Getting Started with Videoconferencing

Tomorrow, I'll be working with social studies teachers at Cape Henlopen High School in Delaware. Cape Henlopen just received grant funding to obtain an HD videoconferencing unit, and this is a precursor to the kick-off of that program!

Training Overview

• Welcome/Introductions
  
  
• Introduction to Videoconferencing: What is it? How can it change teaching and learning in your classroom?
  
  
• LIVE Connection to Elephant Communication & Collaboration from MONROE #1 BOCES in New York (part of the Global Summit Project
  
  Do Elephants talk? What are they trying to say? Students are joining scientists to learn about these questions. Through the use of information that these High School Junior and Senior students have gathered and partnerships which are forming, they are capturing what might be Elephant communication. By analyzing the sound waves both the scientists and the students are attempting to create an Elephant dictionary. This project uses the resources of Internet2 to share large media files and interact with experts. Students are joining the research community and making a difference. During the this interactive presentation, the students will present their process and then will develop a plan for the work to be done in the coming year. Participating sites will be those locations which are interested in both learning about this phenomenal, authentic scientific project and potential adding to it. Come hear what can be heard and learn more about the Elephant world.
  

• LIVE Connection to the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA
  
  The Center for Puppetry Arts offers Distance Learning programs for PreK-12. Students are briefly introduced to different styles of puppets from around the world (1st grade and up). Students participate in learning activities about a topic and create a working puppet of their very own to use in the classroom. A comprehensive study guide and materials list is provided for each program. All puppet materials are easy to find and of little, if any, cost. Middle and High School programs are designed to encourage dialogue between the presenter and participating students. Teacher workshops and demos are also available.
  
  
• What's next? How to find content providers, MAGPI's website, MUSE and more.
  

Helpful Links/Handouts

• MAGPI Website
• Interactive Videoconferencing Pages from MAGPI Getting Started Guide
• The MAGPI Education Community (and setting up your account!)
  
• Elephant Communication and Conversation Pre-Videoconference Email
• Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
  
• MUSE
• VC Content Providers Database
• ISTE IVC SIG
• ISTE SIG IVC News
• Center for Puppetry Arts Distance Learning Program
  
• Center for Puppetry Arts SchoolTube Channel
  

Presentation

Cape Henlopen Professional Development Event

View more presentations from Heather Weisse Walsh

Adding the WOW Factor to Your Lessons with Streaming Media and Digital Collections

Looking for a video snippet to show students during a lesson tomorrow? Need an animation to illustrate a scientific technique? Want to take students live to the Congressional Floor? There are tons of video streaming, virtual media collections and digital learning objects available over advanced networks that you can access instantly from your classroom computer!

WGBH Teacher's Domain (http://www.teachersdomain.org/): Teachers' Domain is a free digital media service for educational use from public broadcasting and its partners. You’ll find thousands of media resources, support materials, and tools for classroom lessons, individualized learning programs, and teacher professional learning communities.

The Exploratorium's I2 Gateway (http://www.exploratorium.edu/i2/): The Exploratorium’s Internet2® gateway, where you’ll find a collection of Web resources that take advantage of cutting-edge Internet2 technology. See and hear DVD quality video. Listen to high fidelity radio. View 3D imagery

The Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov/index.html): Online access to print, pictorial and audio-visual collections and other digital services. You can chat with librarians LIVE and we love the map collection. Little known fact? If a map you need isn't available, you can contact LOC and have them digitize it for you.

The National Science Digital Library (http://nsdl.org/): NSDL is the Nation's online library for education and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics.

The CSPAN Archives (http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/): C-SPAN has digitized its entire holdings from 1998 to the present and allows educators and researchers to access this collection via the Internet2 Network. The video library is searchable using a extensive number of fields such as topic, speaker, organization, committee, keywords and has an optimized word searching tool that includes abstracts and closed captioning text. The Flash Player permits clipping and posting of clips taken from longer programs. Text searching is available for many programs. The House and Senate are indexed in detail by speaker, bill, and time allowing one to find any speaker on the House and Senate floor, play that speech, and to read the text in the Congressional Record that accompanies the speech. Internet2 provides the highest access speed for faculty, students, and researchers at participating institutions to search and play video clips for teaching and research. Installing high-speed connectivity to the Internet2 access point. Upgrading the last mile of connectivity and expanding our server capability.

Planning Interactive Collaborations

Yesterday, I had the great pleasure of speaking with several Bucks County educators via Elluminate about planning interactive videoconference collaborations - - despite schools being closed because of the snowstorm. The lucky participants have all received LifeSize videoconference gear through a grant initiative at their IU, and are looking forward to breaking it out of the box to provide meaningful exchanges for their students.

Not only did these educators ask some wonderful, thought-provoking questions about using interactive videoconferencing in the classroom, they started brainstorming some very exciting projects! I'm looking forward to seeing some virtual stock market game exchanges and others.

