In our book, The Global Educator Leveraging Technology for Collaborative Learning & Teaching, we have read many case studies and real life examples of how educators should put a considerable amount of time into expanding their network. It is so much more beneficial to students when they have a teacher who is willing to bring in ideas from around the world. Sharing experiences, successes, and failures helps everyone grow. In a profession where we mold the minds of young children, why wouldn’t we want the best tools at our fingerprints?
What Conferences Offer
As discussed in the book, conferences offer a wealth of knowledge from experienced educators all over the world. The stories they share inspire and offer help to everyone in attendance. If educators are able to hear what others have gone through, they are able to grow. At times, it can also feel as though you are not getting through to your students, these conferences even offer solace that you are not alone. The best part is you don’t even have to travel for all conferences, some are virtual which is absolutely amazing!
Virtual Conferences
One conference the book discusses is the K12 Online Conference. This conference was run by volunteers. They were able to get other educators to participate and bring to life a fantastic online conference with many different stories, ideas, and inspiration. The group ended their presentations in June 2018, but you can still view archived videos here. Global learning is not just for students, but educators should always be willing to work towards learning as much as they can to benefit their students.
Virtual reality can provide many benefits in the classroom. In some cases, students may not have an accurate picture of an area being discussed in a lesson. This is where virtual reality comes in to play and allows students the chance to see what they are learning about. In this post I will be talking about Google Earth Tours.
Google Earth Tours allows anyone to take a tour of any place on Earth. With accurate descriptions and quality images, making these tours is very rewarding for students. If you are a teacher and want to use Google Earth Tours, you can click this link to start on your journey!
Not sure where to start?
Sometimes, it can be difficult understanding how these new tools work. Google Earth tours comes with tutorials and I found this great video to help along the way!
Using Google Earth Tours In Global Collaboration Projects
One way to use Google Earth Tours is by having students collaborate globally. Not only with the students be able to look at one another’s area, but they will be able to identify landmarks and have a better understanding of where they come from. Google Earth Tours has many features that allow students to feel as though they are almost in the same location as each other. Virtual reality gives students an insight that they may not be able to experience outside of the classroom.
This week I was able to use a new web tool. I went to StoryboardThat to see what exactly could be done through digital storytelling. This website was really easy to use. There were tutorials to help me through the entire story making process. It was also very easy to edit the contents in the frames. What I really liked was I could customize each scene to exactly what I wanted.
What Is My Story?
As I have discussed in previous posts, I am in my late 20’s going back to college. The first scene in my storyboard explains that I received my MA in Pscyhology. When I received this degree in 2017, I thought that would be the last time I stepped foot on a college campus as a student. However, I seem to love raising a family, working full-time, having a part-time job, and apparently juggling college classes full-time!
Moving On
After working in the Psychology field, I found I wasn’t loving what I was doing. Instead, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When I told my husband I was going back to school, he was a little shocked, but totally supportive. So, I packed my book bag and embarked on my fourth degree!
What Has It Been Like?
As I said, I am 29 and old compared to my peers! Sometimes, I realize they attended their prom within this calendar year and a single tear streams down my face! There has been a lot that has changed since I first started college 11 years ago. However, I enjoy learning and I really am happy I went back. My Web Tools class has been one of the biggest challenges and one of the most rewarding classes I have taken. I’m not even saying that because this blog is for that class! Entering a new field is nerve racking. My Web Tools class has helped me to discover so many new tools that I can not wait to use in my classroom.
StoryboardThat is one of the tools I am going to definitely use. Having a storyboard that is so easy to create is really important to me. I am so impressed by the tutorials and the step by step directions. If you want to skip my long boring story! You can click this link and check out my digital story board.
Let me know what you think or post a comment with a story board you have created!
Today I visited the National Geographic Website and embarked on an interesting journey. Through the footsteps of Paul Salopek, I was able to see the journey humans have taken over thousands of years from Africa to South America. Paul’s documentation consists of videos, pictures, and detailed commentary. In this post I am going to highlight a few of the places I found to be absolutely stunning.
Silk Road– Paul embarks on a journey through Afghanistan. A place where many people associate a War zone. I have always thought of Afghanistan as a dry desert land with minimal accommodations. In Paul’s documentation, you can see a land that really is beautiful. Paul documents men coming back on yaks after checking on the land beyond the Wakhan corridor. These men are ensuring the grass is growing and is maintained for the animals when winter comes. These men have to ensure no animals are eating or using the grass before it is harvested.
Traveling the Holy Land– Paul talks about an encounter with a Palestinian farmer. The man is very upset to see “settlers” on his land. He tries to get Paul and his guide to leave his land, but the men ask to stay. It is here Paul says the man, Khaled Daraghmeh, yells at his son to stop video taping the encounter and to get the men tea. Daraghmeh explains he has to video tape all encounters with settlers because they have been harassing farmers, going as far as physically abusing them. The men continue to talk about how they would like to see a peaceful land instead of the violence that has been ensuing.
