Over the last week and a half, I have been busy reading articles and watching webinars as part of this course and others. I have been finding new ways to expand my professional networks through online means.
Global Education Conference
As part of OLTD 501, I was directed to a couple of different places. The first was the Global Education Conference, which was a free online series of keynotes and webinar sessions held between November 13-16, 2016. While I was unable to participate live in all but one of the sessions, I did watch a few recorded sessions after the fact. A few sessions I watched are as follows.
1) International Open-mindedness through Technology by Sara Abou Afash, a PhD Student
This session, while short, outlined what online resources we could use to encourage global open-mindedness among our students. The speaker suggested many tools that are familiar to most of us such as: videos, blogging, interactive maps, and social media. She also suggested a couple that are less used in practice but excellent ways to share and experience culture and traditions. These included: virtual field trips, Google Doodles, and school to school collaboration. One of the interesting ideas she put forth for collaboration was that each school celebrated each other's holidays together. This would be an interesting way to gain insight to another country's culture.
I think that the Internet and technology are great ways to investigate and educate about culture, traditions, and tolerance. By connecting with people around the world, we realize that we are all closer than we think.
Here is the link to the recording,
International Open-mindedness through Technology
2) Using Digital Media for Global Collaboration: A Look at Two iEARN Projects by Chris Baer, Arts and Technology Teacher, iEARN Project Facilitator and Curriculum Developer
This session was about creating global collaboration between student-student, classroom-classroom, school-school, educators-educators. It outlined two different projects which iEarn is running.
The first project is a two-part program. The first part of the program was One Day in the Life, where students from different countries shared pictures they took with short captions about what was going on. The pictures were based on an assigned topic and students commented and had discussions about the pictures in an online forum. The second part of the program was augmented reality where students took green screen pictures of themselves in different poses and inserted themselves into different environments.
The second project is where schools from the US collaborate with one of 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Teachers on both ends would participate in face-to-face workshops first. Then they would collaborate online to create and implement projects in their schools. Finally, there was an exhibition of the project, usually with a video feed so both schools could be involved. This seems like an interesting option, although not available in Canada through iEarn.
Here is the link to the recording,
Using Digital Media for Global Collaboration: A Look at Two iEARN Projects
3) Not me! Unconscious Bias in our Global Classrooms by Adam Holden, Head of Academic Planning & Resources
This session was brought to my attention by a discussion post in our cohort Danica Radil. It discussed the unconscious biases that everyone has despite their best efforts to be unbiased. These biases stem from our environment, upbringing, experiences, and exposure to different media. It started out by asking the participants to form a mental image of a scientist including physical appearance, age, and what they are wearing.
Did you picture a white, middle-aged man with a lab coat? Apparently that was the first thing most people imagined. This is not because there are no women, or coloured scientists or different clothing options, but this is what we are shown in pictures, clip art, movies and TV, etc. on a regular basis and it has become an unconscious stereotype. Interestingly, he mentioned at the end of the session that if you tried to imagine something more politically correct because you knew that the aforementioned image was what he was expecting you to see, that that was also biased.
It is interesting to check our biases or have them pointed out to us once in a while. Because they are unconscious biases, we don't actively think about them and we may not even realize that we have them. Sometimes, it takes an objective observer to watch and take notes on your teaching in order to identify them. Some common biases are gender preference, student preference, biased questioning, or any type of discrimination. It is worth having someone watch your class once in a while to detect these. However, if you know someone is watching, are you unconsciously changing your habits to look better?
Here is the link to the recording,
Not me! Unconscious Bias in our Global Classrooms
One of the more interesting aspects of this conference was the gamification part through the GEC Chrome Warrior. By attending or viewing various sessions, following the conference, Twitting, and reflecting on your learning among other things, you could gain points and receive a GEC Connect Champion certificate of participation from the conference chairs. This was an interesting way to encourage and maintain participant involvement. I was able to achieve the 300 points necessary without a huge time investment and it helped me reflect on what I had learned.
edWeb.net
The second place I ended up was edWeb.net After signing up as a member, I went to the webinar recordings and watched the following:
Making Your Classroom a Digital Learning Hub with Google Classroom by Shannon Holden, Assistant Principal, Republic Middle School, MO
This webinar described the process of creating a Google Classroom and how to administer and use it effectively. There are many hurdles in BC in terms of being able to use this suite of apps due to FIPPA, but it is possible if all the forms and waivers are completed. What it is basically, is a simple LMS where you can post announcements, quizzes, assignments, and have discussion forums specific to your class. As a teacher, you control who can join the classroom and what their restrictions are (if necessary). It is a versatile tool that can be used to create an online or blended classroom.
