This week I had the unique opportunity of exploring storytelling with a creative twist. Using the digital storytelling tool, Story Bird, I was able to write my own digital children’s book.
The experience was so fun! Story Bird offers a free, week-long trial that gives users access to an endless amount of adorable images and customization options. Before today I did not know this website existed, but now I want to dive back in and make more! I have always had a passion for storybooks, so this experience was exciting as I got to be on the author’s side. Because Story Bird makes all stories go through a review process, I will attach photos of the story below.
My story is an optimistic look into the current pandemic. Like many, it seems to be the only thing on my mind. It is so important to remain positive during these times. My story has an outlook that says, “it may be hard now, but not forever.” During this unpredictable time, we must continue to find the good. We need to do our best with what we have. I hope you enjoy my story and remember it will be okay!
While reading Julie Lindsay’s book, The Global Educator, I stumbled upon a fascinating case study. The K12 Online Conference offers educators an outlet to share their ideas and skills regarding technology virtually. The conference comes at no cost to participants and takes place entirely online. Designed solely by other educators, the information is realistic, authentic, and extremely helpful. Understanding technology can be overwhelming to many of today’s teachers, but the K12 Online Conference allows instructors to help one another understand a variety of emerging technologies.
The set up of the conference is very user friendly. Over three weeks, educators have a set time where they can upload different 20-minute video resources for participants to view. There are also online forums and video chat opportunities that allow educators to collaborate in real-time. However, if someone misses a session they want to attend, they can watch the video at a later date. Video-based presentations accommodate the busy life of teachers, as well as opening up the conference to people of different time zones. By making teaching tools accessible to everyone regardless of socioeconomic status or location, we create a learning environment where everyone can partake in learning. I love the concept of these conferences because there is no monetary gain from vendors or fights for funding, but rather a genuine sharing of ideas that supports the growth of education.
As someone who wants to become the best educator I can be for my future students, I researched when the next K12 Online Conference would be. During the uncertainty of the current pandemic, an online teaching conference based around technology felt not only helpful but necessary. However, when viewing the K12 Organization’s website, I was met with some unexpected news. After eleven years, the K12 Online Conference ceased its renewal due to a lack of participation and interest. Instead, they will continue to archive and share past content from previous events. Below is an archived presentation by John Spencer on design thinking in the classroom.
Although I am glad there is still access to previous online presentations, technology changes fast. Since the K12 Organization’s last conference in 2016, technology has already experienced rapid change. As time goes on, we can only expect even more drastic changes in how we use technology in the classroom.
I hope one day that the K12 Online Conference will restart their educational journey. By providing educators with the tools they need to succeed in the classroom, we are simultaneously helping every child they encounter. I know I definitely would be interested in one day participating in the conference, as would many other emerging teachers. Perhaps we should come together to show the need for this program by educating those around us it exists. Before reading Lindsay’s book, I would have never known this opportunity was available to me. By supporting free learning resources like the K12 Conference, we will not only stay up to date with modern technology but better ourselves as educators overall.
The Out of Eden walk is an astounding learning opportunity created by journalist Paul Salopek. Inspired by the global migration of our ancestors during the Stone Age, Salopek began a seven-year, 21,000-mile voyage to Tierra del Fuego. His journey is entirely on foot to mimic how those in the past would have completed the trip. Along the way, Salopek remains connected to the world by reporting on issues of the time such as climate change and the innovation of technology. He does so through photographs, videos, and audio recordings to give a voice to people in today’s world he met along the way. This includes people such as small villagers, farmers, nomads and artists who rarely receive public attention. Breaking down his journey into “chapters,” we are able to explore different artifacts from his venture through the National Geographic website. Recently I explored this site and found Salopek’s journey to be both fascinating and impactful. Below I will be discussing these truly wonderful interactions.
If we choose to slow down and observe carefully, we also can rediscover our world.
On September 10th of 2014, Salopek found himself in Kirit, Turkey with walking partner and professional tour guide, Denzin Kilic. The pair met at a port in southeastern when Salopek arrived on a ferryboat from Cyprus. However, they had “met” before. Technology is a powerful tool, allowing the two to communicate before ever meeting face-of-face. After two emails and a phone call, Kilic had agreed to join Salopek on his 700-mile foot country across Turkey to Anatolia. During this course, they view farmlands, the Iranian Plateau, the Taurus Mountains, and the Cilician Plain.
