Videoconferencing in the Classroom Developing interactive videoconferencing
across the curriculum in the UK and around the world
|
Videoconferencing in the Classroom Developing interactive videoconferencing across the curriculum in the UK and around the world |
Global-Leap/Videoconferencing in the Classroom
Promoting Interactive Communication Technology to add value to teaching and learning across the curriculum in classrooms around the world
Email: mikeg@global-leap.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8866 6036
Automated test call facility. ISDN: +44 (0) 2084262194 (128k)
Automated test call facility. IP: 80.68.51.35 (128k)
Hello Colleagues,
Thank you to all the UK schools that have agreed to continue to support the programme by updating their details during March to subscribe to Global-Leap. Your subscription will ensure that we have funding to cover telephone lines, ISDN lines and broadband connectivity, convenient test lines (ISDN and IP) and other essentials to enable us to continue to support your school and to support other colleagues for another year.
I hope to be able to maintain support for the existing programmes, and continue to identify and support new international opportunities for subscribing schools. Please help me to keep in touch with you by keeping your contact details up to date, particularly email addresses and named contact person.
The "website update" that was scheduled to take place over the Easter break has been delayed due to illness. Please be patient, we are trying to catch up as soon as possible.
READ ACROSS AMERICA
Last term we selected four of our project supported schools to take part in a Read Across America programme. Three of the schools have shared their experiences with us in the Newsletter. This feedback highlights both the successes and also some of the frustrations/difficulties that resulted.
From East Wittering Primary, Sarah Neal writes:
"Reception class from East Wittering CP School took part in a pilot link with a class in Michigan USA. The Read Across America organisation usually establishes videoconference links with other schools inside America on the anniversary of Dr Seuss' birthday. In order to help celebrate this, the reception children created "Cat in the hat" hats and presented a cat themed rhyme. They told their American friends all about their local area, the beach, the fish and chip shops etc. and in return were treated to an 'American Alphabet' which consisted of interesting American facts from A to Z.
An informative and fun videoconference!”
“Key Stage 2 & 3 pupils from Arbour Vale School , a Specialist Sports College in Slough took part in the Read Across America project in March. The US based project which originally involved schools in America and later Canada , now includes schools in the UK . Pupils from Arbour Vale presented Dr Seuss stories using Power Point, drama and mime. They prepared displays and engaged in question and answer sessions with their matching schools. It was an exciting experience for everyone involved.”
“Having been invited to take part in RAA, Read Across the Atlantic in our case, I realised our first problem was going to be the time difference. It had to take place at the end of our day. We suggested that East Coast America would be the best bet and I asked four of my colleagues at Glebe initially if they would give it a go.
We do not do a great deal of work with Dr Seuss, but having recently had a picture book week at Glebe, I thought it would be a good idea to share this work with our friends across the Atlantic.
We began with two Year 2 and two Year 4 classes taking part, but the illness of one of the link teachers in USA , meant we were down to just one of the Year 2 classes, plus the Year 4s.
The children were all very excited and practised reading and displaying their work and at last the day came for our videoconference, after many trial runs.
Now our Internet connection through Hillingdon Grid for Learning has been fairly reliable over the last few years, but disaster struck when the first class was only 10 or 15 minutes into their conference. Seemingly the power failed at the Civic Centre on the floor which is home to all the equipment! Needless to say the children were disappointed.
I contacted my IT colleagues and they assured me that the next day all would be well because they had moved all the servers to another location.
So on the second day we settled into our videoconference with the second Year 4 class. Everything was going brilliantly. The children were enthusiastically quizzing each other about the differences in life here and in USA , when lightning struck again – well not literally – but the power failed at the other HGFL building.
I was very dubious about trying this for a third time. It was becoming very embarrassing. But I was told all would be well and in fact we were third time lucky! Our Year 2 class linked up with their US counterparts, who told us all about life in Michigan . We showed them maps to indicate where we are and pictures of London , Ickenham and Glebe School . And of course the children were able to share the work that they had been doing in class recently, about an owl story. One of our pupils had read about burrowing owls and was able to ask the American children if they had such things in Michigan . They could confirm that indeed they do. Well finally IT managed to hold it together and some real live learning took place. All’s well that ends well!”
It has been a busy Easter holiday for many of our teachers;
Staff from Anchorsholme Primary travelled to meet with their New York VC partners.
Staff from Silverdale Primary are also visiting Global-Leap supported colleagues in Pakistan .
These opportunities enable teachers to develop links started via VC, and extend colleague's working relationships.
