I don’t agree with you in 100%, but you covered some good points regarding this topic…

Best wishes,
–scottie

1) Don’t underestimate the power of skype in the classroom! My students are begging to have a real audio/video conversation with our partners in other places in the world. My IT director has very kindly enabled skype in both of my classrooms just recently and I can’t wait for my students to have that access. Think of the possibilities – interview skills, cross-cultural communication, “getting real” with someone your own age in different geographical location, just to name a few. I am certain that almost every one of my students has a cell phone, but something about talking to someone in a different culture has truly excited them! We have had a few conversations already with some students in Virginia and Illinois and it was a very positive experience.

2) Wikis rock for collaborative projects. Easy to use, discussion-enabled, some of my students’ best work are on wikis this year!

3) Make sure the content is tied in closely to standards and existing curriculum – it can be done! However, that being said, make it as rich an authentic learning experience as possible. For example, I have a collaborative literature exchange ongoing with a class in Israel. It is a tandem learning project – the students in Israel are presenting literature based on/about the city of Jerusalem, we are presenting lit. based on/about Montréal/Québec culture and history. We are using a moodle and a wiki to facilitate the exchange.

4) Check out the portals that exist to provide matches for classes and schools looking for an exchange project. Global SchoolNet provides one such portal. For the project with the Israeli students, I am working with the Israeli Pedagogical Network for Collaborative Learning. Of course, your own social network may provide the riches opportunities and should not be overlooked as a source!

Once again, so exciting for me to make this find! My father was born in Saskatchewan – a little place called Rockhaven that may no longer even exist (near North Battleford) and I still have many relatives in the Lloydminster area.

And seven children!! I admire anyone who had more than three (that was my limit!).

Blessings, Sharon

Here are some thoughts off the top of the noggin.:)

I would remind the students that while the Flat World concept allows them to connect globally, there’s still a lot of “flattening” that needs to happen in their own communities, including the school community. For me, the Flat World concept not onlt refers to edtech, but to interpersonal connections and communication: what we can give to each other, and what we can learn from each other.

Book Club idea. Don’t give up on it. I though I was too busy but you know what, I’m not. ( I wish I could find a way to teach, read, sew, knit, blog, and surf the web all at the same time) So, it you are still going to go with it, I would be delighted to take part. Keep mentioning it and maybe others will see that they can make the time. I once heard a highly successful sales person claim that it takes eleven “pitches” to sell something.