Caffeinate then Educate

One of the best ways to adjust as a new educator is learning by example. What works for other individuals, may also work for you. This can be a copied lesson plan, a video that sparks a new idea or simply reading about topics you never ponded on before. The chapter we covered this week, “Take Learning Global Case Studies” covered the experience of ten separate educators as they explained their take on global learning – whether it be through organizations, conferences or global schools. Here are the contents behind two of these brief curriculum explanations:

Case Study 4.3 – THINK Global School

Learning to Be Global While Living Globally. This school consists of 12 teachers and 60 students at a high school level who move each semester, relocating and re-developing a curriculum based on their new environment. Not only do the students learn the typical information they would in a classroom setting but they also focus on digital branding and online profiles which is a major form of global learning. I found it fascinating that not only are these students being put out of their comfort zone by exploring areas unfamiliar to them and learning through experience, but they are also learning how to connect to others on a technological level as well. By having interactions with host countries students they get to understand how others live which will impact them more than the average classroom material. I’m not sure if the program is necessarily more advanced then every other school other than the fact that it is more learning through your surroundings and critical thinking rather than textbooks. I can’t help but wonder how it is funded and whether it is practical for a majority of young learners but it definitely sounds like an impactful program. This video covers how they aim to attend to their students for the 12 countries they will call “home” during the 12-trimester program.

Case Study 4.8 – VIF International Education

This program brings international teachers into schools in the USA and focuses on creating educational programs for students. By exposing students to different cultures and individuals the global learning is being brought right into the classroom setting. I love the idea of this because unlike the THINK Global School it allows the students to stay in their everyday life, without relocating, which is more realistic for allowing these lessons to occur. In my future classroom, I strive to be able to connect with other educators worldwide and expose my students to their beliefs and viewpoints. As educators, learning how other countries teach also expands our own viewpoints towards lessons. In order to better explain their mission, below is a video in which they expand on their education foundation of global learning.

Throughout the chapter, we learn there are many different opportunities to take advantage of global collaboration. These students are not only be exposed to new technology, however, but they are also emerging themselves in a new culture for a first-hand perspective of the world surrounding them. They are learning how to connect to individuals on a personal level, whether they are the guest in that country or the guest is their educator in their own country. For now, these lessons are rare and should be viewed as a privilege. I hope one day they are more common and a majority of our students are able to take on the role of global learners outside of the classroom. The more our youth are exposed to the world in which we live, the more likely they are to continue in making a difference in the global community.

Global learning means expanding your student’s perspectives to the world around them through exposure. Sometimes this entails online communication methods such as blog posts or connecting to other classrooms worldwide. Sometimes this means field trips to a local museum or gallery covering the topic of discussion. However, sometimes these are not always an easy task to accomplish, making the greatest “sometimes” of all the use of virtual reality. Virtual reality is defined as a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image that can be interacted with in a seemingly physical way by an individual using special electronic equipment.

The use of virtual reality is taking students to a setting outside of the classroom we could have never expected. Not only are the expanding their visuals of the world through videos, however, now they may feel like they are truly in these locations they learn about. One way to use virtual reality is Google Cardboard which essentially acts as virtual reality goggles by blocking your surroundings and allowing a phone to be inserted. The expansion of applications on phones for virtual reality is increasing, as is the popularity. Students may now watch videos about physics, the brain, worldwide destinations, imagery and many more subject matters that capture their attention. I imagine it is hard for them not to feel engaged when this new-found information appears so interactive and life-like. Not only can Google Cardboard be used for children but it also has options of practicing interviews for those applying to jobs and college. This allows high school and college aged students to also be able to connect to these applications on a very helpful level. Google Cardboard is leading us towards classrooms full of global learning.

Although virtual reality goggles and google cardboard are incredible tools to access interactive lessons, they are not necessarily needed. All that is needed some type of electrical device, whether it be a smartphone or tablet. These connect to applications that can be used in the classroom as interactive tools with the children. They can search around the classroom for the different interactions they will encounter, for example, tornados appearing or molecules laying on their desk. This allows the lesson to be more interactive allowing for the students to remember it more. One classroom that uses it is demonstrated in the video below:

Virtual reality usage has been increasing throughout the years and is predicted to only continue an upward trend. Educators need to continue to expose themselves to the advantages of bringing these resources into the classroom for the benefit of their students global learning.

