Program content involves the use of commonly available technology and not necessarily a 1-to-1 ratio of technology to student.

With social networking tools and peer-to-peer interaction forming the basis for much of young people’s online activity, educators have an opportunity to embrace these technologies’ ability to support student-centered learning and leadership. New approaches to student inquiry and expression through digital media spaces have expanded the possibilities for students to learn with and from each other, anywhere in the world. Focusing on TakingITGlobal’s online community of global youth leaders and its suite of tools for educators, this presentation will share strategies for implementing technology to integrate global issues across the curriculum. Attendees will learn how virtual classroom communities are empowering students to drive their own individual and collaborative learning, and how blogs, podcasts, games, and digital image galleries promote student engagement, expression, and action on today’s most pressing global issues.

We will highlight how participation in an online community can impact student understanding of global issues and motivation to take action. Attendees will learn about the innovative uses of TakingITGlobal’s tools at the new School of the Future in Philadelphia, where learners engaged in year-long inquiry and action-research through TakingITGlobal. We will also share examples of standards-based curricula on issues such as global poverty, HIV/AIDS, and tobacco, that are effectively using online technology to engage learning communities around the world in interactive, meaningful ways. Based on specific examples of how students’ perspectives have changed as a result of their involvement with TakingITGlobal, participants will understand not only why online global education is important, but how to go about introducing these strategies into their local context.

Examples of schools and districts that are dedicated to technology-rich global learning will offer strategies for developing engaging online cross-cultural collaborations that foster student-driven development of 21st century skills. Participants will leave the session with concrete knowledge on how they can bring TakingITGlobal and its exciting community and content to their classrooms and schools.

Outline

We will present:
1. Our global community, TakingITGlobal.org
2. Our tools for educators, TIGed.org
3. Student and educator best practices from our first full school year

The best practices will focus on examples from in-depth partnerships in one-to-one settings (such as the School of the Future and Pennsylvania's Classrooms for the Future projects) as well as lower-tech settings across the country and around the world. Our most exciting examples will revolve around global collaborations between schools.

The bulk of our time will be spent on these best practices. After presenting our case studies, we will engage the audience in a discussion about how similar projects could be implemented in their classes, and as much as possible, help them explore the tools and the exemplars. Participants will also understand how to use the online community and social networking to foster their own professional development as global educators.

Presenter Background

TakingITGlobal's education team has helped hundreds of students and educators across the country to improve global learning and leadership through the use of online technologies. We have previously presented and led trainings at numerous national education conferences, including NECC, NSBA's T+L Conference, Microcomputers in Education, and the Virtual School Symposium.

Prerequisites

none.

Referenced Web Links

www.tiged.org