In this week’s reading of Julie Lindsay’s The Global Educator, the norms of online global collaboration are evaluated. There are 8 norms discussed, but in this post I will be focusing on the first two. The first is to be prepared and the second is to have a purpose. According to the text, “The Norms of Online Global Collaboration are typical or usual behaviors and actions to be practiced in synchronous and asynchronous modes when collaborating globally.” By following these norms, they help ensure successful collaborations with fellow educators.
Norm #1: Be Prepared.
By following this norm you want to make sure you have a plan for connecting and determine just how you will communicate and with what tools. To succeed this norm, you can use your PLN to find like-minded educators who share similar passions and ideas. A tool to use in order to do this is definitely social media, especially Twitter. Twitter is a great place to share and connect with people. You can follow hashtags that follow certain topics of discussion and connect with people on a global scale. Another tool is Skype. This is a video-chatting device that allows you to talk to others in present time via webcam. An awesome activity to use with Skype is the ‘Mystery Skype’. By doing this activity, you can video chat with another classroom from any location and have the students participate with the other class. For an activity like this, you have to prepare the lesson that the students will collaborate on.
Norm #2: Have a Purpose.
Every connection and collaboration must have a purpose whether that be to further explore a topic, exchange different cultural tactics/ideas or to take part in a global project. Tools that one can use to work collaboratively on a global project can include Edmodo, which is a great tool for global community building. Using Edmodo, students and teachers can reach out to one another and connect by sharing ideas, problems, and helpful tips. Other tools like Google Docs and Google Slides are great for sharing content and working with others from different devices and locations. The purpose of using these tools will be to effectively communicate and collaborate with others on one project.