Tool 7

I have to be honest...I was a little apprehensive about this tool. "Developing an online project" with another classroom sounded a little intimidating! However, after reading through all the information, watching the interview with Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsay, and visiting several of the sites recommended, I find this pretty exciting! I did sign up for a Skype in the Classroom account. I already have a Skype account, so it was easy to add a Skype in the Classroom account. I also looked at the Skype in Schools wiki and the Authors Who Skype With Classes website. It is amazing the opportunities that are available.

A few years ago our school purchased a Video Conferencing unit and a few other teachers and I signed up with an organization called Collaborations Around the Planet or CAPSpace. What was great about this organization is that teachers from all around the world would post projects and requests looking for other classrooms around the world to either do a video conference call or Skype. I assisted several teachers on our campus setting up video conferences. It was really great and the students LOVED it! Unfortunately, I believe my email got dropped, or you have to register again, because I stopped receiving updates. I am going to register again so that I can have another avenue for setting up collaborations.

The project that I am planning is an after school book club that focuses on reading and sharing Newbery Award books. A couple of things I would like to do with this group is set up a wiki or blog where students can post questions and comments about what they are reading. Plus, I would like to create an online group or club on one of the online book communities such as GoodReads. I saw this suggestion at TCEA last year and loved it. Within the online group, students can post books they are reading and questions for other readers. The school that presented the idea had great success. Other things our group can do is set up a time to Skype with either other schools in our district that are doing an after school book club, or I can search out a school from another part of the state or country to Skype with us. If possible, it would be great to Skype with a Newbery Award winning author! I still have lots to iron out on this idea and I appreciate the Steps to Developing a Collaborative Project link. This has lots of great ideas and suggestions!