When collaborating online, it is important to exemplify your point with graphics and storytelling. This will allow the outside reader to getting a better understanding of the point you are trying to convey. Since global collaborating means involving, and connecting, individuals worldwide it is important to remember different cultural and social norms that exist throughout the world. What may easily make sense to us here in The United States may not make much sense to those in Asia. By using digital storytelling it not only makes your point visually pleasing but also offers a greater insight into the meaning the individual is trying to project. This week I explored the presentation website of Powtoon.

The have an advanced selection of presentation tools and slides suitable for any message. This includes syllabus presentations, marketing video ads, explanation layouts and many more making it easy to find the tool in which you may need. It is broken down into categories allowing for easy accessibility. Once you pick the design that works for you, a majority have a template already included. This allows the user to merely fill in the content in which they are trying to exude with minimal effort. If this template does not suit your standards, you may switch from “Edit Mode” to “Create Mode” and change the material to what you find to be appropriate. For example, the template I had used did not include image content so after following the basic outline I switched to “Create” in order to insert the images I would like to use. You can easily switch back and forth without losing the work already completed.

Once you have entered the text in which you would like to present, the website provides a very simple exportation of your new creation. You chose the definition you would like it to be set in, the accessibility to the public and your preference about which form of social media you would like to present it to. Of course, if your presentation is more private, a link is also provided in order to share it with those select individuals it was created for. Overall, I found it to be an extremely easy tool to use, especially if you already know the subject matter to be included. I would definitely recommend it to any educators looking to provide new resources and visuals in their classroom lectures.

The presentation I created was a timeline regarding to the major events that occurred when moving to Florence, Italy to be a tour guide for a travel company. It may be found here.

This week, I explored National Geographic’s “Out of Eden Walk”. This website tracks Paul Salopek as he walked 21,000 miles across the globe in hopes of tracking the migration of our ancestors. The multiyear adventure began in Ethiopia, leading to the title Eden. As he traveled, his moments were published online via footstep count, pictures and descriptions of the journey made. In this blog I have outlined three of the posts from along his journey that I have examined.

• It’s Not Stone You’re Buying, It’s Men’s Lives
  • The red holes in the walls throughout India are manual labor for many men, as a popular profession is the mining industry. However, this work is proving to be more dangerous than expected as many become ill with silicosis, a sickness of the lungs. This occurs from the silica crystals being released in the sandstone drilling process. As Paul interviews those he meets, they explain that almost every household has somebody who has died, or is currently suffering, from this condition. The signs are silent, beginning with coughing, and slowly turn fatal. This particular village in which he was stationed did not have a hospital within a three-hour reach, therefore, making it difficult for individuals to receive the help they needed. The product is mined due to it’s pink to red coloring appearing in many of India’s architecture, including New Delhi’s most commonly known Red Fort. In an area known for being relatively poor, this is one of the best sources of income individuals can find so unfortunately the wealth outweighs the health consequences for many in the profession.This story may be found here.

