Telecommunications in the Classroom b Kristie Korth b Julie Trouba b Erica Adams b Michelle Pleiss

Telecommunications in the Classroom b Definitions b Educational Telecollaboration b Distance Education/Distance Learning b Classroom Equipment and Materials

Definitions b Telecommunications b Tele-access b Virtual Publishing b Tele-presence b Tele-mentoring b Tele-sharing

Educational Telecollaboration b What is a Telecollaborative Activity b Telecollaboration Benefits b Telecollaboration Indexes b Choosing Telecollaboration b What to do after you find the Perfect Project

What is a Telecollaborative Activity b It is an educational endeavor that involves people in different locations b Most educational telecollaboration is curriculum-based, teacher- designed, and teacher coordinated b Most use to help participants communicate with eachother b Many telecollaborative activities and projects have Web sites to support them

Telecollaborative Benefits b Students are being exposed to differing opinions, perspectives, beliefs, experiences, and thinking processes b Students can compare, contrast, and/or combine similar information collected in dissimilar locations b Students are communicating with a real audience using text and imagery b Students are expanding their global awareness

Telecollaboration Indexes b KIDPROJ b I*EARN Projects html b NickNacks Telecollaboration www1.minn.net/~schubert/ EdHelpers.html b Blue Web’n bluewebn/ b Innovative Teaching Projects

Choosing the Telecollaboration b When choosing a telecollaboration to join, the most important criteria to use addresses students’ learning needs and preferences

After Finding the Perfect Project b Commit to participation, and communicate that decision b Familiarize yourself with the specifics of participation requirements for your chosen projects* b Schedule students’ project-related work on your class calendar allowing twice the normally required time* b Gather the necessary resources that you will use to support and enrich your students’ work* b Tell your students what is coming*

Distance Learning/Distance Education b The term “Distance Learning” is often interchanged with “Distance Education”. b However, Distance Learning is really the result of Distance Education. b Distance Education is defined as: the instructional delivery that does not constrain the student to be physically present in the same location as the instructor.

Defining Elements of Distance Education b The separation of teacher and learner during the majority of the instructional process b The use of educational media to unite teacher, learner, and course content b Two-way communication between teacher, tutor, or educational agency and learner

Distance Education Delivery Systems b Synchronous: requires simultaneous participation of all students and instructors b Forms of delivery - interactive TV, audiographics, & computerconferencing b Asynchronous: Does not require the simultaneous participation of all students and instructors. b Forms of delivery - , listservs, audiocassette courses, videotaped courses, correspondence courses, and WWW-based courses

Choosing Forms/Modes b First, determine what your educational need or goal may be. b Next, you must assess the characteristics and needs of your learning audience.

Potential Student Learning b “Integrated sound, motion, image, and text create a rich new learning environment awash with possibility and a clear potential to increase student involvement in the learning process” (Task Force on Distance Education, 1992).

Wiring your Classroom b Input tools for the Classroom. b How classrooms are changing.

Input Tools b Digital Cameras b Scanners b Camcorders b Web Cams b Music Players

Digital Cameras b New and Easy to use b Plug-and-play b Connect Computer to Computer

Scanners b Import pictures b Scan high quality pictures

How do kids use these items? b Produce films b Add special effects b Manipulate sounds

Conclusion b Impact of telecommunications b Classroom learning b Student learning styles