Author Archives: Janine Lim

Shadow Puppets for Read Around the Planet

Still continuing our Read Around the Planet connections this week. Today two classes from River Valley Middle School are connecting to South Carolina and Virginia. The 8th grade students have been studying the book Anne Frank. Recently they did the Anne Frank program with the Center for Puppetry Arts.

Shadow PuppetsBased on that inspiration, they shared two shadow puppet plays that the students wrote. The play came across really well in the videoconference. In addition, a couple of groups also shared their rap written about Anne Frank. Our partner class really enjoyed the puppet shows.

Still another 23 Read Around the Planet connections to go!

Video Interviews

While I was out in Nebraska a few weeks ago, John Stritt, Distance Education Director at ESU 10 interviewed me for their video podcast series. There are three little clips, very professionally done.

Feel free to use these in your training sessions.

New VC Content Providers Website & RSS Feed

Announcing……


The Berrien RESA / Polycom Videoconference Database is moving to a new home! We have a new URL, new server with more capacity, and new features.

Please update your links to www.VCcontentproviders.org. Update your links to the “Two Page Selected List“, the Search Help Page, and the Content Provider List too.

New Features

  • We no longer have the 100 user limit we hit last year (a FilemakerPro limitation).
  • You can subscribe via RSS or email to the new programs (see the links on the left here).
  • Content providers can now edit their own pages. But we will continue to scour the web for every possible VC program we can find and list.

New Programs on Your Website
If you would like, you can copy and paste this HTML code onto your website, and the most recent 5 programs added will show on your page.

<script src=”http://feeds2.feedburner.com/VcContentProvidersNewPrograms?format=sigpro” type=”text/javascript” ></script><noscript><p>Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: <a href=”http://feeds2.feedburner.com/VcContentProvidersNewPrograms”></a><br/>Powered by FeedBurner</p> </noscript>

Thank you for updating your links, as the old site will go offline the end of March. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Conner Prairie No Longer Offering Programs

I received word in my email this morning that Conner Prairie in Indiana is discontinuing their distance learning program. They have won either the Teacher’s Choice Award or Honorable Mention in the last three years of our annual spring survey.

The explanation given was partly due to the rapid downturn in the economy.

I’m sad to hear this news, and I hope that they are still able to provide history lessons to those who come onsite to their museum. It’s a reminder of how subsidized and sponsored the content providers’ programs are. If we in education want videoconferencing content in this manner, we should be willing to contribute to the cost of development and delivery. But sometimes even that isn’t enough to keep the programs going.

We’ll miss you, Conner Prairie!

Did you ever connect to Conner Prairie? Which programs did you like? Feel free to comment.

ESL Read Around the Planet

After the first week of so many Read Around the Planet connections along with other VCs, I finally was able to actually watch a full session today. We have 63 RAP sessions this year.

Read Around the PlanetToday’s session was an ESL Read Around the Planet. We started by our 7 students saying their name and hello in their native language (Spanish and Korean). Then our friends in TX also said their names.

Our friends in Texas shared a song with us. Then our students taught the kids in Texas the alphabet using ZooPhonics with actions. Our class sang about the animals that live at the zoo.

Read Around the PlanetOur friends in Texas shared the beginning of a book about an animal in the zoo. Then they shared a song about colors, with each student representing different colors.

Some of the questions the students asked each other were:

  • What is your favorite food?
  • What is your favorite book?
  • What is your favorite toy?
  • What kind of weather is it there?
  • Why aren’t you wearing blue? (one class had uniforms and the other class didn’t)

The students enjoyed a great conversation and learned about each other. Reminds me why I love this project!

Is videoconferencing "enrichment"?

I just finished reading Eric Jensen’s book, Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize Every Learner’s Potential. Eric Jensen is a leading educator in the area of applying neuroscience research to practical classroom applications.

As I read, I kept reconsidering my reluctance to use the word enrichment in talking about videooconferencing. I prefer “curriculum videoconferencing” to emphasize the use of VC to meet curriculum goals. To me, enrichment sounded like an “extra”, like something expendable in high-stakes, tight-budget times.

What is Enrichment?
But then, all through the book, I kept encountering Jensen’s insistence that all students need to experience enrichment. What does he mean? First, it’s important to understand his definition:

Enrichment is a positive biological response to a contrasting environment, in which measurable, synergistic, and global changes have occured (Jensen, 2006, p. xii).

