tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12088382331771618482024-03-17T20:03:56.427-07:00Connections-based LearningA blog dedicated to demonstrating connections-based learning in actionSean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-76875963349361307152020-11-11T06:51:00.003-08:002020-11-11T06:51:54.379-08:00The Connection Lens Launch is in the Books<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64m-CMeU0_P9E21B8-DiAkWUME7qLTqErthDinDdT0OTA_m7yVXsSmV9XqHmFy5eKO0qF3J891S91jln1pbnW2YATV2ycuUS9Ke91pHxCDJgHm_ybJI8pVP5-iUwWQKdQH0ggx5vvRV4c/s1080/Book+Launch+Promo+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1080" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64m-CMeU0_P9E21B8-DiAkWUME7qLTqErthDinDdT0OTA_m7yVXsSmV9XqHmFy5eKO0qF3J891S91jln1pbnW2YATV2ycuUS9Ke91pHxCDJgHm_ybJI8pVP5-iUwWQKdQH0ggx5vvRV4c/w427-h250/Book+Launch+Promo+2.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>Sometimes it is just good to reflect.<p></p><p>I have been working on <a href="http://bit.ly/CBLbook2" target="_blank">the Connection Lens</a> book pretty steady for about a year and a half. Because my time is limited, my writing time takes the place of my blogging time. My books, I feel, have a reflective tone and they do somewhat fill my reflective practitioner niche, but nothing really takes the place of blogging for a powerful reflection experience. </p><p>So here I am.</p><p>What an amazing time we had on Saturday November 7th, 2020 during the Connection Lens book launch. I was so please with the number of friends, colleagues, CBL faithful, and new folk that joined the event. John Hollingsworth, comedian, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker was the consummate host, keeping the event going smoothly, asking tough questions, keeping us focused. Writer of the book's foreword, Dr. Jennifer Williams beautifully shared her connection to me, CBL, and her Teach Boldly passion. Ziauddin Yousafzai, writer of the book's afterword, told a bit of his story about his work in Swat Valley, making connections for his work promoting girls' education. The Connection Lens articulated his view of how education should be. Theresa Laflèche explained her connection with the book as editor and homeschool parent. The speaker lineup did not disappoint.</p><p>Here is a recording of the event:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="406" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/koaEAjNZLR4" width="659" youtube-src-id="koaEAjNZLR4"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIzSeBy6haXH56rZ-7MNWhwyeJZFDTw7hvZ7fg3rEz_rneuV1fXP6lon1VGV3U8RMdBPeAujxJgxaqalB2ExtuV6rT3lEykGGcc5bWiuOdRPi9P4zPUUSFZCPKj_ihHPv8FqaJOi0xPYs/s1011/Best+Sellers+Education+Reform+%25231.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1011" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIzSeBy6haXH56rZ-7MNWhwyeJZFDTw7hvZ7fg3rEz_rneuV1fXP6lon1VGV3U8RMdBPeAujxJgxaqalB2ExtuV6rT3lEykGGcc5bWiuOdRPi9P4zPUUSFZCPKj_ihHPv8FqaJOi0xPYs/w433-h316/Best+Sellers+Education+Reform+%25231.JPG" width="433" /></a></div>The launch did what it was supposed to do. Not only did it introduce the book to the world, but the event launched the book to an Amazon #1 Best Seller in Educational Reform. I am pleased about this, not for the acclaim, but that I really think these ideas need to get out there. I am excited for anything that can help spread this work to the masses to better the educational landscape.<div><br /></div><div><div>Thanks to everyone at the launch, and thanks to you, for your interest in CBL. As I mentioned at the launch, you can really help the work by doing three things:</div><div><br /></div><div>1) <b>Pick up the book from Amazon</b></div><div>- For a price of a Starbucks coffee you can help support the work of connections-based learning and bring the power of the Connection Lens to your sphere of influence. Visit your country's Amazon site and search for "The Connection Lens" or go directly to the Amazon.com site here: <a href="http://bit.ly/CBLbook2">bit.ly/CBLbook2</a></div><div> </div><div>2) <b>Use the book</b></div><div>- Read the book. Use the material in your work. Start a book club and read it with your colleagues. Put these ideas into practice to develop your own connection lens.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) <b>Review the book</b></div><div>- 5-Star reviews are a great way to get these ideas noticed. Connections-based learning is a grassroots initiative that is bottom up, not top down. The more positive reviews, the more we can get our message out there: human connection makes a difference.