• Passage to Another Time
  • As Paul walks through the mountains he stumbles upon something unbeknown to him. The passage reads: Her hair was dyed purple. She wore spandex. She was dancing alone, the young foreigner, swaying barefoot on the roof of a car parked at an utterly remote frontier in the rocky core of Asia, hard beside the Panj River that saws Tajikistan from Afghanistan—a notorious opium smugglers’ paradise at the southern edge of the Pamir mountains. The car had EU plates. But who was she? A belated pilgrim on the old hippie trail? A mystic? An addict? An adventurer? It was impossible to know. The way he is able to convey exactly his thoughts is so intricate. The majority of us have never hiked across the country, let alone the world. As he wrote this passage approximately 1940 days into his journey, it is interesting to expand on his critical thinking from a quick thought to an elaborate post. It feels as if the rest of us get a peak into Paul’s own head. Although he has engaged with an abundance of individuals throughout his journey, the reader can’t help but wonder how the many months of solitude have impacted his thoughts. Without even viewing it, the vivid words now allow us to also picture in our heads and be curious about the actions of this woman in passing. This story may be found here.
• Walking to Zero
  • Paul explains that for many months he has been walking towards zero – the ultimate point of origin. Some of the oldest zeros in the world are inscribed on a stone inside an ancient temple called Chaturbhuj, in the north Indian city of Gwalior. Since he has crossed into India, this has been the destination he has been aiming for in order to get a deeper understanding of its history. Once close, he traveled us a steep-hill where the temple lay tucked behind a fortress wall, many of which the locals did not even know. Even though it was pictured to be this breathtaking site, full of wonder, upon arrival he finds nothing larger than what would appear to be a closet. They, along with many other foreigners, search this slab for the first existing zero to find absolutely nothing. The writing on this temple does not exist. Paul states, “My pilgrimage that began with nothing ends with nothing”.
  • You can find this story here.

Paul is currently beginning his trek through Africa, which can be tracked through the National Geographic website. The blogs, along with picture and video, are updated often so we may stay up to date on the many lessons and adventures encountered as he walks across the world in memory of our ancestors. Follow along at https://www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/out-of-eden-walk.

Norm 1: Be Prepared

• Is it clear who the global project is for?
• Is it clear how participants will join?
• Is it clear how participants will connect?
• What common tools will be used?
• What time zones will participants be working in?

Global collaboration involves taking individuals from all walks of life and connecting through a passion for education. This allows new classrooms to connect and interact in order to strengthen lessons. By engaging with other students, educators or professionals, we are expanding our perspectives and opening ourselves to ideas we may have never otherwise heard. As a future teacher, I am aware that I need to use these platforms to find like-minded partners to reinforce bonds with. It is my responsibility to find the resources I would like to interact with and learn how to properly use them. Once I establish how I would like to benefit from this technology, I can begin to associate myself with others who have the same intentions. From this I have a global collaboration that not only will I profit from, but my students will profit from as well. The best steps to determine a plan for action include:

• Decide what communication activities will take place between student and teacher.
• Work out student communication protocols for students to agree upon.
• Determine expectations for communication during collaboration.

Norm 2: Have a Purpose

• Is the purpose of the project clear?
• Is the length of the collaboration clear?
• What are the shared inputs from the participant?
• What are the shared outcomes?
• Will there be co-creation of outcomes?

Students can not use this resources if they don’t understand the purpose of using them. As an educator, you must first have a clear understanding and convey the reasoning, as well as how to use such tools, onto your students. This will allow for clear communication and help them feel more inclined to use such products. It will help guide individual and group projects by providing a platform for research to be conducted and laid out for an audience. Global collaboration is more engaging with other individuals worldwide, however, if that is not attainable, it also will help the students collaborate with other classmates. Websites such as Google Classroom, Google Docs and Skype can be used to increase their confidence in communicating with others.

This semester, Web Tools: Global Learning, has introduced me to many resources and perspectives I had not previously thought of using in a classroom setting. I have always been curious about the world around me as I believe it is important to be aware of different cultures and beliefs. However, I did not know it was possible to incorporate these lessons to the students. Here are different ways in which you can incorporate web tools and global learning lesson plans into your own classroom:

Blogging

By having students create a blog, they are not only expanding their own writing skills but also learning how to properly communicate on the internet with others. They will be more in-depth with their writing knowing they have an audience beyond just the teacher. This is a wonderful way for teachers to monitor student writing progress, as well as, have them keen in on new topics every week in order to stimulate their critical thinking. By having the students debate writing topics or research things they may have previously never thought of, they are teaching themselves both independence and global awareness without even realizing it.

