Welcome to the SEED Facilitator Workshop Tyumen, Siberia, Russia October 7-8, 2006 Tom Lough and Svetlana Belova

What is SEED? A volunteer-based corporate non-profit educational development program whose members share their passion for learning and science and create opportunities for youth around the world

Safety Considerations Establishment of constant safety awareness Initial safety orientation (procedure for fire and other hazardous events) First aid kit and fire extinguisher location Walking safely Seatbelts in transportation Soldering safety [e.g., goggles] Cutting safety [e.g., retract knife blade] Other safety considerations Immediate reporting of unsafe situation

What are the goals of our October 7-8 facilitator workshop? Help facilitators to: Plan and facilitate a successful collaborative workshop Learn more about the workshop theme and about the workshop tools and their applications Be able to establish and facilitate a project-based learning-while- doing (LWD) environment Encourage behavior that is collaborative, respectful, and safe Find appropriate roles for supporting and encouraging all participants Motivate participants to sustain their learning activities beyond the workshop Have some fun with learning!

What are the goals of our October 9-12 collaborative workshop? Increase teacher knowledge of workshop theme Create awareness among teachers of the benefits of the LWD methodology Generate interest among teachers for implementing the LWD methodology in their own teaching Assist teachers in planning how to implement the LWD methodology in their school settings Create ongoing collaborative communication among teachers and students from different schools Create a self-sustaining movement among participating teachers to continue the LWD methodology after the workshop Have some fun with learning!

Question for Thought At the end of the day on October 8 and on October 12, how will we know that we achieved our goals?

Learning Experiences Project-based learning Learning while doing (LWD) Collaborative learning Learning tools Theme-based approach

Rather than as a “science lesson” or a “mathematics lesson,” project-based learning focuses first on identifying a problem to be solved. What is project-based learning? As a byproduct of this project, participants develop a deeper understanding of related concepts from many different “subject areas” in an authentic and engaging way. As a byproduct of this project, participants develop a deeper understanding of related concepts from many different “subject areas” in an authentic and engaging way.

What is Learning While Doing (LWD)? Active Simultaneous roles of learning and teaching Diverse styles and approaches Exploration and risk- taking Collaborative Curriculum “on demand”

Collaborative Learning Work in groups Respect each other Encourage everyone to be both a learner and a teacher Involve all group members

Learning Tools GoGo board, sensors, output devices, and software MicroWorlds multimedia software

Workshop Theme: Global Climate Change and Energy Local and global problems and perspectives Basis for group projects Motivation for sustained work beyond workshop

General Collaborative Workshop Sequence Welcome and introductions Establish team identity Theme and project information Exploration of tools Field trip related to theme Brainstorming and project planning Project development Project sharing Commitment and planning for future activities

Project Development Stage 1: Brainstorming Stage 1 team task: brainstorm theme-related problems and project concept ideas related to the theme for 15 to 20 minutes Generate as many different ideas as possible Write down each idea in a list Do not evaluate or discuss any idea – yet Encourage all group members to contribute ideas Make use of unusual ideas to inspire more ideas

Project Development Stage 2: Project Concept Stage 2 team task: Decide on project concept Discuss and evaluate ideas on brainstorm list Begin grouping related ideas Assemble as many groups of ideas as possible into a system for the project concept Where possible, relate to the workshop theme and make use of the workshop tools Draw up a plan, including a diagram and a flow chart to communicate your project concept

Project Development Stage 3: Project Completion Stage 3 team task: Work together to develop, test, revise, finalize, and share finished project Start and maintain project journal in Microsoft Word Develop and test a prototype Make necessary revisions and test again Develop animation using MicroWorlds Finalize project prototype Share project with others

Project Components Working model Schematic diagram and flow chart Project report in MicroSoft Word, including GoGo procedure Project simulation or extension in MicroWorlds file Project summary posted on SEED Bulletin Board

Project Sharing All group members participate Explain the scope of the project, how it is related to the theme, and the problem it is designed to solve Demonstrate the working model and the simulation Describe the problems encountered and how they were overcome Invite questions from the audience

Directory, Newsletter, and Feature Story Questions Volunteer opportunities to develop: Pictorial directory of all participants, including photograph, name, affiliation, and address. Newsletter of the collaborative workshop, including photographs and descriptions of the events of each day. Responses to questions with information for a future feature story about the workshop.

Facilitators Host Informal Teacher Meetings Give teachers the opportunity to discuss observations and methodology Invite questions about how the workshop projects and approaches might be extended into the regular school year Encourage teachers to discuss among themselves ideas for future workshops and related initiatives Possible followup committee to meet, send to others, and set up workshops in their schools

Workshop Sustainability As the workshop ends, ask yourselves: What did the students learn? What are the indications that they learned these things? What did you, the facilitators, learn? What will you, the facilitators, commit to for the future? How did you, the facilitators, encourage the teacher participants to adopt or adapt the LWD approach? What collaborative project will the schools in each group carry out with each other or another school?

Workshop Agenda Saturday, October 7 Familiarization with tools Start on workshop planning Sunday, October 8 Finish workshop planning