Author Archives: Janine Lim

Update on This Year's MysteryQuests

Just a quick heads-up for those of you who like to participate in the Berrien RESA MysteryQuest events: MysteryQuest World, MysteryQuest USA, and the new US HistoryQuest5 and US HistoryQuest8 (websites almost done).

Registration
IP VerifiedRegistration for these events will be in CAPspace. We’re piloting a new type of registration in CAPspace. So, you’ll need to have verified equipment to be able to register. You can tell if you have an IP icon on your profile (login and click My Profile).

I’m hoping to open registration for April & May MysteryQuest sessions the week of March 2. So if you’re anxious to get a spot in my MysteryQuests this year, make sure your profile is connected to verified equipment in CAPspace. Let me know if you have trouble with that.

Cost
This year’s MysteryQuest sessions will be $35 for each participating class. If you usually have several classes participate and need a discount, let me know and we can work something out.

Hope you can join us for one ore more MysteryQuests!

New VC Dissertation Published: Kindergarten VC

This morning I received an exciting alert in my inbox. Another dissertation has been published on videoconferencing. This one is by Debra Piecka – who organized the connection we did with Namibia a couple summers ago.

I’m sharing the abstract here, and will read and post more about it later. Here’s the direct link to the dissertation in ProQuest if you have access to that dissertation database.

Show and tell: Learning with interactive videoconferencing in kindergarten
by Piecka, Debra C. Burkey, Ed.D., Duquesne University, 2008, 426 pages; AAT 3338618
Abstract (Summary)

The research investigated how kindergartners make meaning using interactive videoconferencing. The study explored two research questions: (1) What types of meanings are being formed by the kindergartners during interactive videoconferences and,( 2) What are the nature of young children’s emerging inquiries and dialogue surrounding their use of interactive videoconferencing in their classroom? The study embodied a Vygotskian perspective as the theoretical framework in order to meet demands associated with the young participants’ vulnerability, developmental appropriateness, and the students’ interactive learning environment. Employing an ethnographic, participant observation methodology, the research design was informed by three criteria: (1) a pilot study, (2) Miles and Huberman’s (1994a) recurring themes in qualitative data analysis, and (3) literature review results emphasizing the nuances of contemporary culture. Field observation occurred from October 2007 through February 2008 in a Southwestern Pennsylvania kindergarten classroom. Students participated in 7 videoconferences with distant peers or content experts. Data from a gingerbread and puppetry videoconference and an astronomy program were selected for further analysis based on their ability to illustrate poignant examples of how the kindergartners formed meaning during collaborations. Data analysis procedures involved the importing of dialogue from videoconferencing transcriptions, field notes, and other artifacts into the ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software for open coding, data display, and grounded theory development.

Results developed from open coding and concept maps in ATLAS.ti informed the following theory development. First, learning with interactive videoconferencing in kindergarten supports meaning making from four Vygotskian tenets: (1) the social origins of learning, (2) sign and tool use through mediated activity, (3) the importance of language, and (4) support for the zone of proximal development. Additionally, the students’ meaning making involved the tenets’ entwinement rather than the solitary occurrence of individual tenets. Regarding the kindergartners’ emerging inquiries, during sustained interactive videoconferencing levels, children’s inquiries and dialogue evidenced exploratory talk that was purposeful, reflective and self-directed. It also indicated comfort with the technology. This study is unique in its multidisciplinary application of Vygotskian learning theory to kindergartners’ meaning making with videoconferencing and provides a foundation for extended use of qualitative methods to examine young children’s’ learning with technology.

I think it’s so interesting that this study is on kindergarten students.  Last week I tested with Richard Sands for Read Around the Planet, and he said his kindergarten teachers use VC the most. One of my “top teachers” that I studied last spring was a kindergarten teacher who did 12 VCs in the 2007-2008 school year.  One of the studies that I’ve been using in my collaborations presentation is on a kindergarten sustained collaboration. And, finally, one of Sue Porter’s favorite Read Around the Planet stories is of a kindergartener. So, how about you? How are your kindergarten classes using VC?

Nebraska Keynote Links

Greetings to my Nebraska ESUPDO audience. Here are a collection of links and resources mentioned in my presentations.

