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Virtual Field Trips with Google Cardboard
Google Cardboard is an affordable virtual reality viewer. The sets are typically made out of cardboard or plastic, keeping them cost-effective and easier to use in classrooms. By sliding a smartphone that has the Google Cardboard app installed into the headset viewer, users can experience a 3D virtual reality at a low cost.
Using Google’s Arts and Culture Expeditions, students can use their Google Cardboard headsets to take virtual field trips to a variety of places. The tool allows you to choose from five different subjects; Science and Technology, Arts, Geography, Natural History, and History. For this post, I’ll be discussing a virtual field trip that is useful for history classes.
There are multiple topics under the history tab from ancient history to Black history. By clicking on the Egypt option, viewers can take a 360-degree tour of the Pyramids at Giza. Each slide gives a brief description of the history.
After touring the pyramids the expedition moves on to teaching about The Great Sphinx. These slides give a history of The Sphinx and some fun facts as well as a 360-degree view of the historic site. Following these slides, a brief overview of the Mastabas, the structures used as tombs for nobles located near The Great Sphinx, is given as well as a tour of them.
Many other important historical locations throughout Egypt are shown in this expedition including the boat pits located at the bottom of the Khufu’s Pyramid, the Causeway, and Cairo.
On the main page for the Egypt expedition, there are even more stories to be found including Myths and Heroes and The Curse of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Below the stories collection is 8,910 items that students can view to explore Egypt even more in-depth.
These expeditions with Google Cardboard are a great way to give students a new view of history. The tool allows them to step into the location or the time period through virtual reality, giving them a better understanding of the subject. Using Google Cardboard to teach students about the culture and rich history of regions all around the world can be made easy with the use of virtual reality.
Thank you for reading!
Samantha Pollina
Out of Eden Walk
In 2013 Paul Salopek began his journey, traveling in the paths of ancient migration patterns, titling it, The Out of Eden Walk. He documented his travels through writing, video, audio, and pictures. Every 100 miles he marks his recordings. In this post, I will discuss three of the locations Salopek documented.
Salopek began his journey in Africa, in the Ethiopian Rift. He provides a panorama view of his first milestone, showing a group of people, a vehicle, and the desert. Idoli Mohamed, an Afar pastoralist is the first encounter he writes about on his journey. He asks him three questions; who are you, where do you come from, and where are you going? Idoli answers he is a pastoralist however, he doesn’t want the same life for his children. He would prefer for his children to attend school. Idoli explains people say the Afar people are from Tadjoura, Djibouti. He says that if they can be educated they could go anywhere.
At every milestone, Salopek takes a picture of the earth and the sky. In his first milestone, he shows the pile of goat dung he stands on at mile 0 of his journey and the sky, showing how bright the sun is, describing it as a “blast furnace.” Even in the picture of the sky, it’s easy to see that there are very few clouds and there are no trees for shade. This shows how brutal the conditions are in the area.
On day 654 of his journey, Paul Salopek is near Mt. Subhan, Turkey. At this point, he has traveled 2600 miles. He wrote Mt. Subhan is an extinct volcano, “it’s cone arrowed 13,000 feet into space and was very stormy. You rarely saw the summit.” The panorama shows green grass-covered hills, their cargo horse, and his traveling partner. While there are some clouds that can be seen in his panorama, none are seen in his earth and sky picture, again showing how brutal the sun is.
Salopek encounters two young boys, Yusef (14) and Eyep (15). He asks the boys the same three questions; who are you, where are you from, where are you going? Eyep answers for both of them, they are cousins from Turkey, he wants to be a teacher and Yusef wants to become a geological engineer.
Milestone 74: Every Story Contains Silences
Milestone 74, 3184 days and 7550 miles into the journey, is Salopek’s most recent milestone, posted on October 26, 2021. In the introduction, Salopek explains that he had to put the trek on hold for 20 months due to the Covid-19 Pandemic due to closed borders. He explains that crossing the border into China became completely impossible when Myanmar’s army took power in a coup. In order to continue his journey, he needed to take a plane into China. This means he skipped 251 miles, and two milestones.
