Great Academy!

Just a note to thank you all for a wonderful Academy #2! It was great to see familiar faces and meet some new educators as well. Keep practicing on the Wikis and blogs and Flash before school starts. Good luck!

Homework

It was a great EACPA training day! Thanks to all of you for your great work! Your homework tonight is a very important part of this academy-- it will give you the chance to practice on your own and be able to come to us tomorrow with any questions you have.

Here are your instructions for tonight:

1) Make a list for yourself of all the website URLS (gmail, wiki, blog etc.) that you learned how to use today. Determine an organizational system that works for you where you can keep track of your user names and passwords for every account.

2) Update your Wiki page. Add pictures, videos and text. Be sure to also add links and change the colors on your wiki page. Go crazy with this! The more you tweak your user page, the better you'll get at wiki code. Remember to go into Wiki Tips (along your left hand navigation guide) for guidance.

3) Add each others' blogs to your Google Reader (remember-- you access your google reader by going to www.google.com/reader). My blogroll (along the right hand side of this page) has all the links to your blogs.

4) Read the Globaloria Guide to Blogging and write a post about the subject matter of your choice that incorporates the principles of "good blogs".

5) Customize your blog! Tinker with the layout and settings. Come in tomorrow prepared with any questions you may have.

Good luck!!

21st Century Learner

I've recently become acquainted with this fabulous web resource, Slideshare.net. It's a site where anyone can upload their PowerPoint to share with others. Some are more specialized than others (associated with a specific organization and so on), but there are many that can be used for general research or inspiration for a project or presentation of your own. I found this gorgeous slideshow on the "21st Century Learner" by Kim Cofino, who writes on these issues at her blog "Always Learning: Teaching Technology Abroad".

The 21st Century Learner

View more presentations from Kim Cofino.

Kim writes on the "About Me" section of her blog:

"I am an enthusiastic, passionate teacher, who truly loves working with children. My goal as a technology teacher is to teach students how to learn, and to ensure that every child that leaves my classroom feels comfortable, confident, and excited about the challenges and rewards that technology has to offer."

Explore Kim's wonderful blog, and her blogroll for more ideas about your own potential as an educator, blogger and tech-savvy 21st century learner!

Your GB,
Rachel

Reflections on the Academy

The World Wide Workshop Foundation Team had an amazing time working with you all last week in sunny Austin Texas at The East Austin College Prep Academy. We are so impressed by the diverse, energized and brave(!) staff members who chose to take on the challenge of the Globaloria program and I'm especially glad that our summer academy facilitated the first meeting of TEACPA educators! Your chemistry and enthusiasm ensure the fulfillment of TEACPA's great ambitions. We're so gratified to begin this journey alongside you all!

Don't forget update your blog-- I'm eager to know how things are progressing with your games, work and lives!

Your GB,
Rachel

Learning through Games

My 7th grade history teacher was named Mr. Tinkham. I loved his class and used to stay late with my friends working on our project "War Lords" which was a game he designed (on paper!) to help us learn Japanese history, where we each were regional nobility deploying Samurai to conquer other teams' land.


We had to strategize with Japanese geography, learn culture to earn points, and design our own methods to dominate our region in feudal Japan. I loved learning about the Samurai, but even more I loved to have the freedom to have fun with my education and self-direct the path my research and game design took.

I was in Tinkham's class before the bonna-fide Internet age, but he was definitely a Globaloria prototype. The "War Lords" game showed me that education could be fun and instilled in me a passion for history that transcended Tinkham's class. To this day, I still love learning about Samurai.

Getting Started with Blogs

Thanks for setting up your blogs with me today! This post is just to remind you all to visit the Globaloria Guide to Blogging and take a closer look at the links from the hypertext as well as from the blogroll for a more in-depth introduction to blogging. Please comment if you have any ideas, criticisms or suggestions about blogging.

Also, please explore the "settings" tab from your dashboard. This is an important step of determining how your blog handles comments, how many posts are displayed on each page and so on. There is a lot of personalization you can do to make this space your own!

Last, I've updated my blogroll to include yours! Look at your fellow educator's blogs and comment!

Happy Blogging,
-Rachel

Welcome!

Greetings East Austin College Prep Academy educators! Welcome to the Globaloria-TX blog, where you will find resources and insights on education, technology and the Globaloria experience.

My name is Rachel, and I'm the Globaloria-TX Blogger (GB). It's my job (and pleasure!) to generate dialogue between Globaloria educators, administrators, officials and partners in the dynamic web-space of the blogosphere.

Please use the links in my blogroll along the right hand side to explore some exceptional blogs on topics that may interest you, and visit my Globaloria Tumblr, where I will post links to articles, images, videos and other information meant to inspire content on your own blog.

I look forward to working with you to generate an active Globaloria-TX blogosphere!

Your GB,
Rachel