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Learning Circles. The Global Learning Circles Project. Barry S. Kramer, Ph.D. iEARN Global Learning Circles Coordinator Margaret Riel, Ph.D. Creator of the Learning Circles Project. Global Learning Circles Objectives. What Are Global Learning Circles?
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Learning Circles The Global Learning Circles Project Barry S. Kramer, Ph.D.iEARN Global Learning Circles Coordinator Margaret Riel, Ph.D. Creator of the Learning Circles Project
Global Learning CirclesObjectives • What Are Global Learning Circles? • What Is the Schedule for Learning Circle? • What Kind of Projects Are Found in Learning Circles? • What Are the Educational Benefits of Learning Circles? • How Do I Become a Participant? • Teacher Testimonials • What Is the Learning Circles Course?
Learning CirclesA Brief History History of Learning Circles: Margaret Riel 1987-88 - Inter-Cultural Learning Network 1989-94 - AT&T Learning Network 1994-03 - iEARN Learning Circles Barry Kramer 2004-2013 - iEARN Global Learning Circle Coordinator
Global Learning CirclesThe Learning Circles Model A Learning Circle is a model of distributed leadership where classrooms in different locations collaborate around a set of projects related to a theme for a specified period of time to gain deeper knowledge through collaborative publications.
Global Learning CirclesWhy Do Teachers Join Learning Circles? • Meaningful Work For Students • Telecollaborative Project Work • Authentic Audiences for Students • Emphasis on Writing across the Curriculum • Focus on Multi-Disciplinary Themes • Project-based Learning • Support for Collaborative Learning • Connecting Learning to People, Places and Activities • Understanding the Values and Perspectives of Different Groups LearningCircles LearningCircles
Global Learning CirclesWhat Are Learning Circles? • Cross-Classroom Collaboration To Create A Circle Publication • Group Investigations within Classrooms • Group Investigations across Classrooms One of the best ways to learn something is to agree to teach it to someone else!
Global Learning CirclesWhat Are Teachers’ Expecting? • Teachers are looking for a global education experience for their students • Teachers are looking for theme-based project work they can integrate with their classroom curriculum • Teachers want students to develop important interpersonal skills by working with other students from around the world • Teachers want to professionally learn through interactions with other teachers
Global Learning CirclesSupport for Learning Circles Overview The Learning Circle Teacher Guide provides a structural approach to promoting cross-classroom collaboration with telecommunications. The first chapter provides an overview. If you want to understand this model of online teaching and learning, it is a good place to begin
Global Learning CirclesThe Learning Circle Model • Learning Circle Partners • (A Group of 6-8 Classes) • Grade Level Compatibility • Geographic Diversity • Common Timeline • Task Coordination • Responsibility to theGroup • Individual Creativity • Distributed leadership
Global Learning CirclesSample Project Groups • Places and Perspectives • Sousse, Tunisia • Kumasi, Ghana • Zarka, Jordan • Scarborough, Maine, United States • Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa • Kocaeli, Turkey • Slonim, Grodno, Belarus • Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada • Tinghir, Ourazazte, Morocco • Almetyevsk, Tatarstan, Russia • Ljubljana, Slovenia • Esigodini, Zimbabwe • My Hero Learning Circles • Batumi, Ajara, Georgia • Thies, Senegal • Jakarta, Indonesia • Trujillo, La Libertad, Peru • Manah, Oman • Kharkov, Ukraine • Kocevje, Dolenjska, Slovenia • Medgidia, Constanta, Romania • Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico • Lynnwood, Washington, United States • Taroudant, Souss Massa Draa, Morocco • Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia • Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan • Baku, Azerbaijan • Barrie, Ontario, Canada • Mombasa, Coast Province, Kenya • Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Global Learning CirclesManagement of Learning Circles • Management Options • In general, Elementary Circles are teacher led and managed. • The goal is for High School Circles to be student led and managed. • Middle School Circles are usually a mixture of both management styles. Elementary Circles Teacher Managed Middle School Circles Teacher and Student Managed High School Circles Student Managed
Global Learning CirclesPhases of a Learning Circle (16 Weeks) • Getting Ready for Learning Circles • Opening the Learning Circle • Planning the Learning Circle Projects • Exchanging Student Work on Learning Circle Projects • Organizing the Circle Publication • Closing the Learning Circle
Global Learning CirclesOpening the Circle • Classroom Survey (Online) • About the Students • About the School • About the Community • Welcome Packs (Postal Mail and Virtual Welcome Presentations) • Send whatever fits in a large envelope (pictures, brochures, drawings, symbols, etc.) that will tell others • Who you are? • What you look like? • What you like to do? • Where you live?
