Erik’s Random Babble

http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=151

This presentation by Silvia Tolisano, detailing how students were taken on a virtual trip to China coinciding with an actual trip made by the presenter, was very cool as well. She used a variety of Web 2.0 tools to support a curriculum of global awareness to help make students critical thinkers, which I agree with the presenter is imperative in our ever more interconnected world. My own background and experiences in travelling around the world and communicating across cultures made this presentation resonate quite deeply with me.

In a visually engaging video, Silvia describes the development of her school’s global studies program. Though technology played a significant role throughout, I enjoyed that the primary focus here was on the thought process Silvia and her colleagues followed in creating this exciting learning opportunity for their students. Details about the specific technology tools used during the China trip round out the presentation, as well as links to various blogs she has helped set up for the China trip, a forthcoming trip to Egypt and her school’s global studies program.

I’m going to share the link to this presentation with one of my school’s 5th grade teachers, who is Chinese and leads groups on tours to China every summer. I’m anxious to hear his impressions about it, and imagine after watching it, he will also be interesting in taking things to the “next level” in a similar way as Silvia describes here. Even on a smaller scale, I think this presentation makes a good case for blogging in the classroom to any teacher, and could even see that this might be the hook to get other teachers in my building interested in exploring the possibilities.