Norms

Hello!

I will be discussing the two main norms of Online Global Collaboration. These norms will really show how important they can be for the future of a teacher’s success in the classroom. Listen closely to these norms, because if they are followed correctly they will really help you in having a successful and controlled classroom environment.

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Norm 1: Be Prepared

“So many potentially excellent global collaborations fail because educators are not prepared, largely because they do not know what to prepare for.”

There are two main objectives for this norm.

Have a plan for connecting
1. Use your PLN and PLC to find like-minded partners for global collaboration
2. Determine what common tools you will use to connect and collaborate
3. Test all your tools beforehand
4. Work out time zone differences
Determine how you will communicate
1. Work out how teachers will communicate during the collaboration and test this well before students come together
2. Decide what communication activities will take place between teachers and then between students
3. Work out student communication protocols and make sure all participants agree on these
4. Determine the expectations for communication during the collaboration
5. Agree on the read, receive and respond systems and protocols for all participants

Norm 2: Have a Purpose

“Every connection, communication, and eventual collaboration must have a purpose. Planning is the key to success.”

Cultural exchange: Is the purpose of the project clear?
Inquiry and exploration into a topic(s): Is the length of the collaboration clear?
Global project, short or long, curriculum-based: What are the shared inputs from participants?
Shared outcomes, student summit: What are the shared outcomes?
Artifact exchange and/or co-creation: Will there be artifact exchange?

Below is a video that describes a teacher having a purpose in the classroom although it is being in a physical classroom setting

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The World of Quizlet & Edpuzzle

Quizlet & Edpuzzle

It is amazing on technology continues to grow and grow, to which many people do not even know what we have on this Earth. This is especially true when it comes to technology, and I am in particularly guilty with this. Before I took this class I did know what Quizlet and Edpuzzle were, but I had not idea what they were capable of. Over the course of the semester I’ve been taught what these programs can do, and which in most cases the possbilities are endless. These tools are excellent for teachers and something that I plan to use once I’m in charge of a classroom. Lets dive deeper into each of these tools and review what they can each do.

Quizlet

Quizlet is a great tool that can be used for students with studying. A student can log on to make a free account, create a set of study “Online” flash cards to prepare for a test. Then a student can also make their own version of a practice test for whatever they are studying for in the classroom. This tool is also great for teachers who wish to make a quick practice test for their students so they can prepare for what they will experience in the actual classroom. It can also be used for students to make practice tests for each other, and then they can send these tests by sharing a link so the possibilities are almost endless. Below is a quick video that describes what Quizlet is all about.

Edpuzzle

For those that have seen Edpuzzle, especially teachers are missing out on a great instructional teaching tool. The days of having students watch a film and take notes on a paper are slowly coming to an end. I find that Edpuzzle is a great tool that forces students to watch an film or video that the teacher chooses while the students answer questions about it in order to progress through it. In today’s world with technology growing so fast, the kids are becoming use to it. The old ways of how teachers have taught classes are not keeping the kids engaged and excited about learning. Edpuzzle is bringing these kids up to standard with the technology that is so rapidly growing. One of the great features that I enjoy about Edpuzzle for when I become a teacher, is that I will use it as homework and I can monitor what the students are doing from home. Check out this video below on how cool Edpuzzle can be.

Thanks for reading! Check me out on Twitter @Coachktech1

The Things I have Learned…..

What I’ve Learned….

It’s amazing how much a student can learn in a two month period especially from an online course. That is my first point I want to get across, which is don’t be afraid to take an online course. I know many students are afraid to sign up for one, because it is something they have never experienced before. It is much more simple than many people put online course out to be. DON’T BE AFRAID, that is extremely important to know when going into your first online course. I have taken about 7 online courses throughout my life, and the more you do them the easier they become. In my newest class this year, “Web Tools: Global Learning”, I explored many new things that I never knew or had very little experience with. Below are a few of those things…

Twitter

Twitter was the first thing I came across in this class, for which I had very little experience working with. This is a platform that we use weekly and I have become stronger in it everyday. I never knew how easy it can be to communicate with so many different people from around the world. I entered my first “Twitter Chat” which connected me with other teaching professionals and inspiring teachers from all over the country. You can use Twitter to form groups with as many members as possible, which I only thought was possible in Facebook. You can share thoughts, posts and articles with so many people. The use of a hashtag (#), was something I knew nothing about and how easy it is to ask a question using a (#) and how easy it is to receive a response.