Global Learning CirclesBulletin Boards Learning Circle Partners
Global Learning CirclesBulletin Boards Learning Circle Partners
Global Learning CirclesPlanning Circle Projects • Responsibility & Commitment • Each Class as a team organizes or "sponsors" a project for the group • Every class is responsible to send at least one response to the projects in their Learning Circle
Global Learning CirclesProject Idea Template • Learning Circle Group: Computer Chronicles • Sponsoring Teacher: Barry S. Kramer • Sponsor School: Franklin Township School • City: Quakertown • Country: USA • Name of Project: • Goal Of The Project: • Type Of Writing Requested: • Description Of What You Are Looking For From Other Schools: • Example: (Questions, Story Prompts) • Detailed Instructions For Collecting Information: • Ideal Number Of Submissions From Each School: • Preferred Length Of Articles: • Deadline For Receiving Information (Circle deadline is November 20, 2012):
Global Learning CirclesSample Project Idea • Holidays and Celebrations • In the United States we enjoy celebrating holidays throughout the year. For our project idea we would like to know about some of your holidays, celebrations, customs, and traditions. • We would like you to choose one of the following topics and write a paragraph (or two) about the topic. • Choose a holiday and describe to us how you celebrate the holiday. • Is there a holiday that is unique to your country? Tell us about it. • Tell us about some of your minor holidays and how they are celebrated. When do they occur? How did they start? • Describe how your family celebrates a specific holiday. Do you have any family traditions that you practice every year? • If you could create a new holiday, which holiday would you choose? When would it be celebrated? How would it be celebrated? • If you could create a holiday that the entire world celebrated on one day, which holiday would you create? Why? When would it be celebrated?
Global Learning CirclesMy Hero: Authentic Performance Task The United Nations is starting a new museum dedicated to honoring heroes throughout the world in different areas such as angels, animals, artists, business, community, earthkeepers, explorers, faith, freedom, hero’s hero, lifesavers, literary, peacemakers, poets, scientists, sports, teachers, and writers. As a noteworthy and admired citizen, you have been asked to be on the nominating committee and have been requested to personally nominate two people. One person should be someone that you know personally and other person should be someone who you have not met personally, but admire because of his/her accomplishments and public image. From your two choices you are asked to narrow your choice to one person and submit a convincing argument for your choice in the form of a written essay (that can include photographs), an original illustration, or a short media clip.
Global Learning CirclesExamples of Learning Circle Projects Places and Perspectives Elementary Mind Works Middle School Global Issues High School Music and Traditions Peace and a Better World Problems of Young People A Day at School Weather and Seasons Early Explorers Animals in My Backyard Circle Stories Invention Convention Place Poetry Cultural Stories Predictions 2020 Environmental Projects Teen Tales Local History Timeline The View from My Window Gender Issues Economic Issues Global Education Ozone and the Environment Alternative Energy Ideas City Life vs. Village Life Students and Video Games Life in the Future Impact of ICT
Global Learning CirclesExchanging Student Work • Students... • Research topics from other classes. • Work with community resources. • Learn to monitor goals on schedule. • Develop strategies to encourage others to meet deadlines. • Store & retrieve information with technology Picture by Heather Davis John Wayland Elementary School
Global Learning CirclesPublishing Projects - Print and Web • Students... • Work with information, analyzing, comparing, and editing to create a final presentation. • Use technical tools to create a final presentation. • Accept responsibility for the work, making sure that all tasks are completed within a group timeline.
Global Learning CirclesTypes of Projects • Most Common Formats: • Word Document • PowerPoint Presentation • Pdf file • Website • Blog • Wiki • Video: Quicktime, wmv • Mp3
Global Learning CirclesUse of Web 2.0 Tools Group Wikis
Global Learning CirclesUse of Web 2.0 Tools Project Blogs
Global Learning CirclesUse of Web 2.0 Tools Communication and Publishing Tools
Global Learning CirclesClosing the Circle • What Have Students Accomplished? • Locate and Evaluate Information • Research & Organize Ideas • Creative Problem-Solving within a Team • Understand Multiple Perspectives on Issues • Develop Cooperative Learning Strategies • Increase Self-Esteem and Confidence • Accept Individual and Group Responsibility • Use Technology Effectively
Global Learning CirclesSchedule for Learning Circles Session 1 (September to January): Begins September 30th and ends in mid-January (16 weeks with a 2-week break in December). Learning Circle Placement forms are due by September 15th Session 2 (January to May): Begins January 30th and ends in May (15 weeks with a 1-week break in Spring). Learning Circle Placement forms are by January 15th
Global Learning CirclesEducational Benefits • What Are the Benefits for Teachers? • Enhances Student Learning • Develops Reading/Writing Skills • Enhances Teaching Curriculum • Stimulates Teacher Creativity • Expands Teaching and Learning Horizons • Integrates Computer and • Telecommunications Technology
Global Learning CirclesFuture: 2013-2014 • More Use of Online Collaboration Tools • Skype • Eluminate • Increased Use of Multimedia • and Video • Expanded Use of • iEARN Student Forums • Identification of Core • Curriculum Standards • New Circle Themes
Global Learning CirclesMisconceptions • We are not a social network • Most of our student and teacher interaction is asynchronous • We cannot guarantee that the other members of your Learning Circle will complete their commitment to the project • We cannot make other schools communicate, participate, and interact Learning Circles are only as strong as the commitment of the participants. We count on participating teachers to be professional, trustworthy, and honest. We also expect educators who enroll to honer their commitment.
Global Learning CirclesHow To Become a Participant To join iEARN Learning Circles, you must first be a member of iEARN and complete an iEARN Learning Circle placement form two weeks before the beginning of the session. Once you complete the placement form you will be placed in a circle for the next session. http://media.iearn.org/coursereglc
Global Learning CirclesTeacher Testimonials 150 to 200 teachers participate in Learning Circles each year. Some teachers participate for one session, others participate for both sessions.
Barry S. KrameriEARN Global Learning Circles Coordinatorbskramer48@hotmail.com Global Learning CirclesMore Information - www.iearn.org/circles Online Learning Circles- onlinelearningcircles.org