The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam still have two sessions available this term on 10th May and 14th June. This is a unique opportunity to link to Jane Redman, who is an expert in this area. Choose from the following two options:
OPTION ONE: Key Stage 3 - 'What does the study of the life of Anne Frank mean to young people in the 21st century?'
OPTION TWO: Year 7 to A level English students - Anne Frank's Writings
Anne Frank's diary has become a modern classic. 'The Diary of a Young Girl' is one of the most personal documents of the Second World War.
Please visit these websites for further information:
The home site - www.annefrank.org
An educational guide - www.annefrankguide.net
A community website - www.annefranktree.com
Please do support this small museum which works hard to make these VC opportunities available to schools. (Please note this is suitable for point to point ISDN links only.)
During April, as part of the Human Rights Series, four UK schools will have the opportunity to link with holocaust survivors now living in the USA . We hope to include feed back from some of the students who have taken part in the series throughout February and March, soon.
The Holt School recently participated in a day of international VC links for International Education Week and Commonwealth Day. This was a great opportunity for students to meet with their peers of other nationalities.
Highlighting some of the this month’s Proactive School Developments
Eastlea School in South London became a Project Supported School at the beginning of the year. James Mackay has been extremely proactive in organising a cross section of staff and students to participate in Inset Training and My First Videoconference sessions, and all involved have become confident in using the technology. They have participated in a variety of introductory lessons with Global-Leap to give a range of staff and students n opportunity to experience VC, and gain confidence and see the possibilities first hand, and they plan to start using the Museum and Gallery sessions for the summer term, as well as having their first international link set up with their partner school for this month, with a view to developing a programme into the next year.
Ilfracombe Primary School has also been very proactive, participating in Inset Training and My First Videoconference sessions. They have enthusiastically launched themselves into the international arena and made contacts in India , the USA and France .
Bamford Primary and Chaucer Primary have also both been working extremely enthusiastically to develop their VC projects.
Please contact Global-Leap for information about becoming a Project Supported School .
Well done and thanks to everyone, and we hope that you will continue to enjoy your VC success expanding your programme.
Sadly, we have lost yet another of our original museum and gallery partners as of the end of March 2006. Colleagues at the Tower of London have been delivering sessions since the beginning of the pilot programme in 2001. Unfortunately staff have decided they no longer have the resources/time to continue to deliver and develop this resource at this time. We hope that as soon as circumstances improve, they will rejoin the programme. Thank you to Ian Coles who has been delivering sessions very recently.
This loss illustrates the difficulty many colleagues have finding the time and staff to support the programmes from within their tight budgets, and the multi demands on their time. Connectivity and a piece of equipment is not the whole picture, and certainly doesn’t lead to an instant programme. The increasing amount of background work and enthusiasm necessary to ensure a successful outcome for each link should not be underestimated.
Please help our colleagues to manage their time efficiently by making sure that you provide as much information as possible about your class etc. on your booking form. Remember to indicate clearly if your call will be a direct point to point link, or, if you need to use a bridge, which bridge you will use. If you provide this information on your booking form it saves busy staff from extra telephone calls and communication trying to catch up with your teacher/technician to check all this out. If you are a new school, or are not sure, please ask for advice before booking something that you may not be able to do, and preventing another school from using that opportunity.
However, on a more positive note, this has released a piece of VC equipment that has now been sent out to another location. This will enable new international opportunities for subscribing schools. Watch this space!
Please have a look at the exciting range of programmes currently available at www.global-leap.com. Some sessions only come up a couple of times per term, so make sure you book early to secure your place.
*NEW* from the National Army Museum : The Soldier's Story: from the Middle Ages to the Modern Day
KS1/2 Option 1: Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole
Using images, artefacts from the NAM 's collection and object investigation, this session looks at the stories of 'the Lady with the Lamp' and 'Mother Seacole'. Loan boxes and worksheets may be available on request.
KS1/2 Option 2: Remembrance
Using images, artefacts from the NAM 's collection and object investigation, this session explores the experiences of the men and women who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars. Instructions on how your class can make its own poppy wreath available on request.
KS3/4 Option 3: The British Civil Wars
KS3/4 Option 5: The Napoleonic Wars
KS3/4 Option 7: The Crimean War
KS3/4 Option 9: The First World War
KS3/4 Option 11: The Second World War
Using images and artefacts from the NAM's collection, these sessions explore what it was like to be a soldier in the different periods.
