1. Using Think.com in Collaborative Student Projects Steven Caringella

2. Presenter Bio Steven Caringella Steven Caringella scaringe@musd.org scaringe@musd.org Fourth Grade Teacher and Tech Coordinator at Zanker, Milpitas Unified Fourth Grade Teacher and Tech Coordinator at Zanker, Milpitas Unified Part-time instructor, Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College Part-time instructor, Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College

3. Want to learn more? Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College in Los Altos, CA (Northern Cal) Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College in Los Altos, CA (Northern Cal) Inexpensive, hands-on technology courses. Inexpensive, hands-on technology courses. $29 reg., $13 per unit. $29 reg., $13 per unit. Face to face and online Face to face and online

4. Classes I teach at KCI April 26 Internet Projects for Educators April 26 Internet Projects for Educators May 17 Blogs and Wikis in the Classroom May 17 Blogs and Wikis in the Classroom June 21 Think.com June 21 Think.com

5. Krause Center for Innovation Krause Center Krause Center http://www.krauseinnovationce nter.org/kci/ http://www.krauseinnovationce nter.org/kci/ http://www.krauseinnovationce nter.org/kci/ http://www.krauseinnovationce nter.org/kci/ To register, go to: To register, go to: http://www.foothill.edu/cfi/linc/p reregister.php http://www.foothill.edu/cfi/linc/p reregister.php

6. Presentation Overview What is Think.com? What is Think.com? Live web demo Live web demo How can Think.com be used to support and enhance inquiry- based cross-curricular projects? How can Think.com be used to support and enhance inquiry- based cross-curricular projects?

7. What is Think.com? Think.com is a password- protected, student-safe online learning community. Think.com is a password- protected, student-safe online learning community. https://www.think.com/en_us https://www.think.com/en_us https://www.think.com/en_us

8. What is Think.com? Allows students to publish, blog, share documents, communicate, and collaborate. Allows students to publish, blog, share documents, communicate, and collaborate. Free access provided to schools by the Oracle Education Foundation. Free access provided to schools by the Oracle Education Foundation.

9. How to Access Think.com Teachers at accredited primary and secondary schools can apply. Teachers at accredited primary and secondary schools can apply. Oracle Education Foundation requires site principal’s approval. Oracle Education Foundation requires site principal’s approval.

10. How to Access Think.com If you are the first at your site to use Think.com, you become the site administrator. If you are the first at your site to use Think.com, you become the site administrator. You can then add other teachers at your site. You can then add other teachers at your site.

11. Online safety Teachers who use Think.com with their students must monitor student content. Teachers who use Think.com with their students must monitor student content. Teachers must teach students how to stay safe online. Teachers must teach students how to stay safe online. Must have parental consent. Must have parental consent.

12. Think.com and Student Projects Think.com is ideal for use in inquiry-based, cross-curricular student projects. Think.com is ideal for use in inquiry-based, cross-curricular student projects. Environmental Concerns in the Community Environmental Concerns in the Community What Makes Me Unique? What Makes Me Unique?

13. Think.com and Standards Think.com can be used to help students meet California content standards. Think.com can be used to help students meet California content standards. Think.com meets ISTE National Technology Standards. Think.com meets ISTE National Technology Standards. http://cnets.iste.org/students/ http://cnets.iste.org/students/ http://cnets.iste.org/students/

14. Inquiry-Based Learning A learner-centered process that begins with questioning and investigating. A learner-centered process that begins with questioning and investigating. Children have a desire to discover and finds things out. Children have a desire to discover and finds things out. Exploring, asking questions, searching for new understandings. Exploring, asking questions, searching for new understandings.

15. Project-Based Learning Students investigate a real- world problem, working collaboratively. Students investigate a real- world problem, working collaboratively. They use technology tools, gain skills and knowledge, and end with a learning product. They use technology tools, gain skills and knowledge, and end with a learning product.

16. Environmental Concerns Students used Think.com during research, for reflection, to communite and collaborate, and as an eportfolio. Students used Think.com during research, for reflection, to communite and collaborate, and as an eportfolio.

17. ECIC Overview Multi-classroom: Students from three Northern California schools collaborated using Think.com. Multi-classroom: Students from three Northern California schools collaborated using Think.com. Cross-curricular: One school focused on science and two schools focused on language arts. Cross-curricular: One school focused on science and two schools focused on language arts.

18. Essential Question How do we become aware of environmental concerns and how can we make a difference? How do we become aware of environmental concerns and how can we make a difference?

19. Communicating With Think.com Students from all three schools wrote bios about themselves, then “met” each other online. Students from all three schools wrote bios about themselves, then “met” each other online. Throughout the project, students read, reviewed, and evaluated each others’ work. Throughout the project, students read, reviewed, and evaluated each others’ work.

20. Collaborating With Think.com Almaden Fourth graders wrote letters and posters in response to the River Glen newsletters that they viewed and discussed. Almaden Fourth graders wrote letters and posters in response to the River Glen newsletters that they viewed and discussed. http://ourenvironmentproject.org/ almadenschool/FellowsStudentW ork2.htm http://ourenvironmentproject.org/ almadenschool/FellowsStudentW ork2.htm http://ourenvironmentproject.org/ almadenschool/FellowsStudentW ork2.htm http://ourenvironmentproject.org/ almadenschool/FellowsStudentW ork2.htm

21. Collaborating With Think.com Fifth and Seventh grade students included the Fourth graders’ water quality data in their research. Fifth and Seventh grade students included the Fourth graders’ water quality data in their research.

22. Collaborating With Think.com Zanker Fifth graders created web resource lists during research that were shared by team members for the essays and the PSAs. Zanker Fifth graders created web resource lists during research that were shared by team members for the essays and the PSAs.

23. Reflective Blogging Throughout the stages of the project, students reflected on their learning process by writing reflective blog entries. Throughout the stages of the project, students reflected on their learning process by writing reflective blog entries.

24. Think.com as eportfolio Throughout the project, students uploaded finished learning products, reflected on them, and received teacher and peer review and feedback. Throughout the project, students uploaded finished learning products, reflected on them, and received teacher and peer review and feedback.

25. What Makes Me Unique? Multi-classroom collaborative project. Multi-classroom collaborative project. Participants include teachers and students from two middle schools and two elementary schools. Participants include teachers and students from two middle schools and two elementary schools. http://my- ecoach.com/project.php?id=1044 6 http://my- ecoach.com/project.php?id=1044 6 http://my- ecoach.com/project.php?id=1044 6 http://my- ecoach.com/project.php?id=1044 6

26. What Makes Me Unique? Students explore their dominant learning styles, using the Multiple Intelligences theory, and apply this knowledge to how they approach learning. Students explore their dominant learning styles, using the Multiple Intelligences theory, and apply this knowledge to how they approach learning.

27. What Makes Me Unique? Cross-classroom partners were formed, and the project organized in the Think.com project pages. Cross-classroom partners were formed, and the project organized in the Think.com project pages.

28. What Makes Me Unique? Students use Think.com to post learning and reflections, and respond to their project partners at each stage of the project, including group audio podcasts as a culminating activty. Students use Think.com to post learning and reflections, and respond to their project partners at each stage of the project, including group audio podcasts as a culminating activty.

29. Think.com Project Ideas Think.com provides project ideas that can be used in the K-8 classroom, that meet ISTE standards. Think.com provides project ideas that can be used in the K-8 classroom, that meet ISTE standards. http://www.think.com/iste http://www.think.com/iste http://www.think.com/iste