Getting Started

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Susan Ettenheim on May 20, 2007 at 8:42am

I am interested in ways to reach students from a personal perspective on this topic. A wonderful teacher at our school helped me to develop a lesson creating online icons. Instead of starting with the interesting history of avatars and icons, we devised the following process.
On paper, map and draw what is essential about you.
* In the center of a piece of paper, draw a large outline of your favorite shape.
* Around the outside of the shape, write the answers to these questions:
* What is your favorite color?
* What is your favorite animal?
* What is your strongest positive emotion?
* What is your strongest negative emotion?
* What is your favorite food?
* What is your favorite place?
* What is your favorite animal?
* What is your favorite hobby?
* What is your goal in life?
* What is your favorite time of day?
* What is your favorite thing to do?
* What is the quality that you value the most in yourself?
Create a visual representation of these ideas inside the shape.
Draw and/or color inside your shape a representation of the ideas on the outside of the shape.
Next we looked at some examples of avatars/icons throughout history and then they build an icon from the original drawing, not reproducing it, but keeping in mind those points.

From this lesson and a security issue that came up, we started one class by being paired with a partner, not necessarily someone who was a friend. The next exercise was to Google the partner. We then discussed search strategies to find out more about the person. Some of the important parts of the lesson were the following topics that came up:
Where you surprised about what your partner found?
Where you pleased or displeased about what your partner found?
Of the information found, was it editable?
Do you know when and why and how that information about you became publicly available online?

Soo... all this to say, that I think you've hit upon a great topic and I look forward to brainstorming to expand my knowledge of ways to give our students the tools to analyze the impact of our new online world in deeper and important ways that will help them make smart choices along the way!

Permalink Reply by Madeline Slovenz Brownstone on May 20, 2007 at 8:50am

Susan, what a great lesson for school children to learn though discovery. I want to do something like that before this school year ends, if I can. QUESTION: I'm not clear about the connection between the icon lesson and the searching a partner lesson, unless the obvious one about posting one's own image online.

Permalink Reply by Saundra Hopkins on May 21, 2007 at 4:25am

I have worked overseas for a number of years in international schools. I am interested in the common and uncommon threads that link students and teachers use of technology tools identified as Web 2.0. International schools often have as part of their mission statements, something about producing students who are "globally responsible." What part of global responsibility is technology?

Permalink Reply by Mike Summers on May 31, 2007 at 4:25am

I currently work in a school with an environmental specialism and I am interested in developing this psrt of the curriculum. I am currently an ICT teacher and use global issues frequently in my teaching. I am also interested in your conversations concerning transition points as that is also a problem that we encounter in the UK.

Permalink Reply by ddeubel on December 19, 2007 at 1:33am

Hi,

I've lived and taught many places around the world. Currently training teachers in Korea. I'm very much interested in both collaboration and also how Web 2.0 and technology is transforming the learning place in the area of "global community". Meaning, technology now allows educators to really make a small difference by exposing our students to other cultures/countries and creating a more tolerant and wise future (I hope).

I'm also interested in meeting other educators who would like to open their classrooms up and connect with others around the world....

David
http://eflclassroom.ning.com

Permalink Reply by James O'Reilly on July 25, 2008 at 12:57am

I'm an Intern at the WebcastAcademy.net, which operates under the Creative Commons License.
Please take a look at the curriculum: http://www.webcastacademy.net/book/curriculum
The WebcastAcademy.net is a hands on, online collaborative training center for people interested in learning how to produce and host live, interactive webcasts with worldwide participants. English and Spanish language modules are being produced. Further languages are forecasted.

I like the innovative issues addressed, but as things are moving so fast "muddling through" has been the favored approach up to now. Convergence of the course into Moodle and into 3D virtual worlds is under way.

Permalink Reply by Rob McCrae on August 28, 2008 at 8:15pm

Hi Madeline - I have just begun teaching ITGS this year - we've been at it for nearly 3 terms now (out of our 4 term year). Would be great to be in touch.

We are an all- girl independent (private) school in NZ - our students (from Year 8 - year 13) have their own notebook. We're keen to set up collaboratives with students from any level, but particularly keen at our Y8 and 9 levels (13/14 year olds) and at IB level.

Rob

Permalink Reply by Aaron Maurer on August 31, 2009 at 12:43pm

Hi Rob,

I work with the talented and gifted students in a middle school in Bettendorf, Iowa, USA. I would like to set up some collaboration with you. I have ages 11-14 so I can be flexible. I would have to tie the program into curriculum, but I am sure we can work something out. Let me know if interested and what topics you might want to explore.

Aaron