The Benefits of Learning Online Outweighs the Dangers

The MacArthur Foundation Spotlight on Digitial Media and Learning has an interesting article up on a new report from Harvard’s Youth and Media Policy Working Group on media safety, privacy and quality. Amongst their findings, this conclusion stands out:

As we seek to protect youth from the unforeseen risks of online engagement, it is essential that we do not in turn foreclose the benefits made possible by self‐directed, informal learning and socializing through new technologies or experimentation with teaching using new technologies in the classroom.

As leaders of Globaloria classrooms, all of you can personally attest to the benefits of online engagement. Read the rest of the report here.

Globaloria Students Share Their Works-in-Progress

Despite the cold and snowy start to the 2010 that has caused numerous school delays and closings, Globaloria students are shining as bright as the sun and making incredible progress! Presentations by students from South Harrison High School, Randolph Technical Center, Sandy River Middle School, and Pressley Ridge School, as well as special presentations to the Globaloria Advisory Board made by students from Riverside High School and Capital High School in 2010 not only showcased the development of students’ games, but also their growing technology proficiencies, research talents, communication and collaboration skills, and leadership abilities.

Presentations varied in topic, ranging from power point decks that displayed students’ research and ideas on protecting our environment, to how to combat world poverty and hunger, to game demos focused on civics concepts.

Listening and watching Globaloria West Virginia students present their research findings, demonstrate their game demos, and speak on what they’ve learned and how they want to educate others through the creation of original web games has renewed my spirit of optimism about our nation’s future.

Globaloria WV students are great ambassadors of their generation; they are highly intelligent, compassionate, witty, and eager to create a better tomorrow for themselves, their communities, and the world. That is why it is so gratifying to be a part of the Globaloria learning community that is preparing today’s youth for leadership and success in the 21st century.

By: David Lowenstein
State Director, Globaloria WV

Time for Time Management

"Time keeps on slippin', slippin',slippin' into the future."
- lyrics from "Fly Like and Eagle," Steve Miller Band

Sometimes, I think the members of the Steve Miller Band must have been teachers, because our schedules often feel just like that. As the pressures of the day go on, it can often become very easy to shortcut processes and projects; trying to fit it all in to our schedule. Even when it feels like an overload, it is all just a matter of time management.

In Globaloria, the Course Schedule is a great tool for planning ahead and it is easier than a standard lesson plan. Using this tool can help a teacher and their class feel more organized and secure in their delivery. For new teachers especially, this is a tool that can help a lot of the tension and insecurities in tackling new things like Flash and ActionScript. It allows us to plan ahead and take comfortable "bites" of material while still making forward progress. Just take a look at Heather's , Aaron's, and MCTC's schedules for different examples of how they can be used.

A second tool that can assist in time management is the Learning Log. This tool lets students and teachers reflect on successes and struggles. As a teacher, seeing what topics have stalled your class for an extra hour or day can help you adjust the future and make it easier for all parties involved. It can even help you to see what skills the students are mastering faster to alleviate extra time on redundant lessons.

In your experience with the program, have you discovered any special tips for time management in Globaloria? Please share your insights with the community!

-Bill

Globaloria Spotlight

Click on the image to visit the Globaloria Spotlight

Thanks to all of you in the Globaloria-WV educator's community for installing the Globaloria Spotlight Widget on your blog! We're so excited to see what great pictures, blog posts, game elements, videos and more you submit to the Spotlight to give your students' achievements recognition across the state.