Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Case Study 2.1: Yvonne Marie Andres - Global SchoolNet

The Global Educator - Case Study 2.1

Yvonne Marie Andres - Global SchoolNet

We are now moving into the second section of The Global Educator which is about 'Leadership for Global Education'. 


The first Case Study in this section is a woman I have admired for over 20 years and have known personally for nearly 20 years. In brief, Dr. Yvonne Marie Andres is President/Co-founder of Global SchoolNet.org and founder of iPoPP (International Projects or Partners Place). She is the creator of International CyberFair and US State Department’s Doors to Diplomacy programs, has met with President Bush to launch the Friendship Through Education Initiative, and speaks at conferences worldwide. Dr. Andres was named one of 25 most influential people worldwide in education technology for her innovative e-learning projects, involving 5 million students from 194 countries. 

Whenever I feel discouraged about the state of the world and the slow uptake of online global collaborative learning in schools I come back to the work of Yvonne and her words of wisdom and her dedicated work across so many areas. She is one of my all time gurus - I hope you feel the same way!

Connect with Yvonne
Twitter: @YvonneMarieA
Website: http://www.yvonneandres.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonneandres/ 

Some gems from the interview/case study material
  • Yvonne's definition of global collaboration "authentic, content-driven, project-based learning that involves the contributions of global partners" and "Global collaboration is more than simply having pen pals, or a Skype call; the project means there are some measurable goals and learning"
  • Why is it important to focus on the 'global'? According to Yvonne, "Focusing on the ‘global’ is the moral and ethical and logical approach to education. It’s almost unimaginable that we are not preparing young people to live in a world where they can collaborate with and learn from one another"
  • And...about educators and understanding of global collaboration, Yvonne says, "Educators do not understand how to collaborate in a meaningful way. Some have gone through Google training for example and are beginning to understand the tools and techniques and methodology. It’s a very small percentage of teachers doing this. 
  
DOWNLOAD the full case study


In Yvonne's words.....


When I contacted Yvonne recently to ask about any updated information or opportunities for global connections and collaborations she shared that there are 3 upcoming global collaborative project opportunities that are accepting new participants.
  1. International Cyberfair 2018 - (This was the very first global project I ever completed with students in 1996 - make sure you take a look - it just gets better and better)  
  2. Global Forest Link: May the Forest be with you - An exciting opportunity to connect students through Global Forest Watch
  3. LGBTQ History Student Film Makers Competition 2018 - A Facebook portal supports this unique collaboration
Make sure you also explore the Global SchoolNet website and the Project registry - current and archived projects are available. Global Educators wanting to find others and also wanting to learn about global project design are encouraged to spend some time in there. 

Below, the video 'Opening Doors to Collaboration' was produced by the Global SchoolNet in 2014. Enjoy....and share!



 
This is the eigth post in what will be a 36-week series featuring the 36 case studies from my book, 'The Global Educator: Leveraging Technology for Collaborative Learning and Teaching'. This book was published by the International Society for technology in Education in July 2016. The book contains contributions from over 100 educators and case studies featuring over 50 educators. Follow this blog series via category 'theglobaleducator', and subscribe to the podcasts via PodBean.

 Read more about The Global Educator and find out where to purchase the hard copy and eBook/ePub versions.

The short Animoto below shares some of the highlights of the ISTE 2016 conference when I was able to share the book across different events, including the ISTE opening ceremony. 


Julie Lindsay is the author of The Global Educator, and of this blog. 
Connect with Julie
 - Twitter @julielindsay
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Tuesday, August 29, 2017

My PhD Journey - Musing #2 - Birdbath Joy!

Of course it was predicted what would happen - I start blogging one early Tuesday morning about my PhD and vow to do this every Tuesday morning......and now it is Tuesday, but later in the afternoon and I almost forgot! Anyway I am here now, and this is my second PhD musing, ever.

The PhD journey has very little joy in it....so it seems right now....it is hard work; deliberate, meticulous, academic work. Therefore, as the struggle continues I try to find little things in life to distract me for brief periods each day....well of course I am working full time, so that is one of my major distractions....but on either side of the 'real' job, anything that can lighten the mood some days is embraced.

One of my real joys is our front garden birdbath. We put this in, a simple yet efficient concrete mould from a local supplier, about 3 years ago. Living right on the coast, 400 steps from the Pacific Ocean, we seem to have quite a variety of birds visiting - some come and go depending on the season. My favourites are the Willy Wagtail and the Butcher bird as well as the Blue-faced honey eater - a bright splash of blue on the head, with lovely olive green wings, as shown in the picture below (although grainy). Our birds love our bird bath - they congregate there in the mornings, in the evenings, in pairs, in smaller groups, in mixed bird types...and they have such fun! They splash and swoop and ruffle feathers....we love them!I can watch them all day....well at least for the 10 minutes I might escape from my desk.

