Tag: #GEN2108

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Case Studies: Making the Online Global Collaboration World Go Round

Sometimes we are inspired in life, but there are also moments when we inspire others. This is especially true in the world of educators. When it comes to Online Global Collaboration, there is a heavy reliance on educators sharing their stories and ideas they have used to connect with others around the globe. Even if the idea does not result in success, it is still important to share because you never know when someone else might come up with the missing gear to make the project work.

In The Global Educator book, Julie Lindsay does a great job using case studies to highlight educators who promote Online Global Collaboration. These case studies are great examples of sharing information so that others are inspired to achieve a level of collaboration within their classrooms and schools.

Two specific case studies that I feel can be used to show the importance of caring about others around the world include:

  • Case Study 3.5- Tracy Winey: One Million Lights
  • Case Study 3.7- Pernille Ripp: Global Read Aloud

In Case Study 3.5 we learn about Tracy Winey’s redeveloped project to help bring light to different parts of the world at night so that children can read. The project was originally developed in her school in Colorado. With the project, she redesigned elements to allow for a better alignment to global collaboration. What I like most about the project is the idea that students get to work with others to co-create something.

Using 3-D printing, students could design lights that could be used in various parts of the world. Students from the United States and Canada worked to bring these lights to disadvantaged communities in Uganda. The problem was one that the children could help solve which is a good way to get them involved in wanting to help others. If the students do not feel as though they can make a difference, it can be much harder to motivate them to work on a project.

If you are interested in learning more about One Million Lights you can check out this blog.

Case Study 3.7 from The Global Educator has a similar message of the importance of global collaboration. This case study focused on Pernille Ripp and the Global Read Aloud. Those involved decide on a book that is appropriate for the class that is participating. From here, they work together with other classes to organize when chapters are read. The students can then discuss ideas that come up from their reading and can collaborate with their partner classes to work through them. They can be inspired to create projects to address any social injustices they come across.

The best part of the project that Pernille Ripp discusses is that collaboration does not need to necessarily take place globally. The connections can be made with other classes from within the United States. By using a commonality, the students find ease in communicating with others that would typically classify as different. More information about Global Read Aloud can be found on their website.

The idea that students can be introduced to Online Global Collaboration in a way that is not overwhelming will allow for more complex connections to be made in the future. These educators and students can share what they have learned from these experiences to hopefully inspire others to collaborate as well.

I encourage you to read more case studies with similar messages in The Global Educator. We can learn by example and then be inspired to do something more that will show care and compassion to those who may need it most.

Please let me know if you have any examples of projects that can help facilitate Online Global Collaboration below!

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Boulevard Arts Bringing VR, AR, and Mixed Reality to the Classroom

One of the goals of education is to teach students about cultures and ideas that are different than their own. While traditional tools and methods have helped achieve this to some extent, giving students a more immersive approach can make learning more long-lasting. With this approach, students can hopefully be able to recall more information from their long term memory.

This is where virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality can make a significant impact on global collaboration. These types of apps and programs allow a user to feel as though they are physically in the space they are viewing. With Virtual Reality, you can be immersed in the environment. In Augmented Reality, you can navigate through a place without needing to wear a device. Mixed reality is a combination of the two. You can get up close and personal with whatever image or scene is around you in comparison viewing it on a traditional 2D surface. It has been suggested that when students experience a more immersive approach to learning, they retain more than traditional methods would provide.

While VR, AR, and Mixed Reality can be used across many different subject areas, using them for art education has proven especially successful. This is supported even more so during the Covid-19 pandemic because students and classes are being forced to stay home.

One of the leading companies providing virtual access to art is Boulevards Arts. This app can be downloaded for android as well as iOS platforms. There is even an option to use it on a computer as well. Per the Boulevard Arts website, the app can be used with Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift Oculus Go, and Google Daydream View. It can also be used with ARKit Ready iOS devices and Microsoft Hololens.

