global collaboration in the classroom: meet flat connections
DESCRIPTION
An overview of global collaboration strategies for classroom learning. Flat Connections teacher development and global projects are reviewed. These slides were used for an online webinar September 2014. The recording for this webinar is here: http://goo.gl/1kslWXTRANSCRIPT
Global Collaboration in the ClassroomMeet Flat Connections
http://flatconnections.com
Meet Julie Lindsay…..
Global Education Consultant
Innovator, Leader, AuthorMA Music, MA Educational Technology Leadership
EdD Student, University of Southern Queensland
Adjunct Lecturer, Charles Sturt University, Faculty of EducationCo-author - ’Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds’
Founder, Flat Connections
@julielindsay | #flatconnect | @flatconnections | about.me/julielindsay
Welcome!Please add to the chat window:● your location ● your current time ● your Twitter handle or website● a sentence about yourself
This presentation is online here:http://goo.gl/dk6HZG The recording from the September webinar is here: http://goo.gl/1kslWX
Flat Connected Learning
Collaborative – Culture of
Sharing
Blended learning
Flipped learning
Inquiry based
Project / Challenge
based
PedagogyLearning Design
LeadershipWeb 2.0
Today’s Agenda● What is ‘global collaboration’?● Some strategies and tools for:
o starting and developing a global PLNo connecting your classroom with the world
● Flat Connections teacher courses● Flat Connections global projects● Sharing session● Q&A
What is ‘Global Collaboration’?
Do we have a shared understanding?What about……● Global connection● Global interaction● Global awareness● Global understanding● Global……….
We need to ‘flatten’ the learning
hierarchy. Students, teachers, ALL
learners, must have freedom to
communicate ‘across’ rather
than up or down
Connected Learning - FLAT?
What does this look like?
• Community building as a prerequisite to learning
• Collaboration that leads to co-creation with other learners who are not in the same time and space
• Pedagogical independence and leadership within a school/institution
Technology must be the bridge, not the barrier to shifting pedagogy
Image: 'forward’ http://www.flickr.com/photos/99771506@N00/3036132944
Collaborative and global learning using technology
Assumes integration of Web 2.0 tools• More intense and prolonged
interaction (synchronous and asynchronous)
• Different contribution modes• Individual and collaborative
authoring• Learner centered• Constructivist learning environment
This is beyond merely ‘integrating
technology’ This is a new
‘category’ of tools and learning
habits that supports global
collaborative objectives
Content vs Process
In a flat and connected learning environment,
content is second to the process
Why Global Collaboration?
Global competency
International mindedness
Cultural awareness
Glocalisation!
The cross-cultural skills and
understanding needed to
communicate outside one’s
environment and to act on
issues of global significance.
Everyone is not like me.
Everyone is like me in some
way.
Think global and act local!
Process/Actions to connect and flatten the classroom
Technology infused learning
Students
School
You
Strategies for meaningful interactions
Synchronous
Asynchronous
Blended learning modes to support collaboration
Global collaboration by its very nature
implies asynchronous collaboration -
therefore building effective communities,
knowing how to monitor these
communities are essential pedagogical
applications teachers need to be confident
with.
Flat Connections shares a cutting
edge approach to “flatten” the walls of
learning by using digital technologies
to connect learners globally for
meaningful collaborations to build
bridges between students our future
can walk across.
Flat Connections Courses for Teachers
Explore: http://www.flatconnections.com/flat-professional-development.html ● Flat Connections Global Educator
o 10 weekso Grad credit with UNIo focus is on global learning, global education and
becoming globally competent● Flat Connections Global Collaboration Primer
o 4 weekso aims to provide educators at all levels, across all
school systems, resources and strategies for taking themselves, their classroom, their school, and even their country global!
Join the Flat Educator community! Connections Global
Examples from Flat Connections Global Projects
http://flatconnections.com
Welcome to our Flat Connections Project Managers!
Flat Connections Global Projects - ‘Flat Projects’
Common features:● 10-12 weeks long● Designed to support connection and
collaboration and creation of products/actions
● Fully supported and managed● Teacher PLC built as part of project● Flexibility for new ideas within a framework● Can be embedded across the curriculum
Explore Flat Projects
www.flatconnections.com/flat-projects.html
Flat Connections Global Project
• 500 students• 20+ classrooms• 6 countries• 36 student teams• 1 Keynote• 24 Expert Advisors• 18 Judges and 3 Meta-judges• 213 Videos• 15 eBooks
In February-June 2014!
High School – Grade 9-12
http://flatconnectionsglobalproject.net
New project starting September 2014
Teachers
Students
Extended community
Community Collaborative
Learning
Building working relationships
Project Content
Horizon Report K-12, 2013Emerging technologies impacting education and learning shared via a timeline of potential relevance.http://www.nmc.org/horizon-project/horizon-reports/horizon-report-k-12-edition
Project Themes
OpenLearning futurist, David Price OBE, argues that ‘open’ is not only affecting how we are choosing to live, but that it’s going to be the difference between success and failure in the future.http://engagedlearning.co.uk/
• The future of learning and education• Emerging technologies and how we can and will use them• Connected and flat learning• Collaborative and social entrepreneurship• Global issues and actions to solve them
Educational Network (Ning) for community developmenthttp://flatconnectionsglobalproject.net/
Collaborative space (wiki) for teamwork and sharing process & outcomeshttp://flatconnections.wikispaces.com/
Collaborative wiki leading to a published eBook
cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo by Anita Hart: http://flickr.com/photos/anitakhart/4586879133/
Student final
videoStoryboard &
planning
Outsourced content
Personal content
Topic subtheme
Video specifications
Credits & citations
Personal Multimedia Response to Topic
Welcome to
Building Bridges to Tomorrow K-2 Flat Connections Project
Tool: Youblisher
Malaysia
Colorado, USA
Tool: Padlet
‘A Week in the Life…’A Flat Connections Project for Elementary School students
Grades 3-6, age 8-11 (and Grade 7 now!)