FlipGrid

FlipGrid is an online resource in which students may record a video of themselves speaking. This can be used as a more engaging lesson than simply writing your opinion. Hearing the students answer questions or express their opinions through tone can allow teachers to get a grasp on their students understanding of the material while letting their personalities shine through. Using this tool can be especially helpful for those who may have learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, because they can get their point across without the frustration of reading and writing. The website may be found here: https://flipgrid.com/

Skype

There are so many classrooms worldwide filled with students that have perspectives other than our own. Why not connect with them to hear their understanding of certain topics? Skype allows you to connect to individuals throughout the world via face-to-face video. If lesson plans revolve around one particular area, it is now possible to transport into those classrooms and hear their opinio

ns. For example, after one American classroom read the biography “I Am Malala” they had a Skype call with a classroom in Pakistan to hear what they thought about Malala. They discovered their viewpoints of Malala being a hero was quite different than how the Pakistani students viewed her. This benefits both classrooms involved as they interact with a culture different than their own, hopefully embracing their acceptance of diversity.

Twitter

This is a very popular app amongst teenagers for personal usage, however, it can be used for a professional manner in the classroom. The students can tweet about lessons, research articles pertaining to these events and connect with other students and educators. Twitter Moments also compile the information about a topic you found to be important, which can make it easy for an educator to monitor the students activity. The most helpful aspect this app can have in regard to both students and educators are Twitter Chats. These are planned interactions where any body may join to discuss a specific topic of each chat. By having the students engage in them, or even host them, they can hear new perspectives and learn how to professionally communicate with others.

Google 

Although commonly known only as a search engine for all of the information you may be interested about, Google has many other functions. Google Hangout is a resource like Skype where students may communicate with others allowing for easy accessibility for meetings or group projects. Google Slides allow them to make their own presentations which is extremely helpful during projects or lesson plans. Google Docs is a word document where students may type papers, individually or with others. This tool allows multiple individuals to be on a document at once so the educator may check the progress of their work while it is still in session. Google Classroom is a function in which the teacher may post the assignments for students to refer back to. These can include links to any outside sources being used and submission links. There are also resources less used in the classroom such as Google Maps, Google Calendar and Google Translate, which all may be extremely helpful in certain situations but are not as common. Here is the link to the website: www.google.com

There are many things that come to mind when we think of what our students need. A welcoming learning environment. A positive atmosphere. An educator who cares about their knowledge. However, what we often overlook – even myself until recently – is introducing our students to a broadened perspective. We shouldn’t teach them material simply for a classroom exam nor a state exam. We shouldn’t just introduce them to the topics required by the school board. Lastly, we shouldn’t, as educators, be close-minded to the material taught and the tools used to teach them. We should want our students to expand their outlook on all of the events and individuals this world has to offer.

Technology has become more prevalent today than ever. It is so vital that are educators we use these resources to our advantage to connect with other classrooms worldwide. By connecting the school-required curriculum to outside sources it allows the material to come to life rather than to only be remembered for an exam. It allows our students to understand other students opinions on situations, as well as hear their own situations. By blogging, calling or even using Skype to connect with others, it expands that lesson from a textbook to reality. Recently, through The Global Educator textbook, by Julie Lindsay, I have discovered a classroom who used Skype to connect with a classroom in Pakistan. When the class had concluded reading “I Am Malala”, the connected with a class near Malala’s hometown to hear their perspectives on her. The students were surprised to discover that in Pakistan the citizens feel differently about Malala and her family than how Americans view her.

By using these online tools, the students went from simply reading the story to applying it’s contents to outside of the classroom. This showed them that their perspective is not the only one. The world is full of different cultures, beliefs and opinions and by allowing them to hear outside perspectives and their reasoning behind it, it expands their global learning. Educators need to take the time to research different websites and tools which may be applied in the classroom to benefit their students. For example, have students contribute their work on Google Classroom in order to be monitored and efficiently track their progress. Skype. Twitter. Blogs. Google. There are an endless amount of advantages out there that should be facilitated in the classroom setting to contribute to the positive learning environment we are attempting to provide to our students.

Diversity is an unavoidable phenomenon in the classroom. All students have had different experiences throughout their lives – different family relationships, different traumas and different personal backgrounds. As an educator, and a global citizen, it is important that I expose myself to other cultures through their readings, movies or music. This practice helps individuals get a better grasp for the different beliefs that are out there, instead of isolating ourselves to our own. I began this implementation by familiarizing myself with the culture surrounding Italy in the short film Tre Giorni.

