1. Digital Communications Assignment
By: Trelisa Glazatov
Troy Hayes
Sohnia Malik
Timothy Strader

2. Table of Contents Overview of Chat Overview of Video Conferencing
Overview of VoIP
Lesson Ideas for Elementary School
Lesson Ideas for Middle School
Lesson Ideas for High School

3. Chat
What is it?
Web application that allows 2 or more people to send messages to each other at the same time
Real time

4. Chat How is it used? Need computer with internet connection
Access to a chat room (
Login and password required
Educational chats are moderated

5. Chat Why use chat in the classroom? Fun and motivating Interactive
Communicate with experts
Share ideas quickly
regardless of distance
Learn about different cultures
Discuss social issues

6. Chat Educational Purposes: Brainstorming tool Travel buddies
Communicate with scientists, authors, etc.
Literature response
Discussion of political and social issues

7. Video Conferencing What is it?
System where two or more individuals from different locations participate in two way communication
Can see and hear each other in real time
Possible to share computer applications for collaboration and make changes or edits in real time

8. Video Conferencing How is it used?
You need multimedia computer, monitor top camera, video conferencing software (CUSeeMe), and internet access
High bandwidth for higher quality audio and video

9. Video Conferencing Why use video conferencing in the classroom?
Live access to a world outside their classroom
Fun and motivating
Raises cultural awareness
Increased connection with outside resources
Enhancing social & communication skills

10. Video Conferencing
Educational Purposes:
Participate in live videoconferences with scientists, authors, athletes, government, business, and community leaders
Observe experiments performed ‘live’ at hospitals
Student presentations for a wider audience
Virtual field trips

11. VoIP What is VoIP? VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol
Technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line
VoIP routes your phone calls directly to your telephone using your high speed internet connection
Skype is an example of VoIP and can be downloaded for free at

12. VoIP
How is it used?
Need broadband (high speed Internet) connection, computer, adaptor, or specialized phone is required

13. VoIP Why use VoIP in the classroom? Develop essential literacy skills
To increase student motivation to communicate with authentic audiences
Cross-cultural exchange in which students are able to build up a social network of peers from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities

14. VoIP Educational Purposes:
Students in a language class can call and talk with native speakers on a daily basis for free
Teachers can create theme-based peer-to-peer networks through which students can exchange and discuss work they have created

15. Lesson Ideas: Elementary
4th Grade Science:
Weather Lesson

16. Weather Lesson: Goals & Standards
Understand basic information about weather
Learn about different types of weather maps
Create and present weather maps showing different conditions
MI Standards: V.3 The Atmosphere and Weather
Investigate and describe what makes up weather and how it changes
Explain what causes different kinds of weather
Analyze the relationships between human activities and the atmosphere

17. Weather Lesson: Tools Epals.com Videoconferencing (CuSeeMe): Internet
VoIP (Skype)
Chat
Videoconferencing (CuSeeMe):
Weather newscast
Internet
Weather.com
Poster board, markers, stickers

18. Weather Lesson: Activities
Class discussion
What is weather?
What are the elements of weather ?
The different types of weather maps (include examples)
Group projects assignment:
Using epals.com: Find a pal who lives in a different part of the country/world and find out what the weather is like where they live by using Skype and on-line chat

19. Weather Lesson: Activities
Group projects assignment (cont’d):
From information received through epals.com, research the web (Weather.com) about a part of the country/world and the forecast for the 3 days
Develop a poster weather map with the information gathered from epals.com and weather.com.
With a partner school, deliver a weather newscast using the created poster via videoconferencing.

20. Lesson Ideas: Elementary
3rd Grade Language Arts:
Book Review

21. Book Review: Goals Goals Comprehend an age appropriate book
Understand and explain basic elements of a story (character, plot, setting)
Write a short book review using basic story elements

22. Book Review: Standards
MI Standards
Listening: L.2 Understand spoken English to participate in social context
Speaking: S.7 Present information, and ideas to an audience of listeners
Reading & Comprehension: R.5 Read and demonstrate comprehension of main idea and supporting details
Writing: W.4 Construct sentences and develop paragraphs to organize writing supporting a central idea

23. Book Review: Tools Grade appropriate book Epals.com
VoIP (Skype)
Chat
Videoconferencing (CuSeeMe):
Storytime!

24. Book Review: Activities
Class discussion/demonstration
Teacher explains through example the elements of a story
Read a Book!
Discussion of story elements from assigned book
Book Review
Teacher demonstrates how to write a book review
Students write their own review of the assigned book

25. Book Review: Activities
Book Review (cont’d):
Using epals.com: With a partner schools, the student will deliver their book review via Skype
Using on-line chat, the student will engage in a discussion about the assigned book. (i.e. favorite character, like/dislikes about the book)
Videoconferencing: Storytime! Students will act out a favorite scene from the book and discuss it with the partner school

26. Lesson Ideas: Middle School
8th Grade Social Studies:
Global Awareness Project

27. Objectives and State Standards
- Report on differences between U.S. and foreign cultures
- Explore their role in the global community
- Interact with students from another country
MI Social Studies Standards:
Strand II – Geographic Perspective
- Locate and describe the diverse places, cultures, and communities of major world regions
- Describe and compare characteristics of major world cultures
- Explain why people live and work as they do in different regions

28. Resources Websites: Equipment: - ePALS.com ( http://www.epals.com )
- Google ( )
Equipment:
- Video Conferencing Equipment
- Computers
- VOIP software ( )

29. Lesson Activities Introduction: Research:
- Brainstorming discussion on chosen region
- Read and discuss article about chosen region
Research:
- Use Google to research facts about chosen region
- Present findings to the class
- Video conference with classroom in chosen region

30. Lesson Activities (cont’d)
Research (cont’d)
- Communicate with ePAL; interview about life, school, climate etc. and answer questions from ePAL
Assessment
- Create a report to read to the class using the information discussed with the student’s ePAL
- Read report to ePAL using VOIP software to get feedback and to ensure that information is presented correctly
- Present report to the rest of the class orally

31. Lesson Ideas: Middle School
8th Grade English:
Novel Discussion

32. Objectives and State Standards
- Read an assigned novel
- Discuss elements of the novel with other students
- Create an essay about the novel
MI E.L.A. Standards:
- C.S. 5-2: Describe and discuss shared issues in the human experience that appear in literature from around the world
- C.S. 10-1: Analyze themes and central ideas in literature in relation to issues in their own lives
- C.S. 9-1: Explore and reflect on universal themes and substantive issues from written text

33. Resources Technology: Website: - Computers with internet access
- Video Conferencing equipment
- VOIP equipment or software
Website:
- ePALS.com ( )

34. Lesson Activities Introduction: Activities:
- Discuss issues related to assigned novel
- Introduce culture of chosen ePAL students
Activities:
- Send introductory to ePAL and respond to theirs
- Read the novel based on teacher’s assigned schedule and communicate with ePAL about questions and comments about their assigned readings.

35. Lesson Activities (cont’d)
- Keep a reading log about ideas and issues discussed with ePAL
Assessment
- Write an essay / book report about novel, including quotes from conversation with ePAL
- Discuss the novel as a class via video conferencing with ePAL classroom

36. The End!
Thank you for watching our presentation. We hope you gained valuable information!