The March Issue of THE Journal caught my eye with “Return to Sender” by Dan Gordon.

The article was once again making the case for reinventing our schools and moving from the 3 Rs (readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmetic) to the 4 Cs of critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration.

I have been working on polishing the materials for our ReThink Trash Project (funded in part by HOTCOG and created in partnership with Kigluait Educational Adventures). The project fits perfectly into how to design effective learning in our schools.

The 4 Cs Students Need

Critical thinking, creativity, and communication are not always going to be linear processes, but this matches with our ReThink Trash project. I think all of those are dependent on collaboration skills.

21st Century Skills

How ReThink Trash fits this model of thinking.

1. Classes meet via video conference to learn about trash and the impact on our environment.
2. Each class researches and learns about trash in their school or community. They will define the problem that they would like to work on.
3. Each class will implement an actionable service learning project, including a data collection plan to determine their plans effectiveness.
4. Each class will create a digital story to tell about how they defined the problem and what they did about it.
5. Classes will meet again with other classes via video conference to share what they have learned and plan continued action.

Resources

• “Return to Sender” article in THE Journal (free registration required)
• ReThink Trash Project
• Whirlidurb Video Conferencing
• Kigluait Educational Adventures
• Heart of Texas Council of Governments

What is a project or program that you have participated in that fits this type of learning and skill set that our students will need to use when they are members of the work force?

Guest blogged by Janine Lim

Now that you’ve been through this little training experience, it’s time to join the global learning community!

Megaconference Jr. is one of THE videoconferencing events of the year for K12 videoconferencing. It’s a 12 hour videoconference, facilitated by students, with student presenters featured. An incredible global experience, a chance for networking with other schools, and an opportunity for learning what other schools are doing with VC.

What to Expect on February 19, 2009

Because this is a large videoconference with many sites participating, it’s quite different than point to point experiences. So make sure you come into the experience with appropriate expectations.

• You will see 30 minute sessions on all kinds of content and topic areas. The presentations come from elementary, middle, and high school students.
• You will see a variety of presentations styles and tools. Some you’ll learn best practices; others you’ll have ideas on how to improve the presentation. Take it as a learning experience for everyone.
• You will NOT have perfect audio and video. You should lower your expectations for the video quality.  This is partly due to the huge number of sites connecting and the variety of bandwidth capacity represented.
• Megaconference increases the opportunities for global education. So INCREASE your expectations for global learning, and increase your patience and tolerance for international connections.
• You will also see that some participating sites are new to VC and don’t know how to behave. i.e. MUTE your microphone in a multipoint. Take it as a learning lesson of what not to do. And make sure you are MUTED unless you’ve been called on to ask a question or interact.

Make the Most of Your Participation

• Set up Megaconference in your library and have different classes come in and out throughout the day as they have time. Take the schedule and share it with your teachers. But warn them to be flexible because sometimes Megaconference gets off schedule due to the realtime nature of the event.
• Make it an event to showcase the possibilities. Invite teachers and administrators to view.
• Offer refreshments.
• Have prizes. Make a geography game of it. Who can identify the location of the presenting site?
• Hang up a large world map and have students mark the locations of the sites presenting throughout the day. Print the participants list (after registration closes) and have students find and mark the participating sites on the map.
• If you’re not an interactive site, pretend that you are. Have the students answer the questions (but stay muted!).

Registration Choices

• You can sign up to be a view only or “not interacting” site. Some schools prefer this for getting their feet wet.
• Or you can sign up to be an interactive site. 3 schools get to interact in each session. The interactive spots go quickly, so hurry if you want to do this.

Challenge

• So, take a moment now to sign up! (If you usually register for VCs through someone else, you may want to check with them first on how you should register.)
• If you have a story or suggestion for participating in Megaconference Jr., please comment and share!
  

A critical part of a successful videoconference is preparation. So how can you help make sure it happens? Here are some ideas.

Preparation Lesson Plans
Many programs have preparation materials which are very helpful.

• When the program is scheduled, ask the teacher if they received the materials.
• A week or so before the program, ask the teacher if they were able to use the materials. Depending on how often you have VCs, you could plan an hour or so once a month/week to check in with the teachers who have upcoming VCs and see if they are getting the students prepared.
• Some coordinators, depending on their position and other responsibilities, are able to actually do the preparation lessons with the students. Don’t do this more than once; encourage the teacher to team teach the next time; then maybe they can do it on their own. You’ll find it less stressful if you can move your teachers towards independence.

Practicing
When classes are presenting, encourage them to practice.

• Practice in the classroom.
• Practice with a fake mic.
• Practice with the videoconference system.
• Practice with the visuals. Make sure they are clear enough!

When two of my schools were starting out with VC, the library aides took library time to connect to each other and have each student say a couple sentences on camera. The two classes just took turns until all the students had a turn. Every class participated. This broke the ice for all the students and teachers in each school!