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Walking the Brahmaputra– As I am writing this blog post, Paul is in India. Just a few weeks ago, he was walking the Brahmaputra River. Paul talks about how important this walk is for many people. They carry their rice on this path, they get to the Khelaupara Bridge, it leads to the Bay of Bengal. This 1,800 mile path has many uses and a history just as long. Paul talks about how the walk has a different meaning for everyone who uses it. He says how everyone is polite, but no one stops to talk. Getting to where you’re going is the reason for the Brahmaputra.
When teachers set out to prepare lesson plans, the ultimate goal is what do they want the students to learn? Thus, they need to have a purpose for teaching the lesson. This is especially true in global collaboration. The teacher(s) must be able to have a purpose before they plan their assignment.
Once the purpose has been identified, planning must begin. Keeping in mind how and why the assignment relates to the end goal is very important. The time and effort that goes in to planning must also have a purpose. The teacher should keep in mind which parts should garner more attention. The purpose of the lesson should be to teach, so what parts need to stand out in order for the students to learn?
Being Positive
Sometimes teaching can be hard. Sometimes students do not learn as quickly as hoped. Sometimes teachers have to squash the plans they worked so hard on in order to better reach their students. Through all of this, remaining positive is very important. When students can see the teacher start to doubt, they will start to doubt. By encouraging students, teachers build a strong bond. When collaborating, show empathy to the learners. Sometimes with global collaboration, things can get mixed up. By showing that you understand and are able to guide them shows that you are a great educator.
The video below shows how remaining positive can effect those around you. It may take some effort to remain positive in certain situations, but the benefits are really worth it!
I have only ever used Google Maps for obtaining directions, until now. There are so many ways Google Maps can be used to help someone who is interested in traveling or learning about other places. I was able to complete an assignment that had me in the Grand Canyons, the Ocean, and Italy all in the same day. I loved seeing all of these landmarks and exploring them. This is a tool I will be using in my classroom.
I have created my own google map that has landmarks in Italy I have been interested in visiting since I can remember. This tool allowed me to understand where these spots are in relation to each other. Of course they are spread out, so when I do finally take the trip over, I know it will have to be a very extended vacation! It was great to be able to look at these live images and see just how beautiful the buildings are.
Future Lesson Plan
Whenever I find a new tool or discover the benefits of a tool I have previously used, I always try and find a lesson plan I could incorporate that tool in. Google Maps is no exception to this. I have so many ideas for future lesson plans. One I think I will definitely be incorporating would be a multi-step project where students would research the country, google map their exploration, and create a log of how long this trip would take. I think this would be a fun way for students to understand how traveling works and how great it can be to research before visiting.
Making a Collaborative Project
A great collaborative project using Google Maps could be something like the video below.
Students could work together to plot points from a history lesson that would show where certain battles took place. This would require the students to research the different locations, make a google map that the classroom would share, and incorporate all of the important information from that battle.
This tool allows students to learn about places outside of the classroom while inside the classroom. Google Maps can help to create many different projects as well as allowing students to understand what different countries, states, cities look like. I am really happy I was able to use this tool and understand the different layers it has.
Well, the halfway point is officially here. I have made it through 8 weeks of my Global Learning class. It has been one of the most exciting classes I have taken to date. Every week, the lessons teach me new ways to collaborate, to use technology, and to educate myself on the amazing field I will soon be entering. To blog about just one thing I have learned seems impossible. So, I will share just a few of the most important things I think I have learned.
Develop a Personal Learning Network
One of the first things I have learned about was a Personal Learning Network. It is not enough to enter the education field with no help. Yes, it can be done, but why would you want it that way? The educators I have met thus far have given me a wealth of knowledge to start my career off on a great foot. The ideas they have shared, lessons they have learned, ways to set up their classrooms, etc. are all things these educators did not have to do yet they wanted to. They understand that helping each other creates a better classroom and isn’t that the goal of all teachers?
Understand New Technology
Technology in the classroom can be very beneficial. There are many ways students and teachers can use technology to develop a better learning environment. The key is keeping up with technology. There are many Apps and programs that are available. As a teacher I know I will be attending conferences and even joining Seminars that will give me the updates needed to ensure my students are receiving the best education they can using all tools available.
Click this link to learn more ways technology can benefit the classroom.
Go Outside of Your Comfort Zone
When I look back at all of the information I have learned in the last 8 weeks, one thing really stands out about myself. I would have never taken this class if it wasn’t a requirement. Technology scared me. I always felt like it was a waste of time or a way to get kids more screen time they didn’t need. THIS IS NOT THE CASE!!! After researching hours upon hours of different technologies, the way they can be used in the classroom, the way they can develop the students learning process, I understand now how beneficial it can be.
Becoming a teacher has always been a dream of mine. I can not wait until I have a classroom of my own. This class will be one that I reflect back most on and I know this class will make me a better teacher.
