The document discusses innovative strategies for connecting classrooms globally, particularly in online learning environments, emphasizing the need to redefine online education rather than merely substituting face-to-face interactions. It outlines the importance of planning, clear communication, and collaboration, while providing numerous examples of successful global projects and insights into fostering student engagement and citizenship. Additionally, it encourages teachers to empower students to create meaningful projects and celebrate their achievements through various methods.

1. ConnectingYourClassroomin
WorldClassWaysEvenataDistance
www.coolcatteacher.com/inconnected
This is based on some of the content from
Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds
This session will be posted at

2. ✖ Tips for a Great Viewing Experience

3. ✖Close the door.
✖Move your cell phone and put it up.
✖Stay until the end. (I have some things
for you!)

4. TellUsintheChat!
What are some unique ways you’ve found to
connect when teaching at a distance that were not
possible or as easy in the face to face classroom?

5. Photo by Tim Klapdoor
https://www.flickr.com/photos/timklapdor/8449250160/in/photostream/

6. WemustRedefineanduseonline
technologiesforwhattheydobest
insteadofjusttryingtorecreatea
facetofaceclassroomonline
whichisjustsubstitution.

7. Thispresentationfocusesonhowwe
redefinelearning
Do what is unique to online learning!

8. Let’sRedefinethispresentation
Please share, contribute, drop links and share
ideas. This isn’t “sit and get” this is
“care and share!”

9. I’mgoingtoshare
• 5 problems with connecting and learning online
• How to connect and build projects that transform
student learning and thinking.
• My top 4 reasons to collaborate and connect globally
while in distance learning
• 8 simple steps to creating awesome collaborative
projects in your classroom.
• A secret for each step and tips for redefining
learning.

10. 33Projects and Global Connections
18yearsconnecting globally in world class ways
2,000+students
Lots of students and teachers

11. Classroom Wiki (2005) K12 Online Conference
Teacher Collaboration
Wiki (2006)
Flat Classroom™ Project
(2006-2012)
Horizon Project (2007-
2008)
Digiteen Project (2007-
2012)
Digiteen Island in Open
Sim (2008-2010)
Arab Israeli Conflict
Simulation (2009, 2011,
2013)
Flat Classroom
Conference – Doha,
Qatar (2009)
NetGenEd Project
(2009-2013) – with Don
Tapscott
Flat Classroom Live at
ASB Unplugged,
Mumbai (2010)
India Immersion Project
(2010)
Eracism Project (2009,
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Flat Classroom
Conference China 2011
China Immersion
Project (2011)
Hope for Slaves (2012) Gamifi-ed (2014) Physics of the Future
(2014)
Shark Tank App Building
(2014-2015)
H&R Block Budget
Challenge (2014-2015)
Someglobalprojects

12. afewoftheConnectionsmyclassroomhasmade
Myschool

13. Hi
I am Vicki Davis
I am here because I love to teach and help use
technology in helpful life-changing ways.
You can find me at:
@coolcatteacher
10 Minute Teacher Podcast

15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQQljnZQufU

16. 5Problemswithconnectingand
learningonline

17. 1.lackofclarity
Be clear with what you’re doing when you connect with
a guest speaker or connect online.
“Activity creep” can waste time and disengage learners.

18. 2.PoorPlanning
Starting the project or collaboration before
planning it together or building a strong
connection between the teachers or speakers.

19. 3.Unclearunderstanding
Be clear with students about projects and work. If
they are part of planning, clearly explain the plan
and ask their input and be sensitive to it.

20. 4.KitchenSinkSyndrome
Teachers try to put too much into the activity or
online event.

21. 5.BurnoutYou have to have limits to accessibility.
Gary T. Henry from Vanderbilt University found
that a teacher leaving during the year results in a
loss of between 32-72 instructional days.
Pace. Have a place and time. Set expectations.
https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/269/withinyear_efp_final.pdf?1536242239

22. tellus!
As you’ve connected online have you had a
problem with one of these five or another one?

23. Top4ReasonstoConnect
YourStudentstoonlineopportunities
1. Connecting lets
students move from
talking about the world
to talking with the world.
🌏

24. Top4ReasonstoConnect
YourStudentstoonlineopportunities
2. Connecting your students
globally unleashes experiential
learning where students learn
by doing and connecting.
🌏

25. Top4ReasonstoConnect
YourStudentstoonlineopportunities
3. Online collaborative
experiences will allow you to build
you and your school’s reputation
as innovative leaders in a modern
21st century education.
🌏

26. Teams
“Working with
people across
the world has
challenged me.”
“The majority of my
partners wanted to
contribute
something
meaningful to
the project.”
Horizon Project
Students
http://
horizonproject.wikispaces.co
m
Casey tells her
story
P 29

