What a great, funny, and sometimes very thought-provoking day, eh? Thanks for being so entertaining with your Mysteryquest presentation this morning. Everyone appreciated the humour!
Here are your questions to reflect upon and comment on today:
- What new ideas for using videoconferencing in the curriculum did you discover today?
- What have you noticed about the interactions between the different sites?
- What do you think the biggest challenge for implementing videoconferencing in your school/classroom setting might be next year?
Let’s get our posts published before puck drop. Go Canucks!!!!!
Tracy
123VC! Jazz Reflections 
Today I’ve learned that I should definitely hang around with Gregg because he’s very funny! I think Global nomads will be very helpful next year and I look forward to working with them.
Interactions at this point still seem to be a little stilted, but we’re working hard to loosen everyone up. Perhaps they’re equally tired or they’re fully into vacation mode?
I think the ice has broken at my school in regards to starting to use VC at Sa-Hali. I know Justin deVries will be, I know I will be and I know other teachers are getting excited to try it. Because I’m the coordinator, I’ll be able to have my hand in encouraging others to use it and I’ll get lots of pix and other ways of promoting this at staff meetings and in library promotional materials.
I was worried that this group might not want to have as much fun as a group of elementary teachers and I was SO wrong! Thanks to all of the Kamloops crew for being such a blast!!
GO CANUCKS!!!
By: Cecile McVittie on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 4:06 pm
New Ideas: So many websites…so many uses….so little time. Now as far as videoconferencing ideas go, I am eager to locate experts to connect with for the next school year. Aside from the obvious classroom to classroom possibilities, I think it would be outstanding to find experts in all areas of the curriculum and be able to bring them to the students (and me). The mysteryquest is a great activity!
The interaction when videoconferencing is a new skill to observe and learn. The level of engagement and interaction is obviously more than watching a video, but the technical aspects don’t quite give it the same feel as being in the same room. Like any interaction, it takes time to build relationships. The first day working in small groups felt totally different than it does now as we get to know the other people.
The biggest challenges I see are the $ and the timing of programs and equipment availability (especially as the keen ones get going with vc).
By: Brandon on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 4:11 pm
Hi Brandon,
You have some good comments, and I like that you are really starting to see some possibilities for using these tools in your own classroom.
You’re right about building relationships. Wouldn’t it be great to have a partner class that you VC’d with and did projects with several times during a year? You could also be e-mail/penpals, share Voicethreads, blog comments, Google docs or other projects, and more, and also meet “face to face” via videoconference as well. That would be exciting!
Travis is going to meet with us on Friday to talk about how to book the VC systems out. I don’t think you need to worry about booking a whole year in advance, but you’re right that you will need to know at least a little ahead of time – especially for the first one where he will need to come out to the school and get everything set up on the network. Hopefully as more people are using VC in their schools, we will get more units to share as well. At your particular school, it might also be a possibility to see if Valleyview Sec will let you use their VC room in a pinch too.
I’m so glad you’re here this week and that you’re enjoying what you’re learning.
Tracy
By: 123vc on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 5:56 pm
It was a good day. I’ve learned that it’s really important to allow enough time to speak and picture connections before muting. New ideas include the use of roles to ensure easier participation of students (Alan November material for afternoon).
I’ve noticed that the interactions are still a little stilted, but that when we were working on the mystery quest, everyone at each site was busily plotting and preparing and talking in the background. Hopefully, we helped loosen everyone up a bit 🙂
The big challenge implementing videoconferencing next year may be the scheduling as people become more interested!
By: Cecile McVittie on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 4:12 pm
Mystery Quest rocks!!! Had a great time. Wonderfull for English, SS. The interactions seem tobe more relaxed and a much more open dialogue!!! Nothing like Bob, Doug and Cecile to break the ice completely. The rest of the Kamloops crew couldn’t stop laughing while they were performing. Getting teachers to give up the time for an amazing learning experience for the students because they don”t know how cool this can be!!!
By: A. Storkan on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 6:11 pm
Anne, I am so glad that you’re part of our group and that you’re enjoying what you’re learning. I can really sense your enthusiasm and I am looking forward to working on some great projects together next year. You have some excellent ideas that I’m hoping we can start planning right away in September!
I agree that our interactions were more relaxed today. It takes time to build relationships – both in our own room and also with out site partners in other locations. I’m glad that everyone seems to be having fun and working well together.
Tracy
By: Tracy on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 10:26 pm
Videoconferencing possibilities seem to be endless, and it seems that one could start in baby steps and gradually move to bigger projects. I agree with Brandon regarding time being an issue, and I think because it is so new to us, most of us, it is hard to imagine being able to incorporate this into our classrooms/schools. Again, probably the best strategy is to start small and partner with someone with whom one is comfortable with so there is some support. I know we all agree that this is fantastic, and will likely engage our students, and as time goes on will become easier, more natural for us to use. My observation is that “planning” is imperative to the overall success of the venture, so like a good “old school” classroom lesson planning is key:).
I think the interaction between the sites is improving as the week progresses. The first day was probably a bit of a surprise to most of us and now we understand the format and we have had a few days to communicate and work together. While it may be easier to build rapport quicker between individuals who are physically in the same room together, I can see that this technology still allows for relationship building. This is exciting when I consider the possibilities for next school year and thereafter. I heard Cecile mention that she and her students would be connecting with youth in Africa next year via today’s Specialist group…how cool is that?! That experience cannot be replicated in the regular classroom alone without such technology.
