Collaborations Around the Planet Janine Lim Berrien RESA janine.lim@berrienresa.org www.twice.cc Blog: bcisdvcs.wordpress.com

Definitions Collaboration Student Project Kid2Kid Centrally managed & coordinated Information about how to participate is provided, dates and times are set Monster Match Read Around the Planet Texas History Mystery Collaboration Kid2Kid Begins with an idea from a teacher Requires finding your own partner Most classroom collaborations are point-to-point The teacher describes what they want their partner class to do Glaser, R. (February 1, 2008). Videoconference Glossary. http://www.edlink12.net/vcrox/2008/02/01/videoconference-glossary/

Why Projects and Collaborations?

Who’s Asking?

Tech Coordinator “We bought VC. How do we get teachers to use it?” FREE Most closely matches curriculum Can be most powerful VCs

Teacher “What’s the value to my students?” Owston 2007 multicultural understanding and greater positive self-concept Cifuentes & Murphy 2000 greater understanding of time, distance, and understanding other children Yost 2001 learn from other viewpoints Martinez & MacMillan, 1998

Curriculum Director tailored to curriculum goals “How does VC meet state curriculum standards?” tailored to curriculum goals adapted to curriculum goals created from/within curriculum goals

Professor “Did anyone think about the learning theory?” social constructivism - we learn by talking to others Vygotsky constructivism - use of VC has a positive relationship with teachers’ preference for constructivism Sweeney 2007 authentic audience Warschauer 1997

Why do you do collaborative projects? Give some examples...

Exchange Format Project: Read Around the Planet Project: Michigan Exchange Collaborations Pakistan Earthworms ESL Robots

Multipoint Formats MysteryQuest World Geography International MysteryQuest MysteryQuest USA Texas History Mystery Invasive Species Poetry Cafe

What is TWICE? www.twice.cc K12 videoconferencing organization Volunteer board members, mostly from educational service agencies Read Around the Planet ASK Programs and Michigan Week Discounts with providers

Read Around the Planet Verification Registration Opens Nov. 1 Teacher Registration Opens Dec. 1 Teacher Registration Closes (mid Jan) Matches Announced (end of Jan) English & World Languages February 23 - March 6, 2009

Read Around the Planet

A directory based on Read Around the Planet A way to add VC friends & find new VC friends A way to create collaborations More tools to come… projects.twice.cc or polycom.com/education/PCATP

Designing Projects What is my required curriculum? What can my students learn from connecting to another class? How does it add value to the lesson? What benefit is gained in greater curriculum understanding because the students collaborated with another class?

Designing Projects ISTE NETS Standards Technology communications tools Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences. Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

Collaborative VCs Wiki collaborativevcs.pbwiki.com Hosted by Berrien RESA Available for anyone to add to it Growing collection of written ideas for collaborative VC projects

Other Collaboration Tools CILC Collaboration Center www.cilc.org/c/community/collaboration_center.aspx Global Leap, UK www.global-leap.com Internet2 K20 Muse k20.internet2.edu Janet Collaborate, UK www.global-leap.com K12 Videoconferencing in Ontario videoconference.commun-it.org VC Alberta vcalberta.ca/socialnetwork

Planning Interactive Curriculum Connections www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/picc/ Cost: $150 (bulk discounts available) 1 graduate semester credit 1 week intro to VC; 1 week on content providers; 1 week on preparation; 1 week on projects "As a media specialist, I think this course would be extremely useful for my teachers and staff."

Kid2Kid Videoconference Connections www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/k2k/ Cost: $200 (bulk discounts available) 2 graduate semester credits Collaborative community online Week 1: Developing a project idea Week 2: Planning and advertising Week 3&4: Preparing for a project Week 5: Participating in a project Week 6: Evaluating projects

Questions? Janine Lim, janine.lim@berrienresa.org TWICE: www.twice.cc CAPspace: projects.twice.cc BCISD DL: www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl Blog: bcisdvcs.wordpress.com Wiki: collaborativeVCs.pbwiki.com Online Classes: Planning Interactive Curriculum Connections www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/picc Kid2Kid Videoconference Connections www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/k2k

Bibliography Cifuentes, L., & Murphy, K. L. (2000). Promoting multicultural understanding and positive self-concept through a distance learning community: cultural connections. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(1), 69-83. Martinez, M. D., & MacMillan, G. (1998). A Joint Distance Learning Course in American Government (No. ED428005). Owston, R. (2007). Contextual factors that sustain innovative pedagogical practice using technology: an international study. Journal of Educational Change, 8(1), 61-77. Sweeney, M. A. (2007). The use of videoconferencing techniques which support constructivism in K-12 education. Dissertation Abstracts International. Warschauer, M. (1997).Computer-mediated collaborative learning: Theory and practice. Modern Language Journal, 81(3), p. 470-481. Also at http://www.gse.uci.edu/person/markw/cmcl.html Yost, N. (2001). Lights, Camera, Action: Videoconferencing in Kindergarten. Paper presented at the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education International Conference.