At this milestone, he meets flower farmer Jiang Ji Bing. Again, he asks the three questions. Jiang Ji Bing answers that he plants flowers that are used for medicinal purposes, he is from Tengchong, and once the flowers are picked he is going back home.
Jiang Ji Bing’s flower farm is pictured in this milestones panorama, as well as mountains and buildings. In the earth and sky pictures, Salopek is standing on a partly paved path, much different than the previous two milestones discussed in this post. This shows how different each area he visits is. Some are completely barren, some are in the middle of nowhere, and some are in the middle of cities or farms.
The Out of Eden Walk is a great resource for students. This could be used in a history classroom to discuss ancient migration patterns. The documented journey is also great for showing students the diversity of the world through people, cultures, and environments. Paul Salopek showcases his journey in a way that focuses on archaeology, culture, environments, and more. This is an important resource to educate students on the social and ecological aspects and difficulties of different people around the world.
The site also features an “In the Classroom” tab which provides resources for students and teachers about the Out of Eden Walk. It offers resources from National Geographic, the Out of Eden Walk homepage, and the Pulitzer Center. These sites provide outlines, lesson plans, and educator notes.
Below is an introduction video posted on Vimeo for the Out of Eden Walk.
Thank you for reading!
Samantha Pollina
Subtitles
“Extr@” (German) with English subtitles!
I watched a German show called “Extr@”! I viewed the first episode which you can find here!
The episode consisted of four characters which were Sascha, Anna, Nic, and Sam. Sascha and Anna are roommates and Nic is their neighbor. Sam is Sascha’s American pen pal from seven years ago. He comes to visit her in Germany after he writes her a letter. What I noticed about the characters is that they fantasize over American men and women. Sascha and Anna give American men the stereotype that they all look like Brad Pitt! The characters hang out in Sascha and Anna’s apartment in the city, which is similar to what young Americans do with their friends too.
What I found similar to my culture in the show is that the girls dressed the same as girls my age do in America and they also have fun and crack jokes with one another. To me, the only thing I found different in the show was the food they ate and their language. They ate curryworst in the show which was assumed to be a popular food in Germany. They traveled by walking, biking, or taking a bus in the city. The weather in the show was sunny and they go to the Love Day Parade for fun! I can tell that the characters valued friendship the most through the whole episode.
Overall, I found the German culture to be quite similar to American culture in the show. However, there was no mention of politics or economic issues which is almost always brought up in American shows. The physical surroundings in the show reminded me a lot of New York City because of the buildings and I did not see anyone travelling by car.
I hope that this post will encourage you to view more foreign shows with English subtitles! Thanks for viewing! 🙂
Microsoft Translator breaks language barriers and accessibility problems
![[Image description: A collaborative learning setting.] Photo courtesy of Unsplash.](https://blogs.stockton.edu/webtools/files/2021/10/photo-1592303637753-ce1e6b8a0ffb.jpeg "Learning setting.")
As someone who is on their way to becoming fluent in a second language for the first time in their life, learning about the benefits of Microsoft Translator in this week’s chapter immediately stood out to me. And that is just for one person; the benefits of Translator reach schools, workplaces, and individual relationships alike (both abroad and on our screens).
For a school like Chinook Middle School in Clyde Hill, Washington, where students speak 32 different languages, Translator is a necessary tool. Principal Russel White, who liked to meet with parents four times a year, always had to use interpreters at language-designated tables. But that all changed when the tables grew in numbers and not every language was represented because of a lack of resources. Luckily, when he teamed up with the school’s IT department and started to use Microsoft Translator, he no longer had to rely on interpreters and constantly worry about not having all the resources to provide the right subtitles to every foreign tongue there.
The app’s website explains how it “provides free resources, tools, and how-to guides for live captioning and translation in the classroom.”
This takes global collaboration to a whole new level. Once the language barrier is broken, the possibilities for global communication, collaboration, and education are endless.
Translator bridges the language barrier with advanced technology that helps students see a transcript in their language on the screen at the front of the classroom, or on their devices. The app also allows what the lecturer is saying to be translated so they can listen to it audibly.
This is useful for foreign exchange students, or for teachers conducting virtual lessons to students on the other side of the globe, or simply for teachers and parents who speak another language to communicate effectively.