While the cost of the app is rather inexpensive at $2.99, the expense lies with the physical tools needed to experience the virtual reality. This is where the augmented reality experiences might be more attainable for schools with a limited budget.

In addition to the features within the app to view various paintings and museums, Boulevard Arts also provides free lesson plans, object lists, as well as resources that can be used alongside the app. Teachers simply need to visit the Contact Us page from their website to request these materials. They also offer “Virtual Reality Based-In-Class Labs”. These are designed for middle school and high school students to get them excited to learn about two different periods in American History.

Even though their standard app itself is useful in education, Boulevard Arts has teamed up with Edmentum to create the Boulevard x ED app. This allows for a customized version that works with publishers to match accreditation course needs.

It is great to see how the company is working to create more ways to bring culture into the classroom that fits a variety of diverse needs. It is also great to know that these kinds of apps can be used to develop a connection with other classrooms and students.

Natural History Museum, Vienna, Austria

Making sure to work with others is key to following a global approach to learning. An important factor to this is that collaborating does not need to take place across different continents. This can happen in areas close to each other. While geographically close, the cultures in these areas can be vastly different. It is important to work with local collaborations before you approach global collaborating. Two schools within the same country can work together to talk about the artifacts they have been exposed to using virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality. Even with being located within the same area, the artwork can present different meanings and stories for the students.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, schools can then work with classes that are not close to one another to see what kind of collaboration they can develop. A school in London might have students who have gone to a museum that a classroom in the United States has visited via VR or AR. The students from London might be able to discuss something about the artwork that the students in the United States may not have been able to pick up on. From here, they can then work together to create a project inspired by the experiences they had.

It is so important for educators to always search for new ways that students can be engaged in their learning. VR, AR, and Mixed Reality are growing in popularity and are a big part of the future of education. If we do not keep up, the students will be the ones teaching us about these exciting new tools.

Do you have any suggestions for other VR, AR, or Mixed Reality tools? Please leave a comment below for me to go check them out!

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Out of the Global Toolbox: Into the Out of Eden Walk

When it comes to lesson planning and choosing where to gather resources, many teachers reach for books. While not a bad option, getting a more immersive view of different topics is much more impactful. The best part about working towards becoming a global educator is the ability to think outside the box. The Out of Eden Walk is a resource that gives a different perspective on learning about the world and humankind.

The Out of Eden Walk project is supported by National Geographic and the Knight Foundation. It is a 21,000-mile journey made by Pulitzer Prize-Winning journalist Paul Salopek. On this multi-year trip, he is traveling across multiple continents learning about and retracing the path that our ancestors took to make their way around the world. Along the way, he stops to talk to people and hear their stories. He is also being made aware of some of the global issues different parts of the world are facing. While there are many stops and stories to learn about, a few that stood out to me were the,

With so many stories to choose from, I started with the most recent chapter. Here I stumbled upon Milestone 72: Absences which brought Mr. Salopek near Thickegyin, Myanmar. There is an ever-growing issue for the decrease in good logs. Many of the local villagers work logging because it pays more than being a farmer or laborer in the area. They are allowed to do this on a small scale but not more than that. The problem is that people from outside the area are coming in and cutting down the logs themselves. Mr. Salopek spoke to a 22-year-old farmer working as a logger named Myo Minaung who shared this concern with him. In the panoramic image from this spot, you can see some of the bareness in the forest.

It is really important to share scenarios like this one because it can teach students to be more aware of where the things they buy are coming from. Some of the teak wood was smuggled out and sold to be used for boat decking and outside furniture. This is a great place to interject the Sustainable Development Goals into this lesson about destroying habitats and overuse of materials as well as being aware of what people are paid for particular goods and certain jobs.

I kept backtracking through the milestones looking for stories that sparked my interest. Milestone 43: No Women stopped me in my tracks and made me feel privileged to live in a country where females at least have an opportunity to speak. Many countries around the world do not allow this to happen or women fear speaking to strangers. Mr. Salopek found this to be the case in many of the places he visited. Most of the interviews he conducted were given by men. The women he approached did not want to engage whatsoever. This particular spot was in Romitan, Uzbekistan. Instead of moving on to find a man to interview, Mr. Salopek simply stated that the women he approached refused the interview. I think the lack of an interview had more of an impact than if he had continued to find a man to talk to.

