Developing Collaborative Skills with Web 2.0 in the World Language CLassroom

Cristy VogelFrench TeacherHammond School@msfrenchteach

Essential Question:

How can Web 2.0 tools enhance the learning experience with opportunities for

collaboration?

Agenda:-21st Century Skills-Making Collaboration Work-Qualities of a Good Project-Randy Nelson’s Talk (short video to watch at home) -Web Tools and Exploration-Idea Sharing

The Partnership for 21st Century Skillswww.p21.org

The P21 Framework

Student Outcomes:

2. Learning & Innovation

-Creativity and InnovationThink creatively.Work creatively with others.Implement innovations.

-Communication and CollaborationCommunicate clearly.Collaborate with others.

http://www.galvinizewakefield.com/21st-century-skills.html

ISTE NETS for Students(International Society for Technology in Education – National Educational Technology Standards)

2. Communication & Collaborationa. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats. c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

http://isteemergingtech.wordpress.com/about-21st-century-skills-and-emerging-technologies/

Making Collaboration Work

• well-planned task/project with clear directions and goals• a decision to make (or a problem to be solved)• design that enables students to promote each other’s success• required discussion between group members• defined roles / accountability (Helps to avoid divide-&-conquer tactics.)

• conflict resolution among group members• a clear assessment plan

Projects & Collaboration Qualities of a good project:

• Students solve a problem or make a decision. They must engage in a lot of discussion with one another in order to complete the task (Yeung).

• There is open inquiry (D’Orio).• The project is tech-enhanced for researching, collaborating, publishing, presenting, etc.• Students connect on multiple levels (i.e. writing, speaking, etc.) (Nelson).• Students collaborate/share with peers who are also working on the project. These contacts

need to be outside the confines of the classroom walls.• Experts are invited to either visit or video conference with the students.• There are specific rubrics for the tasks to be accomplished. • There is real-life application.• Students have responsibilities like they would have in a job: accountability, deadlines, and

interdependence (Davis & Lindsay).• The topic is relevant to students’ lives.• Students can make choices with regards to sub topics of the overall project theme. • Students can make some choices about the technology tools they use to present, when

possible.• Students publish their work . They present it to real audiences and/or engage in discussion

through comments.

Learning & Working

-Randy Nelson, former dean of Pixar University, speaks to an audience at an Apple Education Leadership Conference. This is a must-see!

http://www.edutopia.org/randy-nelson-school-to-career-video

http://www.edutopia.org/big-thinkers

http://motionhouse.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/pixar-university-randy-nelson/

Web ToolsTool #1 – Wikis

• Wikispaces is a tool that allows one to create their own website, using their platform.• The wiki administrator can invite others to join in as a contributing member, much like what Wikipedia

offers its members. • Educators can choose the free option that is ad-free.• Teachers can create as many of wikis as they like and invite students to contribute.• It is a great tool for classrooms where students are engaged in cooperative and collaborative learning

because they can share work with each other for discussion either in person or virtually. • It’s built to facilitate cooperative and collaborative tasks because even the simple task of choosing the

design of the site requires students to interact and make collective decisions. • Teachers can go back in the history of the site and take the page(s) back to the way it looked a day ago or

earlier, if there’s a problem or a student erases/modifies something needed.• To set up an educator’s account, visit www.wikispaces.com.

Examples of collaborative projects: http://condorcet-hammond2012.wikispaces.comhttp://flatclassroom10-1.flatclassroomproject.org

Web Tools

Tool #2 – Voicethread

• Voicethread is a tool that allows users to add a still photo or a video for others to see and comment on. • Comments can be written or voice recorded.• Comments can be erased and rerecorded as many times as needed.• Teachers can get an account with 50 student accounts and the ability to make unlimited Voicethreads for

$60. With this account, students can make 8 per month.• There is a convenient iPad app for creating, editing, and presenting. Students can also share their

Voicethreads and comment on each other’s. • It’s a great tool for cooperative and collaborative tasks because students can have discussions based upon

the comments that the Voicethreads receive.• Comments could also be made after having students work in small groups to decide on how students

would answer, for example, the essential question that is being asked.

• To set up an account: www.voicethread.com.• Detailed directions for educators: http://voicethread.com/media/misc/getting_started_educator_mpb.pdf

Web Tools

Tool #3 – Edmodo

• Edmodo is similar to Facebook, but it is geared towards education and the classroom. • Users can post status updates, photos, videos, etc.• Users can form groups and invite members only in order to have a private discussion board.• It’s free!• There is a convenient iPad app. • It’s a great tool for cooperative and collaborative tasks because students can have discussions

asynchronously on a number of topics, including decisions about a project they might do together.

• To set up an account: www.edmodo.com.

A few other tools...www.pinterest.comwww.twitter.comwww.youtube.comwww.vocaroo.comwww.skype.comhttp://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/ria/

Idea SharingHow could you use one of the Web 2.0 tools

that were presented today?

Decide on a task that students could complete in collaborative groups.

Task:Web 2.0 Tool & Purpose(Is it needed to do the task?):Assessment Type & Proficiency Goal:

Cristy VogelFrench Teacher

Hammond School 854 Galway Lane

Columbia, SC 29209Follow me on Twitter! @msfrenchteach

http://theslantedapostrophe.blogspot.comhttp://msfrenchteach.wikispaces.com

http://hammondschoolfrench.wikispaces.comhttp://readingresources4frenchteachers.wikispaces.com

Davis, V., & Lindsay, J. (2007, August). Flat Classrooms. Learning & Leading with Technology, 28-30. Retrieved from http://www.flatclassroomproject.org/file/view/Flat_Classroom_LL_August07.pdf

D'Orio, W. The Power of Project Learning. Scholastic, Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3751748

ISTE.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS-S_Standards.sflb.ashx

Learning & Working in the Collaborative Age [Video file]. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/randy-nelson-school-to-career-video

P21 Framework Definitions. (2009, December). Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf

Yeung, B. (2009, April 29). Students Can Get Work Done in Groups [Article]. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-sacramento-group-dynamics

Photo Credits:http://www.galvinizewakefield.com/21st-century-skills.htmlhttp://isteemergingtech.wordpress.com/about-21st-century-skills-and-emerging-technologieshttp://www.edutopia.org/big-thinkershttp://motionhouse.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/pixar-university-randy-nelson

Works Cited