 Let me move away from birds and share some of my academic influences - whose words come straight into my inbox through subscription, and inspire me to keep moving forward.

1. Dr Tara Brabazon - Dean of Graduate Research at Flinders University, South Australia. Tara has a Vlog series on YouTube - and I have watched just about every one of the 73 episodes so far I think. Some of my favourites:
    1. Vlog #56 How to fail a PhD in 60 sec. 
    2. Vlog #67 Altmetrics
    3. Vlog #47 How to get unstuck and reconnect with your thesis 
 2. Dr Pat Thomson - Professor of Education in the School of Education, The University of Nottingham, UK (buit she is originally from Australia!). Pat writes a blog 'Patter' - a prolific blog that is as much inspiring as much as it is prolific. I also had the privilege of attending a 'Thesis writing bootcamp' at USQ where Pat led us through some strategies - oh that could be another of my blog posts in the future! See Pat's post this week - 'Blogging research projects'

 3. Dr Inger Mewburn - of course! Another Australian, and Director of Research Training at the Australian National University who writes just as prolifically as Pat on her blog - The Thesis Whisperer. This post from just last week, Why you should blog during your PhD, is relevant to my situation - and maybe this was the catalyst (the straw re camel?) that finally prompted me to be sharing via this blog.

 I wonder what those birds are up to now.......?

 See you next Tuesday!

Julie Lindsay
Bird-watching PhD student
 
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Sunday, August 27, 2017

Global Education Highlights (weekly)

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Thursday, August 24, 2017

Case Study 1.7: Julie Carey - Write Our World

The Global Educator - Case Study 1.7

Julie Carey - Write Our World




Julie Carey is a Flat Connections Global Educator who is following a passion for helping kids share their stories. She is an inspiration to all global educators as she focuses on supporting kids to tell their stories and creates a library of eBooks for other kids to access and learn from. 

As she told me way back before the book was published, "Our work is inspired by the emergence of collaborative online educational innovations that connect students from all over the world."


Julie's non-profit organisation 'Write Our World' is going from strength to strength. As a social enterprise it's aim is to support global citizenship and multicultural literacy. Make sure you browse the website  - as this blog post is written it now has 111 books, 382 authors and 25 languages represented!

Connect with Julie
Twitter: @writeourworld 
Email: julie@writeourworld.org 
Website for Write Our World: http://writeourworld.org/  

DOWNLOAD the full case study

Do you want your students to be published authors? Write Our World will help with all the tools you need. Listen to the podcast below for more details about NEW opportunities. This opportunity is interdisciplinary and also supports digital literacy objectives and global collaboration standards across the curriculum.

This recent podcast from Julie contains relevant and updated information about Write Our World. Hear about the remote publishing feature that will enable authors to write content from anywhere. Jump into the Beta version - includes a free month of publishing!
Examples of the student-created ebooks - from Bhutan and Afghanistan
This is the seventh post in what will be a 36-week series featuring the 36 case studies from my book, 'The Global Educator: Leveraging Technology for Collaborative Learning and Teaching'. This book was published by the International Society for technology in Education in July 2016. The book contains contributions from over 100 educators and case studies featuring over 50 educators.

 Read more about The Global Educator and find out where to purchase the hard copy and eBook/ePub versions.

Julie Lindsay is the author of The Global Educator, and of this blog. 
Connect with Julie
 - Twitter @julielindsay
 - about.me/julielindsay
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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

My PhD Journey - Musing #1 - why is the sunrise not pink?

I am a PhD student at the University of Southern Queensland. This is my 5th year of study (part time!) and my very first blog post about this study. Completing a PhD is a surreal experience - and as everyone has been telling me, it is a journey. I am ony just starting to appreciate the significance of this journey and, without putting yet additional pressure on myself (or my family), have decided to blog once a week.....on Tuesday's.... to share my thoughts and experiences. 

Questioning is what I do on a daily basis now - I question myself, I question my ability to actually complete this degree, I question my understanding of many things - and this morning as I got up early (5:45am.....a sleep in for me) I questioned why the sunrise (pic taken from our bedroom balcony) is not pink? I asked my husband, who is the proud owner of an Aldi (National Geographic!) telescope, which he managed to put together but cannot work....everything is still blurry.....(like my life), and the font of all knowledge - but he does not know. Anyway...here is a picture of the start of a new day here in Ocean Shores......minus the pink clouds.