I jumped to the comments section to see if others had a similar reaction to mine and I found just that. This is such an important example of how we need to work hard to help achieve Goal 5 from the Sustainable Development Goals- Gender Equality. Too many women do not have a voice or the same opportunities that men have. I like the idea of using this milestone as a real-life teaching moment about this topic.

Still a little shook from the impact that the last stop had on, I began going back again in time to see if I could find one of his interviews that did feature a woman, but he was right, this was hard to dig through. Instead, I stumbled on a point that made me also feel a bit on edge. This was at Milestone 26: Dislocated, near Kozluck, Turkey. This is the first spot along the walk where the group was met with a threat. When they approached the area, armed Kurdish villagers thought that they were marauders from Syria. They detain Mr. Salopek and his group and proceed to threaten to shoot the walking guide that was accompanying them. Mr. Salopek interviewed 50-year-old taxi driver Muyehatim Ayi. He was apprehensive to talk and says that in this area they have been living in fear. He adds that they cannot talk openly and are not comfortable being open.

It is sad to think about the small villages still overtaken with fear of violence and war. This is something that can be used to discuss Goal #16- Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. Many places do not have to live in fear or worry about this kind of violence, which makes it hard for them to necessarily jump to get involved in helping places that do encounter this.

The journey that Paul Salopek is on is not for the faint of heart. There is no guarantee of what type of environment they are making their way into. The result though is this expansive resource that gives an eye-opening account of things going on in the world. It would be such a benefit to have teachers utilize this for different lessons across various subjects. I will be sure to keep this in my back pocket for my future classroom.

If you have a chance, make sure to check out some of the stories from this journey. Please share which stories you found that had the biggest impact on you in the comments below! Also if you come across any of the interviews by women, let me know which milestone they are part of.

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Me, You, and “WE”

Many times we fall into the trap of worrying about things that only directly affect us or those immediately around us. It is hard sometimes to think outside of our surroundings. It can be even harder to take action to help others that we do not have a direct connection to.

This is something that WE is working to accomplish. The goal is to encourage others to change the world and to realize what an individual is capable of doing.

The first step is deciding to be a WE Teacher. Luckily for those worried about needing to invest in another training course, this is a free online platform. It includes access to teacher resources as well as modules that involve critical social issues. In addition to this, it is important to become an active member of the WE Teachers community through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Visiting these sites can be a great way to learn new information but does not contribute to creating a network of people helping others. A big part of being a global educator is making sure you are contributing back to the world and not just receiving information.

One of the teacher resources that will something I will use in my future classroom is the information in the WE Villages kit. This toolkit has lots of information about how to teach students sustainable development and understand their impact on the world. The way to present the information is broken down in the following way:

  • Grades 1-3
  • Grades 4-6
  • Grades 7-8
  • Grades 9-12

There is something important to be said about communication and the way that information is presented. The guide breaks down effective ways to teach students about sustainable development by age level. By doing this, you have a better chance of having the message develop meaning for your students. There is a combination of lecture material as well as different activities such as activities, games, and charts.

Another part of WE that I will make sure to attend (post Covid-19 of course) will be WE Day. One of the most important aspects of helping to create a world that encourages being a global collaborator is participating and meeting with others who share your same goals. These events provide an opportunity to do just that.

The final aspect of WE that I want to make sure I make sure to check in with the financial side of the initiative. Part of how they can continue training teachers is through the ME to WE Social Enterprises. All good things usually come with the need for some kind of funding involved. ME to WE contributes by collecting donations, creating jobs, and providing services to help the charity during events among other things. Without this group, the WE goals would be much more difficult to achieve.

