HOW GTP BEGAN AT BRUCE TRAIL: Global Teenager Project was piloted here to supplement our BRING I.T. Pilot that BT was doing for HDSB Getting Started: -disclaimer letter to parents (about general IT in class eg: ipods, lap tops) -letting go of control to some degree and being ok with not knowing everything (the kids will lead you to that) -starting early in the year -modeling appropriate behaviour (use of projector, youtube, etc.) Classroom Rules: - building “Success Criteria” with kids (classroom rules around IT) creates ownership and responsibility -classroom management -“nettiquette”

Logistics: - sharing devices - supplementing with school IT devices School-wide Rules: - meeting with division to inform everyone - appropriate consequences for poor/in appropriate nettiquette

Pros to GTP in the elementary classroom: - built in IT curriculum - IT part of so much more of what they do in a classroom (digital age teaching) - engagement – motivator (eg: IT infused) - volume control/ class management - differentiation for all - can be self-driven discovery of usage or problem solving - connecting to kids at their level (generation)/ something that makes more sense to them/ from a different angle -direct links and ties to Ontario curriculum *This is NOT more “work” or more to teach. This is a WAY OF TEACHING. It is a tool to integrate your curriculum in a more engaging manner that caters to this generation’s interests, likes and way of life.

Ontario Curriculum Links: GRADE 8 Geography: -graphing human characteristics -population pyramids -scatter graphs -examining HDI, literacy rate, etc. (essentially the entire Gr 8 geography curriculum can be linked to GTP) Math: -data management strand -aspects of the number sense strand (percentages, fractions, etc.) Language: -WRITING: report writing (style, features, content) -READING: research methods, inferring and evaluating -ORAL: skyping with another school gives you the opportunity to have students ask questions and respond to questions in an interview style forum -MEDIA: the entire project is media based… Science: -dependent on your topic for the learning circle for GTP there are definite ties to units eg: water systems, cells (genetics, biology), fluids (oil or natural resource depletion)

The GTP allows teachers to embed Halton’s ICT curriculum cross-curricularly into their programs. The curriculum focuses on the following “strands” which GTP certainly touches on. 1. Creativity and Innovation 2. Communication and Collaboration 3. Reearch and Inforamtion Fluency 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making 5. Digital Citizenship 6. Technology Operations and Concepts

- Completely changes the way they learn – caters to this generation – TECHNOLOGY BASED - Makes learning genuine, authentic, engaging - Makes learning more meaningful - Real life applications through cultural exploration - Multitude of opportunities for self and peer evaluation - Learning from others, learning from peers, learning independently, learning from complete strangers Here is a clip of my students participating in the Global Teenager Project (they are then interviewed about the project and the use of technology in the classroom)

This is NOT “another project” this is a vehicle for teaching. It is a tool, and a venue to teach the Ontario curriculum in a more meaningful, cohesive, engaging way. Students are learning MULTIPLE areas of MULTPLE subjects at one times, WHILE learning real life lessons, becoming more globally and culturally aware, more tech savvy, and while consistently developing all their learning skills. Text Book Lovers BEWARE… This is not for the traditional teacher. (FOR ALL THINGS GTP LOOK UNDER THE LANGUAGE LINK IN THE GTP FOLDER)

Global Teenager Project In Action at Bruce Trail Public School

Students on the phone with HP Computers, interviewing an IT Software Manager about “emerging technologies”