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a taste of the book:</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="550" src="https://read.amazon.ca/kp/card?asin=B08LP3RYMX&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_lD.QFb5ZXBHFW" style="max-width: 100%;" type="text/html" width="336"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">And again, thanks for your support. Together we can make classrooms a place of meaning, motivation, and a chance to make a difference for children everywhere.</span></div>Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-21707420315939123022020-10-19T07:02:00.003-07:002020-10-19T07:02:57.203-07:00Free Book! New Book Launch!!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYiDEkcwR3JXdDV9RUpjfZCk2F8q3tlgSVkk3arEW2TIM-qkZraRMYC-ma81YkTMrzW1aSYSvUJxi0T1qxLrkBIDLcG5cscm6q-h9c9gPFzYbJBL6X6XLJKSHenlfvTFwZaeS16JPMmQA/s1080/Book+Launch+Promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1080" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYiDEkcwR3JXdDV9RUpjfZCk2F8q3tlgSVkk3arEW2TIM-qkZraRMYC-ma81YkTMrzW1aSYSvUJxi0T1qxLrkBIDLcG5cscm6q-h9c9gPFzYbJBL6X6XLJKSHenlfvTFwZaeS16JPMmQA/w427-h249/Book+Launch+Promo.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I am very excited to share with the CBL blog devotees a first look at a special opportunity. I have been hinting at a new CBL book in the works and it is finally here. <a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/CBLbook" href="http://bit.ly/CBLbook" target="_blank"><em>Connections-based Learning: A Framework for Teaching and Learning in a Connected World</em></a> started the conversation on leveraging connection in our teaching. But the three lenses of CBL needed drilling down. I began work on a book that would focus on the first of the three lenses, the Connection Lens. Entitled <em>The Connection Lens: Teach with the Power of Human Connection</em>, this new work helps any educator begin approaching teaching with a mindset of connection. The book will be available starting November 7th, 2020 and I want to launch it with a bang. Head to <a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/CBLparty" href="http://bit.ly/CBLparty" target="_blank">bit.ly/CBLparty</a> to sign up for a spot to join the release party. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, more than ever, we need to harness human connection and so I am excited to get this book out. With a foreword by Dr. Jen Williams and an afterword by Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala's father, the ideas in this book are well supported by researchers in the education community. The online book launch party over Zoom planned for November 7th is at 7am Pacific Time and I would love to have you join this event. Educators around the world will be joining myself and friends to hear about this new work. This early time is to accommodate a global audience. Daylight Savings Time changes on November 1st so please check carefully what 7am PST/10am EST would look like for you on November 7.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Use this link to register: <a data-cke-saved-href="https://bit.ly/CBLparty" href="https://bit.ly/CBLparty" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/CBLparty</a> and share the link with your friends and colleagues. Keep in mind that I only have room for 300 so register as early as you can.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPotVEqrVcqd8VJ2rFU9wb_AHftXebFd9rVorC9Vgd9sDkjmOuCEH-csSDAJUoE88BWKnW5rgpHz_fQIb86uX6mF4lC1zvvYfUj5mmZyr7g-I-_WwPFkWyhjdBvVafBrZ9blCnjIYON8E/s1162/CBL+Thin+book+people+projects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUPotVEqrVcqd8VJ2rFU9wb_AHftXebFd9rVorC9Vgd9sDkjmOuCEH-csSDAJUoE88BWKnW5rgpHz_fQIb86uX6mF4lC1zvvYfUj5mmZyr7g-I-_WwPFkWyhjdBvVafBrZ9blCnjIYON8E/s320/CBL+Thin+book+people+projects.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 22px;"><strong>FREE eBook!!</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">On the leadup to </span><em style="text-align: left;">The Connection Lens</em><span style="text-align: left;"> launch party, I will be offering the eBook of the first book in the CBL series for FREE!! Visit your preferred Amazon site and search for "Connections-based Learning" between Saturday, October 24th and Wednesday, October 28, 2020 to pick up </span><em style="text-align: left;">Connections-based Learning: A Framework for Teaching and Learning</em><span style="text-align: left;"> absolutely FREE! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Use this link to head directly to the site on Amazon.com: </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://bit.ly/CBLbook" href="http://bit.ly/CBLbook" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/CBLbook</a></div><p><br /></p>Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-61431411428276362212020-09-29T14:04:00.002-07:002022-10-20T15:07:11.013-07:00Sean Robinson at EdmodoCon2019<p> Here is my talk about CBL at EdmodoCon 2019 in Miami, Florida entitled <span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Let There Be Light: Empowering Students Through Connections-Based Learning. </i></span>Much thanks to Edmodo for giving me the opportunity to gather together with some amazing educators and share my thoughts at the event.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="359" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0KUHlDqiuK8" width="433" youtube-src-id="0KUHlDqiuK8"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-90662607480155526352018-06-19T13:06:00.002-07:002018-06-21T14:58:22.392-07:00The Empatico Connections-based Learning Dance-off<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>It was my first digital dance off. There was flossing, electro-shuffling, orange justice-ing. And of course: some dabbing. And through it all, a connection was forged.</i><br />
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My first Empatico experience was a wonderful testament to the power of connection to develop empathy. Empatico, an initiative of the Kind company, is one of the easiest ways to connect your class for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ClassPartnerships&src=typd" target="_blank">#ClassPartnerships</a>. The platform facilitates not only <b>with whom</b> you connect, but <b>how</b>. It is like a dating service that not only sets you up with a great match but books your restaurant reservation, drives you to the rendezvous, and loads you up with snappy conversation tidbits to make you shine. Whether you have never connected your class or you are a <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/" target="_blank">connections-based learning</a> veteran, if you have students ages 7-11, you have got to check out this platform.<br />
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<b>Not sure who to connect with? Easily solved! </b>Empatico uses info from a few quick questions to connect you with the right learning partner.<br />
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<b>Not sure what to talk about? No problem! </b>Empatico offers eight different topics to choose from. Each topic opens the door to your students sharing a bit about their neighbourhood, their home, their life.<br />
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<b>Not experienced in Skype or Google Hangouts? No worries!</b> Empatico has its own connection platform. It is as easy as clicking a button.<br />
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I am very fortunate to know Kristen Abeywardene. When I proposed setting up her grade 4/5 class with the always free Empatico app, she got down to business right away. She signed up that afternoon. Empatico used her activity choice (Local Landmarks), student age, and times available to connect us with a class in Hermosillo, Mexico. Our students prepared info to share about their chosen landmarks: Riverview Hospital, city hall, Rogers Arena. Meanwhile, the class in Hermosillo was doing the same.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_Mk04DHF5Eo-PbU8ET_NaP8hUCIbc2TqMSOar7Fbsee-sLH-KCL1hChiaUGwRb4iVx3_JKl5HBlsb3ZWXONi8jd2sKJGVSc7fOq-fX4PVUOgIMZRz6_PqA14hnUrnrUbvXjQ-OxQTsX8/s1600/Empatico+Ready.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_Mk04DHF5Eo-PbU8ET_NaP8hUCIbc2TqMSOar7Fbsee-sLH-KCL1hChiaUGwRb4iVx3_JKl5HBlsb3ZWXONi8jd2sKJGVSc7fOq-fX4PVUOgIMZRz6_PqA14hnUrnrUbvXjQ-OxQTsX8/s400/Empatico+Ready.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When the time for the connection came, up popped a notification. As I said, connecting was as easy as clicking a button.<br />
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After some introductions, students began to share. The student presentations were on their school laptops. I held the laptops in front of the screen as students described their landmark to their Mexican learning partners.<br />