I encourage everyone to take a look at WE and see which aspects they can incorporate into their classrooms. Taking an active step towards achieving the Global Goals is important for everyone to embrace. What will you do to help support the Global Goals?

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Google My Maps

As I get deeper into learning all the different tools teachers can use in the classroom, I am amazed at how many there are out there. This week I explored the features of Google My Maps. This fun and interactive tool can be found in Google Drive. Like a few other tools in Google, this one also seems to fly under the radar.

For my first swing at creating my own Google My Maps, I put together a map showing different trails you can hike in Acadia National Park.

Most of the maps within the park look very basic like this one and can be confusing for navigating each of the trails.

I visited this park for the second year in a row and I wish I knew about this tool before I went. This is mostly because once you get into the park, service for cell phones is almost non-existent. If I had put together a map ahead of time for how to get around the park, I could have used screenshots to better navigate around when we lost service. There are signs within the park directing you but it can get a little confusing.

Within the tool, I was able to add pins to different trails within Acadia National Park. I was able to change the color and picture on the pin to show users the level of difficulty between the hikes ranging in range for the harder ones and green for the easier kid-friendly ones. I was then able to add pictures of each trail as well as a description of what someone can expect from the trail. It was great being able to write what could be considered notes to help organize your thoughts about each location. I love that in our personal lives we can keep these maps to use again and again with details you would want to remember for the next time you venture to that location. You could also send it to family or friends who might want some recommendations for things to do. The ease of use and customization is great for this. Being able to also share the map and allow others to edit can help add even more exciting things to see and do.

For the classroom, when the world gets back to a more relative normal with field trips, I can see this tool being extremely valuable. A Google My Map can be created in conjunction with a trip itinerary. Doing this ahead of time allows the teacher to stay present with the students instead of spending time looking up directions on Google. This way, all of the navigation routes and places of interest can be pegged to the map to not waste time. It can also be helpful for timing reasons to maximize everything you can see and the relation in location to each other the places are.

Until the time when “normal” returns, this can a tool to use that has many interdisciplinary benefits. Students can create virtual field trips and present the maps to their classmates. Within the tool, students can combine research skills, writing, and geography. Using Google My Maps can be a very creative way to put together information that they have found. They will need all of those skills to make for the most interesting interactive experience.

Do you have any experience using Google My Maps? Let me know of any other suggestions you have for using this in your classroom in the comments section below!

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Virtual Field Trip: Guggenheim Museum Edition

The Covid-19 global pandemic has put quite a damper on our ability to feed our need for travel and curiosity. Many schools have decided to not include any field trips on their school calendars. As a result, teachers and administrators have come up with creative ways to still give students a similar experience.

Enter virtual field trips. While these adventures will not be the exact experience that students would be used to, they can provide a pretty great alternative. A big thank you goes out to the many museums making their websites more interactive. Students can now enter a world of endless intrigue.

For a break from the monotony of textbook schoolwork this week, I took a trip to the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The best part, I did this without ever leaving my couch.

Taking this virtual field trip was bittersweet. When I was in junior high school I was supposed to go on a field trip to the Guggenheim. On the morning of the trip, I got up very early and was soon on my way to school. As I sat there on the bus eager with anticipation, I started to not feel so well. Before I knew it, I was calling my parents and on my way back home. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

If only there were virtual field trips back then, I could have gotten to experience some of what I was missing out on while I laid home in bed. This is part of the ways schools are adapting to the new restrictions by trying to stay home and avoiding crowds. Museums offering these types of online collections allow for a great way to diversify learning and include those who may not be able to attend.

One of the best features of the virtual field trip was being able to navigate through the online collection based on whatever it is that you are looking for. There are options to search through the 1,700 works via different search features including by artist, medium, dates, movement, special collection, and venue.

The Guggenheim Museum itself is part architectural wonder/ part home to thousands of works of art. Even though the online collection gives just a small taste of what is available to see in person, it has a little bit of everything. I was able to see Vincent van Gogh’s Mountains at Saint. Remy, Claude Monet’s The Palazzo Ducale, Seen from San Giorgio Maggiore, and Edgar Degas’ Dancer Moving Forward.