Breakout Session

Collaborations Around the Planet

Read Around the Planet

Information for Collaborations

Content Providers

Keynote Presentation

More Information

Interviewing Dr. Ben Carson

Ben CarsonToday we participated in an exciting interview with Dr. Ben Carson, Director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins. Students read one or more of his books, and prepared questions based on their reading and scientific study. Some students prepared questions on the new movie Gifted Hands. The program was coordinated and sponsored by Polycom. Thank you to Polycom and Johns Hopkins for making this happen! We used the ASK format for this videoconference. We started with opening comments from Dr. Carson, rotated through the schools for the questions, and closed with final comments.

The last time we did this, I blogged some of the classes questions. Today, I’m going to share some of my favorite answers.

  • “The more rights you think you have, the easier it is for others to infringe upon them.”
  • On the importance of reading: “I realized the most successful people had accumulated a lot of knowledge.”
  • On poverty: “If you can control something, it’s nearly as bad as if something controls you.”
  • “You’re only disadvantaged if you think you are. If you have a normal brain and the ability to go to the library, you can learn anything you want to learn.”
  • “Most people live to be 80 years old. You spent the first 20 years preparing yourself. If you spend it preparing yourself, then you’ll reap the benefits. If you don’t, then you’ll reap the consequences.”
  • “There’s nothing wrong with failing, as long as you learn from it.”
  • One of the classes asked about the Carson Scholarship Fund which he explained during the session.

As usual, this program was a treat for the classes participating! We look forward to doing it again next year. We sure appreciate Dr. Carson giving up his lunch hour to talk with us!

Submit for Video Champions Award by Feb. 13

Did you know TANDBERG is running a Video Champions Award?

The Video Champion Awards will honor organizations that are demonstrating positive impact and influence in video communications. Entrants will be awarded for innovations that break through conventional processes and highlight new ways of using video communications to help organizations, teams or individuals achieve their goals.

Hurry and apply!

eMissions Podcast

Did you get this announcement in your email? If not, check out this podcast!

Can’t get enough about Video Conferencing?  Take a listen to the latest edition of the Twenty Minutes for Tech podcast, Episode 22: Video Conferencing options for your classroom. In this episode we chat with Julia from CILC and Kathleen from e-Missions about their varied videoconferencing offerings. We also listen in and interview teachers getting a first-hand experience with Operation Montserrat. You’ve heard of ‘controlled chaos’ in the classroom?! Listen in to these teachers living the mission! (and you don’t always need a $10,000 video conferencing system to participate.) You can find the podcast here at: http://www.twentyfortech.com/

Visiting Students in Mexico

Today I have two last minute planned videoconferences with Mexico. We had planned to have a Jr. High class connect yesterday, but they lost power. Their kids were so excited they wanted to talk to someone today. So last night I sent out an email to my schools and found two classes to connect and chat.

The connections are with the Pedro Zaragoza Foundation and Frank Garcia is the one coordinating. We found him on the CILC Collaboration Center.

Frank’s Dream
Frank is funding this foundation from his own pocket and with donations from local businesses. He’s bringing students from local schools, from the streets, and orphanages to videoconference with students in the United States. They share Mexican dances as well as just “getting to know you” interactions.

Frank would like to see classes in the United States sponsor children to go to school. For just $100 US, they can pay tuition and buy books and a backpack for one student. This seems like a great service learning project, similar to the VC for Hope project that Terry Godwaldt coordinates.

Mexico4th grade talks to 2nd grade
In our first session, the students had a simple exchange. To start off, one student at a time came up and said, “Hi, my name is ___, and I am ___ years old, and I like to _____.” Then the other class would say, Hola John! and wave. The kids loved it!

Both classes described where we were, and we showed them the bright white outside the window (snow!). One of our students played a few notes on a recorder, and the Mexican students clapped for her!

The two principals had a conversation; then the students sang a song for each other.

1st grade Spanish class talks to 2nd graders
In the second exchange, our students were starting to learn Spanish. They sang songs for each other, followed by more meet and greet time. All of the songs both classes shared were in Spanish. Our students had a song about the days of the week, and another for the colors.

We had a great time with these connections, and plan for more in the future. You can too! Just contact Frank!

What do you see as the power of collaboration?