Here are a few links that we discussed yesterday:

• MAGPI Website
• MAGPI/CLEO Partnership Project
• MAGPI Fellows Program
  
• MUSE/Internet2 K20 Initiative
  
• Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration
• TWICE
• CAPSpace
• Megaconference Jr.
• ViDe Cookbook for K12
  
• Janine Lim's Out On A Lim VC Blog
  
• ISTE SIG IVC

And here's the power point presentation I put together. Hope it's helpful!

Increasing Interactivity - Planning Videoconference Collaborations

View more presentations from Heather Weisse Walsh.

Resources for Berks County Innovation Workshop

A collection of resources and links for the Berks County Innovation Workshop participants. Thanks for having MAGPI visit!
Links/Resources

• MAGPI Website
• Internet2 K20 Initiative
• Virtual Reality Development Lab
• Augmented Reality Development Lab
• Increasing Interactivity Web Hunt
• Ultra VNC (networked interactive whiteboards)
• Linq for SmartBoard
• Poll Everywhere Question
  

Sled Dog Virtual Field Trip Resources

• Teacher Packet
• Flash Kennel Site

Power Point Presentations
MAGPI/Internet2 Applications Virtual Tour PPT

(Berks iu) innovation workshop applications virtual tour

Increasing Inter@ctivity in Your Classroom Presentation

Innovation workshop increasing interactivity

Seeking Schools for IVC Collaborative Veteran's Oral History Project

INFOhio, OARnet and MAGPI are seeking 5 Ohio Schools and 2 MAGPI Member Schools for this exciting month-long What Does Freedom Mean to You? A Veterans’ Oral History Project, kicking off on November 8th. The project is being developed in cooperation with eTech Ohio, The Library of Congress and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Interested but not a school in those areas? We’ll be webstreaming the final videoconference so that everyone can get involved! (So mark your calendars!)

Please see more information below.

_ _ _

What Does Freedom Mean to You? A Veterans’ Oral History Project

Target Audience: Students in Grades 10-12, particularly those in American History or Video Production Classes.

Cost: FREE!

Requirements for Participation:
Each participating school needs H.323 videoconference gear plus equipment to create a multimedia oral history project (i.e. video camera, microphone, computer with editing software). Each school will need to identify a veteran in their community that is willing to be profiled as part of this program. We also ask that the veteran be present during the live student interactive videoconference event on 12/10/2010. Participation in the project is contingent upon the teacher’s ability to attend the professional development event, being present at the dress rehearsal and students’ participation in the final videoconference event. There are 2 spaces available for MAGPI Members in this program and 5 spaces available for Ohio Schools.

Project Dates/Timeline:

• Teacher Professional Development Event: Monday, November 8th from 3-5 PM EST
• Student Collaborative Oral History Project Work: November 9th - December 4th
• Deadline to Upload Video Project: December 5th
• Videoconference Dress Rehearsal: Date/Time TBD
• What Does Freedom Mean to You LIVE Videoconference and Webcast: December 10th from 10-11 AM EST

Project Description:
How do YOU define freedom? Through exploration of veterans’ stories, students from up to eight high schools will compile original multimedia productions that answer this question.

This unique, collaborative project provides an authentic venue for students to explore the concept of freedom through oral history. Teachers involved in the program will participate in an innovative professional development session created by the Library of Congress, which will help them focus their students’ questions and research as they gather veterans’ stories from their own community. Following the professional development videoconference, teachers and students will work together to profile one or more veterans from their community in a 3-5 minute multimedia production that explores the question: What does freedom mean to YOU?

The month-long project wraps with a live, interactive videoconference where students from each school will have an opportunity to share their 3-5 minute video projects and virtually meet the veterans that inspired them.

MORE INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: http://www.magpi.net/Community/Programs/What-Does-Freedom-Mean-You-Veterans-Oral-History-Project

Open Submissions for Kids Creating Community Content Contest 2011

Are you familiar with the Kids Creating Community (KC3) Competition? It's a fantastic (needless to say authentic) opportunity for your students to develop compelling material to teach their peers via videoconference. Brought to you by my colleagues at the Center for Interactive Learning and Tandberg.

The call for proposals just went out - - and I wanted to be sure you were aware of it! Please see the announcement below.

_ _ _

You’re Invited to highlight your community, your students, and your school by participating in a free contest opportunity utilizing videoconferencing technology.

Kids Creating Community Content (KC3) provides students with real world experience working on a project team while building research and presentation skills that support 21st Century Learning as they use a variety of technologies.

If you have access to videoconferencing and want to engage your students in a technology rich research project that connects them with students around the globe we encourage you to explore the Kids Creating Community Content opportunity.

Now in it’s fourth year, KC3 connects middle and high school students in the United States and International schools as they work on similar projects. Community landmarks, cultural activities and regional historical sites or resources are some of the many integrated curricular programs created by student teams. Your students will have the opportunity to share their program at a national or international level. Research, organization, standards based learning, communication and presentation are all part of their work.