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The students from Mexico did the same. But the conversation moved well beyond landmarks. Students began seeing what they had in common and began connecting. When the students began dancing in front of the camera as they shared their favourite dance moves, I really saw how a simple connection can spawn empathy. There was laughter, agreement, understanding.<br />
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What is empathy? Simply put, empathy is "the ability to understand and share the feelings of another" - <a href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/empathy" target="_blank">Oxford Dictionaries</a> . Clearly, these students were building a mutual understanding. They were seeing how they were alike. They were sharing feelings.<br />
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With empathy, there is equality. Developing sympathy is good. But it conjures up an image of inequality, like ivory tower folk looking down on the poor peasants below wondering what can be done for them. When we empathize, we share feelings. We see our commonalities. We develop a <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BetterUs&src=typd" target="_blank">#BetterUs</a>.<br />
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In connections-based learning, one of the aspects of #CoDesign is <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23EmpathizeNeeds&src=typd" target="_blank">#EmpathizeNeeds</a>. The idea here is that through connection, we feel the needs of another. And we come to understand how to respond. The Empatico platform sets students up to do just that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgTgJ96WXhR75F3mGz4vO2QRlwQHxMKyGxk6RXKL_P7CaWcSeM4RqdMs-w_ZhnMQroDQl2tc7zJ1ICE1eqTy2X8SG1r6aUAEK2HsFrdq6VN1cTyQkIcCQf85aecUJU8MzjU2afNFUzV6y/s1600/CBL+Thin+book+for+quotes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1162" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgTgJ96WXhR75F3mGz4vO2QRlwQHxMKyGxk6RXKL_P7CaWcSeM4RqdMs-w_ZhnMQroDQl2tc7zJ1ICE1eqTy2X8SG1r6aUAEK2HsFrdq6VN1cTyQkIcCQf85aecUJU8MzjU2afNFUzV6y/s400/CBL+Thin+book+for+quotes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>"every time I share a person with my students, I have meaning, I have motivation, and I have a chance at empathy" - p. 91 <a href="http://a.co/cLMD4PE" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a></i></div>
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I encourage elementary educators to visit the <a href="https://empatico.org/?utm_source=robinson" target="_blank">Empatico </a>site and get connected. And let me know how it goes!!Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-6652782716860487592018-06-04T11:24:00.004-07:002018-06-04T11:24:45.439-07:00Reflect on your 2018 connections-based learning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwkhGH7ya_ES3ZgH8jIzuM1I7ELCiIJeinGv_B0epMlrZLXRc_asl5AQysx9U1YLdJfh4-UXV2ry7eKVNNyu_P1qmwdU_PaibkLTv7BjC5gEse4UcvKughyphenhyphentBa5jdaVbnKXKbdjPgo7OW/s1600/CBL+23+Meaningful+CBL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1080" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwkhGH7ya_ES3ZgH8jIzuM1I7ELCiIJeinGv_B0epMlrZLXRc_asl5AQysx9U1YLdJfh4-UXV2ry7eKVNNyu_P1qmwdU_PaibkLTv7BjC5gEse4UcvKughyphenhyphentBa5jdaVbnKXKbdjPgo7OW/s640/CBL+23+Meaningful+CBL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>It is so important to reflect.</i><br />
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I don't have a great memory. I can enter a room and be clueless as to why I came. And yet I remember stories from decades ago as if they were yesterday. Building tree forts. Ducking behind the fence as my buddy threw lawn darts at me. Getting stitches. Why do I remember those things: because I have reviewed them over and over. I have reflected on them. Sure, as I tell the stories to my own kids, some of the details have evolved. (the darts really did happen, though). But without reflection, the ideas grow cold. With that in mind, here are a few of the more memorable CBL experiences I had this year.<br />
