International Children’s Digital Library
The International Digitial Library is a resource that allows children worldwide to access library books. On the website, you can look for books by the language you prefer, color, list, format, genre, characters, and true vs make-believe stories. Having various research tools helps you find the perfect book for you. The resource is over twenty years old and has touched the lives of fifteen million people who have spent over a million minutes reading. Unfortunately, the founders who helped the program stay alive without funds have moved on, leaving the website and the books to be used by certain people.
https://www.martinpublicseating.com/blog/the-importance-of-a-school-library-for-students
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The Uncensored Library: A Global Collaboration for Knowledge
Many people agree that knowledge is power, so what can be done when knowledge is easily accessed. With new-age technology, many people have access to the world at their fingertips. Unfortunately, this means that censorship is also a prevalent issue. When oppressive governments restrict the press and social media, where can people go?
Reporters Without Borders: An Organization for Change
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is an organization dedicated to fighting censorship and the limiting of knowledge. These advocates and reporters create petitions and push for global change. Their biggest project is The Uncensored Library, a minecraft server. While social media and news outlets are the first to be restricted by oppressive governments, a children’s sandbox video game is not even high up on the list, so RSF have taken advantage of that. They use a Minecraft feature, books and quills, to transfer restricted works into Minecraft, so that anyone can access them.
Collaboration for the Better
The Uncensored Library is a beautiful example of global collaboration. People from all over the world come together and work together to distribute information to populations that can not access it. While petitions and governments can be pressured to lift censorship laws, it does not happen overnight. The Uncensored Library ensures people can still stay informed while change is being pushed for.
Sources:
RSF (2020) The Uncensored Library
The Collaborative and Educational Goals of the Qatar Foundation.
When it comes to the ethics of educational collaboration, and the ambition required to have a meaningful impact on students, one should look no further than the Qatar Foundation. In the Middle East, education can be a rather subversive service, with many countries limiting access to quality education for political and cultural reasons. But in Qatar, bustling industries and investments are being made to increase access to education. Education City, as it’s known in the region, is a large and expansive landscape filled with campus buildings, research centers, student housing and multi -disciplined facilities. This is all made possible by the Qatar’s growing partnerships with leading international universities. In the spirit of education collaboration, renowned universities such as Georgetown, Northwestern, and Texas A&M have all set up satellite campuses in Education City.
Pictures of Education City and its sprawling landscape of state-of-the-art academic facilities.
The Qatar Foundation is a strong example of what can be accomplished for students when institutions embrace the spirit of international collaboration in the name of advancing quality education. Hamad Bin Khalifa University, established by the Qatar Foundation, is at the foundation of this collaboration, as the communication, innovation and relationships of its international partners has enabled groundbreaking research programs. Funding and oversight of these pursuits come from a broad range of supporters, who notice the ambition and drive of the Qatar Foundation, and champion their goals of comprehensive education. Interdisciplinary programs such as the Academic Bridge Program, an initiative that brings students from schools around the world to collectively work on projects in their given discipline, is another example of their robust collaborative spirit.
What the Qatar Foundation understands, and why they are so successful, is that collaboration is an imperative element of growth. In order to achieve goals and overcome obstacles, bodies of higher education must rely on each other for improvement, adaptability, course corrections and community engagement. The international aspect of their collaboration also speaks to the amicable nature of foreign relations, as it relates to the matters of education. From hosting conferences, funding expos, and research projects, to their general message of promoting lifelong learning for all students, this foundation truly embodies a collaborative and forward-thinking institution of higher education. The Qatar Foundation is establishing a dynamic and innovative educational ecosystem by fostering a community of collaboration. This ecosystem, which surely serves as an example to the rest of the education community, will guide students to confront the complex challenges that will be faced in the 21st century.
Amazing Benefits for Global Collaboration
Article by Level Up Village. Blog Written by Nick Bianchi
There are many amazing benefits to Global Collaboration that can be thought of in the classroom, but there are a few that stand out in particular. They are Inquiry-based learning, appreciation of diversity, students becoming dealers, and empathy.
Inquiry-based learning:
“Children are naturally curious about the world around them. They have vivid imaginations, and they use their curiosity to explore and learn about themselves and that world. Inquiry-based learning triggers this curiosity as it leads children to ask questions about things that interest them.”
Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/
Appreciation of diversity:
“When virtual exchanges begin, students naturally notice and acknowledge the differences between them and their global partners, and throughout the exchanges, they develop their appreciation of diversity. Interestingly, though, they are even more excited when they find similarities with their global partners.”
Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/
Students becoming teachers:
“Virtual exchanges, especially those based on language, allow students to become teachers and show their expertise to other kids. In LUV Languages & Cultures courses, students exchange videos, alternating between their first and target languages. This is a great opportunity for them to teach their peers new words, phrases, or interesting idioms.”
Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/
Empathy:
“When a class of 4th graders at Newfane Elementary School in New York State participated in a project with students in Kenya, they got to learn firsthand about their peers’ lives and the challenges they faced. The experience sparked their curiosity but also encouraged them to get engaged in helping their Kenyan peers. When they found out that a local organization was raising funds to build the first library in that area, they wanted to help. They organized a fundraising event to contribute to the effort.”
Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/
As you can see, all of these different benefits of global collaboration are extremely helpful to the young minds around the world. They each contribute in students discovering new things about themselves, the things around them, and even the people around them.