Every day I question why I am doing this PhD.....and every day the answer is pretty much the same: I am determined to share my enhanced understanding of and leadership around online global collaboration beyond the classroom, pragmatic experience. I am determined to become an academic and be able to share how important new pedagogical practices are for eductors to consider and adopt across the world. There, it's simple really! So, my determination has got me this far....I hope it lasts until the end.

Until the end of last year I was enrolled for an EdD - simple I thought, 4 years in and out, get the degree and move on. But oh no, it was not to be. I can never do anything significant in 4 years. My first Masters degree (by research) in the 1990's took nearly 9 years, with a pregnancy and birth of my daughter Violet Rose after the first submission, and a significant rewrite and second submission the year after that. My second Masters degree (by course work) I almost made the 4 years....a little over as we moved countries (from Kuwait to Bangladesh) and I had to drop dwon to one subject a semester for a while to cope.

So, realising my '4-year' dream was just that, my supervisors suggested I apply for a PhD degree instead...and here I am - still on the same journey, just with a ittle more global status perhaps?

More than 2 years ago I formally presented my proposal, rewrote that for submission (my life is full of rewrites!), was confirmed as a doctorate student, applied for and received ethics permission and then started the real work. Right now I am at the stage where my data collection is done, my interviews are transcribed, and I am actually writing the chapters and analysing the data - albeit badly (rewrites are my trade mark).....but from what I hear, this is not uncommon. Shout out to Pat Thomson who ran a Thesis Writing Bootcamp at USQ Toowoomba last year. I attended in great anticipation, and did get some inspiration, however she warned us - your first drafts will be sh****, keep rewriting, keep moving on.

A friend at CSU where I currently work full time (yes, there are 48 hours in some of my days....I wish) completed her PhD in over 10 years and of course has her own personal PhD journey to share, shout out to Lyn Hay who TODAY is graduating - congratulations! I admire and envy you....and I am hoping, wishing, planning not to take 10 years, but the journey is ongoing. 

So, my 20 minutes is up. I feel better for having shared something about this journey....it has almost been like I am frozen, I find it hard to verbalise and write about what I am going through. Maybe this is normal? I used to be a regular reflective and sharing blogger....maybe this is the first step in adopting that practice again, at the PhD level (LOL). 

See you next Tuesday......

Julie Lindsay
Struggling PhD student
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Sunday, August 20, 2017

Global Education Highlights (weekly)

  • Research Shorts - YouTube

    Research Shorts are short research video summaries by George Veletsianos and The Digital Learning and Social Media Research Group: http://www.thedlrgroup.com/ Our YouTube channel has a new look thanks to @scastilla! Watch our whiteboard animation research videos here: https://t.co/iag7WpCsJy

    tags: research education digitallearning knowledgemanagement

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Thursday, August 17, 2017

Case Study 1.6: Lizzie Hudson - Being an International Educator

The Global Educator - Case Study 1.6

Lizzie Hudson - Being an International Educator


Originally from the USA, Lizzie and her husband have taught overseas for more than 10 years and between them have taught in Korea, Hong Kong, Honduras, Thailand and Colombia. She now works in Malaysia at IGB International School and continues to push the limits of digital technologies.

Lizzie responded to my call for global educators and willingly wrote a case study sharing her enthusiasm for the lifestyle and opportunities teaching internationally provides. She continues to work in Malaysia and share via Twitter her classroom learning.

Readers of this blog and of The Global Educator take note that a global educator like Lizzie is your best source of information regarding teaching beyond your home country - take advantage of this - reach out, connect your classrooms and build global understanding. Lizzie also completed the COETAIL course so is a point of reference for what this offers - read her blog to find out more!

Connect with Lizzie
Twitter: @hudson_ea

DOWNLOAD the full case study
 
This is the sixth post in what will be a 36-week series featuring the 36 case studies from my book, 'The Global Educator: Leveraging Technology for Collaborative Learning and Teaching'. This book was published by the International Society for technology in Education in July 2016. The book contains contributions from over 100 educators and case studies featuring over 50 educators.

 Read more about The Global Educator and find out where to purchase the hard copy and eBook/ePub versions.

The short Animoto below shares some of the highlights of the ISTE 2016 conference when I was able to share the book across different events, including the ISTE opening ceremony. 