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This was a great year of connections-based learning for me and my students. I remember the first week of school, I connected my students with Saul Mwame, a Sustainable Development Goals activist from Tanzania. I really had no definite purpose for this other than connection. Sure I thought he could shed some light on the lack of electricity in Tanzania. But it was the connection that was important.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6y4mmmUcGcDr5d3Cg3N7yvIRg2n1co6QAyEE6QV4yohDxrtuLaoASYool90TlaMqREJxilIj7tKLhGfW1TKiUEs3Gvhd9rPrTYXiN4eW8v8ep28ypi0xQbmd1N5vYSBjlvD4sCpTdWjjP/s1600/Climate+Action+Class.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6y4mmmUcGcDr5d3Cg3N7yvIRg2n1co6QAyEE6QV4yohDxrtuLaoASYool90TlaMqREJxilIj7tKLhGfW1TKiUEs3Gvhd9rPrTYXiN4eW8v8ep28ypi0xQbmd1N5vYSBjlvD4sCpTdWjjP/s640/Climate+Action+Class.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Months after that first semester class is done, I see the ripple effects of that connection in my last semester's students' tweet supporting Saul's goals.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/SaulMwame?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SaulMwame</a><br />
Nothing can stop you, can it? :) Made my day reading this article, makes you certain that sometimes people have bigger problems than you.<br />
"Nothing can stop me but me. I dream that one day I will establish an aerospace university in my country": <a href="https://t.co/8cah9BOGwe">https://t.co/8cah9BOGwe</a></div>
— Nana Okamoto (@pancakes_honey) <a href="https://twitter.com/pancakes_honey/status/1001170421100638208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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How can I stop connecting my students when passionate purposeful flames are fanned. I can't.<br />
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And what an honour it was for me to connect with champions of gender equality around the world as I prepared to speak at the <a href="http://thimunqatarpress.org/blog/2017/11/18/the-power-of-gathering-the-passionate-at-qlc17/" target="_blank">Qatar Leadership Conference 2017</a>. I couldn't have done it without connections. It speaks to the crucial nature of the CBL <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CoOperate&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoOperate</a> focus:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRBqu0ESYSWO6x9UtjMnSNaptaTAI-OiIHYLrJDMokraQq-RHNWQ64O1P6C47zsmCKFh-0odcVRbsWZQJPLhGGuwFNtdHu5S9XpXnQ9lezs4sEPspz8sPgMFK47gg-AhVZBF1anDFdrXZ/s1600/CoOperate+Focus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="659" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRBqu0ESYSWO6x9UtjMnSNaptaTAI-OiIHYLrJDMokraQq-RHNWQ64O1P6C47zsmCKFh-0odcVRbsWZQJPLhGGuwFNtdHu5S9XpXnQ9lezs4sEPspz8sPgMFK47gg-AhVZBF1anDFdrXZ/s320/CoOperate+Focus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23ExploreTheField&src=typd" target="_blank">#ExploreTheField</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23ThinkCritically&src=typd" target="_blank">#ThinkCritically</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23BetterTogether&src=typd" target="_blank">#BetterTogether</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23WorkOutLoud&src=typd" target="_blank">#WorkOutLoud</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5kh3NYpX2mGw98u993L22vgIZKMaUGSupXuPOh1HozsKHl4_SS6s74wvletknC4HSv5bCBkX3kwYEnid6XeSVMrWlIJH04AMW0xN_3V6PAAZqdhr12A1ohNwzGIsZudcrwZ_VXzrtJR8/s1600/Gender+Equality+Pres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1023" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5kh3NYpX2mGw98u993L22vgIZKMaUGSupXuPOh1HozsKHl4_SS6s74wvletknC4HSv5bCBkX3kwYEnid6XeSVMrWlIJH04AMW0xN_3V6PAAZqdhr12A1ohNwzGIsZudcrwZ_VXzrtJR8/s640/Gender+Equality+Pres.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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See this post for details on that experience: <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.com/2018/01/cblchat-and-teachsdgs.html" target="_blank">#CBLchat and #TeachSDGs</a>.<br />