Salopek traveling the Cilician Plain of southeastern Turkey.
Salopek often incorporates a concise history of the area he is traveling to. Anatolia is the origin point of the Trojans, as well as the source of the historical figure who would be known as Santa Clause. It has also been theorized Indo-European languages and agriculture began in Anatolia as well. Kilic is a great resource for this journey, with him being called the “advocate” for these “true Turks.” Because he is from the area, he can give an authentic, genuine, and opinionated view of history. To me, this is more than a simple textbook could ever offer.
“We will stub our toes daily on artifacts.”
Denzin Kilic
Beyneu
3,600 miles and 1,241 days into his journey Salopek entered into milestone 37. This portion of the trip takes place near Beyneu, Kazakstan. Milestones are a fascinating part of the Out of Eden Walk. Every hundred miles, Salopek records the landscape and a person he meets to assemble a “global snapshot of humankind.” Through videos and audio, he provided a view of what this area looked like. Below is a visual that depicts the landscape.
Beyneu is a small railroad town and is the only civilization for thousands of miles. On this stop, he met Bazarbay Atitanov, who was heading home on his motorbike. Atitanov is a 45-year-old retired railroad worker who owns a hut in Akbolak springs. Although not much else was said about him, I believe these moments are important because it does put a spotlight on people who do not typically receive it.
Photo of Bazarbay Atitanov.
Hard Eden
Salopek’s walk through the lush scenery of northeastern India was one of my favorite parts of his journey. The beauty of the area is simply unmatched. This trip was one of his most recent, taking place on the trails outside Khanduli. The area hosts a seemingly endless amount of life. On top of the greenery, the trails are home to cicadas, frogs, gibbons, and other native wildlife. The hum of the waterfalls can always be heard in the distance. Their beauty can be admired in the images below.
Salopek’s highlights of local populations are my favorite part of his journey. Residents of Naga are the religious minorities compared to India’s high concentration of Hinduism. They are members of the American Baptist Mission after converting in the 1930s. You can typically find them listening to Christian rock or weaving shawls and household looms. The image below shows a Naga women making one of these shawls.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience viewing this trip through the lens of Salopek. The journey is an amazing educational opportunity for our classrooms, as it gives students the authenticity they crave. By providing a rich history of not only the area, but a glimpse into the people who inhabit it, students can gain so much valuable knowledge. Educators should consider discussing these works in their classroom as the importance of these stories will only become more relevant with each passing day. Salopek’s journey is not yet complete and there is still much to be discovered. I look forward to following his story for years to come to see what he will be up to next.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!
Follow me on Twitter for more education related discussion: @EckhardtMalisa
Teaching today is much more than in-class instruction and localized learning. With modern technology, learners can examine the world in the most riveting and authentic ways. Google Lit Trips are brining fun learning experiences to the classroom, allowing learners to virtually explore alongside the characters of the stories they are reading. This leads to a genuine viewpoint for literary works and an admiration for the knowledge they support.
Google Lit Trips bridges the gaps of historic global literature using modernized resources. These trips are downloadable files that allow students to follow the journey of different literary figures, including the students in the trials and tribulations of each character. By being able to visualize where the story is taking place, learners have a more precise understanding of what life is like for the book’s personas.
While the students are on their journey, they will encounter additional information to support the understanding of the actions taking place throughout the story. Helpful information pop-ups may include instructional supports such as background knowledge on the book’s author, clarification of historic events, or additional information regarding non-fiction characters. Learning comes in different forms. These pop-ups will be given in a variety of forms such as videos, photographs, and artifacts. Google Lit Trips creates meaningful discussions while simultaneously improving the reader’s grasp of the information.
For an excellent explanation of using Google Lit Trips for educating students, view the Google Lit Trip demonstration below.
Overall, Google Lit Trips is a great learning resource for all learners. It provides meaning to literary works so that students can make significant connections with what they are learning.
Click here to view the elementary literature options for Google Lit Trips.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!
Follow me on Twitter for more education related discussion: @EckhardtMalisa