Encourage your educators to involve their teens in using technology to communicate and share meaningful information with their peers and fellow students. Use digital media and technology environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

We look forward to seeing your students on air! Proposals are due on November 15, 2010.

Don't want to create this year, but still want to get in on the action? Pre-register to be an audience site!

Photo credit: gStatic.com

Great Videoconference Opportunity with Literary Legend Lois Lowery

As a children's literacy specialist (yes -- that is my graduate training!), I have a particular affinity for fabulous writing aimed toward children and teens. Quite often, those books resonate with adults as well. My colleagues at HEC-TV in St. Louis have put together a wonderful series of programs with one of my favorite children's literature authors: Lois Lowry.

Author of The Giver, Ms. Lowry has penned more than 20 novels and won the Newbery Medal twice. Lois Lowry told Contemporary Authors that she measures her success as an author by her ability to "help adolescents answer their own questions about life, identity and human relationships."

The series kicks off on October 7th, with the event 'airing' from 11:00 AM ET to 12:00 PM ET. Hope you and your students can take part in this fantastic event!

Here's the 411 from HEC-TV:

In this first of a series of four HEC-TV Live! programs focusing on Lois Lowry’s Newberry Medal winning young adult novel, “The Giver,” students will have the unique opportunity to hear directly from the author herself. Join students from the St. Louis metropolitan area as they ask the author questions about her background and writing style as well as questions about the plot, characters, setting, themes and language of the novel itself. Discussion of “The Giver” will form the core of the program. We recommend students joining us for the program either have already read the novel or be in the process of doing so. Elements of the story including important moments of the plot as well as themes and concepts will be revealed during the program. If you don’t want students to know the entire story before reading it for themselves, you may choose to watch the archive of the program which will be available on our website, http://www.hectv.org.

This series of programs is being produced in conjunction with Washington University in St. Louis and Metro Theater Company of St. Louis as they prepare and present a stage adaptation of the novel to be presented at Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University in January.

Other programs in the series include:

• November 16—Issues and Themes of “The Giver”
• December 9—Performing the Play: Bringing Characters to Life
• January 5—Producing the Play: Bringing the Story to the Stage

These programs will also be available for enrollment through CILC.

Special Note: This October 7 program is available via videoconference and webcast nationwide as a “View Only” opportunity. Students viewing via videoconference or webcast will be able to e-mail questions to the author during the program but will not interact face to face. All other programs in the series will be available as BOTH interactive and view only.

Photo Credit: Image from GrAde Saver

Participate in ISTE 2010 from MAGPI's Remote Site!

Can't travel to the ISTE Conference (formerly NECC Conference) in Denver this summer? Are you a MAGPI member? You can still catch a session with Alan November and a google workshop with Howie DiBlasi by participating at the MAGPI ISTE remote site on June 29th!

We're sponsoring 20 teachers/tech facilitators virtual attendance at the conference on June 29th from our studio at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Participants will hear the conference keynote speaker, participate in an interactive workshop, virtually tour the conference areas via video, and participate in two concurrent conference sessions. Winners MUST provide their own laptop and take care of their own travel costs. We will be providing breakfast and lunch - - and you'll have ample time to pick the brains of MAGPI staffers about using technology in your classroom!

Here's what we're planning for the day:

9:00 AM	Welcome and Introductions
9:15 AM	Interactive Technology Demos with MAGPI Staff Interested in videoconferencing? What about virtual reality? Virtual worlds? We'll be setting up mini hands-on educational technology stations so you can experiment with and discuss with MAGPI staff members.
10:30 AM	ISTE Conference Keynote Presentation
11:45 AM	Lunch
12:30 PM	Hands-on Workshop: Google Guide: 29 Secrets for Using Google in the Classroom Tap into the full potential of Google with some insider tips and tricks for classroom, administrative, and personal use. This fast-paced session offers something for all participants. This interactive workshop will be led by Howie DiBlasi.
3:30 PM	Break
4:00 PM	Concurrent Session: Digital Learning Farm: Students as Contributors We'll discuss six highly motivating learning jobs: tutorial designers, official scribes, researchers, global communicators, learning documentary producers, and solvers of real problems. This session will be led by Alan November.
5:00 PM	Wrap-Up!

Want to attend MAGPI's ISTE Remote Site? Here's how you can nab one of our twenty available spots (there are three different ways -- try all three or pick the one that suits you best!):

• Enter the 21st Century Educator Video Contest. Create a 60 second video (flip video, iMovie, iChat vide, you name it!) that addresses the following question: WHO is the 21st Century Educator? Full contest details available at http://www.magpi.net/News/MAGPIs-21st-Century-Educator-Video-Contest-Win-trip-attend-ISTE-2010-our-Remote-Site. Deadline to enter is June 1, 2010!

