Review of MEDT 7480 Projects

Global Poetry around the World

This project incorporates exchange via penpalschools.com and the use of poetry for self expression. The discussion topic "A World of Poetry" under the go penpals is ideal for flat classroom projects. Video and text-based communication is incorporated. It has extension activities as well. Including participating in a poetry reading. I like the student materials. They are organized well and clearly communicate the directions. I think this is an ideal project for older students. The reflection helps students further take ownership of learning through self-reflection and evaluation of the overall experience. I am considering doing this project with my students because I think my advanced Spanish students would enjoy this type of activity.

Holiday Card Exchange

I learned that this project is an interdisciplinary unit with  Social Studies, Math and English Language Arts. The card exchange is mainly related to writing skills.  It is a very short persuasive/narrative writing activity. I think students would enjoy having the purpose for writing established as persuading their peers as to why their classroom is a great place to learn.
The project seems to be a summative assessment that facilitates a one-way communication for 4th and 5th graders, with some presentational elements via Flipgrid, Google Slides  and Skype. I would have loved more specific details on how the teachers would implement this project. The Google Slide was helpful in visualizing what the teacher would use to instruct students.
The project seems to be one that is intended for the classroom and outside of the classroom and is contingent upon the teachers who sign up.  I think the website and materials are colorful and attractive.   

The Human Genetics Project

The ability to compare data with students around the country and world is an engaging experience for students. This project is intended for high  school students. They will communicate using blogger for journaling, Google classroom to upload data and face-to-face meeting with Google duos. I would like to know more about what the students are researching. From the resources page, I believe it is observable human traits. I was unaware of communities for students to collaborate on their scientific research globally on the secondary level. Sharing their hypotheses and discoveries with an audience outside of the classroom helps the students find purpose in the learning and expands their peer base far beyond their science classroom.

Sharing Cultures around the World Project Reflection

• Our project website is at the following link: https://sites.google.com/s/1079_pbYIGC3_-IOToDCYpCz5s-7RuxkM/p/1CikaPGQ_uG6FJfZic35czgGXg4fAZFhm/edit

   Sharing Cultures around the World was our collaborative project. It was intended to develop personal narrative writing skills and awareness of the cultures of others for 5th grade ESOL students. Students would also develop technology skills that would help them flatten their learning experience, reaching beyond their classroom to acquire and apply skills and knowledge. We developed a plan and resources to help students create a way to podcast and communicate with other students. 

  Our group collaborated to draft lesson outlines, overviews, activities, and learning goals for this project via FaceTime and a lot of texting.  We shared experience with English language learners and built upon that experience to create this project.

   This unit would take place over 2 months time. Students would learn the writing process and features of a personal narrative first. This would allow for collaboration with their peers in the classroom.  The peer groups would work together to brainstorm interview questions for family members and to edit each other's drafts.

  Students would learn to use Flipgrid to record themselves and respond to students in other classrooms, discussing their cultures.  The interaction would be in the formal of verbal comments recorded as responses to the initial posting. Flipgrid was chosen for its ease of use and the secure nature of the platform. Only those with the specified email domain can view the videos and respond. We included the student page for resources and would provide direct instruction for the technology tools that would be used. Digital citizenship and global collaboration skills would be reinforced during this unit as students learn about and share cultures.  The commenting process as directed by the teacher would be monitored for engagement, participation, and the appropriateness of content.

  Engaging young learners in this way would be a memorable process as they venture out of the classroom to communicate with older generation (parents), share their culture with others, and learn about other students' cultures that are not in their immediate classroom environment.