This week, I watched a short film on Youtube about a family that was being separated due to a magical War. The language spoken in this film was German, but I was able to watch it with English subtitles. Keep reading for my take on this film and how I related to the story line!
When I went on to Youtube to find a film that was spoken in another language, but had English subtitles, the possibilities were endless. It took a bit of weeding out the ones I didn’t necessarily have an interest in or ones I found appropriate for a classroom project.
Then, I stumbled upon Letting Go-watch here. The description for this film was something I could understand. It was about a mother who had to let her son go to fight a magical war and how she had to believe she had prepared him to return.
As a mother, I do not expect my children to have to go and fight a war on magic, but I do know one day when they grow up I will have to hope I have prepared them for the world.
In the movie, Lind the son goes off to help fight the War, but his sister Nadia goes to save him. She wants to make sure her brother returns home and she knows she is able to help him. She even offers to take his place.
I have two children as well and I hope that my children will always be there for each other. To know that they have a bond stronger then anything is heartwarming. Siblings can be the best of friends and understand each other in ways no one else can.
While this film is clearly fiction, the family bond is real. As a mother, I want my children to grow up to be good people, I want them to accept cultural differences, I want them to embrace the world ahead of them and it is my job to ensure I am doing my best to provide them with these skills, just as Nadia and Lind’s mother did for them.
If you would have asked me 6 weeks ago what my Twitter handle was I would have laughed and told you I don’t have one! For years, my husband has told me how it’s great because it’s people you can follow who post what you are interested in. Again, I was not budging. That all changed when I opened my Week 1 assignments in my Global Learning class!
As I said, I did not have a personal of professional Twitter before my Global Learning class. Imagine my surprise when creating a Twitter was in my first week of assignments. As someone who is in their 20’s(late) this really shouldn’t be hard for me, right? No! I always say I was born in the wrong decade! I had no clue about Twitter and I was confident it was not going to be a significant part of my learning process.
A Literal Conversation With Myself
I sat for about an hour trying to decide what my Twitter handle should be. I just wanted to use my name, but with a name like Ashley Nelson, you can bet it was taken. Okay, I figured out a handle that isn’t used with my name switched around. No big deal, next part. A picture of myself? I haven’t taken a “selfie” since my kids were born. Okay, I can crop around this picture it’s recent-ish. Post my first ever blog? What if no one likes it? What if no one understands what I am trying to say? Wait, a comment with someone agreeing with what I posted and even retweeting it! Okay, I got this!
Here is my take on Twitter after 6 weeks
Let’s start with the good about Twitter(this could get lengthy!). I have developed so many connections in the last 6 weeks that I would have never had in the traditional classroom setting. I talk to some classmates more frequently because I can see that we have similar ideas for our future classrooms or we like the same type of projects. I have connected with educators who have decades of experience and knowledge they are willing to share. I have researched hours of new technology that is being used in classrooms that has helped education grow leaps and bounds.
Twitter has been my go to spot to look for ideas about how I can connect with my students, how I can get my students to connect with the lesson, and how I can get my students to connect with each other. I can log onto Twitter and read my fellow classmates posts to understand where they are coming from and ideas they have based on a recent assignment we had.
One of the best assignments I have done so far was joining a Twitter Chat. It was one for new teachers and the responses were great. Some teachers were starting for the first year and others had 10+ years of experience and they were there simply to help. They didn’t have to do that, but in a field that will grow so much more with collaboration they were there.
The worst thing about Twitter so far is that it took me this long to join! There really is not much that I have found negative from a professional stand point.
Follow me @NelsonAshleyJ
I have learned so much since joining Twitter. Being able to interact with my classmates has been amazing. They are so open to communicating and giving ideas that I can’t imagine not being able to connect with them like we have. Seeing professionals who have spent many years in the profession share their dos and don’ts has opened my eyes to things I probably would have learned the hard way. I can honestly say Twitter will play a part in my career and I hope my classmates chose to keep it in theirs so we can collaborate long after our class!
Since I have started my Global Learning class, I have learned so many new ways teachers can be supported. The amount of technology we have that allows us to connect, share, and grow is endless. These different technologies make it easy for global educators to help each other.
In our book, The Global Educator many professionals share their experiences about the support they have given or received from other global educators. The book talks about how it is helpful that teachers upload successful lessons that have worked for them or professional development tools they have used. Then, other educators are able to look at this wealth of knowledge, determine if it will work for them, and if it does they are able to implement it in their class. The educators are even able to take these ideas and alter them to their specific needs based on factors such as; environment, learning needs, or any other factor unique to their class.
As someone who is not a “technology person,” I never really thought about how much global learning could be helpful. However, I am learning so much about how this field can really come together to support one another through technology. There are educators all over the world and the fact that we are able to communicate in real time with each other allows for a support system beyond our environment. We are able to utilize new methods that without the global learning community would have never been possible.
As a student, I have realized how much global educators are able to support one another. When educators are able to grow and build with each other, they are able to create a classroom that will thrive. This video shows just how students are able to learn and grow when they have teachers who learn and grow.