Julie Lindsay is the author of The Global Educator, and of this blog. 
Connect with Julie
 - Twitter @julielindsay
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Sunday, August 13, 2017

Global Education Highlights (weekly)

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Friday, August 11, 2017

Case Study 1.5: Karen Lirenman - Early years students go global


The Global Educator - Case Study 1.5

Karen Lirenman - Early years students go global


Karen and Julie at ISTE 2016
Karen Lirenman, an early years educator in Vancouver, Canada, is an award winning primary school teacher who is transforming education by connecting her students with the world using Twitter, blogs, and video conferencing. In 2013 Karen was awarded ISTE’s Kay L Bitter Vision Award for excellence in technology-based PK-2 education. Karen’s mission as a teacher is to change the world one six year old at a time (or through their teachers). 





In Karen's words.....




Connect with Karen
Twitter: @klirenman
Blog: http://www.klirenman.com/

In this case study Karen shares the foundation of her ‘flat’ classroom and how being a global educator means everything to her! It is an inspiration for teachers of younger children across the world.

DOWNLOAD the full case study

Recently I connected with Karen and she shared these updates to the case study of 2016.
A few things have changed in my world. I still work for Surrey Schools but I now teach at a brand new choice program with in my school district called the Surrey Academy of Innovative Learning.  It's very new and innovative and my students learning in new and exciting ways. The school website can be found at www.sailacademy.ca but the specific K-7 program (STEAM) can be found here - https://sailacademy.ca/programs/steam-k7/. This September we will be in our third year of the program. We have over double in size after the first year with a wait list with over 100 students on it. This past year I taught a Gr 1-3 combined classroom but more than likely we will have two combined k-3 classes next year and 2 combined 4-7 classes. Do check out the website, and more specifically the video on the K-7 page. The younger students in the video were from my class the first year. Several of the parents that speak in the video are parents of children I taught at the time.

UPDATE! 

Karen was also excited to remind me of her new co-authored book "Innovate with iPad: Lessons to Transform Learning" which is available on Amazon or through EdTech Team. 
See the Innovate with iPad website. 

Some thoughts from Karen about the book.....
While we realize there are some great drill and practice type apps, and there is a time and place for those too, we certainly spend far more of our day having our students create their own work, then rely on consumption apps.  What we've learned by having our students create content, particularly in an open-ended environment, they know far more than we've given them credit for.  Open-ended activities allow our students to really show us what they know or in many cases what they don't actually know even though they are able to answer questions correctly or quickly. Using iPad in our classrooms has really made a difference with our students thinking and understanding. Their learning has improved.
Read more about this on her blog.


This is the fifth post in what will be a 36-week series featuring the 36 case studies from my book, 'The Global Educator: Leveraging Technology for Collaborative Learning and Teaching'. This book was published by the International Society for technology in Education in July 2016. It contains contributions from over 100 educators and case studies featuring over 50 educators. Follow this blog series via category 'theglobaleducator', and subscribe to the podcasts via PodBean.

 Read more about The Global Educator and find out where to purchase the hard copy and eBook/ePub versions.

Julie Lindsay is the author of The Global Educator, and of this blog. 
Connect with Julie
 - Twitter @julielindsay
 - about.me/julielindsay 
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Sunday, August 06, 2017

Global Education Highlights (weekly)

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

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Friday, August 04, 2017

Case Study 1.4: Janice Newlin - Taking teacher education global


The Global Educator - Case Study 1.4

Janice Newlin - Taking teacher education global

 

Janice Newlin is an adjunct instructor who teaches Educational Technology courses for two universities, Athens State University in Athens, Alabama and Auburn University Montgomery in Montgomery, Alabama, USA. She is one of the teacher educators featured in The Global Educator and has been actively involved with Flat Connections global projects for many years.


Connect with Janice
Twitter: @janicenewlin

 In the case study Janice shares her ideas for redesigning teacher eduation in order to prepare students to promote global understanding in their future classrooms, be fluent with technology tools to support collaborative learning, and understand global project design through hands on assignments and activities. 


DOWNLOAD the full case study


Janice shares some of her Athens State University student work here, and you are invited to read more on the Flat Connections blog.

 Victor Lakso - Choose your own adventure
See Vic's website as well - Issues and Trends





This is the fourth post in what will be a 36-week series featuring the 36 case studies from my book, 'The Global Educator: Leveraging Technology for Collaborative Learning and Teaching'. This book was published by the International Society for technology in Education in July 2016. It contains contributions from over 100 educators and case studies featuring over 50 educators. Follow this blog series via category 'theglobaleducator', and subscribe to the podcasts via PodBean.

 Read more about The Global Educator and find out where to purchase the hard copy and eBook/ePub versions.

Julie Lindsay is the author of The Global Educator, and of this blog. 
Connect with Julie
 - Twitter @julielindsay
 - about.me/julielindsay  
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