KS3/4 Option 4: Meet a Civil War soldier
KS3/4 Option 6: Meet a Napoleonic soldier
KS3/4 Option 8: Meet a Crimean War soldier
KS3/4 Option 10: Meet a First World War soldier
KS3/4 Option 12: Meet a Second World War soldier
An opportunity for your students to meet a soldier from the past and ask them anything they like. From a musketeer on his way back from the Battle of Edgehill to an ATS woman manning an AA predictor in Battersea Park , these live interpretation sessions are fully interactive. The NAM Learning team can cater for most periods, as well as tailoring sessions to suit the requirements of the group.
These sessions are available on Thursday 27 April and Wednesday 3rd, Monday 15th, Tuesday 23 rd and Thursday 25 th May.
The Imperial War Museum sessions have now been posted for April, May and June 2006. There are now 7 options:
OPTION 1: Life in the trenches First World War (any key stage)
OPTION 2: The Somme (Suitable for key stage 3 and above)
OPTION 3: Life on the home front Second World War (any key stage)
OPTION 4: Images of Leadership; Churchill and Hitler (any key stage) OPTION 5: The Holocaust, Myths and Heroes (Suitable for key stage 3 and above)
OPTION 6: The Art of the Poster (any key stage)
OPTION 7: In Their shoes (any key stage)
The National Portrait Gallery are offering the following sessions this term: These are highly enjoyable sessions, and places are quickly filled. The following options are available to book now:
OPTION 1: Growing up in the Past - History session at KS1
OPTION 2: Famous People - History session at KS1, choice of
- Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot or
- Charles II in the oak tree or
- Samuel Pepys and the Fire of London or
- Florence Nightingale or
- Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit or
- Nelson or
- Mary Seacole
OPTION 3: Tudors - History session at KS2, 3, or 5
OPTION 4: Victorians - History session at KS2 or 3
OPTION 5: Stuarts - History session at KS3 or 5
OPTION 6: Getting the Message (finding clues in C18th portraits) - Art session at KS2
OPTION 7: Styles of Modern Painting - Art session at KS2
OPTION 8: Votes for Women - Citizenship/History session at KS3
*NEW* OPTION 9: Images of Power from Divine Right to Parliamentary Democracy - New Citizenship session at KS3. Preparation required before session.
*NEW* OPTION 10: Key Figures in British Human Rights - New Citizenship session at KS4. Slavery, choice of Marriage and Divorce or Work & Trade Unions. Preparation required before session.
OPTION 11: Medicine through Time - History session at KS3
The Museum of London offer the following sessions:
The Black Death: A survivor's tale. This Medieval character will bring to life the trials of surviving the Black Death in fourteenth century London in an entertaining and interactive way. Key Stage: 3
Fire of London (story telling and object investigation)
Pupils will develop an emotional understanding of the great fire of 1666, through interactive story telling and object investigation. KS1 National Curriculum links to History and Literacy. Key Stage: KS1 & SEN
Roman London Alive
Pupils will be transported back to Roman London to meet maidservant Martina in this interactive drama session with object investigation. Key Stage: KS2 and adapted for SEN – There is still availability for these sessions on 11 th, 12 th and 15 th May and throughout June. Visit www.global-leap.com to book your place.
Kidscape offer sessions on Exploring issues around bullying
The session is scheduled to last up to one hour and aims to give pupils an opportunity to discuss the nature of bullying behaviour and to explore a range of strategies, which help to challenge it. The session could also be adapted to meet the needs of staff, both teaching & non-teaching. Key Stage: All stages from KS2
Global-Leap Interactive Videoconference Lessons
Global-Leap's interactive videoconference lessons can be designed to suit your curriculum for a range of programmes of study across all Key Stages. The lessons will give you an opportunity to have a successful videoconference experience and to build confidence for you and your pupils. These sessions are opportunities to use your videoconference resource in your classroom to enable you and your pupils to develop speaking and listening skills and become confident users of this amazing resource.
There are a wide range of opportunities in the Let's Look series including: My First Videoconference, Let’s look at Living in London, Where you live, The 1 st World War, The 2 nd World War, Anne Frank and the Holocaust, The Romans and more. If your subject or curriculum choice is not represented, please call for more information. If the dates presented don't match your timetable requirements ask for alternatives times or dates. The Global-Leap office number is 020 8866 6036.
Let’s Explore Culture from Global-Leap Lessons. Each of the sessions in this series of six will provide an overview of the history, belief systems and festivals of one the six major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Please indicate which one of the six religions you would like to focus on in the session.