• Enter our Contest Raffle: Just complete the scholarship raffle form. We'll randomly select and notify winners on June 7th!
  
  
• Be entered in our Twitter Raffle! Just friend @magpik20 and tweet about our 21st Century Educator Contest and/or why you want to attend our ISTE remote site! Remember to use the #magpi hashtag! You'll automatically be entered into the raffle once for friending us, and then as many times as you tweet about us between now and June 6th! We'll notify winners on June 7th!

Have any more questions? Please contact Heather Weisse Walsh at hweisse@magpi.net or 215-573-6417.

Join us for THE ROAD TO ACTIVISM: MEXICO

Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010

Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET

Target Audience: College and University Students, Students in Grades 9-12

Cost: FREE

More Information/Registration: http://www.magpi.net/Community/Programs/Road-Activism-Mexico

Requirements for Participation:

• Interactive Videoconference Sites (advanced registration required): here are 10 spaces available for MAGPI Members and 5 spaces available for non-MAGPI members that have H.323 capabilities and are connected to their national/state research and education network
• Non-Videoconference sites: View the LIVE webstream at http://beansidhe.isc-net.upenn.edu:8080/ramgen/encoder/mexico.rm. Please note this link will not be available until 10 minutes before the broadcast. Please visit the program webpage for technical requirements and testing information.

Over the past seven years, the road to activism in Mexico offered opportunities for Aldo Magazzeni to create relationships with the community at the Tashirat Orphanage and Ixaya School in Tepoztlan, Morelos, Mexico. The road to Tashirat was guided by his friend, Esther Bissinger, who has been there for almost ten years. Aldo knew her as a child and now, at the age of 30, she is the principal of the school, house mother to four Mexican orphans, and a leader of new programs to help the special needs children. Aldo's work has included helping the school lunch program as well as designing and planning a water catchments system and showers for the school students. Along the road, the need to help the most vulnerable children - - those with special needs - -became a priority. Today, Traveling Mercies has coordinated a relationship with special education professionals in New Jersey to assist the school to develop a Special Education Program and curriculum. The Mexican populations in this country are displaced, unable to travel back home and offer help. So Traveling Mercies has tried to honor this need.

Travel this road with Aldo into Morelos, Mexico through the images, stories and video he has captured. See how you can discover your intentions and apply them somewhere in life to help others. Everyone has the ability to travel the road to activism and make this world a better, more equal human experience.

Want to be an interactive videoconference site? Visit http://www.magpi.net/Community/Programs/Road-Activism-Mexico to register. Registration closes on Tuesday, April 13, 2010.

Image from www.tashirat.com

Cross Post from Students Helping Haiti Blog

The "Students Helping Haiti" Blog is now posted at http://studentshelpinghaiti.blogspot.com and we're looking for student journalists to contribute! This is a cross-post from that blog about the February 19th event and what you can expect!

Join the International Webcast Event on February 19th!

On Friday, February 19, 2010, students and educators everywhere will participate in a ground-breaking three-hour virtual event called “The Crisis in Haiti: What Can YOU Do to Help?” This unique live program features presentation from students around the world via high-speed videoconference, along with scientists and agency representatives from federal and non-profit organizations worldwide all focused on what can still be done to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

“The Crisis in Haiti: What Can YOU Do to Help?” project is made available through MAGPI with support from The World Food Program, National Youth Leadership Council, Oxfam America, Philadelphia Global Water Initiative, Global Nomads, The Exploratorium Science Center, Multicultural Youth Exchange, Florida International University, CIARA, University of Porto, the University of Pennsylvania, and Tandberg.

The live student presentations range in format from musical presentations including first grade students in Ponder, Texas singing “Put A Little Love in Your Heart” to student-created digital projects such as the “Sending Love from Taiwan” video created by high school students at National Dali High School in Dali City, Taiwan. Additional student presentations will be given by primary and secondary schools from all corners of the world.

In addition to the student presentations, the schedule includes presentations from agency representatives and researchers from global and local organizations including: The Word Food Program on their response to the crisis in Haiti; scientists from the Exploratorium Science Center in San Francisco, California who will be explaining “The Big Picture” on the geology of Haiti that contributed to the catastrophic event; Oxfam representatives on their efforts to rebuild; representatives from Global Nomads will be announcing their new $500,000 challenge grant for students to help rebuild schools in Haiti; a local scientist from the Philadelphia Global Water Initiative on the water and sanitation challenges; a presentation on Political, Social and Infrastructure Issues in Haiti by Florida International University; and The Center for High-Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania offering smart philanthropic ways to help Haiti’s earthquake victims.

The Feb. 19th “The Crisis in Haiti: What Can YOU Do to Help?” will be viewable by the public at large through a live webstream available on the event webpage at http://www.magpi.net/Community/Programs/Crisis-Haiti-What-Can-YOU-Do-Help. Schools and library organizations are also encouraged to broadcast the live webstream in public areas within their communities to further stimulate awareness. Schools and individuals are also invited to communicate via social networking platforms, facilitating interaction between students worldwide in a global youth response to this crisis.

