Preview to Case Studies:

It is easy to feel overwhelmed with the massive amount of information this textbook has provided during just a semester’s timeframe, but as educators, we need to be open to new practices inside and outside of our classrooms. We should take our questions and PLN’s advice. There may be obstacles between our learners, IT/ technology issues, and policy procedures that may be outdated, but we need to step up and set up learning experiences so that becoming global can be presented safely and allow positive opportunities for our future generations. We have covered many tools, networks, and terms that define what it means to make global learning and educating possible by using Web 2.0 and online platforms, software, and resources. These all provide support, strengthen connections and allow for collaboration abilities that go beyond the normal walls of a traditional classroom.

As I dove into more Case Studies relating to Taking Learning Global, after chapter 13 in Julie Lindsay’s 2016 The Global Educator, I found conferences, visions, projects, relationships, interactions, and free online events held by extraordinary educators around the world. This made picking two case studies difficult, but I soon found interest in the 4.3-Think Global School: Learning to Be Global While Living Globally and 4.7- Leigh Zeitz: Integrating the Global Learning Experience in Teacher Education.

To find more information about the case studies mentioned above and below during my post- Be sure to READ Julie Lindsay’s 2016 The Global Educator.

Case 1: THINK Global School

Check out THINK Global School:

• Through a video, it will change the way you may view a traveling school.
• Through a Link Button, you can explore their personal website and all of the features they have to offer.
• Connect on Twitter using their @tgsthinkglobal handle.

My thoughts:

The most ‘out of the classroom’ experience I found was the 4.3 Case Study. Think Global School has broken and changed the boundaries, policies, and the thought process of many educators.  TGS moves around the world and implements place-based learning to its fullest extent (Lindsay, 2016, p.231). According to The Global Educator Textbook, (Lindsay,2016) the school of about 12 teachers and 60 students from Grades 9-12 moves each semester, relocating in a new environment and re-developing curriculum objectives and learning outcomes based largely on that location (p.231). This school has designed learning around their environment and has taken technology programs, like the ratio from tech to an individual, closer than most during the 2010 year (Lindsay, 2016, p.232). Interactions in this type of scenario are crucial to the core project objectives as in a physical matter, but they also are developing interactions online with learners all over the world.

Global connections are made while they embark on their travels. These connections and relationships are the reasons why I was drawn to this case study. These friendships and guests that are introduced during their visits can become a lifelong bond that can be passed down to further generations. For example, some students may visit with other family members after graduation and pass those relationships/ build stronger ones for others to join in on. This type of curriculum tackles the negative aspects of diversity head-on and creates the most realistic approach for others to empathize with other cultures and lifestyles more than any other curriculum I have seen.

THINK Global School has made updates since 2010 and some of those advancements include financial aid assistance, THINK Global educators’ qualifications, staff to student ratios, safety updates, and travel/ curriculum approaches. Their website was clean and masterful. I found it amazing looking into their Physical Education Department.

“From swimming to skateboarding, stay active doing what you love.”

The THINK Global School’s website states

This means they allow for extracurricular activities to be celebrated as long as you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After looking through their options for the students you can find opportunities for activities such as Soccer, Dance, Kayaking, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, Basketball, Hiking, Yoga, Interval Training, Swimming, Running, Boxing, Baseball, Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Rock Climbing and Scavenger Hunts. Lastly, I found that an important aspect that the THINK Global education team provides to their students is the encounters with the quest speakers. This portion can have such an inspirational impact on learners and learning. The great minds of others coming together to share their knowledge is an eye-opening experience. Their insight and their innovations are important for students to debate with, gain understanding with, and collaborate with. Overall, the THINK Global School is still a thriving global experience for educators and learners to be a part of.

Case 2: Leigh Zeitz: Integrating the Global Learning Experience into Teacher Education

Check out Leigh Zeitz:

• Through a button link, you can explore his University of Northern Iowa’s roles as an educator, leader, and technology coordinator positions, along with many others.
• Through the provided Twitter link, you can find him and follow his tweets and experiences.
• If you would like to check out his blog, click here- http://drzreflects.com/
• ISTE Connect is a website you can explore as well- https://connect.iste.org/people/leigh-zeitz
• There are many other ways you can reach out and explore, but those were a few I found relevant.
• A short YouTube clip provided a fun interaction that Leigh Zeitz used to keep his audience engaged and learning. ( No comment on the musical performance, but effort and energy are always important for future educators!)

Tweets by zeitz

My Thoughts

         I picked the 4.7 Case Study from Leigh Zeitz: Integrating the Global Learning Experience into Teacher Education because I found it interesting to relate to his goals, lessons, and viewpoints. As I explored his blog, website, and education profile online, I made connections from the information I had learned this semester during the Global Tools course, especially as he related a ton of information towards future teachers. Leigh Zeitz has been an educator for over 20 years and believes in creating situations where students are engaged through global experiences, connections, and collaborations (Lindsay, 2016, p.235), as I used the YouTube example to showcase his skills. I was able to read through Leigh Zeitz’s blog and see some of his thoughts about the conference through his point of view.

“More doing, less watching,”

The University of Northern Iowa professor stated front and center in his blog from February 2011.

He mentioned that the pre-service students were given a task, needed to collaborate with other members attending and work together to pitch an idea. After their ideas were laid out on the table, interactions between the students and the professors/speakers/educators were available to converse with. This interaction was the strongest part of the conference meeting; he explained that the students were able to ask questions, provide positive or negative feedback, gave opinions on how to make the lesson better, and suggested other points. This was a conference before he took students to Beijing, China.

              Leigh Zeitz allowed students to attend the Flat Classroom Conference in 2011, in China. Instructional Technology grad students were able to travel with their professors and meet others from all over the world. This type of conference was not just for those members attending, but also for those that will attend through live streaming. I was able to look up blogs from his students and other members that attended because he explained in a later post that he was unable to blog because of travel and exploring without a phone. It was an amazing experience to view from the students’ views because of the cultural aspect of China, foods shared and encounters remembered. The Flat Classroom conference offered educational online opportunities for those who were able to attend and for those unable to travel. Leigh Zeitz was interesting to read and research through his case study mentioned inside The Global Educator written by Julie Lindsay in 2016, but also because he still is an example of a global educator and learner.

Thank you for reading about some of my Case Study Favorites from The Global Educator by Julie Lindsay.

Be sure to share your feedback and thoughts about those case studies or how you can relate it to your own experiences.