28. Top4ReasonstoConnect
YourStudentsGlobally
4. Students become
more engaged learners
(for life).
🌏

30. ✓ Fosters community (Elbow 373)
✓ Helps see problems from multiple viewpoints (Howard 10)
✓ Co-authoring impacts the writing of individual authors (Aghbar)
✓ Improves Learning Experiences (wolf 2010)
✓ “Ideal model for constructing, reorganizing and acquiring new
information” (Janssen et all 2010)
✓ Global collaboration is essential in today’s workplace (Friedman)
✓ Shorten time required to solve pressing world problems (Tapscott)
PLUSalltheBenefitsofCollaborativeWriting

31. “…you can’t just drop new innovations into a
classroom and hope that the instructor will
invent effective ways to use them. To fully
utilize a new teaching technology, you often
need to invent new teaching practices as well.”
John Seely Brown, Visiting Scholar,
University of Southern California

32. Step1:Connect
First, connect yourself in unique ways so you
can find the innovative things happening
NOW.
A new way of teaching requires new ideas.

33. Youneedtoconnectin4ways
🌏
1. Connect with yourself.
Examined Experience.
Each day I reflect intentionally.
My “to be” list determines my “to
do” list.

35. by Brooke Anderson
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_daily_questions_to_ask_yourself_in_quarantine

36. Whatareyourquestions?
When will you take time to reflect on your daily
experience?

37. Youneedtoconnectin4ways
🌏
2. Connect yourself to
others
How will I build my PLN?

38. 2 Step Strategy for Transformational Change
STEP 1: Innovate Like a Turtle

39. 15 minutes
2-3 times a week
Embed Learning: Kaizen

40. Howwillyouconnect?
★Facebook Group
★Twitter hashtags
★“Mastermind” Groups - similar jobs
in diverse schools
★Mentor Groups - someone is
mentoring on a topic
★Mastery Groups - the group is
working towards achieving mastery on
a topic

41. Youneedtoconnectin4ways
🌏
3. Connect with your students
You’ve got to relate before
you educate (or innovate)!

43. Practicalwaystoconnectwithstudents
★Mood surveys
★Student advisory groups
★Special interest groups and clubs
★Every assignment is a reflective
opportunity
★Digital journals, scrapbooks, and
portfolios
★Google Hangout Chat Groups

44. Youneedtoconnectin4ways
🌏
4. Connect your students to
others
Connect in ways that redefine
what you can do.

46. Sciracy – Pauline Roberts - NEIGHBORHOOD

47. Classroom Champions

48. Flipgrid

49. Donnie Piercey’s Map 360 Project
http://www.coolcatteacher.com/e127/

52. 21st Century Skills
21st Century
CONNECTIONS

53. WhatdoyouWISHYoucoulddofora
connection?
Share in the chat your class, age, location and how you WISH
you could connect with other classrooms? Join us in the
“after party” chat to talk about your dreams and create plans.

54. Step1:Connect
To Yourself | To Others | To Your Students |
To the World

55. Step2:Communicate
The secret to communicating effectively online is
you need simple ways to connect synchronously
and asynchronously with teachers and students.
Now is the perfect opportunity to teach BOTH.

56. Synchronous
✓Definition: at the same time ✓Examples:
✓Instant Messaging ✓Voice over IP (Skype)
✓Video Conferencing
✓Face to Face Interactions
✓Webcasts ✓Webinars

57. RedefineVideoconferencing

58. Videoconferencing&Zoom/GoogleMeet/MicrosoftTeams
Substitutingvs.Redefinition
✓REDEFINITION
✓Students Collaborate
✓Breakout rooms!
✓Students collaborate in a
live document
✓Students present & lead
✓Backchannel chat used
with a purpose
✓Emoticons & feedback
✓Polls
✓Interactive formative
feedback (Nearpod)
✓Guests from around the
world interact with students
✓High engagement
✖SUBSTITUTION
✖Teacher Lectures
✖Class watches videos
✖Teacher talks
✖No backchannel chat
✖No emoticons
✖No sharing
✖No student video
✖No feedback to teacher or
just “verbal self reporting”
✖Just like a F2F classroom
but online
✖Local Guests visit class
(can be engaging!)
✖Low engagement

60. Asynchronous
✓Definition: NOT at the same time
✓Examples:
✓Blogs
✓Wikis
✓Podcasts ✓Virtual classroom recordings
✓Recorded Video

62. www.edmodo.com
Free, blogging, assignments

63. Step2:Communicate
Let’s find and invent ways to connect
synchronously and asynchronously with our
connection groups!

64. Step3:CultivateCitizenship
SECRET: Select a framework for a common language. Use
lots of current examples to discuss. Discuss issues as they
arise in the project and relate it to common language.

66. Best Software Ever Invented
to Be Safe Online

67. SpeakUp!
What digital citizenship model does your school
use?

68. BeInternetAwesome

70. 5 Steps to Internet Safety
1.Stop
2.Screenshot
3.Block
4.Tell
5.Share

71. My Strategy: Truth or Fiction Bellringers
Take current true or false things
from Snopes and push kids
to find out for themselves.
protect students by posing
scams that people are falling
for now!