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Another highlight for me this year was to watch what mentorship can do as we connect our students with the right guides. Microsoft Vancouver approached me to find some students that would be interested in connecting to utilize the MS Vancouver Garage resources: both tools and personnel. This gave students a chance to really press into the CBL <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CoCreate&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoCreate </a>Focus:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYAyue3A_pxPYGIkU61otgU6KypC2D9SjQ1PlKYoHugg_dOet3BtyrJk61boNyskZC4HyuMlltN9Ok5HqMyO4JYKJIeNh_d84t8vwTbgmtvCHWmGBoY2vf4R7jxwHL0lhJ7R8oA5NsiKA/s1600/CoCreate+Focus+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="689" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYAyue3A_pxPYGIkU61otgU6KypC2D9SjQ1PlKYoHugg_dOet3BtyrJk61boNyskZC4HyuMlltN9Ok5HqMyO4JYKJIeNh_d84t8vwTbgmtvCHWmGBoY2vf4R7jxwHL0lhJ7R8oA5NsiKA/s320/CoCreate+Focus+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23BuildSkills&src=typd" target="_blank">#BuildSkills</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23InnovatePurposefully&src=typd" target="_blank">#InnovatePurposefully,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CollectFeedback&src=typd" target="_blank">#CollectFeedback</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23MeetTheNeed&src=typd" target="_blank">#MeetTheNeed</a></div>
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The human element is huge in these instances. If I asked students to educate themselves in coding and design through YouTube they would not have gotten as far as they did with a human connection. We went through the CBL <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CoDesign&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoDesign</a> focus to not only tease out our direction, but guide our work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLX3TigBuUn4kVfOMxWOtjiOBqZWK0fWFIhoAInRUw7Rr8htE85soXjJB7FjAY0lj0n2_68MrydYIGRfsIlpGTPTddfhiWos3vS5E0cwGjh1PRxNisj9IKRnp-UQ7Aa7LDxVby-t2xqwbm/s1600/CoDesign+Focus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="689" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLX3TigBuUn4kVfOMxWOtjiOBqZWK0fWFIhoAInRUw7Rr8htE85soXjJB7FjAY0lj0n2_68MrydYIGRfsIlpGTPTddfhiWos3vS5E0cwGjh1PRxNisj9IKRnp-UQ7Aa7LDxVby-t2xqwbm/s320/CoDesign+Focus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CoConstructGoals&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoConstructGoals</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23EmpathizeNeeds&src=typd" target="_blank">#EmpathizeNeeds</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ProposeAction&src=typd" target="_blank">#ProposeAction</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23PlanCollaboration&src=typd" target="_blank">#PlanCollaboration</a></div>
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Such great progress was achieved between the time we spent time to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CoConstructGoals&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoConstructGoals</a> to the proof of concept demonstrated at the BC Tech Summit. Here is one students' goals at the beginning of the connection:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6aHUbCGAA5gmwCcJfL4Z3Vr-2QNTe7H99poB6NyId0gKRpRHOOWQGuyeDDmIu5lavibCZFW3-pxjSFlSPF1ym7XT4897eXhef79I4D85uvr4Hj-Sm6bQOFW0245SO5KHOpra3MhuzQHa/s1600/Paige%2527s+goal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="1138" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6aHUbCGAA5gmwCcJfL4Z3Vr-2QNTe7H99poB6NyId0gKRpRHOOWQGuyeDDmIu5lavibCZFW3-pxjSFlSPF1ym7XT4897eXhef79I4D85uvr4Hj-Sm6bQOFW0245SO5KHOpra3MhuzQHa/s640/Paige%2527s+goal.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And here is a video of the product demonstrated at the BC Tech Summit:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wmLHEakmS8c/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="399" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wmLHEakmS8c?feature=player_embedded" width="480"></iframe></div>
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What a difference a connection can make!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpffkHokc-6VooDm51Pu8TX9UGxcQdJh7ifZfCDji-XFNslQIzKaUCaociex6Cml4zhIvZ7XMl4Cu4H2U4VRO_4lzMJWZVDi8iudg9cAzv14qYi7v0FebY1OvUB5ZRJWe-0tbkqNAA81M/s1600/_CollaborationLens+Graphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpffkHokc-6VooDm51Pu8TX9UGxcQdJh7ifZfCDji-XFNslQIzKaUCaociex6Cml4zhIvZ7XMl4Cu4H2U4VRO_4lzMJWZVDi8iudg9cAzv14qYi7v0FebY1OvUB5ZRJWe-0tbkqNAA81M/s640/_CollaborationLens+Graphic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The CBL <a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23CollaborationLens" target="_blank">#CollaborationLens</a> is a way to guide your connections. If you have no idea to what I am referring, you have got to check this out: <a href="http://a.co/cwzx3OE" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="418" src="https://read.amazon.ca/kp/card?asin=B0774ZCCP5&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_whyfBbAQ8DDXW" style="max-width: 100%;" type="text/html" width="250"></iframe><br /></div>
