friends & find new VC friends

• A way to create collaborations• More tools to come…• projects.twice.cc or

polycom.com/education/PCATP

Designing Projects

• What is my required curriculum?• What can my students learn from

connecting to another class? • How does it add value to the lesson?• What benefit is gained in greater

curriculum understanding because the students collaborated with another class?

Designing Projects

• ISTE NETS Standards• Technology communications tools

– Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.

– Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

Other Collaboration Tools• CILC Collaboration Center

www.cilc.org/c/community/collaboration_center.aspx

• Global Leap, UKwww.global-leap.com• Internet2 K20 Muse

k20.internet2.edu• Janet Collaborate, UK

www.global-leap.com• K12 Videoconferencing in Ontario

videoconference.commun-it.org• VC Alberta

vcalberta.ca/socialnetwork

Planning Interactive Curriculum Connections• www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/picc/• Cost: $150 (bulk discounts

available)• 1 graduate semester credit• 1 week intro to VC; 1 week on

content providers; 1 week on preparation; 1 week on projects

• "As a media specialist, I think this course would be extremely useful for my teachers and staff."

Kid2Kid Videoconference Connections

• www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/k2k/• Cost: $200 (bulk discounts

available)• 2 graduate semester credits• Collaborative community online• Week 1: Developing a project idea• Week 2: Planning and advertising• Week 3&4: Preparing for a project• Week 5: Participating in a project• Week 6: Evaluating projects

Challenges to CollaborationChallenges to Collaboration

• Snow Days / Rescheduling

• Blocked Emails

• Lack of Follow-Up

• Lack of School-Level VC Coordinators

• Project Definition

http://bcisdvcs.wordpress.com/2007/04/24/why-projects-failed-this-year/



Questions?Questions?

Janine Lim, [email protected]

TWICE: www.twice.cc

CAPspace: projects.twice.cc

Berrien RESA DL: www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl

Blog: bcisdvcs.wordpress.com

Wiki: collaborativeVCs.pbwiki.com

Online Classes: Planning Interactive Curriculum Connections

www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/picc Kid2Kid Videoconference Connections

www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/k2k

BibliographyBibliography

• Cifuentes, L., & Murphy, K. L. (2000). Promoting multicultural understanding and positive self-concept through a distance learning community: cultural connections. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(1), 69-83.

• Martinez, M. D., & MacMillan, G. (1998). A Joint Distance Learning Course in American Government (No. ED428005).

• Owston, R. (2007). Contextual factors that sustain innovative pedagogical practice using technology: an international study. Journal of Educational Change, 8(1), 61-77.

• Sweeney, M. A. (2007). The use of videoconferencing techniques which support constructivism in K-12 education. Dissertation Abstracts International.

• Warschauer, M. (1997).Computer-mediated collaborative learning: Theory and practice. Modern Language Journal, 81(3), p. 470-481. Also at http://www.gse.uci.edu/person/markw/cmcl.html

• Yost, N. (2001). Lights, Camera, Action: Videoconferencing in Kindergarten. Paper presented at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference.

Documents

Collaborations Around the Planet