72. Step3:CultivateCitizenship
SECRET: Select a framework for a common language. Use
lots of current examples to discuss. Discuss issues as they
arise in the project and relate it to common language.

73. Step4:Contribute&Collaborate
SECRET: 100% contribution starts with your
expectation that everyone will contribute

74. Klossner’s (2010) 90-9-1 principle

75. 3R’sofGlobalCollaboration
1. Receive
2. Read
3. Respond
🌏

76. Step4:Contribute&Collaborate
SECRET: An authentic audience will engage your
students but the authentic audience should engage
quickly.

77. Audience is Important
“Technology creates opportunities for
students to do meaningful work that has
value outside school, receive feedback
on their work, and experience the
rewards of publication or exhibition.”
Peck & Dorricott, 1994
http://caret.iste.org/index.cfm?
fuseaction=evidence&answerID=9&wor
ds=audience
Read

78. Challengestoconnectingonline
Lurkers &
Nonresponders
Some students think
they can just lurk and
because it "counts" on
social media, that it
counts in the classroom.
Language Disconnects
Many have the language
of the project as a
second language. Just
disclose the use of
translators, never
“pretend" to be native if
you're not.)
Cultural taboos and
disconnects
Be on the watch for
disconnects.
Poor technopersonal
skills
Some mistake
technology mistakes for
intentional offenses.
Always give the others
the benefit of the doubt.
Cultural Differences
Plagiarism and copyright
can look different.
Others think it is a social
network
Time Zones
The greater the time
divide, the better you
must be at asynchronous
communications.

79. Wayseducators/expertsandstudentscaninteract
★Project Management
★Coaching and Mentoring
★Keynotes
★Expert Advisors
★Judging
★Leading “Sounding Board”
Classrooms
Preservice teachers are an untapped
resource for tandem learning!

80. Judgesandevaluators

81. ClassroomLeadershipRoles
★Collaborators & co-creators
★Sounding Boards
★Outsourced Partners
★Feedback & Students Choice Judging!
Multi age experiences can help students
simplify and fine tune their pitch!

82. Step4:Contribute&Collaborate
SECRET: An authentic audience will engage your
students but the authentic audience should engage
quickly.

83. Step5:EmpowerChoice
SECRET: Students can create and invent
their own topics through a simple pitch
process.
Passion projects need to move online.

84. Passion Projects in Practice
Erin Klein

85. 3 Boys, 1 Task, 3 Apps
Karen Lirenman
@klirenman
1st Grade Teacher

87. Formsof“pitching”
Storyboard or
outline
1 Minute
“elevator
pitch”
Project changes
or new
directions

88. ‘
Team Selection

89. Team Selection

90. Team Selection

91. Team Selection

92. Createchoicerichchallenges
Topics, Debates, Skits,
Service Projects, Genius
Hour, 20% Time, Maker
Projects
🌏

93. Step5:EmpowerChoice
SECRET: Students can create and invent their
own topics through a simple pitch process.

94. Step6:CreateThingsthatMatter
SECRET: Students are more engaged when
they do something that matters to THEM.

95. HowstudentsCanCreate
★Publishers of Content
Personal publishing (ebooks, Youtube,
etc.) and Social publishing (school
Facebook etc.)
★To have a Personal Brand
★To do Projects that Make a Difference
★Use THEIR imagination!

97. Step6:CreateThingsthatMatter
SECRET: Students are more engaged when
they do something that matters to THEM.

98. Step7:Celebrations
SECRET: Celebrations can happen almost any time and
anywhere but they should always be for a REASON and
planned by the STUDENTS.

100. Project Celebration: Student Summit
“In addition to the in-class
required assessment for
a global project, it is
advised that students are
able to celebrate and
reflect with others from
the project, including
teachers and students. ”
P 266-267 Showcase:
The Student Summit in
Action

101. School Facebook Page

102. 17IdeastoCelebrate
Private
1. Private Teacher
Surveys
2.Private Student
Surveys
3. Personal
Portfolios.
Public
4.Paper plate
awards
5.Classroom hall
of fame
6.Student choice
awards
7.T shirts/
tokens/ memory
minders
8.Certificates
9.Let them plan
the next step
10.Leave messages
to the next class
Global
11.Project Awards
12.Online school
"Museum" of
excellence
13.School press
release
14.Social media
Sharing
15.Presentation
recordings that
are shared
16.Reflection
spaces
17.Judging and
Feedback

105. Findwaystocelebrate

107. Step7:CelebrationsSECRET: Celebrations can happen almost any time and
anywhere but they should always be for a REASON and
planned by the STUDENTS (or by FACULTY FUN Committee.)

108. Step8:Reinvent&levelUp
Examined Experience.

109. Marilyn Monroe
“Sometimes good things
fall apart so better
things can fall together.”

110. 2 Step Strategy for Transformational Change
STEP 1: Innovate Like a Turtle

111. 2 Step Strategy for Transformational Change
STEP 2: Select your “Big 3”

112. coolcatteacher.com/
inconnected
@coolcatteacher