Presentation to National Network of State Teachers of the Year. Chicago, Illinois. July 2016.

1. Connected
Classrooms
and the
New World
of Learning
Teachers Leading:
Bridging Theory &
Practice
Chicago, 2016
Mike Soskil
@msoskil

4. Does the learning in classrooms matter to
students?
Photo Credit:
Flickr/cristic • Long-term learning cannot
take place without emotional
connection with content
• Extrinsic v. Intrinsic
Motivation
• Empathy correlates with both
happiness and success in life

5. How do I get started?

6. Why Global Learning?
• Cultural Understanding
• Emotional Experiences
• Communication,
Collaboration, Critical
Thinking, Creativity
• Student Empowerment

7. It’s hard to change the world when you
don’t know much about it.

8. South Elementary Global Connections
• Song/Cultural Exchanges
• Virtual Valentines
• Exchange Skype/YT Video
Messages
• Data Collection in
Collaborative Spreadsheets
• Quadblogging
• Slow Twitter Chat
• Collaborative PBL Projects
• Mystery Skype
• Skype Teacher Exchange
(guest teacher from another
location)
• Digital Post Cards

10. Distance Teaching Project
distanceteaching.weebly.com

11. Project LINC
http://projectlinc.clubefl.gr/
Kansas Students – Microsoft Video

12. Students are never too
young to change the
world.
Hanif and Gethera Video by the Ms. Heidemann & the Cushkins

13. HIP Academy - Mukuyuni Bridge Project

15. That’s great for your
students.
But, how do I do that?

16. Growth Mindset

17. edtechchatnchew.weebly.com

18. EdTech Chat ‘n Chew Projects
Easy global projects where we make the
connections for you
• Global Kidwish Project (December)
• Virtual Valentines Project (February)
• Global Video Exchange (September-October)
• Awesome Squiggles (April)
EdTechChatNChew.Weebly.com

19. Virtual Field Trips
• Skype in the Classroom: education.skype.com
• Discovery Education: discoveryeducation.com/featured-programs
• Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants: exploringbytheseat.com
• JASON Learning: jason.org
• LivingMaths: livingmaths.com

20. Mystery Skype
• Similar to "20 Questions"
• Each class takes turns
asking Yes/No questions to
figure out location of the
other class.
• Variations: animals,
numbers, elements,
occupations, etc. instead
of locations.
• Builds critical thinking
skills and content
knowledge.
• Creates opportunities to
connect with other
locations to have Q&A
sessions about culture.
Resource to get started:
MysterySkypeOneNote.com

21. Overcoming Time Zone Issues

22. The 5 Clue
Challenge
• Use Skype Video Message or
YouTube to leave 5 clues for
partner class to guess
location, animal, etc.
• After each clue, students will
pause video, do research, and
take a guess.
• 5cluechallenge.weebly.com

23. 5 Clue Challenge – Mystery Location #1

24. 5 Clue Challenge – Mystery Location #2

25. 5 Clue Challenge – Mystery Animal #1

26. Mystery Location – Chicago
Let’s make a 5 clue challenge video for
Chicago!

27. Twitter
Not Just for Donald Trump Anymore!
• As of a year ago, over 4.2 million tweets per day were
related to education, most by educators
• Hashtags allow you to curate and organize what you
see
• There is an educational hashtag for almost every
content area, grade level, and educational interest
area

28. A Few Educational Hashtags
#SciChat #MysterySkype
#MathChat #GlobalEd
#SSChat #ArtsEd
#EngChat #EdTech
#GTChat #EdChat
#SpEdChat #21stEdChat
#TeachersMatter #EdCamp
#TeachersLeading #Education
#KinderChat #STEM
#1stChat #CompSci
#2ndChat #MusicEd
#3rdChat #ElemChat
#4thChat #MakerEd
#5thChat #DigCit
Most states have their own
hashtag (ie - #PAedChat)

29. Tweetdeck.com

30. Finding Global Connections
• Twitter/Tweetdeck
• Have students contact
experts
• Facebook
• Friends/Family
Twitter for Global Connections
#SkypeMT - Skype Master Teachers
#GlobalLearning
@SkypeClassroom
#GlobalClassroom
#Skype2Learn
#MysterySkype

34. Every problem in the world has a solution
trapped inside our students’ passions.
Helping them see the connection
is our job as teachers.

35. Connect with Me
Twitter: @msoskil
Website: michaelsoskil.com
Email: mrsoskil@gmail.com