Monet, Claude. The Palazzo Ducale, Seen from San Giorgio Maggiore. (1908) oil on canvas. Soloman R. Guggenheim Museum. New York.

The building itself is a work of art, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The following image is from the interior of the building. I loved being able to explore some of the history behind how the building came to be, as well as some information about the architect himself.

In addition to the visual aspects of the virtual field-trip, several teaching materials are available to access right from the Guggenheim Museum website. Another option is for teachers to schedule a one hour Virtual Tour where students will be asked open-ended questions by museum staff. To make the experience a little bit more like walking into the museum, a welcome guide is also available to download.

For parents looking for something for their kids to do at home to encourage their creative thinking, the Guggenheim offers family and kids programs for a fee.

One special feature of exploring this museum from home is the ability to access their blog. There is so much great content available to read ranging from posts about artists to different things about the museum itself.

Have you ever taken a virtual field trip? If you have please leave some suggestions for new places to discover in the comments section. I cannot wait to see where my virtual sailboat takes me next!

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Bonjour Subtitles

This week’s post takes a small detour away from the traditional tools we have been discussing recently regarding education. As an immersive approach to learning about various cultures, I was tasked with watching a TV show in a language and culture I was unfamiliar with. The silver lining- it could have English subtitles.

The purpose of this specific assignment makes a lot of sense. What better way to understand another culture than by actually watching people in it? It would not nearly be the same as if you were reading about the culture in a book or listening to someone talk about it. To understand the dynamic, you need to see how the people from that culture actually live. Watching shows or movies in another language has also proven very effective for helping people learn another language.

After some digging and scouring through reviews, I decided to watch “Dix Pour Cent” In the United States it is on Netflix and is alternatively named “Call My Agent!”

It is a French television show based in Paris. The characters work in a talent agency and much of the show takes place discussing the ins and outs of their work.

If you asked me a week ago to watch something with subtitles, I might have looked the other way. Now, I think I love it and want to learn more. The bad part, making room in my schedule for binge-watching a new show. I have so far watched the first two episodes and I am hooked.

The focus on the characters’ work lives makes sense because that is where they spend so much of their time. Much like professional jobs in the U.S., this is a familiar concept. Having such goal-driven and hardworking employees is what most companies strive to employ.

Getting to and from work is done in many forms. Some characters have scooters, while others may ride bikes. There are also plenty of cars lining the streets. I see many people in my town riding bikes, but do not see many scooters on the streets. This is something new for me to witness. I also do not live in a city so it is interesting to see the dynamic of having cafes and shops lining the streets. We tend to have strip malls and stand-alone restaurants and stores.

At the office, the employees are all dressed very professionally, wearing suits and dresses. This is a similar comparison to professional attire in American culture. Some of the assistants are not as put together, likely from being too busy running around making sure they are getting done what is asked of them by the agents.

This is another nod to how much the people in the office value their work and getting the job done. Many of them have done whatever it took to either keep a client or to negotiate a deal. This involves many lunch meetings which looked a little different than what I am used to. Many times in the United States, lunch happens in a rushed manner with takeout. From the depiction in the show, it seems as if lunches can be much longer, taking place in restaurants and cafes.

There are French staples like macaroons and bread on the tables.

In the scenes where the agents took clients to lunch, there was always wine present. This is not typical of daytime meetings in the United States. It would likely be frowned upon to drink while at lunch for work, and then to return to the office. In French culture, drinking wine during the day is much more accepted.

Coffee is another very common food/ beverage item depicted in this show. This is also very common in the United States. I am a very big coffee drinker, so in that case, I think I could fit right in. The only difference is that the cups of coffee are much smaller. In the U.S. we are very focused on things being large, and cups of coffee are included in that mindset. In this Paris setting, the cups are quite small.