The short movie may be found here: Tre Giorni (Three Days)

The story begins with a mid-aged man sitting in a tiny concrete room filled with only a mattress. He is disoriented and unaware how this situation formed. Two men walk in the room, appearing as police, in which they demand information before his execution in three days. It immediately switches the scene to two friends in a coffee shop, displaying one asking the other to fulfill his patients wishes of meeting him before his passing. Nicola Rombi, who we discover is a famous author, agrees to perform such a task. Upon meeting, the dying man begs of Nicola to seek out his daughter, whom he has lost contact with many years ago, so he may say his final goodbye. It was agreed upon. When he locates Clara, it is apparent that she would like nothing to do with her father. After much discussion between the two, Clara is shown walking home where a gunpoint robbery goes bad and she is killed on site.

Nicola informs this new-found friend on the news of his daughter. The audience then learns that everything has been an allusion. Clara had died multiple years ago, however, she has yet to find peace. The father believed Nicola had the ability to see the dead which was the direct motivation of them meeting. After this truth is revealed, he immediately passes away. The short film fast forwards back to the opening prison scene in which Nicola is then found dead on the floor, a gunshot wound through the heart with a picture of Clara in his hands. And – Scene!

As you can imagine from the summary, it was a confusing timeline to follow. The audience, or at least myself, do not fully understand the concept of the story. Why did Nicola get killed in prison? How did the father know Nicola can speak to the dead? How come everybody died within three days? Although I did not understand the plot of the story, here is what I did learn:

• The characters seemed to use their hands often while speaking. Even though there was English subtitles on this Italian film, it made it much easier to understand the characters mood or feelings of a situation based on their physical context clues. You could also tell their emotions based on their tone, for example, whether they were raising the voice or speaking softly.
• The setting appeared to be an old fashioned Italian town. Cobblestone buildings draped with vines and cobblestone streets filled with old fashion cars were the majority of the landscaping visible to the audience. I am unsure if this was an affect of the culture or the time period in which the film was intended.
• In one particular scene, a woman is cutting fresh vegetables from a garden. Since Italy is known for the cuisine, I assumed that cooking was important to their citizens and meals are made fresh. This would make sense of why the landscape appeared as a vineyard atmosphere.
• The weather was difficult to distinguish as the film was in black and white, however, it never rained or snowed. The audience may assume that it was constantly sunny.
• Something I found to be strange was we never see any of the characters taking part in a pleasurable activity. They always look to be stressed as all scenes take place in either a household, walking the streets or in the prison. We do not get an understanding of any activities the characters prefer to do on their own.
• The characters appeared to value their careers. Nicola was deeply invested in his writing, as he expressed in conversations with others. His friend was the doctor of the dying father which is how he knew of him. The father also was always shown as having a bedside nurse with him.
• The most important thing we do observe is that the characters value family. The father wanting to maintain contact with his daughter, as well as Nicola agreeing to help a stranger do so, shows their empathy for relationships.

Having lived in Italy myself I found the film to be an interesting depiction for the Italian culture. I did not give it proper justice as you do not get to view the beautiful of the landscape and you do not fully understand the individuals. From my own experience, it appears different than our own culture due to the inter-personality. Most Italian cities and towns are full of individuals walking to their destination due to different architectural layouts which allows more of a community feeling than the typical one of the United States. I also feel they value food much more, especially with usage of fresh ingredients, rather than the plethora of possibilities we have in our hometowns. Better said, they do not appear to “over do” things but instead prefer to keep them simple.

It is important for us to reflect on these differences, especially those of different tones and physical cues, in order to assess our own classrooms. Having awareness of different cultures and the emotional aspects often behind them, we have transcend these vital lessons into our diverse classrooms. By embracing every students culture, background and beliefs we are helping build a global community. It is important to reinforce that their are so many other thoughts throughout the world, other than their own, and all of them are equal and valid.

