1. Presented by Jennifer Smithers Marten
RSCON4
October 11, 2013

2. “Today, when the shelf life of any
specialized knowledge is so fleeting,
we need to think of readiness as not
merely a collection of specific
skills, but as a broader set of human
aspects- self-direction, curiosity,
persistence, and the willingness to
take risks.”
Daniel Pink (American School Board Journal, September, 2007)

3.  What year are you preparing your
students for?
 "Every textbook you have is dated.
Look at curriculum that way...think
of the word binder - bound -
shackled.”

4.  Real World Relevance
 Multiple Sources/Perspectives
 Collaboration
 Share with a wider audience

5.  Investigate the World
 Learn about Different Perspectives
 Communicate Ideas
 Take Action
 Create a Growth Mindset

6.  Field Trips
 Assemblies
But…
Budget cuts have impacted both
Plus…
They were still limited in focus

8.  15 minutes free
 Growing list of authors
 http://skypeanauthor.wikifoundry.co
m/

9.  Lesson plans
 Connect with Classrooms
 Guest Speakers
 https://education.skype.com/

10.  The 21st century version of the penpal
letter plus a whole lot more!
 http://www.epals.com/

11. Classmat
es
Colleagu
es
Friends
Family

12.  Google forms
› http://google.com
 Survey Monkey
› http://surveymonkey.com

13.  Sharing with my social networks
› https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1L28Et
MaoEPYsxbjNbao4-GauRSbZhRMuGOzyv6d-
E9I/viewform
 Sharing with school alumni
› https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1L28Et
MaoEPYsxbjNbao4-GauRSbZhRMuGOzyv6d-
E9I/viewform
 Sharing with teachers in my district
› https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oytv
MbVtOHI-
KhUdZKv1VMV9nBAurkmHheOqafoG8SA/vie

14.  Create a spreadsheet with survey
results (Google forms does this for
you)
 Connect teacher needs with experts
and allow individual teachers to
contact experts
 Depending on the age of the students,
have them initiate the contact with
the expert

15.  Etiquette
› Cultural manners and verbal expressions
 http://www.videojug.com/interview/manners-
and-verbal-expressions-across-cultures
› Cultural body language
 http://www.videojug.com/interview/manners-
and-body-language-across-cultures-2
 Speaking
› Tone of voice
› Eye contact
› Speed of speech
› Register of Language

16. The initial assignment: Relocating
Internationally
 A local company is looking to build a
factory in the Middle East.
 They have asked for help in
researching which area/ country
would be the best to build.
 You will research a country in the
Middle East

17.  Through conversation we realized
many of us had connections living in
the Middle East
 We contacted them to ask permission
for our students to reach out to
them
 Students sent an initial email asking
them to participate in the class
project & for a best way to
communicate

18.  Some experts were only able to
connect via traditional email because
of connectivity issues.
› Great way to get students to work on
written communication skills!
 Some were able to use video email.
 One was able to Skype during the
class period
› Students had prepared questions
› The session was recorded and later

19.  Students were engaged/focused on
speaker
 Because background research had
been done, questions asked were
relevant
 The answers produced more
questions
 The students were not ready to leave
when the bell rang

20.  Remember the initial assignment –
helping a company relocate to the
Middle East
 Students now had relevant, real
world information to help them
decide which country would be best

21.  Start small
 Don’t be afraid to ask
 Ask even if you don’t think there is a
connection
 Enlist your colleagues

22.  http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/p
df/eli3009.pdf
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs
Ugj9_ltN8
 http://heidihayesjacobs.blogspot.co
m/2011/02/preparing-our-kids-for-
1982-time.html
 Mindset: The New Psychology of
Success (2006) Carol Dweck