For the most part during the series so far, the weather in Paris is quite dreary. It always seems to be cloudy and cold. They have not specified what time of year it is yet, but from what I have heard about France, this is typical in the Fall. It must not be too cold just yet because Cecile (a character who is an actress in the show) is seen tending to her beautiful garden. Her house must be located a bit outside of the downtown area of the city because she has a vast backyard area. Of the other characters, one rents an apartment while another owns a studio apartment. This is a good depiction of the range of socioeconomic status even among agents within the same office. It is important to note that the currency used in France is the euro, which is worth less than the U.S. dollar.

In the first episode, it was important for Cecile to get a part in an American movie. When her first agent does not come through, the other agent uses a shady approach through politics to get her the part in the film. It had to do with filming permits for the team in the U.S. to film in France. I would hope that this is not standard in politics, but like things that happen in the U.S., this may be the case.

A major difference I noticed in this television show compared to ones in the United States, is the manner and tone in which the coworkers talk to one another. In many of the scenes, a disagreement begins with stern talking and then progresses to yelling. This is not typical of the professional workplace norms that I have witnessed. A disagreement would typically take place in a calm respectful manner. This behavior is regarded as normal by the other agents and no one seems to intervene. I would love to learn more to see if this behavior is standard in this line of work and if it is different in other professions. The entertainment industry is very cutthroat in the United States and from the show, it seems very similar in France.

This new approach to watching a television show has opened my eyes to French Culture. I would implore others to branch out and watch a show that is not in their native language. Not only can this be a great cultural learning experience, but you may also be able to learn a word or two in another language.

If you have some spare time try to swim your way through the vast number of shows you can watch to help broaden your cultural horizons.

Please share any recommendations you have for other exciting foreign-language shows or films in the comments section below!

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Sustainable Development Goals and CSR

One of the biggest life lessons people can be taught is that each person makes up one small part of the world. Individually we can do small things to make big changes, but together we can do great things.

This is the mindset behind Sustainable Development Goals (also known as the Global Goals). By everyone doing their part, we can begin to make progress towards sustaining the world for generations to come. Someone who is educated on the impact we have on the world on an individual level, can go on to help companies with Corporate Social Responsibility (also known as CSR) on a much larger capacity.

On either scale this involves three guiding facets:

  1. Social
  2. Economic
  3. Environmental

These cannot be sustained individually and are thus interdependent.

Everyone needs to learn about these goals even at a young age. The sooner we start adapting to changing how we live, the better chance we have at achieving these goals by 2030. This is the date that was agreed upon when the new Global Goals were outlined in 2015. It is a large undertaking, but we can make it happen.

Teachers around the globe are taking on the task of sharing the message of these goals with their students. The World’s Largest Lesson was created with this goal in mind. This is a place that has endless resources to help teach why we need to all do our part. The lessons include animated films developed by Ken Robinson that are captivating for children. The films include celebrities that the children will recognize and this helps to keep their attention.

Some of the other great resources include books, games, sticker packs, and comics developed to align with the Global Goals. They are definitely worth checking out whether you use them in a classroom setting or even with your own children at home. I know my son was extremely interested to learn more after watching the animated films by Ken Robinson, so we went looking for more!

  1. “Frieda and the Sustainable Development Goals” – (click the link to read the story)
  2. “Go Goals” – (printable format available at this link)
  3. SDG Pandas – (downloadable stickers for use in WhatsApp)
  4. Freerice – (play the game to have each correct answer equal a real life financial contribution to World Food Programme)

These are just a few of the fun things I have found that can be great tools to use. Anyone can use these and they don’t cost a thing. The purpose is to help spread the mission of the Global Goals.

Keep in mind that while there are guiding principles, the manner, place, and time for teaching the lessons can be whatever works for the group. This can involve assemblies at schools or simply putting up Global Goals posters around the school. Children can also take what they learn back to their homes and discuss ideas of what they can do to help as a family. The more people we get talking about this, the more we can accomplish.