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What has been your memorable connections-based learning this year? I would love to see your tweets, hear your stories, listen to your Voxes (join the: <a href="https://web.voxer.com/chats/1452200365811_0029697343_5c47c372" target="_blank">CBL Voxer Community</a>!!) and read your reflection posts!Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-6856356348501167982018-05-23T09:23:00.004-07:002018-05-23T13:00:16.640-07:00Work your #CBL chops!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EtiQ7eNA6JZDueeR29js22H72tmFKgvE_EwaOKWpJVHqi5-Gp0AGpAF9m97TagGh2ee4w5kxQ3N1_0iPgVznAK9kQg7iM6NJfojG4WIuRol8z_CbZnfzys8t55jGuzpjrc-5O3ak073c/s1600/_ConnectionLens+Graphic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1136" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EtiQ7eNA6JZDueeR29js22H72tmFKgvE_EwaOKWpJVHqi5-Gp0AGpAF9m97TagGh2ee4w5kxQ3N1_0iPgVznAK9kQg7iM6NJfojG4WIuRol8z_CbZnfzys8t55jGuzpjrc-5O3ak073c/s640/_ConnectionLens+Graphic+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We have been seeing a lot of educators make connections with their classes around the world. Some have developed <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ClassPartnerships&src=typd" target="_blank">#ClassPartnerships</a> on a global scale through the innovation project spearheaded by Koen Timmers:<br />
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Take a look at these 116 innovations, made by students across 6 continents, to make the world a better place. Awesomeness happens when empathy and <a href="https://twitter.com/GlobalGoalsUN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GlobalGoalsUN</a> are introduced in classrooms around the world. <a href="https://t.co/kqizhFM6BF">https://t.co/kqizhFM6BF</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sdginnopro?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sdginnopro</a>. <a href="https://t.co/1Ml8CS3etL">pic.twitter.com/1Ml8CS3etL</a></div>
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— Koen Timmers (@zelfstudie) <a href="https://twitter.com/zelfstudie/status/998286122512994309?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2018</a></div>
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Others are employing <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ExpertLearning&src=typd" target="_blank">#ExpertLearning</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23OrganizationSupport&src=typd" target="_blank">#OrganizationSupport </a>more locally with mentorship relationships like this connection these students had with the Garage at <a href="https://twitter.com/microsoftvan" target="_blank">Microsoft Vancouver</a>:</div>
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<a href="https://t.co/INhIrRPNfD">https://t.co/INhIrRPNfD</a></div>
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— Microsoft Vancouver (@MicrosoftVan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MicrosoftVan/status/998967275607638016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2018</a></div>
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My response is simple: <b>Don't Stop.</b></div>
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You have experienced the power of connection. You have seen the effects on your students and their learning. You have built meaningful connections that have made a difference for your students and possibly even the world around. Keep it going! In fact, I would ask that you consider other connections as you take next steps.<br />
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<b>#CommunityEngagement </b><br />
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Now that you have made some connections around the world, are there connections that need to be made right back in your own community?<br />
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- Are there needs to be addressed in your own school?<br />
- Are your students mentoring younger students with the learning they have gained?<br />
- Are there ways of connecting your class with another in the school to work on something cross curricular?<br />
- Are there needs in the neighbourhood that your class can address?<br />
- Is there a way your class can serve the local community?<br />