The funny thing is how he described how to create your own Google Classroom (or School) if your school or district doesn't or won't support it. He makes sure to mention that you should ask for permission first rather than forgiveness after!
Here is the link to the recording,
Making Your Classroom a Digital Learning Hub with Google Classroom
Similar to the GEC, upon completing a live webinar, you receive a certificate of completion. If you watch a recording, you need to complete a quick review quiz and you receive your certificate as well. In some districts, you may be able to provide these certificates as evidence of Pro-D, but should ask first.
Thoughts on personal learning networks.
Both of the resources above are excellent ways to expand your personal learning network. There are frequent live events that you can attend throughout the year. As people from all over the world present and attend these sessions, the number of possible connections and contacts you could make is seemingly endless. Whether you are presenting, attending a session, or just following on of the related social media streams, there is ample opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills through these networks.
Other than the two networks that I have introduced and my experience with them, there are many other options for building personal and professional networks.
Twitter is quickly becoming the choice for many educators because the communication is short, easily shared, and available pretty much anywhere you can get an Internet connection. I am still new to Twitter and haven't built much of a network yet. This particular blog exercise asks me to twit it when I am done. Although I am great at organizing and mediating the information I receive from the firehose through email, the Internet, and in person, the sheer mass of information ready to be unleashed by Twitter scares me a little.
Google+ communities, Facebook groups, and other social media are also frequently used to share information and create networks.
The most important thing about whatever network you choose is that you participate and share. While it is easy to sit back and consume for hours on end, a vibrant and effective network requires active participation by all members.
Global Education Conference
As part of OLTD 501, I was directed to a couple of different places. The first was the Global Education Conference, which was a free online series of keynotes and webinar sessions held between November 13-16, 2016. While I was unable to participate live in all but one of the sessions, I did watch a few recorded sessions after the fact. A few sessions I watched are as follows.
1) International Open-mindedness through Technology by Sara Abou Afash, a PhD Student
This session, while short, outlined what online resources we could use to encourage global open-mindedness among our students. The speaker suggested many tools that are familiar to most of us such as: videos, blogging, interactive maps, and social media. She also suggested a couple that are less used in practice but excellent ways to share and experience culture and traditions. These included: virtual field trips, Google Doodles, and school to school collaboration. One of the interesting ideas she put forth for collaboration was that each school celebrated each other's holidays together. This would be an interesting way to gain insight to another country's culture.
I think that the Internet and technology are great ways to investigate and educate about culture, traditions, and tolerance. By connecting with people around the world, we realize that we are all closer than we think.
Here is the link to the recording,
International Open-mindedness through Technology
2) Using Digital Media for Global Collaboration: A Look at Two iEARN Projects by Chris Baer, Arts and Technology Teacher, iEARN Project Facilitator and Curriculum Developer
This session was about creating global collaboration between student-student, classroom-classroom, school-school, educators-educators. It outlined two different projects which iEarn is running.
The first project is a two-part program. The first part of the program was One Day in the Life, where students from different countries shared pictures they took with short captions about what was going on. The pictures were based on an assigned topic and students commented and had discussions about the pictures in an online forum. The second part of the program was augmented reality where students took green screen pictures of themselves in different poses and inserted themselves into different environments.
The second project is where schools from the US collaborate with one of 10 countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Teachers on both ends would participate in face-to-face workshops first. Then they would collaborate online to create and implement projects in their schools. Finally, there was an exhibition of the project, usually with a video feed so both schools could be involved. This seems like an interesting option, although not available in Canada through iEarn.