A careful read of the book shows the importance of understanding that enrichment is the response to a contrasting environment, not just decorating an “enriching environment.” Enrichment is what happens to the brain in a contrasting environment. I encourage you to devour this book to understand this fully.

So, what is a contrasting environment?
A contrasting environment is where the student experiences a “contrast” from what he or she is usually getting. There are seven factors or maximizers for contrasting environments. They are:

  1. Physical Activity (voluntary gross motor)
  2. Novel, Challenging, and Meaningful learning
  3. Coherent Complexity (not chaotic)
  4. Managed Stress Levels (not boring or distressful)
  5. Social Support (at home, school, and community)
  6. Good Nutrition (balanced and healthy with supplements)
  7. Sufficient Time (not rushed, plenty of sleep) (Jensen, 2006, p. 178).

Jensen’s suggestions for whole district improvement are way beyond anything that I can impact in my work – eliminating grade levels, 20-30 minutes of recess daily, pull out programs, acceleration, student choice, exploratory learning, social connectedness, etc. He describes a major change to traditional schooling. While it’s inspiring, it’s beyond the scope of my current work at least right now.

Novel and Meaningful Learning
Thankfully, he also has suggestions for teachers and principals. The one that seems to be in an area that I can impact is that of Novel, Challenging, and Meaningful Learning.

  • Have you ever wondered if kids like VC just because it’s novel? Why is it that Monster Match is such a great relief from Michigan state testing and Read Around the Planet relief from NY and TX state testing? Could it be because it’s a contrast from their regular work?
  • Why is it that teachers comment especially on the reaction of special education kids in a videoconference? Why do special ed kids gain a lot from a videoconference? Could it be because it’s a contrast from their regular experiences? Interestingly, Jensen spends quite a bit of time on how at-risk, poverty-challenged kids can benefit greatly and make significant gains in learning when they are in a contrasting environment.
  • Is it actually a good thing for students’ brains that VC is novel? that it connects them to real-world meaningful learning, we agree already. But novel?! I thought that novel was kind of a bad word in education, that an innovation should be sustainable, sustained, institutionalized.

Don’t misunderstand me or Jensen! Short one time VCs are hardly a drop in the bucket of the contrasting environment that students need. Be sure you understand the huge scope of what he is suggesting.

Still, I think we can take away a small application by understanding that the novelty and real-world connection of a curriculum-based videoconference is stimulating to students’ brains! (Talking to an author, talking to kids in Australia, Canada, or Wales, interacting with scientist… that’s all real-world.) Probably not enough to make a significant (countable, measurable) difference; but yet another little tool in the teacher’s arsenal of tools for creating a contrasting environment for students.

What do you think? Have you read Jensen’s work? Am I off base? Is it too much of a stretch to apply this, even in a small way, to the use of videoconferencing? Are you going to use the word enrichment or “contrasting environment” when describing VC? Please comment!

Mexican Dances

Mexican DancesToday we have a couple more sessions with Frank Garcia at the Pedro Zaragoza Foundation. Today’s classes were middle school exploratory language classes. They were treated to several dances, interspersed with some question and answer time. Our students asked:

  • How old were you when you started to learn the dances? (5 years old)
  • How long does it take to learn the dances? (about 3 months)
  • What time is it there?
  • Is it hard to learn the dances?

The students in Mexico asked our students:

  • What are your names?
  • Do you want to learn how to dance?
  • What kind of music do you like?
  • If it’s cold, why aren’t you wearing sweaters?

I would like to think of some more ways the students could interact and do some games. Maybe they could teach our students some simple steps or some vocabulary. I would like our students to be able to share something too, that would be of benefit to the orphans.  What ideas do you have for interacting?

Leading Through Collaboration Book Review

Continuing work on my 5th competency:  Servant Leadership in Technology Facilitation and Collaboration.

Glaser, J. (2005). Leading through collaboration: Guiding groups to productive solutions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Summary
Glaser (2005) sees a leader not as a head of an organization, but anyone who watns to help bring solutions to problems. His book is written to give leaders the tools to develop attitudes and skills to “align the organization around learning” (p. ix). In part 1 Glaser emphasizes attitudes. While some may be tempted to skip to the part 2 skills section, his writing on attitudes about coherence, the self, shared meaning, and groupthink lay an important foundation. From there, the skills section teaches the fundamentals of aligning the team, focusing on the vision, finding solutions, and agreeing to the solution. Filled with stories and real-life examples, this book will inspire you to improve collaboration skills beginning with the next problem you have to solve!

