A Very Useful Guide to Virtual Classroom Collaboration
📝🌟 This transcript is generated by Adobe Premiere Pro and fine-tuned by ChatGPT for grammatical accuracy, ensuring a comprehensive overview of this podcast episode. While every effort has been made to ensure precision, I welcome your keen eyes! Should you spot an overlooked error, don’t hesitate to drop me an email or leave a comment below. Your input helps us achieve perfection. Thank you for your support and understanding! 😊 ~ Vicki
Introduction
Speaker 1 (John Davis, Producer): This is the Ten Minute Teacher podcast with your host, Vicki Davis.
Virtual Classroom Collaboration with Billy Krakower
Speaker 2 (Vicki Davis): Episode 823: A Very Useful Guide to Virtual Classroom Collaboration with Billy Krakower. Today’s sponsor is Microsoft Education. Stay tuned at the show’s end to learn more about their artificial intelligence course for educators. Welcome, listeners, to our next podcast with my friend Billy Krakower. Another friend, Jerry Blumengarten, and I have written or updated their book, “Connecting Your Students with the Virtual World: Tools and Projects to Make Collaboration Come Alive.”
Critical Thinking in the Virtual Classroom
Speaker 2 (Vicki Davis): Billy, today we’ve decided to focus on how teachers can bring the forces of 21st-century skills – critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication – into our classroom. So, shall we start with critical thinking?
Speaker 3 (Billy Krakower): Let’s start with critical thinking. It’s one of my favorite forces, especially in our book “Connecting Your Students with the Virtual World”. In both the first and second editions, we emphasized mystery location calls. I remember discussing with you, Vicki, the importance of these calls years ago.
Speaker 3 (Billy Krakower): It started as mystery Skype and evolved into mystery location calls. The concept involves one classroom calling another. While teachers know the location, students use critical thinking and clues to determine if they’re calling New Orleans, Georgia, or California, for instance. They ask questions like, “Are you east of the Mississippi River?” or “Do you border any bodies of water?” It’s still a popular project, nearly 8 to 10 years later, and a fun way to engage students in the classroom.
Encouraging Creativity through Technology
Speaker 2 (Vicki Davis): And the excitement it generates is incredible. I remember connecting our fifth graders with students in Nepal, despite the time difference. Now, let’s talk about creativity. How do we foster it?
Speaker 3 (Billy Krakower): Creativity, particularly through tools like Google Art and Culture, is underutilized. This platform allows students to visit different museums and art galleries worldwide. It’s a free resource that sparks creativity by exposing students to artwork from places like Paris, France. I highly recommend it for all grade levels, especially when physical field trips aren’t feasible.
The Importance of Artistic Knowledge in the Age of AI
Speaker 2 (Vicki Davis): With AI-generated art becoming more prevalent, understanding different art styles and periods is essential. Knowledge of these elements is vital for creating high-quality art. This project not only fosters creativity but also involves critical thinking.
Communication and Collaboration in Education
Speaker 3 (Billy Krakower): Absolutely. At a recent conference, the amount of AI art was astounding. It’s important to teach students how to use AI effectively in education. One key aspect is communication. Over my 16 years of teaching, I’ve found that guest speakers, especially from different locations, greatly enhance communication and collaboration. For instance, connecting a veterinarian school board member with classrooms in different states was an incredible experience.
Speaker 3 (Billy Krakower): Communication and collaboration are intertwined. Sharing guest speakers across classrooms is a kind, generous, and effective educational practice.
The Power of Connection and Collaboration
Speaker 2 (Vicki Davis): That’s an amazing approach. As educators, we strive to make the world better, one child at a time. Sharing speakers is a powerful way to expand students’ horizons.
Speaker 3 (Billy Krakower): It’s memorable for both students and speakers. For example, a veterinarian I invited years ago still recalls the experience fondly and is open to participating again.
Practical Ideas for Teacher Collaboration
Speaker 2 (Vicki Davis): As we wrap up, can you share some practical ideas from your book that teachers can easily implement?
Speaker 3 (Billy Krakower): Certainly. Our book breaks down different projects by month. For instance, connecting with the Pearl Harbor museum in Hawaii or organizing a Super Bowl connection project. These are simple, engaging ways to bring collaboration into the classroom. Additionally, with events like the Olympics, virtual interactions with athletes can be incredibly inspiring for students.
Conclusion: The Impact of Student Connection
Speaker 2 (Vicki Davis): So, Billy, as we conclude, what impact do these collaborative activities have on your students?
Speaker 3 (Billy Krakower): The energy and enthusiasm in the classroom soar. Students eagerly anticipate the next activity. Even as a STEM teacher, showing them real-world applications like Amazon’s robotics fascinates them. It makes learning relevant and exciting.
Speaker 2 (Vicki Davis): That’s fantastic. The book, “Connecting Your Students with the Virtual World”, is a great resource. It’s about building bridges for tomorrow’s society and helping students appreciate similarities and respect differences. Thank you, Billy.