You can also view and download the entire presentation line-up through Google Docs.

We're looking forward to having you and your students join us!

International Webcast and Call for Student Bloggers/Tweeters!

THE CRISIS IN HAITI: What can YOU do to help?
Students around the world respond

Date: Friday, February 19, 2010

Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST (Webstream will be active 10 minutes prior to start of the program)

Audience: K12 Students, University and College Students, Non-Profit and Cultural Institutions

More Information/Links of Interest/Program Line-Up: http://www.magpi.net/Community/Programs/Crisis-Haiti-What-Can-YOU-Do-Help

Webstream URL: http://beansidhe.isc-net.upenn.edu:8080/ramgen/encoder/haiti.rm

How to Connect to the Webstream: To view the webstream, you must have Real Player installed on your computer (version 8 or higher). Please see technical requirements and testing information on the program webpage. For technical support, please contact video@isc.upenn.edu.

The earthquake in Haiti shattered lives, devastating a country - - and the world responded. Most importantly, youth responded in innovative and amazing ways. Join schools around the world for this groundbreaking international videoconference and webcast to hear what youth are doing to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake. You'll also hear from aid organizations who are continually responding to the tragedy and experts that will help students understand the unique circumstances contributing to the tragedy. For the complete program presentation line-up, please visit: http://www.magpi.net/Community/Programs/Crisis-Haiti-What-Can-YOU-Do-Help.

Join us for this ground breaking event and GET INVOLVED. We encourage you to stream the program in your school, collect change and donations, and donate to one of the aid organizations participating in the program. Or simply just tune in and be inspired by what others are doing - - and then create your own project. If you're already involved in a project, let us know through Twitter®, send us a link to your blog entry or add your photos to our online album. We're looking forward to having you and your students get involved!

One person can make an impact. Imagine what we all can do together.

Be a Live Blogger or Tweeter!
Help us get the word out and tell us what you’re doing to help Haiti via Twitter®. All you need is a Twitter® account and a computer with an internet connection! You can get an account at www.twitter.com. Sign on to your account during the webcast, follow magpik20, and tweet what you’re going to do to help - - just make sure you end your tweet with #kidshelphaiti. We will randomly select tweeters to receive some fantastic giveaways from our sponsors. The more you tweet, the better your chances are of being selected for a giveaway!

If your school has a blog, we would love for your students to be live bloggers during the event. Simply send an email to hweisse@magpi.net to let us know you're interested in live blogging. We'll post a link to your blog on this site and post brief bio information about all our featured bloggers! (You'll also get mentions and links on Twitter as the event is in progress!). Every live blog entry entitles you to a chance to win a giveaway, too.

Add your photos to our online album!
We’ve created an album on Google’s Picasa called “Kids Help Haiti.” You can view the album at http://picasaweb.google.com/magpik20/KidsHelpHaiti#. If you have photos to contribute (and we’d love to have them!), please email hweisse@magpi.net and asked to be added as an album contributor. You’ll then be able to email your photos to the online, public album. Won’t it be cool to see all of the images emerge on the album map and see what students everywhere are doing to help?

International Math Game Challenge

Registration is now open - - and filling quickly! - - for MAGPI's spring International Math Game Challenge videoconference. We are running three sessions (one for students in grades K-2, one for students in grades 3-5 and one for students in grades 6-8) on March 4th to celebrate International Math Day. If there is high demand, we will add additional sessions!

Here's the project description:

Learn about math and other cultures by taking on MAGPI’s Math Game Challenge! Have your students take on the role of educator and have them teach their peers about a math game from another country. Each participating school will be tasked with demonstrating a math game or numerical challenge from another country to other schools on the videoconference. Students will be charged with putting together a handout that explains the game, along with a materials list, that can emailed to other participating schools ahead of time. Each school will have 10 minutes to present their game/challenge and lead their peers in the game. You’re welcome to present more than one game during the program - - especially if they are ‘quick’ group games. Once you register your school for the project, you will need to email Heather Weisse Walsh with the game(s) your school wants to present as part of the challenge. This way, we can ensure that the same game is not presented multiple times in the same age category. Your game selections are due on 10 days before the event. Your handouts are due 5 days before the event.

U in the News from Dallastown School District recently published a great article about Dallastown Middle School's participation in the Fall International Math Challenge. Congrats to the Tropical Team and main presenter, Danny Godstrey, for a wonderful presentation on Yut! You can view the article on the U in the News Site, and you can view Danny's handounts on the International Math Challenge - Grades 6-8 webpage!

Image of Danny Godstrey and the Tropical Team from Dallastown School District, courtesy of U in the News.

Call for Presentations - The Crisis in Haiti: What Can YOU Do to Help?

Students from around the world respond.