And the benefits don’t end there. The app is also useful for learners who need special accessibility tools, such as students who are hard of hearing or deaf. With the combination of translation and accessibility tools, Translator increases inclusivity and accessibility in the classroom. This is extremely important, as hearing difficulties are common throughout the world, and make accessibility tools in any learning environment crucial to the success of the student.
Education, and the way tools and empathy for the hearing-impaired come into play, is a major part of the mission of the National Association of the Deaf. This just shows how important a high-tech app like Translator is, in the way that it can help people with learning disabilities as well as foreign students coming to exchange cultures.
It’s one of the greatest bridges to cultural awareness, and one of the most fascinating tools I have come across this semester when learning about the different tools teachers with “teacherpreneurship” traits can utilize.
Sail the 7 C’s: Chapter 2
Microsoft Translator!
In chapter 2 of Sail the 7 C’s, I learned about a learning tool called Microsoft Translator. Microsoft Translator makes it possible for teachers to communicate with students whom do not speak the same language. This tool makes it easier for schools to have interpretation services.
Microsoft Translator can be used strictly in English as a captioning or transcription tool. It can add captions to meetings or create a transcript for a classroom conversation. Many students can benefit from having access to subtitles, captioning, or live transcription, especially if their first language is not English in an English classroom. I will definitely want to use Microsoft Translator in my future classroom if I have students whom do not speak English like me. Check out this Microsoft Translator tutorial below!
I hope you enjoyed my blog post, thanks for viewing!
Sustainable Development Goals
By Tiffany Imparato
For my blog post this week I have researched a sustainable development goal that is highlighted on the United Nations website that I have a personal connect with. In 2015 all the United Nation Member States adopted The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and highlighted 17 extremely important goals to focus upon. Being a parent and future educator I decided to select goal #4 Quality Education.
This goal is to work towards “inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Sadly during the Covid 19 global pandemic according to the UN, 20 years worth of educational gains have been lost during this difficult time. Reading levels have reached historic lows as an impact and children are being negatively impacted without having access to quality education.
Some of the vital targets of this quest are access to early education programs and care to ensure proper development and support. I was lucky enough in my area to have access to such care for my children and understand the benefits however this is not the case in many areas. Target 4.3 calls for equal access regardless of sex to quality and affordable education such as technical schools and universities. Education must follow through to ensure an equal chance in adulthood regardless of sex or economical status. Todays students are tomorrows future and we must invest in that future! Goal 4.6 calls for increasing literacy which is so vital globally and a key instrument in success. Target 4.c calls for increasing the availability of quality teachers on a global level and to ensure all students are receiving the best chance in the classroom. The United States have pretty strict guidelines for teachers however often students in underprivileged nations are not having access to the best available candidates and this must be addressed.
The call for this goal will go much further than the 2030 plan and needs to remain a highlighted focus across nations. Education is vital to the success of society and ensuring that members are given the best chance of survival.
Global Learning Library
The Global Learning Library (GLL) is library of recordings by teachers and professors from around the world. This tool is not exclusive to just educators, learned people from any field can make a presentation here.
Likewise anyone can watch the presentations that are in this tool, from businesses to non-profits to parents wanting to learn with and teach their children. And with a subscription to their service you are able to have video conferences with the speakers.
By looking at the GLL Speaker Library you can see how the presenters cover a wide range of subjects. There is Coastal Management, Entrepreneurship, Culture, History, Water Systems and so much more. Their videos also range in various age groups, from Kindergarten to College.
Here is a link to an about page of the Global Learning Library with a video trailer.
The Global Educator’s Toolbox
The Global Educator’s Toolbox is a great source to get information and resources that will come in handy for learning in classrooms. This tool is filled with many helpful sources that pertain to any grade that you have a focus in. The tool that stood out to me the most was the International Children’s Digital Library – A Library for the World’s Children.
International Children’s Digital Library’s mission is to help lessen those language barriers that cause issues and making it harder and harder for educational initiatives to bring success. Having access to books can be struggle if certain areas don’t have that ability to get them. So ICDL’s goal is to give support to children in hopes to get them to become effective members in the global community.