Initial Reaction
I didn’t get very far into this book before I was surprised at the focus on conflict, conflict management, and listening for agreement and disagreement. I’m not sure what I expected, since I collaborate with others daily. But I was not prepared for the focus on getting past disagreement and conflict. But on reflection, clearly you can’t have collaboration without strategies to address conflict and disagreement appropriately. After reading the book, I feel that I have very few, if any, of the skills listed, yet I do collaborate with others. I believe that as I am able to implement what I’ve learned, my collaborations will be stronger and more respectful of others’ views. Not just respect, but actually incorporating all the views and needs of others into the solution. I wonder if sometimes my Strategic strength jumps to a solution without full participation from the group.

What is Collaboration?
Glaser (2005) begins with a definition of collaboration: “to work together to solve a problem or create something new” (p. 3). In addition, he defines coherence as “the condition that exists when individuals are aligned on a given subject or task, and are ready to harness their collective energy to move forward on a common ground solution” (p. 3). As I consider these definitions, I am evaluating my own collaborations.  Just for reference, here are a few of them:

Glaser (2005) suggests that effective teams have the following qualities:

  • joint commitment to shared goals
  • trust of all members to understand their roles and get the job done
  • shifting leadership based on task and circumstances
  • excellent communications
  • understanding each other’s needs and perspectives
  • a sense of humor
  • willingness to set aside differences and to work together for the greater good (p. 4).

The Jazz workshop certainly has this. The one area where we have to work hard to make it happen is the communications, because of the physical and technical distance between us.

Things to Learn

  • The first and main lesson for me from this book is listening. Not just listening to understand, but listening to detect coherence. Glaser told a story of hearing a group discussing who thought they had disagreement, and he asked permission to summarize what he heard, and everyone agreed (p. 9). I want to fine tune my ear to hear like that! In addition, Glaser describes a teacher listening “openly and attentively” to a complaining parent, even when the complaint is presented emotionally (p. 114). I want to be able to listen openly and attentively instead of getting “riled up” along with the other person! “A power leader and problem solver should cultivate an ability to inquire deeply into the nature of what motivates people” (p. 118). This means being able to understand an issue as others see it. Again, later in the book, Glaser (2005) emphasizes listening for the common ground… listening carefully and constructively. “A powerful, consensus oriented leader will develop an ear for how different perspectives fit together, focusing on areas of agreement versus separateness” (p. 143).
  • Another important lesson is to pick up the phone and “call each other before small organizational rubs become huge conflicts” (p. 16). It’s too easy to write an email or Skype message when a phone or VC would resolve the issue and maintain the relationship.
  • Define the problem is another principle from the book. Information needs to be shared so that all understand the ramifications and have shared their perspectives. The work needs to be addressed against the problem, not against each other.
  • Aligning the team includes setting up the meeting to focus on the problem, not on fighting each other. The book includes several suggestions on chair placement, focus of the room, etc. to help with them.
  • Be firm and flexible at the same time! I need to learn to be firm in “articulating and identifying the nature of our interests, while remaining flexible about how those needs get met” (p. 112). This is an important key to true collaboration – meeting the needs/interests of everyone in a creative way. The book has several suggestions for clearly communicating interests, as it is so important to understand the “why” behind the person’s position.
  • Knowing when to push for agreement. Glaser describes several techniques and tools for bringing a group to a solution and/or closure on an issue. These helpful tips include asking each person to articulate that they can support the solution.

Leading by Consensus

Page 175 has a nice little chart with the checklist for what it takes to lead by consensus:

  • Demonstrate leadership commitment
  • Develop a vision and keep it in focus
  • Attend to relationships
  • Maintain open and collaborative communications and problem-solving mechanisms
  • Structure the organization to deliver what is promised
  • Remain mindful of the learning

The book ends with a detailed summary on how to accomplish each of these goals. I found this book very helpful and inspiring and will definitely refer to it as I continue to collaborate with others.

Cross References

  • Learning from this book can be used in my reflection paper for the Communication competency, as well as the Ethics competency.

Favorite Author Quote

08-02-05trapped.jpgToday’s the first day of Read Around the Planet. I had 9 RAP connections and didn’t get to see any of them! They did all work, except for one that will be rescheduled due to circumstances at the partner schol.

I’ve been monitoring/watching our ASK programs with author Eric Walters on his book Trapped in Ice. I blogged it last year. We’ve had a great set of questions and stories today. My favorite quote today though is:

Did you hear about the new TV that’s out that is on 24 hours a day and you can pick whichever channel or show you want to watch. It has a keyboard and you can change the ending of the story. …. No I’m kidding. That doesn’t exist. But it does – it’s called writing and reading!