Explain VC to the Students Just Before the Program
I encourage each of my coordinators to make sure students and teacher understand VC before the connection. Usually just a 2 minute little introduction before the program starts. Include:

• Explain the video & audio quality – it’s not broadcast quality TV!
• Explain where the mic is and that it can pick up rustling sounds.
• The people at the other side can see & hear them.
• Remind the students to speak up loudly and clearly.
• Encourage them to represent their school with best behavior!

We’ll talk about preparing questions and involving all the students in future posts.

Other preparation tip lists online:

• Tips for a successful project
• Tips for an effective VC program
• Tips to make your presentation better

Challenge Choices:

• Find an upcoming videoconference on your schedule and ask the teacher how they are preparing for the videoconference. See if they need any assistance.
• If preferred, write a little outline for your “speech” for before a videoconference.

Comment:

• How do you help teachers prepare for a videoconference? Any other tips?
• What is hard about helping teachers prepare? Where do you get stuck?

Last week, I shared some tips to help you manage your time and to use a binder and a manila folder to help manage some of the information the you will need to support videoconferencing.

Next step is to have a process for managing your online accounts. Many content providers can be scheduled via fax, email or phone, but there are a few that we regularly use that require you to create an account.

• Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC)

  http://www.cilc.org/

  (Click request programs or register for events now. It is below the “About CILC” button.)

• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
  http://www.clemetzoo.com/education/dstlrn/distlearn.asp
  (Click on a grade level and then register and you will see the screen to create your account.)
• Collaborations Around the Planet (more on this one tomorrow)
• COSI Columbus
  http://www.cosi.org/educators/videoconferencing/
  (click online registration system)
• NASA Digital Learning Network
  http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/
  (Click Event Catalog on the left. When you look at events, find one and click register.)

Download a copy of “Managing Your Online Accounts” to help you be organized as you work through creating accounts on the following sites. The key is that you want to have everything related to videoconferencing in one place and easily accessible.

Challenge:
1. Create an account on each of these sites. If you already have an account, try to remember the username and password and log in.

2. Write down all usernames and passwords on this sheet and attach it to your password folder and then keep it in a safe place.

3. Add any other usernames and passwords that you use for scheduling or requesting videoconferencing events at your location.

4. If you have any questions, add them in the comments of this post. We will be checking and replying there.

Guest blogged by Janine Lim.

Last week we focused on settings and such. This week in the 20 Day challenge we are looking at tips for before the videoconference – focusing especially on the nitty gritty of working with teachers.

Today’s topic is how to hook teachers on videoconferencing and promote the possibilities of this technology within your school.

It’s the Curriculum!
Owston (2007), in his study of schools implementing technology initiatives, found that teachers need to see the benefit to students before they will adopt a new technology tool. So, how do you help teachers see the benefit?

• Use the correlations to national and state standards found in the popular database (Berrien RESA and CILC).
• Use the Grade Level Guides to VC. Yes, they were done for Michigan and are now outdated even for Michigan curriculum, but they give a starting point for teachers.
• Pick a couple willing teachers, find out what they are teaching for the next few months, and find a VC for them. Print the flyer or the program description for them. Put it in their mailbox. Start small like this, and then later teach them to find their own programs.
• Help the teachers see how the programs fit their curriculum and help them teach that content better. Don’t push doing VCs just for the fun of it. Find the curriculum connection.
• If you need help doing this, take Planning Interactive Curriculum Connections, a popular four week course for coordinators and teachers integrating VC in the curriculum.
• Help teachers see how videoconferences meet their curriculum and can be used in place of some lessons to teach the same content.

Of course, all of this takes time. So set yourself a reasonable goal of a few of the teachers/grade levels and target those. Then as they get comfortable, work on the others. Some teachers will probably never be enthusiastic about videoconferencing. Sweeney (2007) found that constructivist teachers were more likely to use videoconferencing in the curriculum. So, realize that and work with those who are interested.

Experience is the Best Teacher
Teachers need to see a videoconference to understand what will happen and to get over the fear of the unknown. In the words of one of our coordinators:

“It seems a little daunting until you actually go through it and then you realize this was not too bad and in fact it was really awesome!”

• Don’t just TALK about videoconference opportunities in a staff meeting or workshop. CONNECT somewhere. Don’t let the content provider just TALK either. Have them demo the most interactive part of one of their programs. Try this list to get started.
• Wherever possible, allow two teachers to do a videoconference together. Not all of the providers will allow 50-60 kids in a videoconference. However, going to the program “with someone” is much less threatening for first time VCers.
• When one teacher is doing a videoconference, have the principal help you arrange for someone (maybe even yourself?) to cover for another teacher for a few minutes so they can see the videoconference.
• For that matter, make sure your principal and superintendent experience a good videoconference too! Some principals in my area actually require each teacher to do one per year because they have seen the value to the students.

Tell the Good News
Make sure the staff hear about the great experiences by the participating teachers.

• Get a write-up in the school newsletter.
• Encourage your principal to let the teachers share their experiences at staff meeting. Let them hear from other teachers besides you!
• When participating in Read Around the Planet, put up a bulletin board with a map with all of your RAP partner classes marked. Share the success!
• Have the students present at a board meeting and share their experiences and what they learned.

