Connecting Classrooms for Real Learning: The Big Round Classroom Project

[Joel Birch]

This workshop is designed to allow classroom teachers to collaborate with like-minded professionals teaching like-minded classes around the world.
The project uses a Facebook group as the "digital staffroom", but in the classroom it aims to employ other tools such as Think.com, Twitter, Flickr, blogs, wikis, podcasts and beyond in turning professional ideas into learning outcomes for our students.

Workshop participants can expect a grounding in the rationale and philosophy behind the project, a brief showcase of the "baby steps" of learning that have taken place in the project's infancy, and a hands-on session to use the relevant tools and to create some content and learning experiences that can be used in their classes.

[Joel Birch]

Here's the link to the Facebook group - should make things easier to get rolling!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=23981776536

[Dana Dukic]

Let me mention in this context Susan Silverman and her Webfolio ( http://kids-learn.org) . She runs collaborative internet projects that gather together like-minded teachers, mostly from USA. Susan’s Webfolio is a big database of teaching ideas for primary school teachers. Teachers participating in her projects communicate through project blogs or wikis created by Susan. Working with Susan was also my first experience with blogs and wikis.

[Jeff Pierce]

Joel -

Can't make your presentation (only coming saturday), but went ahead and added myself to the facebook group. Definitely think that I want to listen in on your conversations, though! Love the premise and vision.

Also, I note that we both used the term "baby steps". Nice.

Cheers.

[Paul Marriott]

If you guys would like a good VR networking tool (similar to Second Life, but with Lego-like bricks!! ooh), take a look at Blockland (www.blockland.us). Peace

[PRO KGV STUDENT IT HELPERS]

This is a good idea but there is still a long way to go before we can implement this into our classrooms.

[Joel Birch]

Perhaps you're trying an all-or-nothing approach - a project like this is intended to fit in where appropriate and relevant, to augment, not replace what you're already doing.

Baby steps!

[Dianne Mckenzie]

Here is a link to a number of internet safety and bullying videos and websites. The collection is placed on the Association of Librarians in English Speaking Schools wiki.

http://aless.wikispaces.com/Internet+Safety+resources.

It is part of educating students responsible interaction with ohers online and protecting themselves.

Enjoyed the session Joel.

[Dianne Mckenzie]

Hi Joel - the internet walkie talkie is called yack pack
http://www.yackpack.com/

You can see it in operation on http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337

Class Blogmeister is another excellent blog site that is great for young kids and classes.
http://classblogmeister.com

[Paul Marriott]

Another good tool to consider is Kahootz 3 (www.kahootz.com). At first glance, it looks and plays like a 3D animation program, but it is much more than that. It is a visual literacy tool for students to create their own stories, animations and interactive adventure games. In addition, you have a wide user-base comprising of schools around the world creating content (known as 'xpressions'), and they can freely connect, collaborate and exchange ideas with other schools via. Kahootz portals (normally yourschoolname.kahootz.com). You can even download tutorials and lesson plans from the website. Ah..students love it! As a school, you are eligible for a FREE TRIAL DISC of the software (I believe it has all the features of the licenced version..sans 'save' option). Simply go to www.kahootz.com and request a demo disc.

[Dana Dukic]

Paul, I took a look at Kahootz 3 and Blockland. Looks interesting but it costs money. Anything similar in an open source software version?

[Paul Marriott]

Hi Dana. At present, I don't think there are any 'open-source' Blockland clones (or 'completely free' versions). As far as Blockland licencing goes: if you're only concerned with access over a school network (and not access over the Internet), you ought to pay per-SERVER, not per-client. As long as you have one licenced server copy, all the other client machines (running 'free demo' versions) will unlock to a 'full' version once they connect to a local server (once the clients disconnect, they revert back to 'free demo' mode). Sorry - I don't mean to sound confusing! :) It'll make sense once you give it a trial run. In terms of Kahootz clones, there could be free alternatives around. Although..with something as complex as Kahootz, it'd be hard to find a free alternative with the same features.

[Paul Marriott]

Hi Dana,

I found what is supposedly a free alternative to Blockland: 'ROBLOX' (http://www.roblox.com/). I haven't tried it out yet, but according to the website, it seems to be geared towards education and learning (which is a good thing).

Worth a look!