‘Handshakes’
USA
INDIA
‘A Week in the Life’, Global Project Grade 3-6
Tool: Edmodo
Co-Created Showcase Voicethreads
Tool: Voicethread
A Week in the Life ProjectStudent Summits
Tool: Blackboard Collaborate
Singapore American School International School of the Sacred Heart, Japan
Theme 2014-15: Global Peace and
Security
http://globalyouthdebates.com
Asynchronous global debates between classrooms
Tools: Voicethread & Fuze
Digital citizenship……
Just in time SKILLS, HABITS and
ATTITUDES for learning while digital
Digiteen / Digitween Projects
Digiteen / Digitween Projects
Students research digital citizenship qualities and share with their group members.
Digiteen/Digtween Projects
From their research, they create presentations, videos, and also apps!
Digiteen-Digitween Projects
Two examples of Learning about Copyright & Creative Commons through research and projects(Project tools used by first group: Glogster & Google Forms included on their wiki page)
Applying research on Creative Commons to licensed story on wiki page by second group:
Serene: I really liked working on the voki and creating the characters. Skyping the other schools was also really cool.Learning About copyright was interesting and fun.Learning how to embed the Glog was cool Jordan: I liked creating and viewing the vokis of other students on edmodo.
Kate's reflection...I had a wonderful time working with the students from the other schools! They were very helpful and fun to work with. Although it was difficult at times because since you can edit other people's work, you have to be careful of what you delete. From that experience I think I learned that it is extremely important to get the other person's permission before you make changes to their work. In addition to all of that I was able to have some fun when working with software such as Google form and Creative Commons. It was a great learning experience!Ali's reflection...Working with the other students was really fun. It helped me learn so much about different cultures. I researched copyright law a lot and I now know what all of the symbols mean. I also learned how to use Creative Commons. Because of this project I now know more things and can use technology better.
Examples of students researching etiquette & respect to use within a Minecraft project.
Our action project is about teaching etiquette and respect online.To win the quiz you must answer correctly all ten questions about cyber security and then climb the Cyber-Tree for a special surprise. Link to Digitween wiki page.
Digiteen/Digitween Presentation
Link to Presentation
Find Projects• Flat Connections – fully managed and supported –
(caveat – entry is via subscription, some scholarships available)– http://flatconnections.com
• Global Classroom – community of global educators keen to connect– http://globalclassroom2013-14.wikispaces.com
• iEARN – learning circles and other projects– http://iearn.org
• Our Global Friendships – http://ourglobalfriendships.wikispaces.com
•Global Virtual Classroom
http://gvc-clubhouse.wikispaces.com
Where to start?
PLN development
• Flat Connections – http://flatconnections.net
• Global Education Conference– http://globaleducationconference.com
• Taking IT Global– https://www.tigweb.org/
• E-Pals– http://www.epals.com/
Where to start?
PLN development - how?Personal Learning Network - build yours now!● Twitter
o follow otherso interacto share what you are doingo use hashtags
● Social networkso join and introduce yourselfo blog - cross-post with your own blogo start and join discussions
More tools……..for connection & collaboration
• Synchronous– Skype, Fuze, Google hangout
• Asynchronous– Edmodo, Ning, Voicethread, Wiki, Google
• Collaborative– Wevideo, Lucidpress, Padlet, Popplet,
Wiki, Google site
• http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com
RESOURCES: to read and watch● THE Journal article: ‘Global collaboration projects that
go way beyond Skype’ March 2014Featuring Theresa Allen, Flat Project Manager and Avylon Magarey - Flat Connections Global Educator who are out there joining their students with the world!
http://goo.gl/vL3JuC ● Global Collaboration Projects February 2013
Slides full of resources form Flat Connected Educator, Honor Moorman
http://goo.gl/LWvlTN ● Global Projects Presentation 2014
Theresa Allen shares this via a Google Hangout
http://goo.gl/r3VF9P
RESOURCES:to read and watch● Connect, Collaborate, Change - Flat Connections
Julie Lindsay talks about connected learning as part of the Bob Greenberg ‘Brainwaves’ series
http://goo.gl/FT6o06 ● Who says global collaboration is hard?
A discussion on the Flat Connections blog about enablers and barriers to global collaboration with a call to action!
http://goo.gl/1KXKlh ● Flat Connections News - stay up to date!http://www.flatconnections.com/flat-connections-news.html
We CAN work with the world
Three things to takeaway…...
Image: '| WHITE moment |’ http://www.flickr.com/photos/34145688@N00/90120985
Learning does not happen in isolation!
Image: 'Star pencil’ ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/29468339@N02/6097158569
Connect Students for Collaborations!
SHIFT ‘Content’ to ‘Context’
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29131777@N03/9528549446
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http://eepurl.com/TZO7v
Website - http://flatconnections.com Education Network- http://flatconnections.net
Contact: [email protected]
Learning about the world, with the world