On Friday, February 19th from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST, MAGPI is sponsoring an international videoconference and webcast to help raise awareness and financial support for victims of the Haiti earthquake. We’re working to line up some phenomenal speakers, representatives from aid agencies, and student presentations/performances as part of this international event. We want you and your students to get involved! Here’s how you can participate:

BE A PRESENTER: Is your K12 school, university or college planning a project to raise awareness or funds to help earthquake victims? We would love to give your students 5-10 minutes to share their project. Has a student created an artistic work (song, painting, mural, etc) to help raise awareness? We’d love to have him/her perform! If you are interested in performing or presenting, please send a 100 word abstract detailing your proposed presentation/performance to Heather Weisse Walsh at hweisse@magpi.net. Deadline for proposals is January 30, 2010. Presenters can perform/present live via videoconference or submit videos prior to the event. Please indicate your preference on your presentation/performance proposal. Interactive videoconference sites must have H.323 videoconference gear and, preferably, are connected to their national research and education network.

SHOW THE WEBSTREAM IN YOUR SCHOOL. If you’re not a presenting/performing school, don’t worry! Participate by tuning in LIVE to the webstream. We’ll be posting webstream instructions at the beginning of February on the MAGPI website: http://www.magpi.net. During the webcast, collect change and donations at your school and donate to one of the aid organizations participating in the program. Or simply just tune in and be inspired by what others are doing - - and then create your own project.

LIVE BLOGGERS/TWEETERS: We’re looking for schools to volunteer as live bloggers and tweeters for this event, covering the presentations and helping get word out to the world at large. Interested? Contact Heather Weisse Walsh at hweisse@magpi.net.

We want your organization to get involved too - - the World Food Programme has already agreed to participate! If your organization is interested in speaking/presenting/participating, please email Heather at hweisse@magpi.net.

Image courtesy of the World Food Programme.

Brand New Youth News Collaborative Project!

And we're looking for some high schools/middle schools to take the lead!

This spring, MAGPI will be launching a brand-new project called "Youth News Collaborative." We'll be looking for schools all across our network to join the project and submit 2-3 minute news segments for a magazine-style news show produced entirely by students. We'll be using videoconferencing to plan and coordinate each program - - and will be webcasting live (and archiving via podcast) so that everyone can see.

We are looking for four high schools/middle schools to take the lead and produce/host one program this spring. By taking the lead, a school agrees to:

• Determine a 'theme' for the program and submit that theme to Heather for posting by January 15, 2010
• Run a pre-production meeting videoconference with students at schools submitting content for the new program two weeks before the live event (pre-production meetings will be held two Fridays before the live event, from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM)
• Write the script for the 25 minute program that includes videos submitted by 5 other schools
• Participate in a live rehearsal with the MAGPI Tech Team two days befor the live broadcast (time to be agreed on by the school and the MAGPI Tech Team)
• "Go Live!" and be the on camera talent for one program (held the last Friday of the month from 12:00 PM - 12:25 PM)

Below, please find the production timeline. If your school would like to take the lead on one of these webcasts, please contact Heather Weisse Walsh at hweisse@magpi.net ASAP. Lead roles are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

• FEBRUARY 2010
  Live Webcast: 2/26/2010 @ 12:00 PM EST
  Pre-Production Meeting VC: 2/12/2010 @ 11:30 AM EST
  
  
• MARCH 2010
  Live Webcast: 3/26/2010 @ 12:00 PM EST
  Pre-Production Meeting VC: 2/12/2010 @ 11:30 AM EST
  
  
• APRIL 2010
  Live Webcast: 4/23/2010 @ 12:00 PM EST
  Pre-Production Meeting VC: 4/9/2010 @ 11:30 AM EST
  
  
• MAY 2010
  Live Webcast: 5/28/2010 @ 12:00 PM EST
  Pre-Production Meeting VC: 5/14/2010 @ 11:30 AM EST

Not interested in taking the lead but want your student journalists to submit content? GREAT! We'll be opening registration for each session January after our lead schools have determined the theme for their production. We will be accepting videos submitted by middle and high school students for this project. And if you don't think you can contribute to the project this spring, start planning to show the webcasts during your school's lunchtime!

At this time, this program is only open to MAGPI member schools.

Thanks for your consideration! We're looking forward to this collaboration!

Virtual Visits to the North Pole

Here are some photos (far end - - so I'm taking images of a screen!) from some of our Virtual Cookies with Santa videoconference programs yesterday. It was so nice to be able to 'visit' the North Pole and so many schools without having to travel! Students got to share their cookie creations with Santa, hear Twas the Night Before Christmas and ask questions. The students at the Kentucky School for the Deaf showed us all how to sign Merry Christmas and we learned the Santa likes to vacation in the southern hemisphere... He also eats sugar cookies for breakfast (although MAGPI does not recommend nor endorse a steady diet of sugar cookie breakfasts). Personally, I was VERY impressed with how many good deeds all of the students were doing, and I know Santa was, too.

