Classroom+Connections

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= = =Classroom Connections= **Friday, June 25 12:30-3:30 PM**

**(Connecting with Other Classrooms) 3 CPDU’s**

This course will cover basic information about expanding the world for our students. Whether it is through connecting with another classroom in the building or district, other students outside of the district, or other students in another country, providing them with opportunities to expand relationships beyond the classroom can enhance learning for our students. Learn about how to establish relationships beyond the classroom from a teacher who has flattened his classroom and expanded relationships for students.

This course will be appropriate for Pre-K through 12 teachers.

Course Outcomes:
 * Learn about various technologies that are effective in connecting with another classroom.
 * Investigate sites for connecting with other classrooms.
 * Design a current lesson to incorporate family or world connections.

John Langley
Pleasant Plains High School: Accelerated Junior English, Speech, Yearbook, Photography, Web Adviser Email: piratedjlangley@gmail.com Twitter: piratedjlangley

Flat Classroom
The concept of Flat Classroom is to "flatten" the walls of the classroom by opening up the possibilities for students to learn, collaborate, etc. with others around the community, county, state, nation, and/or world.

PrimaryPad link for today

First step of making connections - Tools
Start with the tools and work up to the product. Keep in mind, technology is a tool - a means to the end, but __not__ the end itself.
 * Netiquette
 * Blogger
 * Google Docs
 * Diigo
 * Google Sites
 * Wikis
 * YouTube
 * Blip.tv
 * Ning

Starting small - classroom to classroom
Think big, but start small. The tools that are used in a global project may be used in smaller scaled collaborations so students get comfortable using them. Plan ahead: plan individual lessons and cooperative lessons using the tools first. Don't just "talk the talk" - "walk the walk." Maintain a blog and work with the same tools right along with the students - learn with them.

Classroom lesson using internet teams

 * PrimaryPad
 * Diigo for research
 * iGoogle for research collection or Personal Learning Network (PLN)
 * Google Docs
 * Blogging (Blogger)

Collaborative lessons

 * Social Studies lesson within the same building (using VoiceThread)
 * American Literature lesson between two schools - Ben Franklin's Virtues
 * teacher collaboration process (revision history only available from Google Doc)
 * handout
 * Daily Activity Log
 * Journal Checklist
 * Final Product

Going Global

 * Flat Classroom Projects
 * Digiteen Project
 * Eracism Project
 * NetGenEd Project
 * PPHS Speech Class NetGenEd 2010

Personal Learning Networks

 * iGoogle
 * RSS feeds
 * RSS feeders used in sites

Valuable Resources - Build Your Network

 * Flat Classroom Ning
 * Grownupdigital Ning
 * Classroom 2.0