1. ePals A Global Community Where Learners Connect

2. What is ePals? According to www.epals.com, ePals is ePals is the leading provider of safe collaborative technology for schools to connect and learn in a protected, project-based learning network. With classrooms in 200 countries and territories, ePals makes it easy to connect learners locally, nationally or internationally.www.epals.com

3. Why ePals? ePals is beneficial for teachers, students and families. How can it benefit them all? Teachers: Can safely bring the world into their classroom. Teachers now have the opportunity to collaborate and communicate with classrooms around the world. Students: Can communicate and collaborate with students across the world. They can also create projects to share with other students. It is also a great learning tool that can benefit each student in social studies, writing, world language, etc. Families: This is an opportunity for families to do all the things listed above, but to also connect with others outside of the home. They can collaborate with other families and know their student is going to have a safe penpal experience.

4. What kinds of things does ePals offer? ePals Learning Space ePals SchoolMail ePals Platform in2books

5. ePals Learning Space A virtual workspace for teachers, students, administrators and families to share educational information. Combines safe web 2.0 skills such as wikis, blogs and emails. Safe and secure management, structured community, Web 2.0 tool kit, classroom connect, digital lockers, School Mail and access to ePals.

6. ePals Learning Space does come with an annual service. 30 day free trial available

7. ePals Global Community Worlds largest network of k-12 classrooms around the world. No cost to classrooms! Educators can access the community to find projects, community forums and classrooms to connect to.

9. SchoolMail Free school safe email for students in grades k-12 Monitored email Language translation Virus checking and anti-spam filtering Spell checker Tutorials and Manuals

11. in2books Curriculum-based e-mentoring program for students in grades 3 through 5 For non-Title I Classrooms, In2Books costs $1500 per classroom. This includes 5 books for each student, the online program and professional development for teachers.

13. How do we use ePals? www.epals.com

14. Insert your email in the box provided.

15. You will need to go to your email to complete your registration. Make sure you click on “Continue with ePals registration” in your email.

16. Fill in the form provided.

17. Now you are ready to start! You can either start by creating accounts for your students or creating your classroom profile. Let’s create monitored accounts.

18. Create your monitored accounts for each of your students. Don’t forget to download the privacy consent form if you are working with children under the age of 13. Just follow the steps! It’s that easy!

19. Or, create your class profile. Then, follow the directions to set up your classroom. This will help so you can find classrooms from all over the world.

20. What makes ePals so great? ePals is a great way for students to meet other students. They can be connected with students in the same town, state, country or all over the world. It is a safe way for students to communicate.

21. Pros and Cons Pros Collaboration Communication Safe and monitored Project based Free programs Family, students and teachers Cons Two of the programs cost money if you wish to enroll in those programs Takes time to set up the classrooms

22. Resources: www.epals.com www.epals.com