I paraphrased somewhat, but you get the gist. Eric has a strong message about writing and reading and learning about history. This is our second year partnering with York Region School District Board to share these programs, and we plan to continue for sure.

eMinistry Book Review

Continuing work on my 5th competency:  Servant Leadership in Technology Facilitation and Collaboration. My commentary includes reflections on the web ministry of Pioneer Memorial Church, of which I am a team member.

Careaga, A. (2001). E-ministry : connecting with the net generation. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

Summary
E-ministry is written by volunteer youth pastor and journalist. His book begins with a description of today’s youth online, including the differences between generations and an exploration of post modernism. He describes in detail the experiences of youth online looking for and participating in religious activities such as searching the net and online chat rooms. This book has a detailed description of the perils of the Internet contrasted with the positive possibilities. Finally, he describes “digital discipleship” including online communities, using the Bible online, and addressing the felt needs of the youth online.

Concerns
This book didn’t have the strong Biblical foundation and rationale that Church Next included. In addition, since it’s from 2001, the focus was on some more primitive bulletin boards and chat rooms  and is of course missing any commentary on the Web 2.0 phenomenon. There are quotes of interactions in chat rooms that could make traditional Christians uncomfortable; including interacting with a “BibleBot” called JesusFrk that spits out verses on demand. The book is much more anti-post-modernism than Church Next. It compares post-modernism to the tower of Babel and emphasizes the post-modern ideas of no absolute truth.  It does suggest that postmoderns may be more open to Jesus that the reason-emphasizing moderns (p. 76). I believe that all worldviews have some truthand some error, and that as Christians our goal is to find the positive to make a connection and lead others to a clearer understanding of truth and a closer relationship with Jesus.  Church Next has a better foundation for the theology of change; where this book has some warnings and concerns about online ministry, it’s more “free flowing” and open. I found this book more disturbing and challenging than Church Next.

Interesting Ideas

  • In the first page, Careaga (2001) calls the “global hive of interconnected computers known as the Internet” the “‘Roman Road’ network of our day” (p. 15). This reminded me of the following quote from Desire of Ages :

“When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.” Providence had directed the movements of nations, and the tide of human impulse and influence, until the world was ripe for the coming of the Deliverer. The nations were united under one government. One language was widely spoken, and was everywhere recognized as the language of literature. From all lands the Jews of the dispersion gathered to Jerusalem to the annual feasts. As these returned to the places of their sojourn, they could spread throughout the world the tidings of the Messiah’s coming” (White, 1898, p. 32).

  • The book describes a conversation on faith between a boomer, an Xer, and an N-Gener. The author asks “Could such a discussion happen anywhere besides cyberspace?” (p. 64). How often do these generations even worship together, let alone have a discussion. How can generations be brought together online? Later in the book (p. 92), the author mentions a chat room is staffed by a retired chaplain. This model is working well for the prayer requests from the PMC website, and could be used for online communities/small groups/seminars online as well.
  • The author describes the online Christian gatherings as being much more like the “primitive church’s house meetings than to the regimented weekly services of most Protestant denominations” (p. 123). These gatherings are focused on experiential faith. Hmm. Conversation and fellowship can happen with believers online, but can online groups/faith communities challenge people to service in their daily life to those immediately around them?
  • Along with the Church Next book, Careage (2001) also suggests that the church should use stories to tell the stories of the Christian faith (p. 139). Narrative evangelism (p. 142) is telling our story with God’s story and sharing it with others.
  • An idea that I’d never thought of before was that of going “door-to-door” in chat rooms, inviting web surfers to tune into a cybercast (p. 149).
  • Careaga suggests also that you can’t win others to Christ if you spend all your time in a Christian community, online, face to face, and never meeting anyone outside your faith. This includes online experiences too (p. 152-153).
  • Careage quotes Jimmy Long that postmoderns have a two step conversion – they are “converted” to a community – small group or larger community; and then they commit to Christ (p. 154). Careage suggests that we should first invest time in a community online. What would/could that look like? He suggests that online evangelists should do the same as any missionary – planting by cultivating relationships, sowing the seed of the gospel, and then reparing the fruit.