Advertising
Figure out ways to stop being the middle man whenever possible.

• If your educational service agency or district office provides scheduling services and sends info on an email list, get the teachers on the email list directly. This reduces time forwarding emails and soon teachers can do their own registrations (in some cases).
• Use grade level or subject team lead teachers to help you promote VC. It helps a lot when the lead teacher for a grade level or subject area encourages everyone on their team to sign up for a videoconference. Train and support these teachers so they can help you.

Be Sensitive
In all your promotion, be sensitive to how teachers are doing with work in general. Several of my schools are doing less VCs this year because the science and social studies curriculum changed and everyone is just trying to stay above water dealing with the change. In another district, so much new technology is being installed so fast that teachers are quite resistant to do anything extra. Factors like these can affect the use of videoconferencing, and are beyond your control. If this is the case in your school, give yourself and your teachers a break and try again the next year!

Wordle
Finally, I’ve been sharing research results of a survey of my top teachers using videoconferencing from the 2007-2008 school year. One of my questions was – how did you come to know about videoconferencing? Invariably, their school coordinator helped them get excited about videoconferencing. What words stand out for you?

So, Your Challenge Is:

• Find one program that meets the curriculum for a teacher who hasn’t used VC yet.
• OR Invite your principal to a videoconference (if you haven’t already).
• OR Pick another of the suggestions above and make it happen!

Please comment and tell us how it went!

References
Owston, R. (2007). Contextual factors that sustain innovative pedagogical practice using technology: an international study. Journal of Educational Change, 8(1), 61-77. doi:10.1007/s10833-006-9006-6

Sweeney, M. A. (2007). The use of videoconferencing techniques which support constructivism in K–12 education. Retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations. (AAT 3257352)

Guest blogged by Janine Lim

As a videoconference coordinator, a major part of your work includes interacting with content providers to bring programs to your students. So in today’s challenge, we look at some tips for working with content providers.

What is a content provider?
First, let’s make sure we’re all clear on what we’re talking about. A content provider is a zoo, museum, or similar organization that offers specific programs (content) to schools via videoconferencing.

Two of the most popular databases for finding programs are:

• Berrien RESA’s Videoconference Program Database also found on TWICE and Polycom (lists 259 providers as of this writing)
• and CILC (Center for Interactive Learning and Collaborations) (lists 156 providers as of this writing)

There are several others as well; please feel free to comment and share another favorite site!

Scheduling With Providers
When you first start to work on scheduling with content providers, it seems overwhelming! Each one has their own registration system and different procedures. Here are some tips to help you get organized.

• Get all the possible dates & times from the teacher.
• Check all your testing, event, PD calendars, as well as your videoconference schedule.
• Have everything ready before you register online.
• If you are registering via email, send all the information in one email.

Here’s a list of the information you’ll need whether registering online or via email or even phone.

• Your IP address (or ISDN number if you still connect ISDN)
• What speed you connect (usually 384K)
• You tech name, email, and phone
• Trouble number the provider would call DURING the videoconference
• Teacher name, email, phone
• Your name, email, phone
• Billing information
• The program name that the teacher wants
• The range of availability the teacher has

I try to get teachers to give me the days of the week they can do, the range of dates they want it, and the times they can do. i.e. (M, W or F; February 1-15, from 10:35-11:25).

I use an email template for emailing content providers, so I can just fill in the needed info and send off the request, knowing that I’ve sent everything they might need.

When you give the provider the range of dates & times you can do, they just have to pick when it fits their schedule, and you’re done! But if you just give one time, then you have to go back and forth until it’s scheduled.

CILC Content Dollar Bank
Now if scheduling is driving you completely crazy, or you just want to consolidate your spending and make it easier, you should check out the Content Dollar Bank offered by CILC. This is a really cool service and can really help manage the daily chores of scheduling VCs.

Content Provider Etiquette
Don’t forget that the distance learning coordinators at the zoo or museum are people too! I can’t think of any content providers who are actually making a profit on offering these programs. They do it because it’s a service to education. Some of them break even on the cost of the materials etc, but they still have staff and technology costs to bring these programs to you. So….

When you have a problem with the program, a cancellation, a snow day, etc…..

• Call them!
• Email them!
• Talk to them!

Most providers have cancellation policies; a few have rescheduling fees.

• If necessary, get a replacement teacher!
• Pay attention to their policies and respect them.

Show your appreciation:

• Thank them for offering these programs!
• Encourage your teacher to complete the evaluation form.
• Offer feedback to help them improve.

Challenge
You challenge choices for today are:

• Make an email template for scheduling with providers
• Make yourself a handy sheet with all the details about your system so it’s ready when you need to register.
• Check out the CILC Content Dollar Bank and see if it might work for you.

When you’re done, please comment and tell us how it went. Do you have any other tips?

Comment image by Mark James under Creative Commons 2.5 Attribution License.
Papers image by lotyloty on Flickr
Money image by jenn_jenn on Flickr