The presenter has an academic background in Religious Studies and Philosophy. The sessions will be presented from an academic perspective.
Students will learn about the significance of particular religious festivals and practices. The session will focus on the outward signs of particular religions. This will include Places of Worship and other sacred places, dress codes, dietary requirements, special days and festivals.
The National Maritime Museum also has sessions available during the Summer term. Search for availability by date or by provider. These sessions are a firm favourite, so make sure you book your place early! Sessions available include:
Understanding Slavery
Explore the Transatlantic Slave Trade by interpreting the National Maritime Museum 's fascinating and moving collection of slavery related objects.
Trim the Cat story telling (KS1) OR Vikings/Tudors (KS2) OR Armada manuscripts (KS3)
Choose one of the object focused sessions on:
Option 1: Vikings or Tudors (KS2), or
Option 2: Trim the Cat storytelling (KS1), or
Option 3: the exciting NEW manuscripts session (KS3) on the Armada.
There is still availability on Thursday 27 th April for these NMM sessions. Visit www.global-leap.com to book this session. The actor has been booked for the day. Please support our colleagues by using these sessions.
Marketing - Leisure, Travel and Tourism. This session provides GCSE, GNVQ and AVCE students with a practical marketing case study from the National Maritime Museum World Heritage Site in Greenwich .
Dan Pew (KS 2) - 30 mins
Daniel Pew is an experienced Tudor Seafarer with Sir Francis Drake. Treat your pupils to a video conference with this fascinating character from the Tudor past.
*NEW* Robert Bell (KS2 or 3) - 30 mins
Celebrate the bicentenary of the battle of Trafalgar by video conferencing with Robert Bell, one of Nelson's brave gunners.
*NEW* Isambard Brunel: Victorian Britain
Meet Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the infamous engineer, who transformed transport systems in Victorian Britain. Your pupils will be enthralled by his marvellous inventions! Key Stage: 2 and 3
The Royal Greenwich Observatory is now offering some special sessions for SATS revision throughout April. These are in addition to their popular existing sessions; 'Earth and Beyond' and the 'Solar System and Beyond' .
Give either the 'Earth and Beyond' or 'Solar System and Beyond' sections of the National Curriculum a new dimension by video conferencing with the experts at the Royal Observatory, home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian of the World.
Mexicolore continue their excellent programme of ‘Snakes and Lizards’: an Aztec challenge!' sessions throughout the spring and summer terms.
These exciting and informative sessions are available to book now through the website in the usual way. Session prices are on the website.
All the World's a Stage with Hayley Otway
OPTION ONE - Story Time
a) Rapunzel, b) The Little Mermaid or c) The Frog Prince
OPTION TWO - Drama Workshop
OPTION THREE - Shakespeare Revision
OPTION FOUR - Become a playwright
OPTION FIVE - An Actor Prepares
Sprichst du Deutsch? These sessions provide a great opportunity for talking and listening to a German teacher and a small group of year 9/10 students about all topics you have just finished in your German lessons. Make German come alive and bring its real use into your classroom.
Lessons from 30 to 45 minutes long could start at 12:30 earliest and should be finished at 14:00.
Parlez-vous Francais? Christine teaches English in a Lycee Professionel in Rodez , France . This is an opportunity for your pupils to practice their spoken French. Key Stage: Key Stage 2, 3, 4
Please visit www.global-leap.com for more details. Sessions can be booked using your school ID in the usual way. Search either by date or session provider to check availability. These sessions are always popular, so book early to ensure your place! There may be a cost associated with some sessions where there is no alternative funding available to the provider. Details are provided on the website and confirmed on the booking form.
Remember, this is only a selection of what’s on offer. New providers and new sessions are added as they become available, so please keep an eye on the website and look out for our email updates for special and one-off events.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO NEW SCHOOLS: Please make sure that you have carried out a successful face to face test with Global-Leap before you book any of the above sessions. This is essential to ensure that all connectivity issues (e.g. linking outside of your RBC, needing a bridge etc.) are addressed before a link is made to any of our providers. This helps to anticipate and avoid many of the major pitfalls and prevent disappointment or cancellation charges from the provider if there is a problem on the day.
We hope you will continue to enjoy our videoconferencing content programme. Full details of all of our sessions are available at www.global-leap.com.
Please contact us if you have any further enquiries.
Best regards from Mike and the team.
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Global Leap, PO Box 446, Pinner, Middlesex, HA5 9AY
 +44 (0)20 8866 6036 mikeg@global-leap.comCopyright © 2006 Global Leap |