Questions Raised

  • Is an online church a gathering or assembling together? Is a physical gathering critical for an ekklesia?  Is an online church “the congregation of the disembodied” (Careage, 2001, p. 19). How important is physical presence? Does watching a streaming service constitute “assembly”? What does it mean to “meet together” (Hebrews 10:25)? It seems that whether in physical presence or online, merely “listening or watching” is not enough. We must interact with each other. Interactivity is the medium online, not just passivity (p. 37). How can we incorporate interactivity both in face to face church and online? Small groups seem to be key.
  • Can the Internet be used to disciple young people (as suggested in the third section of the book?). What does it mean to disciple someone no matter their age?
  • Denomination distinctions fall down online and successful cyberchurches collaborate with other online ministries (p. 40). How does this reality fit with Adventist understanding of our unique mission to the world?
  • What questions are young people asking? A illustration from the book is Christian teens trying to learn about tatoos and body piercing. Not much (was) available when searching “Christian” with these terms. The author suggests that many religious answers online are not answering the questions that young people are asking (p. 108). In our media ministry, we have the benefit of a campus of college students, who are often surveyed to understand what they want/need to learn. The Chosen series is an example of addressing questions by students.

Thoughts on People Today

  • James Emery White (Careaga, 2001, p. 23): “People are very interested in spiritual things, are asking spiritual questions, and are on spiritual quests as seekers, yet they have no interest in the church.” How do we connect to these seekers? How are we noticing and responding to the spiritual hunger around us?
  • Quoting a young person (Careaga, 2001, p. 30). “The Internet is the way to reach my generation. It is a way for cowards like me to grow in faith privately until we get the strength to say our beliefs out loud.”
  • Even young people who like the online cyberchurch idea are still skeptical about cyberchurch as the only means of connecting to God’s people (p. 31).
  • “N-Geners are very God-conscious” but not grounded in the Christian faith”. Later in the book, Careaga describes churchgoing kids with an eclectic mix of faith. “I’m a born again Christian. Yeah I believe that Jesus was the Son of God. But I’m also a practicing Buddhist” (p. 72). This is a warning and a call to ministry that gives the young a foundation in truth. Recent series from PMC are definitely addressing the need for a foundation, i.e. The Sabbath, The Truth about Death, The Truth about Hell.
  • Teens want to be engaged in a cause bigger than themselves (p. 52). Are we calling the youth to serve Jesus? The Primetime series certainly does. How are we connecting and mentoring them for ministry?

Potential Challenges

  • One of the recurring themes of this book is young people saying whatever they think online. Careaga (2001) suggests that “if one is to participate in the rough-and-tumble community of Usenet newsgroups, one must be willing to put up with such harsh criticism online” (p. 83). Is it possible to have an online community where other views are respected and still be a community that is committed to leading others to a closer walk with Jesus? I think it is… in an online community where people have committed to learn from each other and respect those in the community. A wide open space may be harder to manage, but short time-limited communities (seminars? classes?) should be more manageable.
  • The author suggests that when setting up an online ministry, it’s important to find out what other ministries are already out there and how the new ministry fits with the other online ministries (p. 88). An analysis of within-denomination and inter-denomination online ministries is probably helpful before venturing into a new experience online. For example, 360Hubs has an online networking tool for church members. Here’s a church that has a women’s group online; and another; and “can you do small groups online?” I want to think about this more because I believe that my local church could be doing more for our online/web/podcast listeners, especially those from “creative access countries.”
  • Careaga (2001) suggests that Christians should use the Net to “introduce the Net Generation” to the Bible. That the Word should be “released from the tyranny of the printed page to read a wired, digitized, hyper-connected world” (p. 114). Careage reminds us that the Word was mostly “heard” by early Christians. The oral tradition may be returning in today’s age, and can be met with audio and video podcasts.
  • Is there a way to use the Net to “connect” young people and other online seekers to a physical church community? “Net savvy teens … are suspicious of highly structured institutions” (p. 134). It seems that only with a supportive relationship built online could someone be convinced to jump from “online” church to joining a physical church community. (BTW, I reject the use of the terms virtual and real because online communication is just as real as print which is how we receive the Bible!)
  • Careage quotes Jimmy Long as suggesting that instead of the Great Commission, Christians should emphasize the Great Commandment. This concerns me a bit, because I think the Great Commission is at the core of who we are as Adventist Christians. Maybe instead, one could try to meet the command of the Great Commission through the method of the Great Commandment. This way it is “both” instead of “or”.

Again, while I was familiar with most of the technology tools explained in this book, I found it a challenging and interesting read to consider the ways to minister online. I want to think more about how our church web ministry could add an online community component of some form.