Global Literacy Chapter 2; p. 31-43 Summary

Chapter 2: The Globally Connected Educator: Talking to the World - Not Just About the World

Here are ⅘ steps needed to achieve global connectedness, not just awareness! Laurie will be summarizing that last section of chapter 2. This chapter gives you a pathway to global connectedness.

Raising your awareness:

Twitter, YouTube, and Smartphones are great but teachers need to be taught the possibilities and opportunities afforded using these mediums. Global literacy includes not just ability to understnad global education but having and cultivating a network of global peers.Global awareness does not come down to one subject. It is a collective effort. Tips to achieve global awareness in all subject matters: listen/watch global news, read authors from different countries, celebrate different cultures/traditions, watch TV shows with global perspectives, i.e. The Amazing Race, watch foreign films, i.e. Slumdog Millionaire.

Making a commitment

AFter raising awareness, you must commit to becoming connected. How do you accomplish that? REad news in foreign languages using a translator or RSS feed, try a globally-oriented conference suing video or audio presentations, use blogging, tweeting or join a Google group, expose yourself to different instructional methods, invite students to your online presence such as Google group, infuse global connectedness in your curriculum. Try connecting to other classrooms via Twitter or Google +.

Developing your competence with contemporary tools

This can be completed after you have made your commitment and infused global connectedness in your classroom. Skype, Twitter,Google Apps, and wikis are ways teachers can connect and participate globally. Workshops are offered and speakers can connect via Skype to give presentations to your class.Twitter allows you to get real time information from around the world. Google Apps allows you to work together on shared documents. You could work together with teachers from another country!  A Wikispace could provide similar opportunities for teachers but also can allow students to collaborate globally with others from all over the world.

building your personal learning network

Once you have developed your skills in connectedness, you can generate your own hub where others can access your information. You can share your knowledge with others and continue to be connected with the globe! Once you start your own learning network, you have a network or people and places you can get information from and/or share. This is where you can begin facilitating connections of your students so they can start their own learning networks. The student blogging challenge is one where you can develop students writing while they connect with others. The Flat Classroom Projects is something that allows students to collaborate to solve real world problems. Video conferencing is something that many use already and allows students and teachers to connect and participate in virtual field trips or group discussions without leaving the classroom, physically.