Category Archives: Videoconferencing

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!

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!

eTech Conference, OH

Greetings eTech Conference participants! Here are the links and resources mentioned in my session today.

Collaborations Around the Planet

Read Around the Planet

Information for Collaborations

More Information

"A Collaboration Nation"

In an “open letter to our government leaders,” Wainhouse Research recommends that the United States aim to be a “collaboration nation.”

The impact of turning the United States (or any other country) into an e-nation with an extensive telecommuting program could be sensational in turns of its high return, low cost, low risk, and immediate effect. Replacing 20M automobiles (a fraction of what is on the road today) with hybrids would cost approximately $500 billion while the investments to enable 20M telecommuters would be on the order of $2.5B. Taking 20M cars off the roads on a daily basis would save on emissions while also lightening the load on our nation’s highways.

A federal-government lead effort to become a “collaboration nation” should go a long way towards ridding our dependence on foreign oil and liberating our foreign policy, improving the environment, and helping the United States regain its leadership position in the global economy.

Read more here. What do you think? Visionary? Extravagant? Crazy? Are we too stuck on face to face communication? What do YOU think? Please comment….

ASK: When Donkeys Fly

Ginger HodgeToday we’re trying out a new author for an ASK program on her book When Donkeys Fly. We have a variety of 1st-3rd grade classes from Macomb and Berrien areas participating. Ginger Hodge lives in South Carolina, and we found a site for her to videoconference from at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Here’s a sample of the questions from today. In each session, the classes often ran out of questions. Ginger was good at short concise interesting answers.

  • Have you ever done any of the things that the girl in the book wanted to do?
  • Where did you get the idea for the book?
  • How long did it take to write the book?
  • How old is the dog on the cover?
  • What is your favorite page in the story & why?
  • Why did you put a donkey on every page?
  • What do you like about being an author?
  • We love your book. What made you want to become an author?
  • What should we do when someone tells us, “when donkeys fly”?
  • Do you have a special writing place?

At the end of the program, Ginger surprised the kids by singing a song for them based on the book. The kids loved it! We’ll definitely be scheduling more of these sessions!

Day 14: Questions, Questions? Questions!

20 Days to Being a Better VC CoordinatorThis week, we’ve been giving you tips to improve the quality of the interactions in your videoconferences. The question and answer time can be when the videoconference spirals out of control, or it can be a profitable learning experience.

Has this ever happened to you during Q&A time?

  • No one can think of a question until after you disconnect.
  • All the students start asking questions at once.
  • All the students answer the question at the same time and other class can’t hear the answer.
  • The students ask only questions such as, How long is your recess? and what are your favorite subjects?
  • The students can’t think of questions; so they ask the same questions that the other class just asked them.

Let’s Improve Those Questions

    1. Before the connection, learn a little about the location of your partner class. As a class, brainstorm some questions to learn more based on what you learned. For example, let’s say you’re connecting to a class in Midland, Michigan, which has a Dow Chemical Plant. Students might ask, how many of your parents work on the plant & what jobs do they do? Or, how does the chemical plant impact your community?
    2. During the connection, after each class has done their formal presentation, mute for 2 minutes to brainstorm questions. What could you ask the classes based on their presentations? What else do you want to know? You might even have some feedback/compliments to share with your partner class. For example, “We liked your PowerPoint presentation. Was it hard to find pictures for it? Where did you look?”
    3. Designate 3-5 students on a “question answer team.” These students are responsible for answering the questions from the partner class and make sure that one student answers at a time.
    4. Set up the question. Have the student(s) start with, Hi my name is _____. Then lead the question with a statement. For example, In our class, we have horses, dogs, cats and a lizard as pets. What pets do you have?
    5. When facilitating a multipoint session, don’t say, “Any questions?” Always call on schools by name (in the same order) so they know who should be talking.

    Comment Challenge/Comment

    • Try out one of these tips in your next videoconference. Tell us how it went.
    • Do you have any other question tips?
    • Do you have any stories of great questions students have asked?

    Comment and tell us about it!