What's your dream collaboration?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lisa Parisi on May 23, 2007 at 3:53pm

Right now I have two dream collaborations...one would be to find teachers around the globe who teach fifth grade (or 11 year olds) and collaborate on lessons for the children. Imagine teaching about...say The Industrial Revolution...but hear from teachers all over the world how they teach about this time period and what their students are learning. Our children could discuss topics from different points of view.

My other dream collaboration right now would be about Second Life. I keep hearing about it. I signed up. I moved around. I just don't understand how this can benefit me as a teacher. I would love to work with someone who does understand and can show me.

Permalink Reply by Ginger Lewman on May 23, 2007 at 10:38pm

Wonderful dreams, Lisa! I think that Second Life is a TERRIFIC opportunity awaiting educators. Stick it out--Kevin Honeycutt has some great ideas for this and I'm putting some kids on there for a summer project. They'll report back for how to best create a "walled garden" for the type of educational experience we can possibly create!

Permalink Reply by Paul Bogush on May 25, 2007 at 8:34pm

I have a somewhat simple idea....
I would like to create a web of classes that specialize in the various topics that are covered in my 19th Century US History Class. So when we are learning about child labor we would collaborate with a class from Lowell, MA who would give us a tour of the mills and engage us in dialogue about child labor in Lowell. When we are learning about the Civil War we could connect with a class from Gettysburg who would do the same. Underground railroad -- a school along the route that could take us through sites. Basically virtual field trips led by students. Ya know, this would not actually be hard to do. Each class could basically set up a page on a wiki with some basic info, video, pics, and have an "advertisement for their "tour." There could be one day to five day tours. Teachers would check out the "tours' and hire a class to do the tour on a given date and time. Classes could offer self-guided and guided tours.

A take on the previous idea...same thing except have many classes that are located in towns that share a connection with the same event in history compare their stories....indus rev, civil war, underground RR, 19th Century Utopias, Oregon Trail....
So there ya go...

Permalink Reply by Ginger Lewman on May 25, 2007 at 9:19pm

Oh my goodness Paul! This is one of my dreams as well!

My school, along with a couple of other bought-in schools, is in a location where we could handily share about Bleeding Kansas/Amercian Civil War, as well as westward expansion/immigration/cattle trails/Santa Fe and Oregon Trails/as well as the plains indians!

In addition to 19th C history, we could expand to recent history, but I'd also like to see Science tours--earth science, oceanography, biology, ecosystems, space science, etc.

We could work on a North American scale; however I'm betting that several of us see this dream reaching literally global proportions!

How about it folks? I know we can do it! What has to be in place to get this going?

Permalink Reply by James Dykstra on May 29, 2007 at 7:48am

That is a really cool idea. It almost makes me wish I taught American History instead of Canadian. Really neat.

Permalink Reply by Sue Collins on June 4, 2007 at 4:27pm

Paul
I'm an ITS (Integration. Tech. Specialist) I don't have my own classes, but work with teachers each year to create projects. I work in a high school with lots of American History teachers. Our town, Bedford, is between Concord and Lexington in Massachusetts. (as in the beginnings of the American Revolution) I think your idea is great and actually doable. I'd like to try and interest a teacher next year in participating. I'll try and stay in touch.

Permalink Reply by Ginger Lewman on June 4, 2007 at 6:51pm

Yeah! Count me in!! I work with middle school, but we'll be able to help one another, I'm sure. My kids are very bright and motivated!

Permalink Reply by Christine Southard on May 28, 2007 at 8:19pm

As Lisa knows, I am eagerly awaiting to collaborate globally with classes that have video conferencing ability. We recently won a $500 grant and we purchased a video camera to perch above our SmartBoard. We have yet to set it up, 4 weeks before school ends, just to practice with it. I'm getting antsy.

For the next 4 weeks, we're looking for classes to practice videoconferencing with us, b/c we're newbies and we need guidance. :)

Permalink Reply by Ginger Lewman on May 28, 2007 at 8:25pm

What video conferencing software are you looking to use? My classes are out, but I may be able to do some test runs with you.

Permalink Reply by Christine Southard on June 2, 2007 at 6:45pm

Skype. But we haven't set up our camera yet b/c the end of the year has been very busy. We're hoping to connect sometime next week. We have a practice collaborator, but we're looking for any advice b/c we've never done this before.

What are the ground rules for having the camera in the classroom? Should we anticipate anything?

Permalink Reply by Ginger Lewman on June 4, 2007 at 9:00am

How exciting! I think the regular ground rules of netiquette apply, but that you, above all else, want to be sure to do whatever you can to NOT put echo-feedback into the discussion. I'd be happy to play with you on this. I can't, however, even pretend that I'm anywhere near an expert, let alone very experienced!