Sources:
Jaros-White, G. (2023, July 10). Four amazing benefits of global collaboration. Level up Village. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/
https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/
Teachers Connecting Through Instagram
Scrolling through social media you can see how many people post things and share their daily lives. Teachers share their organization skills, learning objectives, and even fun activities they do in their classroom that they believe work well for the age group they teach. When opening my instagram this morning on my PLN account the first post I saw was a second grade teacher whom I follow and she posted an activity she does in her classroom called “YES DAY!” Students that earn a “YES DAY”, can choose throughout the day things they want to do and it is all a yes because they worked for it. The teacher sends home a letter with all students saying their child’s class has earned a “YES DAY” therefore they are able to wear pjs to school; bring a pillow, blanket & slippers; bring one stuffed animal, any size; bring one toy; bring one board or card game; bring art supplies; and lastly bring one movie & snack for themselves. Why did they earn this day? For her class, it was because they finished 7 days of state testing and the teacher felt they earned a day to themselves with no learning. Being a big accomplishment a day full of yes was much needed.
What Else is on Instagram for Teachers?
Teachers can also post short videos on instagram called “Reels” they are on average 1 minute clips of whatever they want to share. Some people share what their day looks like, others may share what they like to do with their students and some just share an organizing video with nothing else. I personally love this feature because instead of reading about the teachers day, you can watch it as well.
Overall, I think Instagram is a great social media tool for collaborating with teachers and catching all of the new ideas from young teacher or even older ones with more then one idea. I know I will be constantly scrolling through Instagram to get my ideas as a teacher.
Collaboration & Ending Global Poverty
Article by the Borgen Project. Blog Written by Michael Reynolds
Global Poverty is something that has never found a major solution to solve. Countless attempts to significantly lessen or end global poverty have not worked out in the best favors, and new direction is needed immediately.
The Borgen Project addresses these facts and points into the direction of a core solution to this issue: Collaborative Efforts.
“Addressing this complex issue requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond traditional methods.”
“One promising approach is the power of collaborative efforts. By bringing together governments, NGOs, businesses and individuals, there is a good chance of working out a comprehensive fabric of solutions to resolve global poverty.”
Yuki. (2023, September 29). How Collaborative Efforts Can Address Global Poverty. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/stitching-together-a-solution-how-collaborative-efforts-can-address-global-poverty/
Collaborative efforts can not only help lessen poverty faster than any other method, but the sheer diversity and involvement from countless people around the globe, working for one cause, can be the truest factor in making this a success. When people from all experiences, all regions of the world, collaborate to fix one issue, there isn’t a doubt that it will be successful.
Not only that, but multiple case studies, examined by the Borgen Project, have been made to prove that this effort will be successful, and all that is missing is the will to collaborate, and save countless people in this world today.
The challenge of global poverty is one of the biggest on this Earth, but with collaboration from many around our globe, it’s an issue no match for our collaborative efforts.
Source:
Yuki. (2023, September 29). How Collaborative Efforts Can Address Global Poverty. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/stitching-together-a-solution-how-collaborative-efforts-can-address-global-poverty/
Collaborations In Education
Collaboration + Technology = Togetherness
Lets get together to learn and educate.
Using AR and AI to facilitate virtual field trips
With the growing access to augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI), students can now go on interactive field trips with an ease never experienced before. Highly sought-out destinations can now be accessed in the comforts of our schools and homes. This technology allows for more global understanding and collaboration. Its uses include:
Arizona State University’s Virtual Field Trips
ASU’s Virtual Field Trip Program allows students to be shown a variety of locations and share their history.
- Field trips can happen more often in schools, cutting down on costs and the preparation needed.
- Students can explore at their own pace and interests without the risk of getting lost.
- Students can gain a deeper understanding of geological features and the cultures surrounding them.
- Students with a tendency towards poor health can participate with their peers without exclusion.
Geological and Cultural Awareness
Using AI and AR allows students to compare and contrast unfamiliar surroundings with those they are used to.
- Students can figure out whether specific locations experience similar weather and weather occurrences as them.
- Students can determine whether the typical flora and fauna matches environment where they live.
- Students can compare popular food locations and whether they are similar or different.
- Students can examine any potential differences between popular transportation types.
Travelling Through Time
Augmented reality and artificial intelligence allows students to travel to the past, as well as the present. Users can travel to historical sites to get a glimpse into what life on Earth used to be.
- Students can travel to fossil sites to examine old organisms that used to roam the Earth.
- Teachers can put into perspective the connection between students and old relics in a more-grounded way.
- Students can solve their own questions through hands-on experiences.
Because technology is ever improving and becoming accessible, I’m sure AI and AR can be implemented into classrooms in so many more ways.
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Collaboration
Collaborating in the classroom is essential for teachers. Every child in the classroom learns information differently, so collaborating with your peers can lead to suggestions to reach all of the different types of learners in your classroom. You can also share educational learning apps and post online suggestions from educators worldwide to get different ideas and lessons for your school or classroom. The article discussed different collaboration methods. One that stood out to me was the walkie-talkie-type app mentioned in the article. The app allows you to communicate with friends or a large group of colleagues while teaching inside your classroom. In the app, you can create different rooms or different “channels” for different subjects. Another tool mentioned in the article was Facebook Live, which is now becoming more and more commonly used. Teachers use Facebook Live to share short clips of their classroom instruction or even their classroom setup for teachers who need tips or inspiration. The last platform mentioned was the Feedly Platform, which creates live videos, blogs, and websites that you use daily, and it keeps all of the tools in one place for easy access instead of spending time searching the web to find all the different websites you need. This article opened my eyes to the different ways teachers can collaborate, which do not involve just using and benefiting from the people inside of your school but using the web to connect with other educators who might be struggling with what you might also be working with.
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