We need Chromebooks, a projector, and a camcorder to strengthen our communication skills, as well as be able to skype with our "sister" school in Brazil as we continue our Global Books Talks.
My students are curious, motivated, enthusiastic, and want to explore the world that technology opens up to them. Getting ready for the world, we often face limited technology, which limits our ability to engage with our sister school in Brazil. We want our "eye on the world!"
All year, we have been blogging with students in Brazil. We must schedule computer lab time for this and in a school of over 1600 students with limited tech resources, that becomes a bit tricky. Students have their own devices, but for class skyping or putting up assignments on our global website, those cell phones are very restricting. Students worked in groups, brainstormed ideas on what our class needed to connect to the world and the answer was a resounding "laptops and video equipment, so we can work and talk to Brazil whenever we want, not just on days when we go to the lab." Sonika said having technology every day would help her continue to learn about poverty in other parts of the world and find more ways to communicate with students her age to help them learn about the US and our neighborhood. Anthony stated, "We should be able to talk to Brazil and do our work all the time, not just on certain days in a lab. Having this technology would open new worlds to explore for us. I like that."
Because our district is promoting global education, that means students need to work on and combine all types of communication skills: reading/writing AND listening/speaking. Having the ability to literally talk to other students halfway around the world, to help those students learn about our country, and to be able to practice those communication skills is the most authentic type of learning. They are not responding to a paper or computer test; they are using, strengthening, and applying those skills that will best help them in the real world, whether it is in their community or 5000 miles away. Engaging in real-world interactions (skyping and videotaping/sharing) about their lives, the issues they face, and the condition of the world today are as authentic a learning environment as opening a book and reading, followed by a test, in fact, the digital environment is more authentic because it reflects their world of tomorrow, today.
In Their Own Words
This year, we started a blog with students in Natal, Brazil and Florida, USA. It is a great way for us as teens to talk to other teens. Writing on a blog is great, but we wanted to talk on a higher level by recording what we are doing in school and skyping with them, too. Our school is big into technology right now but there is not enough equipment for everyone to do technology. We can't skype with Brazil because we don't have the resources. If we got this equipment, we could talk to them.
As digital citizens, we would work independently and with our classmates to make sure we capture the spirit of our school through student-produced videos. We would share those videos with Brazil, who in turn, could make their own and share with us (sort of like video-penpals). Because some of us already are good at video-recording and digital software (iMovie, Moviemaker), we would help students who are learning for the first time. Every class would have a leader who would oversee equipment.
We want to conquer the world and keep our "eye on the world" through our classrooms. Having our project funded would get us going. Using laptops and software, we could video-tape important events and things at our school (like when WWII vets and Holocaust survivors come and speak) and keep those videos here in our library for future students and we could also share with Brazil to show them how we still learn from living history, as well as our books and stuff. We want to learn by being involved!
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