Course Title: Using Technology to Foster Global Collaboration in the Creative Arts Classroom
Through this 8-week course, educators and their students gain experience in projects involving traditional art forms, as well as those using multimedia and digital tools to express themselves and learn about the world. (Curriculum Standards Addressed in this Course)
Course Goals
Identify the benefits of international collaboration and global project work
Learn how to integrate collaborative project-based learning into your teaching
practice while addressing local/national educational standards
Develop a global Creative Arts project plan to implement in your class
Learn how to prepare your students for online global project work and evaluate
their learning
Network with educators in the course and around the world
The course is asynchronous. This means participants work in their own time from home or school to complete weekly assignments. However, courses are very interactive and communication is continuous during the course period. Each course has 25 participants and two facilitators. You will communicate with one another through the iEARN discussion forums to discuss assignment and readings. You can expect frequent feedback from your facilitators and participants throughout the course period.
Each course is divided into eight modules (one lesson per week) with readings, discussions, individual and group assignments. Lessons and assignments take participants step-by-step through the process of integrating an online collaborative project into their classroom. Participants will select a project that matches their state/national standards and begin integrating the project into their classroom during the course period.
Participants can expect to commit 4-5 hours a week for a course.
Educators who successfully complete all the course requirements will receive a certificate from iEARN-USA with recognition as an iEARN Master Teacher
Prerequisites
Basic word processing, Internet and e-mailing skills
Reliable access to a computer and Internet
Availability to commit at least 5 hours a week to course activities
A classroom/students whom you will be working with throughout the course period
Effective teachers model and apply the National Educational Technology
Standards for Students (NETS•S) as they design, implement, and assess
learning experiences to engage students and improve learning; enrich
professional practice; and provide positive models for
students, colleagues, and the community. All teachers should meet the following standards and performance indicators. Teachers:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning,
and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning,
creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual
environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. promote student reflection
using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual
understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
d. model collaborative
knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students,
colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences
and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to
maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge,
skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:
a. design or adapt
relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and
resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. develop technology-enriched
learning environments that enable all students to pursue their
individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their
own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their
own progress
c. customize and personalize
learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles,
working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. provide students with multiple and varied
formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology
standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and
responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and
ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:
a. advocate, model, and teach
safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology,
including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the
appropriate documentation of sources
b. address the diverse needs of all learners
by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to
appropriate digital tools and resources
c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
d. develop and model cultural understanding
and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other
cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model
lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and
professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use
of digital tools and resources. Teachers:
a. participate in local and
global learning communities to explore creative applications of
technology to improve student learning
(NETS•S - National Educational Technology Standards) and Performance Indicators for Students
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and
develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work
collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual
learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making.
Students use critical thinking skills
to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make
informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project. c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to
technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