Having a source like ICDL is important to have around because believe or not there is sometimes a limited amount of books that students have access to. I find it very helpful to have a well-reliable source as a library so children won’t have to run into the problem of not getting the information that they need. I will be using this source in my classroom to further support them in their books and literature.
Thanks for reading!
Follow me on twitter @aaliyahmcruz 🙂
AFS USA is educating the world
Global collaboration in the classroom is one of the most useful tools teachers can utilize. Through AFS’ USA program, high schools can host exchange students and send their own students abroad, creating a cultural exchange of learning. Studying abroad early (in high school) makes you a well-rounded individual. In AFS’ mission statement, they make it clear that they are all about immersing students in other cultures, exposing them to different ideas, educational methods, and other ways of life. Immersion allows students to bridge cultural gaps, and when that happens, there is more understanding and acceptance.
AFS also provides educators with COVID-19 resources, to ensure that global education continues during unforeseen events.
If you are a teacher and use AFS to sponsor an exchange student from a foreign country, the program offers a variety of tools and resources to provide students with the best possible educational experience to bridge cultural gaps. For example, I would have students listen to their podcast called the AFS Exchange so they can interact with AF and learn the value of studying abroad before they make a decision. The podcast provides full-length episodes on life abroad, with each episode dedicated to being a student in different countries to provide students with a variety of options when choosing their exchange program. Not only are there episodes with titles like “Advice From Us to You” and “Egypt, Iceland, and How It All Began”, but there are episodes with members of the AFS program who are both exchange students and educators who host foreign students from countries around the world. They share their insights, advice, and global education tools so others can broaden their horizons.
The blog is another beneficial resource, which features a variety of guides for each country, as well as resources related to important current events like the guide for “AFS-USA Anti-Racism Resources Guide” and the guide for “Global Sustainability/Sostenibilidad Global in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin” that allows science and Spanish teachers to collaborate. Science and learning the Spanish language? Who would have thought those two subjects can complement each other? That’s one of the best parts about AFS; they help bridge not just cultural gaps but allow different subjects to complement each other in ways educators and students alike couldn’t have imagine before.
Their Global Educator Newsletter is another resource that provides students and teachers with all the information they need to know about AFS’ study abroad programs, including their virtual study abroad programs which allow you to “explore the world from home”. This was especially handy during COVID-19 when lockdowns prevented many from achieving their study-abroad goals; it kept the world connected through their computers.
With their mission statement that values immersion, promoting diversity is a major aspect of the program. It is what drives their dedication to educate the world through a shared program that links values from different backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. When teachers are able to share these resources with their students, even in a virtual setting from the classroom itself, we are on the path to a better world with more empathy and acceptance of our differences.
Are Traditional Examinations Fit for purpose?
With finding research topics that revolved around global education I had came across an article created an Educational Specialist, Aisha Khan that focuses on if the purpose of an exam/assessment is necessary in the education system.
What is the reason behind taking assessments?
The purpose of taking assessments is to track one’s ability to perform. Being able to track down what skills that students may excel in or need improvements, as well as according to their progress in grasping the task that is being taught to them.
What are some arguments pertaining to exam taking?
The common issue when it comes down to taking an form of test-taking is that it shouldn’t be used to determine one’s ability to perform because there are other ways to show progress. Another reason would be that children and adults sometimes struggle under pressure in working environments causes a challenge for them. Every student isn’t the same, everyone develops in a different way when it comes down to learning things as well as moving at their own pace. It is a constant issue on deciding if it was best to take away testing or limit the amount of test-taking or keeping it the traditional way and use test-taking to keep track of things.
Khan’s Opinion
Aisha Khan implies that perhaps having assessments through real-life experiences, physical exams, and projects can help aid to students and creating opportunities for them to gain from. Meaning less of struggling in trying to process this being taught. Providing opportunities for students to be able to be free and learn in ways that may work for them as well as focusing on giving support to students that individuals could possibly need in classrooms.
I thought this very important to touch on and speak about test-taking as it is often talked about from both positivie and negative sides of things
Thank you for reading!
follow me on twitter @aaliyahmcruz ! 🙂
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