I’m creating a new presentation for a workshop in Nebraska next week. It’s called “The Power of Collaboration.”

So, PLN, what do you think? Yes, YOU! You’re not just reading my blog, you’re part of my learning network!

What collaborations (in videconferencing) are you involved in? What types of collaboration do you do? So far I’ve thought of:

  • Collaborations between two classes of students
  • Collaborations between two or more videoconference coordinators in two different schools/districts
  • Collaborations between two teachers to team-teach
  • Collaborations that create content for students
  • Collaborations that students create content for other students
  • What else?

What is the power of collaboration?
What do you think? Here’s what I’ve thought of so far….

  • Broader perspectives
  • Better quality learning experiences
  • Expanded understanding of the world
  • Authentic audiences for students
  • Greater learning for everyone involved
  • A feeling of connection to a worldwide community
  • What else?

That’s the beginnings of my thoughts… do you have any to add? Please comment below!

Notes to my RAP teachers

Now that I’ve made it through organizing my 63 Read Around the Planet connections, I sent an email to my teachers on preparation. I haven’t done this before. Usually I trust to the email and my coordinators to make sure everything goes well. But this year I wanted to check up on the process a little more carefully. Here’s what I sent. Feel free to use it with your teachers if you want. (The interaction ideas are copied from the teacher packet.)

Greetings teachers,

By now you should have received an email with your partner information and date & time for Read Around the Planet. It came from admin@twice.cc. Please let me know if you didn’t receive it!

Communicate with your partner teacher
Please take some time in the next week to email or phone your partner teacher to let him/her know what you are planning.

Preparation Information
The teacher packet is online here: http://www.twice.cc/read/RAP-TeacherPacket.pdf
If you printed the one from the match email, please get this one instead because it’s newer and has more lesson ideas.

In particular, these ideas below can be used to increase the interaction – so it’s more than just two presentations and then Q&A.

Increasing Interaction

  • Ask your partner class questions related to your presentation as you go through. I.e. presenting state symbols: “What are your state symbols?”
  • Ask your partner class to guess something (i.e. who do the biography dolls represent).
  • Make statements about your class and have your partner class decide if they are
  • true (touch nose) or false (touch shoulders).
  • Share riddles for your partner class to solve.
  • Give the other class something to print and fill out (i.e. lyrics to a song and fill in the blanks).
  • Have your students dress up as a book characters and have the other class guess whom you represent.
  • For middle or high school students, have your students perform with the other class acting as judges.
  • Create a Mad-Lib for your partner class to complete.
  • Teach the other class something – a local saying, a local dance, how to make some local food, how to draw a book character, etc.
  • Research your partner class’ town and create a presentation about similarities and differences that you learn. Prepare questions about facts or news items that you find interesting or are curious about.
  • Play Wheel of Fortune with phrases, nouns, or sayings from your town or school. (This one should be 3rd grade or higher and watch the time!)
  • For older students – middle or high school – write a story about characters who journey between your town and you partner class’ town. Share it during the RAP connection. (If you really want to get creative, use a wiki to write collaboratively and then meet in the videoconference to present it.)
  • Play twenty questions. Be sure to review the rules of the game before you begin and give a clear idea of what they will be guessing. Example: You will be able to ask us 20 “yes” or “no” questions in order to figure out our mystery Dr. Seuss’ character.

As always, you can get assistance from me or your school videoconference coordinator.

What are your tips for keeping organized for Read Around the Planet and supporting your teachers? Please comment!

Do Beliefs About Learning Affect Installation of VC?

Today we had a vendor come in to write up specs to upgrade our distance learning room. We use this room for interviews with vendors, sharing with community/government organizations for workshops, private schools coming in to connect to content providers and collaborations, professional development and meetings, and more.

The vendor was surprised that we didn’t have a row of four monitors on the back wall and a podium for instruction.

As my supervisor and I were discussing his visit, I suddenly made a connection to my current studies about learning theory.

If you believe in direct instruction/lecture/”talking head” learning, how would you install videoconferencing?

If you believe in constructivist learning or social constructivist learning, how would you install videoconferencing?

What do YOU believe about learning? Is it reflected in your installation of videoconferencing equipment? Please feel free to comment!