We'll be scheduling a week of virtual visits to the North Pole next year for MAGPI members ... so start planning now! :0) View the videoconference agenda and projects at http://www.magpi.net/Community/Programs/Cookies-Santa.

Give yourself permission to write bad lines or scenes...

When talking about how to overcome writer's block, playwright Edgar J. Shockley advised 5 classes of high school students to "give yourself permission to write bad lines or scenes ..." He added that when you give yourself permission to do this, you'll never have writer's block.

Rewind five hours earlier: I was working with our fellows during a virtual training session to help them design collaborative projects. As a group, we came up with a great list of best practices for designing videoconference collaborations - - but I wish I had been able to quote Ed when chatting with our fellows.

We are all still learning how to integrate videoconference project-based collaboration into our classrooms. Collectively, we are generating a framework of advice; but every project is different. Although we may not have an exact blueprint for how to put every project together, we can't stop innovating. We need to give ourselves permission to write bad lines or scenes. And then, of course, learn from them.

To me, it's all about iterative design (and if you've participated in one of my training sessions, you might be tired of hearing me say this!). We have to start with the learning objectives, decide what evidences understanding, and then design the learning experiences. But it doesn't end there! During the entire planning and implementation process, we must look critically at what worked well and what didn't work well. And about taking risks.

Ironically, looking back at the 3 hour training session I facilitated about developing collaborative projects and the 75-minute session I coordinated on playwriting (all within the same afternoon!), I've discovered striking synergies between advice given during each session.

For example, Ed told students that "writing something with a moral is rarely successful; but when we see truth on stage, the truth speaks to us. Great art makes the personal universal and the universal personal." Translation to project development? Don't have "this is the right way to do the project" tunnel vision when planning. Allow space for iteration, organic development and retrospection while designing. When you give yourself space to reflect, the project may be more sucessful.

Another theme that emerged during the playwriting session is the idea that in order to be a good playwright, one has to experience (not necessary excel!) all of the different jobs that go into producing a play (i.e. costuming, directing, set design, etc.). Same goes for developing a collaborative project. Educators and students should experience putting together all of the technological pieces that go into a project; technical support and students should assist with the curriculum design; and educators and tech specialist should assume the roles of students at some point. It gives everyone an appreciation of the talents and expertise that goes into designing and partaking in a project - - not that we all need to be experts at each piece!

And lastly, the playwrights joked that one of the best things about being a playwright is that you get to sleep in late and your day doesn't really start until 4:00 p.m. Conversely, by 4:00 p.m., my work day is almost done. :0)

Kaleidoscope Songs and Breaking In the NEW MCU!

Today we had two Kaleidoscope Songs VC sessions (one for grades K-2 and one for grades 3-5) with Alex Mitnick. Alex joins us in our studio every few months to make music with lots of students across PA, NJ, DE and KY! You can learn about Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band on their website.

We had seven elementary schools join our K-2 session, and due to some last-minute issues, only one school in our grades 3-5 session. The lucky students at Hopewell Elementary got some one-on-one time with our guest!

Although we used the Internet2 Commons for the K-2 session, we tried out our BRAND NEW Codian HD MCU for the Grades 3-5 session. It worked great! We're still working out some logistics concerning the MCU, but will be migrating all of our programs to that piece of equipment over the next few months. Look for information about how to book your own program/event/videoconference through our new MCU service VERY SOON. The service will be available to both MAGPI members and non-MAGPI members.

The grade 3-5 event ended with students from Hopewell Elementary and Alex singing "Together." You can listen to Alex sing the song through this mp3 and follow along with the lyrics:

Being together
And being myself
I feel my happiness
Go round about

When I see all my friends
Being happy and free
I know that together
We all love to be

Together, together
Learning today
Together, together,
Freedom is our goal
Together, together
Finding the way
Together, together
Together today.

Each is a light
Each is a spark
Each single life
A star in the dark

Everyoneʼs faces
Together is us
All of our differences
Gives us a plus

Alex is coming back in December and we still have some spots available. If you're interested, please go to the www.magpi.net, find the program under "programs and events" and register!

Behind the Scenes at The Haunted Poe Videoconference

Today's Haunted Poe videoconference, a collaboration between MAGPI, Brat Productions and the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, was a huge success! 12 schools joined us for the program from across Pennsylvania. Here's a brief glimpse 'behind the scenes':


It's the Philly Poe Guy! Edward Pettit shared historical information about Poe, his life and literary works - - specifically related to his time in Philadelphia. Check out Ed's "Ed and Edgar" blog.


Actor Dallas Drummond does a dramatic reading of the Tell Tale Heart.


Here is the dual screen display that Dallas was looking at while performing. He was able to view all 12 schools simultaneously.

Designer Alisa Sickora Kleckner shows off the puppets she created for the show, assisted by Michael Alltop, artistic producer for Brat Productions.


Alyssa shows off the prosthetic toothless mouth, worn by actress Jess Conda during the performance.


