Richard Kassissieh (kassblog.com ) shared and interesting post about Global Ed and Technology. I agree with his assertions that the use of lower quality connections as being as valuable as higher tech solutions. One reason is that it is more easily accessible in other parts of the world. You are more likely to find someone in Africa who can download skype (for free) and connect than to expect them to be able to purchase a more costly solution.
Jim Heynderickx, ( k12converge.com) commenting on Richard’s post, brings up a great concern of mine, which is finding partners outside of our schools. Right now, I am striving to find partners for a number of projects which are ripe for collaboration outside of the classrooms. Because of the connections that I am making using web 2.0 tools (blogs, wikis, and podcasts), my universe is expanding and I am beginning to find partners for a few projects. The other option that we have is to post projects in the public web 2.0 space (wikis, blogs, YouTube, Google video) and then either let connections serendipitously arise or promote your projects so that others will gravitate towards them.
t would be wonderful to have a few clearinghouses to help teachers, who do not have the time to seek connections or be afraid of venturing out of their comfort zones, be able to find willing partners. Not being able to easily find these connections may provide the excuse not to venture forward and attempt a project such as this.
Maybe this is an idea that someone would be willing to help me develop. Utilizing a wiki or some other connections, to provide a clearninghouse so that teachers or classrooms seeking other classrooms can find projects to collaborate on. Anyone game to take on this challenge with me?
Hi,
I’ve been researching online clearing houses as well. I’ve posted my first search results at
http://www.k12converge.com/?p=162
Thanks!
Jim H
There are many wikis with partnering lists on them (it’s almost a problem how many!). supportblogging.wikispaces.com is one, my 1001teachers.wikispaces.com (you belong to it, so you know this) is forming for collaborative world writing projects, etc.
The problem is not so much making lists–they’re there–the problem is coordinating between schools, getting in sync, working out routines for collaboration across timezones, etc.
That’s my experience after a month of doing, really doing, this. We don’t need another list as much as we need new ways to “meet” as “worldwide teams.” That’s the challenge.
My issue, Clay, with the wiki solution is for the teacher who has not embraced Web 2.0, yet, and is looking to find partners. They are the ones who need easy to find clearinghouses, so that they don’t have to search for all of the wikis that they may not know about.