Region 8 Reflection Jill

I really enjoyed this year’s Jazz workshop. I learned a lot more and made some new friends whom I hope to do some collaborations with this year. We had trouble logging into the blog from Region 8 so forgive me for posting late.  I am still amazed at how this wonderful technology is not fully used by districts who have the equipment. My only hope is that each year more and more people will connect and become as excited about this as I am.  Thank You to all the people who worked so hard to make this year’s JAZZ a success.

 

Jill Copeland

The video conference workshop was really a great experince for me.  I am so thrilled at the chance to meet every one.  Thank you for this wonderful week of learning video conferencing.

Tunisia

Going Global: Rural Washington Students Connect With the World

The Global Art Project better known as “iEarn” has let children all over the world see similarities and differences in people and places.  With all that is happening in the world from hurricanes, to floods, to terrorism acts students get a real sense of what is happening in the world.  They feel connected with these other countries and people.  Through the Global Art Project they have made all kinds of comfort items and sent them to these other areas.  These projects have helped to build bridges and give people “A Sense of Family”.

I believe these programs and technology are instrumental in giving students ways of learning.  Students that have a hard time writing or editing papers don’t have to write and rewrite.  All they have to do is hit the delete button.  In the case of sequencing they can just cut and paste.  This makes learning fun, and they are learning so many things without realizing it.  It is also a great help for visual learners.

These projects also give students a chance to teach, which in return gives them a sense of importance. 

ks

Global Videoconferencing For Engaging Student Learning

IP based videoconferencing can provide students with information about how others live around the world.  Students benefit from different cultures, points of view and experiences.  Global videoconferencing connect students to the world.  Students gain understanding of global issues and different perspectives.  Besides becoming tolerant of other cultures students come to appreciate other points of view.  This collaboration leads to development of multicultural relationships and understanding.  The exchange experiences are invaluable to students.

One place to start is with Global Leap based in the United Kingdom.  It’s aim is to become a resource for teachers around the world.  Global Leap provides help, advice and support to develop videoconferencing in the curriculum, find videoconferencing partners and book interactive videoconferencing lessons. Teachers can gain access to an international classroom network and participate in international conferences with other classrooms and providers. 

Getting to know educators participating in these videoconferences can lead to other exciting collaborations.

Cheryl Carr

Fingertil Knowledge Reading Reflection

While I think that the article had some great points that we as educators need to change our way of thinking as it realates to technology, I think that some basic informaiton still needs to stay constant. While our students have grown up in the digital age and are “natives” to it, we as educators are the “immigrants” we need to keep up with them. However I still think that some basic knowledge needs to be acquired such as learning the multipication facts or even basic grammar skills.

There needs to be a “happy” medium where both eras can merge and it will take innovative teacher willing to change to meet the needs of the students to keep them actively engaged in the learning process.

At first reading I though that the use of some of the terminology was harsh–but as they were explained it made more sense and I began to agree with some of the points of the article.

Interested in meeting authors using distance learning? Well, just “ASK”

I gravitated toward this article today after experiencing the program yesterday.  The article explained the history behind the program and brought home the importance of grants as funding for the technology that we use in the classroom.  I like the way that it was explained how the programs worked and it was easier to visualize now that I have experienced doing the program myself.  I like the way that it can connect the different subjects so that the students can see that each subject is not just the way to be in isolation.

Nancy

Where do I start?

This was a really enriching exprence.  My uncle died in the vietnam war.  This was a very touching experience.  Thank you Don and all of the veterans who have served in our country.  I dnn’t know about you guys but I feel overwhelm.

 

Tunisia

Mr. Miller Goes to War

Our school recently said goodbye to a custodian who serves in the national guard and was deployed to Afghanistan. The custodian is an important part of our small school community and his deployment has effected the students and the staff. The use of video conferencing would provide among other things a sense of emotional stabilty for the soldier and the students. Our staff member has brought  a school (The Amercian Flag) flag to fly over the base there and plans to return it to our school to fly again. The students are not all aware of  the flag detail at this point. How powerful would it be to see that flag flying in real time over the base while talking to our community member through the use of video conferencing .

Shelley Lester GST BOCES

Going Global: Rural Washington Students Connect with the World

The Global Art Project is commonly known as iEARN.  iEARN is a network of 95 countries and approximately 400,000 students globally.  International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) sponsors a long list of collaborative projects designed to build global bridges, improve education and make a difference in the world.

Building Bridges assignments include students drawing, writing on a theme such as “A Sense of Family”. Once when the drawings arrived from Russia, one student was stunned to see a picture the same as his, a family with two adults and two children flanked by trees and clouds in the sky.  The clouds were painted blue on white paper!

Children see commonality with children far away and get excited.  Children look at differences as an opportunity to learn instead of seeing something strange or something to fear.  Affirmation is part of the exchange process students ask each other thoughtful questions and cite elements of the pictures they liked.

Once children have taken the time to learn something, it’s valued by someone else. It gives them a sense of wanting to continue being a part of a community.  They treasure communication!

The Internet reinforces that sense of community.  Students/people define community by direct interaction with others anywhere in the world.

Cheryl Carr

Middle School Videocongerencing Fosters Global Citizenship

This article talked about how through the use of video conferencing students are able to interact with experts around the world. This adds excitement to the objectives and curriculum that is mandated by the state.  Another benefit to this is the fact that it also adds to the goals of promoting global citizenship and the fostering and development of leadership skills.

The amount of information that is absolutely amazing and the possibilities for learning are endless.  The article also discussed what made a good program.  Most important in a good program is that the program is matched to the curriculum including pre and post materials.

Through this interaction with others in the world, our students will benefit with a better global understanding and empathy for others in circumstances that once we would have only read of in a book.

Nancy