Flipgrid

See the video below for what Flipgrid is….

Flipgrid is a great tool for making students come out of their shell. I found that this will be a great tool for me to use in my future classroom no matter what age I am teaching. I need to keep up with the times, and technology is growing at a very fast rate which is something else that I learned in this class. It’s such an easy way for students to send educational videos to one another with face to face responses that also allows them to do so without the person actually being there.

Edpuzzle

Check out this short video below as an intro to what Edpuzzle is….

Edpuzzle is actually one of my favorite things that I have learned in this class so far this year from an educational standpoint. I think it is a great way for teachers to teach a lesson via a video, forcing the student to watch the entire video while making them answer questions in order to progress through it. It keeps the student engaged in what the video is teaching, while also allowing them to be reflective on what is going on. The possibilities are endless with it since you can use it for math review or even language arts. Both of my parents are teachers and they each had never heard of Edpuzzle. I showed them how it works and they both now use it in their classroom. If you are an educator and do not use Edpuzzle, you are missing out!

Blogging

Blogging is a great way to express your thoughts or concerns for many people to see. I found it’s a great way to learn from others in a very quick period of time, especially if you want to know something about a particular topic. I learned from this class that blogging is a great way to reflect upon a particular topic or subject so others can learn from your findings. It is a great way for students to learn from each other, especially if they are in the same classroom. I will for sure place blogging in my future classroom so it can be a way for students to share thoughts with one another and a way for me to see what students are thinking as well.

Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter @CoachkTech1

Grotesco (Swedish Show)

Please watch Grotesco below before diving into this blog.

There are many shows out there, especially on youtube from a foreign country that you can watch in English subtitles. As I searched for a show to watch, I found this Swedish show called Grotesco to be very interesting. I am a fan of the horror genre, and although this show is listed as a comedy it has a horror aspect to it. Overall I found this show to be very strange and interesting at the same time. Here are some self questions on the show, that I will express my thoughts on the show…

Here is a pic of the cast…

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What you noticed about the cultural aspects of the characters and the settings?

The first thing I noticed was that the show is very strange. I think this is the culture of many European shows, to have unique and plot twisting storylines. My other first thought is the show was extremely hard to follow even with the English subtitles. The Villain in this show appeared to be a zombie like unknown force, that was taking over the town through a portal. I found it very interesting that the show was made in Sweden but there were American soldiers that could speak English for one scene of the show. The clothes and budget of the show actually appeared to be not poor budget. It had a set that was of a city environment, and also some of the show was underground in a tunnel. The rating for the show was a 8.0 on IMDB, which is considered very high for a tv show.

What was similar to your culture and what was different. How did they travel? What did they eat as staple foods? What was the weather like? Where do they go for fun? What did the characters value?

There honestly was not much of a difference in the culture aspect of the show and with the culture in my life. The characters in the show where the same types of clothes as I do and use the same type of technology as I do. The only difference was the language they spoke and the Syfy effect of the show with the portal. There were parts of the show that showed supernatural effects and weather, but that was to the comedy of the show. The comedy of the show was something that I did not find particularly funny, but that is something that I think our cultures are also different in. All the characters in the show displayed and valued the importance of communication. I do not think that this show has the technology for amazing special effects as in the culture here, so they value the importance of interaction and communication amongst characters.

I noticed that the surroundings of the show were in the city and also in the mountain range. That is the natural environment of Sweden so it makes perfect sense to have this cultural surrounding in the show. There was also a musical at the end of the show, which provided some laughter but how they presented it displayed a difference in culture. During this scene there were many characters with pretty much only one camera angle. The characters all wore crazy outfits, which to me made no sense to what the scene was showing, so this is something that I found that other cultures find funny other than my own. The show also shows democratic situations as within their politics which is very similar to what we experience here.

Thanks for reading!

Follow me on Twitter @Coachktech1