Although the goals are not ranked in any particular order, some of the goals may be more relevant to different parts of the world. When we can communicate this, we can better allocate resources where needed. These problems can range from extreme poverty and access to education, to gender equality.

A good portion of the activities for the Global Goals can be done on smaller individual levels, but we should take into account that on a larger scale, some companies have been adopting their own global goals for some time. In that realm of the world, this is referred to as Corporate Social Responsibility.

When I was earning my first degree in Communication from Virginia Tech, this concept was something that hit me pretty strong. It is the mindset that businesses should be looking at more than their bottom line and instead spend time making choices that have a positive impact on the world. In the Public Relations world, this meant trying to fit campaigns to your brand. If it did not seem like the effort was a genuine undertaking, the actions might be lost on consumers. It has to be sincere and not just a publicity stunt done for good press. It should be seamless.

A few example of companies who continue doing their part include:

Starbucks Coffee – (click to link to read about Starbucks Social Impact)

Lego – (click the link to read all about their Sustainability initiative)

Ben & Jerry’s – (link provides a long history of some of the campaigns that have been done over the years)

This is important to note when discussing sustainable development because the students who are learning about the Global Goals now will eventually be entering the workforce. If they understand what it takes to become more globally aware citizens, they can bring these ideas with them into their new careers. They will have had experience being creative in finding ways to contribute. Globally aware children will have designed pledges or actions that can help make sure we are taking society, the economy, and the environment into account equally.

An interesting activity to go alongside the traditional lessons for the Global Goals could be to have students find and analyze what activities corporations and businesses are doing to help achieve these goals. It could also be a stepping stone to getting involved. They might have programs already in place that students can participate in.

This is just another example of how we might seem like little fish in a big ocean, but we can still help foster positive change.

What can you do to help us reach the Global Goals by 2030?

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Collaborating with Content Creators

In a blog post from Marjolein Hoekstra, organizer of #MSFTEduChat, the best ways for making sure your content is reaching people effectively is discussed.  This is the beauty of educators working with one another to make the most out of their content. Someone might have the information gathered, but does not know how to put together a cohesive group of links.  

This is the beauty of collaboration in the field of education.  People want to see others succeed and to share what has worked for them.  It is such a heart-warming thing to see, especially during this stressful time with the Covid-19 pandemic. Can you imagine what education would look like if we treated these lesson plans and resources like they were proprietary information? The saying “Sharing is Caring” applies perfectly. In this case, it is helping to maximize the way students absorb the content.

For someone, simply posting information without clearly demonstrating what another person will gain from reading the content is extremely important.  Doing this with purpose will allow for a greater level of collaboration between the content creator and the reader. The person putting together knows why they are posting the information.  The person receiving the information can infer but is not in the mind of the creator.  

The collaboration tool focused on in this blog post is Wakelet, but the same guidelines apply to other platforms like Twitter or WordPress.  This specific platform can be used to post videos that support a lesson being taught in school.  Just like a lesson that is to be completed in a traditional classroom, students work best when they know what to expect from the lesson.  If the creator posts a clear title and a brief explanation of the purpose of the Wakelet, the students will have a better understanding of what is to be expected.  

The same approach should be taken when creating Wakelet collections that are designed to share resources with other educators, colleagues, and parents.  Organizing the posts in a meaningful way will allow the content to be the most effective.  Ms. Hoekstra provides two different checklists for helping to guide others for the best approach.

Some of the key points addressed include:

  1. Make sure you have a clear title and description (using written words or a Flipgrid video).
  2. Include your name and contact information.
  3. Make note of the date you created your Wakelet.
  4. Group items visually with captions.
  5. Insert a text annotation, so that the information can be used with programs like Immersive Reader.  
  6. Accept feedback, so you can improve the content/ collection to reach its maximum potential.

Following these guidelines is something I will make sure to remember when I am creating content whether through Wakelet or another resource.  At the end of the day, seeing children learn is a shared goal among all educators.  It’s a bit like schools of fish following each other to get through the murky waters. We can do the same for one another as teachers.