Last week, we began our challenge with how to participate in a project that has some support. This week, we will continue to focus on the Collaborations Around the Planet site, but focus on teacher-created collaborations. Collaborations begin with an idea from a teacher. Be specific when entering your collaboration so that you will not [...]

Our teachers and students love participating in Read Around the Planet. Do they really learn anything? YES! Here are some items from the National Educational Technology Standards for students and teachers that are addressed by participating in RAP. Students Examine the geography of where you partner class is located. Calculate the distance between classes and [...]

Guest Blogged by Janine Lim. Now that you’ve decided to participate in Read Around the Planet, it’s time to tackle the registration process. If this is your first year, it is a bit of a challenge. If you are having any problems at all, please email me at my Read Around the Planet email for [...]

Participating in Read Around the Planet is NOT like signing up to participate in a program that is delivered by a content provider. It is a matching project where two classes present to each other. It is a simple concept, but you must approach it with a certain mindset to create success for your teachers [...]

Guest blogged by Janine Lim. Yesterday in our 20 Day Challenge kickoff post, Roxanne suggested that an excellent way to start off with videoconferencing is to participate in projects managed by others. So this week, we want to spend a little time thinking about how best to integrate participation in Read Around the Planet with [...]

This year for our 20-day challenge we are again writing for anyone who is supporting videoconferencing in their building or their district. 20 Days to Better Videoconference Projects will focus on how to increase your videoconference usage by scaling projects and managing your time. During this challenge we will share specific examples to get your [...]

Guest blogged by Janine Lim Videoconferencing is a communication technology. “I know that,” I hear you say. But think about this. When was the last time you were in a videoconference and you didn’t know the name of the person you were talking to? I bet it was recently. It happens all too often! Introductions [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]