Here is the link to the recording,
Using Digital Media for Global Collaboration: A Look at Two iEARN Projects
3) Not me! Unconscious Bias in our Global Classrooms by Adam Holden, Head of Academic Planning & Resources
This session was brought to my attention by a discussion post in our cohort Danica Radil. It discussed the unconscious biases that everyone has despite their best efforts to be unbiased. These biases stem from our environment, upbringing, experiences, and exposure to different media. It started out by asking the participants to form a mental image of a scientist including physical appearance, age, and what they are wearing.
Did you picture a white, middle-aged man with a lab coat? Apparently that was the first thing most people imagined. This is not because there are no women, or coloured scientists or different clothing options, but this is what we are shown in pictures, clip art, movies and TV, etc. on a regular basis and it has become an unconscious stereotype. Interestingly, he mentioned at the end of the session that if you tried to imagine something more politically correct because you knew that the aforementioned image was what he was expecting you to see, that that was also biased.
It is interesting to check our biases or have them pointed out to us once in a while. Because they are unconscious biases, we don't actively think about them and we may not even realize that we have them. Sometimes, it takes an objective observer to watch and take notes on your teaching in order to identify them. Some common biases are gender preference, student preference, biased questioning, or any type of discrimination. It is worth having someone watch your class once in a while to detect these. However, if you know someone is watching, are you unconsciously changing your habits to look better?
Here is the link to the recording,
Not me! Unconscious Bias in our Global Classrooms
One of the more interesting aspects of this conference was the gamification part through the GEC Chrome Warrior. By attending or viewing various sessions, following the conference, Twitting, and reflecting on your learning among other things, you could gain points and receive a GEC Connect Champion certificate of participation from the conference chairs. This was an interesting way to encourage and maintain participant involvement. I was able to achieve the 300 points necessary without a huge time investment and it helped me reflect on what I had learned.
edWeb.net
The second place I ended up was edWeb.net After signing up as a member, I went to the webinar recordings and watched the following:
Making Your Classroom a Digital Learning Hub with Google Classroom by Shannon Holden, Assistant Principal, Republic Middle School, MO
This webinar described the process of creating a Google Classroom and how to administer and use it effectively. There are many hurdles in BC in terms of being able to use this suite of apps due to FIPPA, but it is possible if all the forms and waivers are completed. What it is basically, is a simple LMS where you can post announcements, quizzes, assignments, and have discussion forums specific to your class. As a teacher, you control who can join the classroom and what their restrictions are (if necessary). It is a versatile tool that can be used to create an online or blended classroom.
The funny thing is how he described how to create your own Google Classroom (or School) if your school or district doesn't or won't support it. He makes sure to mention that you should ask for permission first rather than forgiveness after!
Here is the link to the recording,
Making Your Classroom a Digital Learning Hub with Google Classroom
Similar to the GEC, upon completing a live webinar, you receive a certificate of completion. If you watch a recording, you need to complete a quick review quiz and you receive your certificate as well. In some districts, you may be able to provide these certificates as evidence of Pro-D, but should ask first.
Thoughts on personal learning networks.
Both of the resources above are excellent ways to expand your personal learning network. There are frequent live events that you can attend throughout the year. As people from all over the world present and attend these sessions, the number of possible connections and contacts you could make is seemingly endless. Whether you are presenting, attending a session, or just following on of the related social media streams, there is ample opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills through these networks.
Other than the two networks that I have introduced and my experience with them, there are many other options for building personal and professional networks.
Twitter is quickly becoming the choice for many educators because the communication is short, easily shared, and available pretty much anywhere you can get an Internet connection. I am still new to Twitter and haven't built much of a network yet. This particular blog exercise asks me to twit it when I am done. Although I am great at organizing and mediating the information I receive from the firehose through email, the Internet, and in person, the sheer mass of information ready to be unleashed by Twitter scares me a little.
Google+ communities, Facebook groups, and other social media are also frequently used to share information and create networks.
The most important thing about whatever network you choose is that you participate and share. While it is easy to sit back and consume for hours on end, a vibrant and effective network requires active participation by all members.