Jess shows the audience how the mouth was adhered to her face during make-up.


Michael explains the concept of Haunted Poe and how the production came to be.


Jess demonstrates how to 'move like a ghost' when explaining her scenes in the show.


At the end of the videoconference, the whole crew pulled up chairs to answer questions from our 12 connected schools.

We'll have the podcast of the event up on our iTunes site soon! In the meantime, check out a brief clip of Brat Production's Haunted Poe Production...

Many thanks to all! A great time in the studio and learning experience for the schools.

Innovation Workshop and the Time Sync Question

This past Friday, the MAGPI team organized our first-ever Innovation Workshop at Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit. Approximately 36 educators and technologists took part in this program, which lasted from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - - - seven and a half hours of technology integration!

Even though I was facilitating all of my workshop sessions remotely, it was great to get to know the educators and technology specialists who attended. Here's a brief snapshot of some of the things we accomplished that day:

• MAGPI's Executive Director, Greg Palmer, was onsite and gave a 30 minute overview of Internet2, the K20 Initiative and MAGPI.
• I conferenced in from my Baltimore-area office and talked about the various applications that educators can take advantage of over Internet2, including: interactive video, digital library and media sources, simulations, educational games, remote instrumentation, and more. Take a look at the innovation workshop link list to learn more about these specific applications.
  
• We broke the group into teams of four and each team got to spend 15 minutes in each of the following demonstrations: experimenting with the virtual reality development lab equipment, exploring NOAA's island in Second Life, placing/receiving calls on videoconferencing gear, and an online tour of the K12 Community on MAGPI's new website.
• After lunch, the educators spent two hours with me taking an indepth look at videoconferencing in the classroom. We took a virtual field trip to Gemini Observatories in Mauna Kea, HI, and talked about best practices for using videoconferencing in the classroom. During our second hour, we talked about how to plan collaborative projects that use interactive video and brainstormed project ideas. Meanwhile, the technology specialists were spending time with UPenn staff members learning about IPv6, unified communications, troubleshooting H.323 and multicast applications.
• We ended the day with a virtual panel discussion featuring educators who had successfully created collaborative projects. We were joined by Marilyn Puchalski who discussed the We Want the World to Know project, and Allison Carpenter who talked about the Murder Mystery Project and States of Matter project.

One of the most exciting things that came from this workshop was the formulation of a potential collaborative project idea for schools along the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The project would involve schools located in the watershed areas and along the bay to collaborate through data collection and videoconferencing, so students in one area can see how the actions of their community affect other communities located 'downstream.' I was also thrilled to hear about a new service-learning course offered in Souther Lehigh School District that will be able to take advantage of the technologies we discussed to enrich students' inquiry and project-based learning.

Since I was facilitating all of my workshop segments remotely (and there was a bit of a predicament with the camera set-up in the room - - they were mounted in the back of the room and I was looking at the back of people's heads most of the day), it was tough to gauge participants' reactions to the event. Admittedly, it was a lot of information to digest. Our hope for the workshop was to expose participants to the different applications (specialized uses of the network :0)) available to them and inspire/excite them to want to take on a project. Hopefully, we accomplished that without overwhelming. If you attended, we would love to hear your feedback.

At the end of the day, one technology integrator asked me "What would you say to a teacher who said they just didn't have time to try and integrate this technology?" If I'm honest, I'd have to say I don't have a really good answer to that question. As much as we say that integrating technology enhances (and in many cases, can supplement or even substitute for existing learning activities in the classroom), it by no means makes the educator's life easier the first time out. If they are new to the technology, the educator has to learn how it works. After that, they need to think critically about how it makes sense to use the technology to help accomplish their content objectives. It's definitely a time sync when you're learning it. Even if you are an educator lucky enough to have a fantastic technology support network, you're going to need to put some time in. Not to mention that there are so many interactive technologies to choose from; it can certainly be overwhelming to learn about them and become the 'networked teacher.'

But the initial time investment pays off - - exponentially. Not only are your students more engaged in technology-rich learning environments, but you have increased opportunity for authentic, inquiry and project-based learning. Interactive technologies flatten classroom walls and allow you to tap into additional knowledge networks, bring leading experts into your classroom and virtually excpose your students to places and things they might have never seen. So no, I don't have a good answer to the time question except to say the more you use technology in the classroom, the less time it will take to plan for using it.

Adding to the time crunch issue? We really can't start with the technology when planning classroom activities. We have to use backwards design and start with the learning objectives: what is it that I want my students to walk away with? Then think about how we will know students have achieved those objectives... and THEN think about the learning experiences and how technology can mediate those experiences. Again, not really a time-saving strategy - - but one that will make sure our integration efforts are effective and meaningful.

So, interactive technologies in the classroom have leveled geographic barriers. But we're still figuring out time zones... and time syncs...

Networked Teacher Image from: langwitches.org blog