MySpace. Facebook. Instagram. Snapchat. Twitter. The list of social media outlets continues to expand, as those are only a few in which many individuals nationwide are using today. With the majority of our worlds individuals having access to smartphones, it is no longer difficult to be connected to the world around you. All of these applications are simply in your pocket. This allows global learning to be an attainable form of education throughout classrooms. This is a concept in which I have recently begin exploring myself. I have taken to twitter which, I’ll admit, I had never considered to use as an educator. I instead understood it to be used as a personal outlet rather than a professional outlet. Well, I stand corrected. Twitter is overflowing with professional educators not only nationwide, but worldwide. The abundance of information you can begin to grasp astounded me.

My viewpoints have shifted now that I have joined the professional twitter community. I have participated in two different Twitter chats. These are chats scheduled throughout the week, focusing on a narrowed topic, in which anybody is allowed to join and contribute their opinions to different questions. It is a quick paced environment, however, since each chat has a hashtag it becomes easy to follow, as well as, refer back to at a later time to re-grasp the information. As I read other individuals responses, I was shocked. How had I never thought about that? Where has this information been? It instantly reminded me of one of my favorite quotes in life, “Everybody you will ever meet, knows something you do not”. The internet is filled with information. It is also filled with people who have different perspectives, attitudes and knowledge of this information. Since every classroom is different and every educator instructs different lesson plans, connecting with them is bound to leave you full of new ideas.

It is simply incredible to walk away with new lesson plans, viewpoints and thoughts on different categories. However, the part that I found most inspiring is how uplifting these other educators are. I leave the chats feeling as if I have made new partnerships, as if somebody appreciates my own personal thoughts and, most importantly, that somebody is rooting for me. They provide insight which leaves you feeling confident about the career path you have chosen. In my eyes, they are making a difference in lives and it excites me to interact with them knowing one day I will do the same. Here are just two examples from my twitter chats of how encouraging other educators can be:

Names have been withheld for individuals privacy.

Technology was intended to build the world up – to connect people, to expand past our own horizons and to make information easily accessible. Twitter is doing just that. It is allowing teachers who may otherwise never have met, be able to motivate one another. I find it empowering to have others who hold you accountable for the way you run your classroom while giving you feedback on how you may improve it. Our students deserve the best education in which we can give them and these resources are helping to do just that. Global learning is taking ordinary youth and guiding them to become leaders.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” (Suess, 1978). Dr. Suess books continue to be a stepping stone for young readers nationwide. Although these stories teach basic sight words and spark a curiosity for reading in children, where do they turn as they grow older? Children will not continue to expand their library unless they are interested in the books surrounding them. The classroom setting can be a difficult place to encourage a passion for reading. Every student is different. With each student having a different level of enthusiasm, how as educators do we steer them towards a story in which they will connect with?

The answer: Write Our World. With our students pushing away from flat learning and diving deeper into global learning, it is important as educators we provide the appropriate resources for them to do so. Write Our World is an online e-book website in which stories are written for children, by children. The organization founder, Julie Carey, believed the world needed to fix the educational gap. This includes communities that lack access to printed books, communities which are unfamiliar with the cultural world around them, as well as, community engagement. By granting children of different cultures and different nationalities access to this website, it allows them to share their own beliefs, as well as, inform themselves of others.

The website currently has 180 published books written by 457 different students worldwide – from Guatemala to Cambodia. Due to the diversity this organization aims to offer to aspiring readers, e-books are offered in 27 different languages in order to reach a broadened audience. These stories help allow youth to obtain a more global understanding of the cultures surrounding them. The catalog categories range from the non-fiction details of becoming a refugee family to views on war, food and culture. Classrooms are diverse environments in which children should be exposed to different beliefs in order to form new perspectives. By inspiring students to read stories they may have never considered before; many which they most likely do not even know are out there, we are introducing them to a world outside of what they are accustomed. This organization is also allowing these youth to feel empowered by proving that their words matter and are educating others. By instilling this sense of confidence and embedded education in students, Write Our World is helping to mold our future educators. You may find more education at their website, which can be found here: https://writeourworld.org/ .