In order to provide a rich technology environment for our faculty and staff, the Trussville Educational Technology Conference was created.  The objectives are to support teachers as they utilize 21st Century tools to teach the curriculum in ways that were not possible when they were in school.  Each year, teachers spend time learning not only from educators in Trussville using 21st Century tools but also from around the world connecting with presenters for the K12 Online Conference.  Teachers are learning how to extend the classroom conversation with blogs, utilize digital stories, podcast, communicate with Skype, collaborate with wikis and much more!   

Three fourth grade teachers at Paine Intermediate School in Trussville, Alabama randomly selected an article from a children's publication to practice comprehension. The article was about the problem with malaria in Africa. The lesson went well beyond the original objective of comprehension of the article when the students began to ask questions and want to learn more about the issue. The teachers understood the importance of flexibility to guide the students to a deeper understanding of the issue. Students used the classroom and computer lab to research malaria, how many children and adults were in danger, and other questions. The article also lead them to the organization Nothing But Nets where anyone could donate $10 which would purchase one net for a family in Africa.  The students decided that they too must help. Posters began to appear in the hallways at Paine Intermediate. They used their Gaggle accounts to send e-mails to friends, family members, other teachers sharing their knowledge and concern. They even learned how to send attachments to make sure their message got across to everyone. One morning they took their plea of help to the air waves through WPIN, Paine Intermediate's morning closed circuit television studio. They again shared their knowledge and the way other students could help. They set a goal of raising $1,000.  One of their gifted teachers, Sue Koch's daughter Sarah is currently a Peace Corp Volunteer in Senegal.  A Skype call was organized to enable students to speak directly to Sarah.

  

Calling Africa
"Calling Africa, Calling Africa." ring ring. "Hey Sarah" began the morning broadcast at Paine Intermediate School. Sarah was interviewed by 6 students from the fourth grade classrooms where they asked specific questions about the mosquitos, the nets, and more. Sarah also told the story about a young girl who became ill recently. After one hard night, the little girl awoke with the fever. Sarah had to bike her over 10 km to the nearest medical post for help. They little girl is now fine. It was amazing to watch and listen to the students and Sarah speak as if they were in the same town. All 950 students at Paine Intermediate were able to listen and gain a better understanding of the issues.

Select the play button twice to watch a video the day the students Skyped Sarah.



At last count, the students raised over $600 dollars for Nothing But Nets. I still hear students and teachers talk about calling Africa. Because of technological advances and teachers willing to teaching using real world experiences, those students have a deeper understanding of malaria but also the knowledge that even though they are young they can make a difference. This story was shared throughout Trussville City Schools which caused other teachers to see how Skype could bring experts into the classroom to build personal relationships and make connections from around the world. This experinece has opened minds to how learning is no longer restricted by the four walls of the classrooms.

Live from New York - It's Anita Dobbs and Niki Lincoln!

Anita and Niki spent a week in New York City learning more about the Stock Exchange.  While in New York, students were able to keep connected with their teachers through a discussion board on their websites.  On Thursday, students spent about 15 minutes talking live with their teachers through Skype.  Anita and Niki talked briefly about their trip so far and then answered questions by several students. 

To listen to their Skype call, select the play button twice.  It may take a while to load depending on your Internet connection.

Ann Bettis, fifth grade teacher at Paine Intermediate School, spent part of the first day of school showing students how their voices can be heard.  Ann recorded questions with students in the background for the Republican candidates and uploaded the video to YouTube to hopefully be selected for the up-comng CNN / YouTube Republican debate.  She wants to know of the candidate's plans for funding and/or programs and partnerships with organizations such as engineering universities, Microsoft, NASA, etc. that would benefit teachers and train them as well as equip these great students for jobs that do not even exist.  You can view their video on Ann's private website or visit the YouTube debate website at http://www.youtube.com/contest/RepublicanDebate  entry 1,211.

Wednesday before student began coming to school, the foreign language teachers placed a Skype, http://www.skype.com, call to Bob Patrick, a high school teacher in Georgia.  Beth Bishop organized this free Internet phone call to have Bob share his wealth of knowledge in how he engages his students in the study of foreign languages.  Bob shared his ideas, thoughts, and answered questions for about 30 minutes online giving valuable advice to the teachers.  The call was also recorded using the free tool PowerGramo, http://www.powergramo.com, so they could listen later.  Skype gives teachers to ability to contact experts in their fields not only to develop professionally but to bring the experts into the classroom for interaction with students.  Classrooms are also beginning to explore the opportunity of connecting to other classrooms round the world. 

Voices from the Schoolhouse
Ms. Erin McGuyer – Hewitt Trussville Middle School
http://voicesfromtheschoolhouse.wikispaces.com/

What was school like for students who graduated from high school more than 65 years ago? Students in Erin McGuyer’s technology classes at HTMS found out in a project-based learning activity that documented some of the education history of the Trussville community.

With the help of several small grants, students were able to build a mobile recording studio which they “took on the road” as they interviewed representative citizens across five or six generations and asked them to share their family and personal stories about school.

The project relies on a web-based wiki, “Voices from the Schoolhouse,” to serve as the central repository for the students’ work products, including still photos, movies, and podcasts of the student-led interviews. Although the wiki is still a work in progress (which is, after all, the idea behind wikis!), there’s already plenty to hear and see at the site, including selected pages from the very first HTHS Yearbook (circa 1940).

Web-based oral history projects like this have several good effects. They not only engage students through exciting technology tools and create public audiences for their work, they can deepen their thinking about history and have the potential to form a greater bond between today’s students and the kids of yesteryear.

originally published at http://www.abpc21.org/classroom20.html

Visit these articles published in Working Towards Excellence that features Trussville teachers and students.

In Building 21st Century Schools Requires Top-to-Bottom School District Support, Suzanne Freeman shares the school systems core business and direction of designing engagins and intellectually rich school work for kids.

Learning Out of Africa details how students made a global connection.

Jennifer Cardwell and Tim Stull are featured in Student Discussion Groups Beat the Classroom Clock.  Jennifer and Tim use discussion boards to extend conversation well beyond the school day.

In WPIN: Broadcasting Authentic Learning, Kristi Stacks shares how they use their closed circuit television studio to reach 950 students every morning.

Educating Kids for the Flat World, An Interview with Suzanne Freeman further explores Trussville's unified approach to preparing students for the 21st Century.

Are you interested in sharing your expertise with a classroom or group of students using Skype? 

Skype is a great tool that allows people to connect from all over the world to share stories, thoughts, tips, strategies, and more!  You can download Skype for free at http://www.skype.com.  Visit these help guides to get started Skyping.  E-mail April Chamberlain at april.chamberlain@trussvillecityschools.com or give her a Skype call, aprilpc.

Watch this video to see how one class uses Skype to include a students who is unable to attend school due to Lukemia.