Biggest challenges ahead….time as mentioned above, money possibly, and fear – yes, fear. Sometimes it is easier to do the same thing then to try and plan some of the activities we have been trying out the past few days. I think my strategy will be the one I speak of in the first paragraph…I am going for quality and not quantity. If I pick a few things to try out and my students and I experience success, then I can see myself taking a larger leap the following year. Staying connected to colleagues who are utilizing such technology and tools is desirable too so I like the idea of sharing a document we can add such information. Lastly, I believe I can entice some colleagues in my school to try out some things and gradually there could possibly be some “VC fever” throughout the school. Positive thinking is always good, particularly in June:).
By: Stacy on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 8:01 pm
Hi Stacy,
Some really good points – and I’m glad you’re being honest! Trying new things can be scary! Don’t forget that I am here in my role to come and support you if you want help planning, teaching, and running these projects – and I love to do it!
I think you have a good strategy in starting small and growing in confidence and quantity of videoconferences. Sometimes we are so enthusiastic that we “bite off more than we can chew”. We end up stressed, not having as great of an experience as we could have, and not being particularly keen to try it again if it doesn’t go as well as expected. Start with what you feel you can handle and go from there! Nobody will be criticizing – it’s just so exciting that you’re using what you’re learning and that you’re willing to give it a try. Your staff is going to love you for it!
Tracy
By: Tracy on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 10:24 pm
1) I was struck by the amount of cross-curricular areas that can be reviewed and practiced when doing Mysteryquest, for example. I need more time to sit down and think of how all the videoconferencing opportunities will fit into DT and each particular teacher.
2) By sites Tracy, I take it you’re talking about the other US groups involved in 123Jazz. Even though our Michigan group is fun, I felt that they were more “business”-minded than myself. Then when I found that they had to pay for this seminar, it’s their summer holidays already, and they need Pro-D credits, I would perhaps be more business oriented myself. I found it valuable simply talking to our Michigan counterparts about the comparisons between their professional experience to our own.
3) After this workshop, availability of the hardware may be an issue because I’m sure the other members of our group will be using videoconferencing more often. Since I view myself as the person who will be spearheading bringing videoconferencing into the school, it is up to me to bring the technology in as much as possible – then word of mouth and my advertising of which lessons/units lend themselves to videoconferencing opportunities will maintain interest.
By: Dennis on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 8:04 pm
Hi Dennis,
The cross-curricular connections are pretty mind-boggling aren’t they? It’s yet another way of getting buy-in with your staff for doing VC projects with you in the library. If you can show them how it is helping support their coverage of learning outcomes in the classroom, they are grateful to have a fun, supported way of doing it (usually!).
Yes – by sites I mean the ones we’re connecting with each day. I think it’s great that you get small group work and get to know some of the people a little better. It’s great to dialogue and understand similarities and differences between locations – even when you think that they won’t be that different from our situation, it usually turns out that there are surprises. Aren’t we lucky that we are here during work time and that we aren’t required to do it? I’m so glad that our group is able to attend out of interest – maybe that’s why we can be creative and have so much fun while we’re learning, eh?
Tracy
By: Tracy on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
at 10:30 pm
What new ideas for using videoconferencing in the curriculum did you discover today? The mystery quest really opened up a great number of possibilities to senior secondary students in my view. This can be applied all across the curriculum and would certainly be an appealing activity for senior electives, since the interest level will certainly be high. I liked how it was very structured and innately interesting. Everyone likes a mystery and this format can be adjusted as needed for Law, Astronomy, Human Performance, you name it! GoogleDocs are still keeping me constantly thinking of how to integrate collaboration into the classroom with project ideas for honours and International Baccalaureate courses coming to NorKam in 2012, for reluctant participants in remedial courses, for our hairdressing program, and everything in-between. It also has applications for PLC’s so that teachers can all participate at the same time without the limitation of email lag times and the procrastination that comes along with them- imagine being able to come up with multiple essay questions, in-class lesson plans, department policies, and other cross-curricular applications in as little as a 72 minute session!!
What have you noticed about the interactions between the different sites? They have been good, but there is not enough site to site interaction for my taste. The small group sessions have been good, since we can actually speak with each other informally and it is certainly more comfortable. I suppose it is the nature of the beast when there are four sites. Definitely today was a better day with the lightening of our mood after that serious immigration topic- this made for a good mix and I certainly appreciated the opportunity to have a bit of fun! The creative energy of the mystery quests seemed to immediately add some more life to all of the groups at the same time as allowing us to see the potential for our schools.
What do you think the biggest challenge for implementing videoconferencing in your school/classroom setting might be next year? Getting the teachers to buy in. It will be a difficult task at my school for a few reasons: there has been a negative stigma attached to videoconferencing for the past six years among our staff and students due to the format of classes and how VC affected timetabling in the past (bad taste in the mouth more than anything, though we do have five teachers who are comfortable in the VC environment as a result); I can see that teachers will have to be walked through a conference to be able to see the benefits– this is a comfort zone issue and it might be tough with some…; we are a senior high, so curricular overload is a real daily pressure on most of our teachers, with the focus of many core subject teachers on provincial exam preparation and not so much on learning new technology…
Challenges will certainly arise, but I am confident that NorKam staff will gain interest in the format and see the benefit to their students and programs the more they are exposed to videoconferencing. It will hopefully make VC seem more and more like the easily-accessed resource that it is, rather than the intimidating new technology it is seen as today. It seems to also go hand-in-hand with the global views that inevitably come along with IB programs!
By: Gregg on Thursday, June 16, 2011
at 12:57 am