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<b>#ExpertLearning</b><br />
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Are your students getting into things of which you are not the expert? GOOD! That is the way it is suppose to be. You are a linchpin now. How can you facilitate connections with the expertise your students need to go to the next level?<br />
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- Into what topics is your class delving that an expert could add up-to-the-minute discoveries to the learning?<br />
- Is there a coding expert with whom you can connect your students as they develop software?<br />
- Is there someone that can help them MAKE in response to a connection?<br />
- Have you tapped into the expertise that is present in the parent community?<br />
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<b>#OrganizationSupport</b><br />
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We must keep mindful that there are others that are working on the same goals as us. When I speak of organization support, I am thinking of a two way street: how are we supporting the organizations that need our help? But also, how can organizations assist us in achieving our goals?<br />
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- Are there organizations in which your students are passionate?<br />
- As your students consider the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, are organizations that they can work along side to address needs?<br />
- Have you seen a group offering mentorship opportunities in a certain area?<br />
- Is there a way to partner with local service groups to have a positive impact?<br />
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<b>#ClassPartnerships</b><br />
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Maybe you have been connecting with mentors, experts, and organizations, but you have not made a connection with other classes. A great way to open the door to empathy with your students is to connect them with other students. As I mention in the CBL book, the more we connect with those who are different from us, the more we develop who we are.<br />
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- Is there a way your students can collaborate with another class as they pursue a certain learning outcome?<br />
- Are there connections your class already has through apps like <a href="https://belouga.org/" target="_blank">Belouga</a> that you have not pressed into?<br />
- Is there a way that your class can work with another on a common topic, interest, or goal?<br />
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So what are you afraid of?<br />
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This is not a rhetorical question. In fact, that is the question for this weeks <a href="https://web.voxer.com/chats/1452200365811_0029697343_5c47c372" target="_blank">#CBLchat Voxer community</a>. We have been meandering through the <a href="http://a.co/cwzx3OE" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning book</a>, looking at the Vision Checkup questions, and we are in chapter 6 entitled <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CollaborationLens&src=typd" target="_blank">#CollaborationLens</a>. The question asks:<br />
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<i>Do you have a fear of sharing? (and might I add, do you have fears or concerns about connecting in any of these ways?) What are the roots of this fear? How do they need to be addressed?</i><br />
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Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-8053544422865309282018-05-01T14:53:00.002-07:002018-05-02T08:55:26.890-07:00#CBL leads to #Individualization, #Differentiation, and #Personalization<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Donning a <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23ConnectionLens&src=typd" target="_blank">#ConnectionLens</a> is only the start of an educator's <a href="http://a.co/jkRu0jr" target="_blank">connections-based learning</a> journey. Educators around the world are connecting. They are using connection platforms. They are breaking down the walls of their classrooms. But that is not enough.<br />
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I have made a case that connecting our classes opens the door for students to develop empathy. It provides students with up-to-the-minute knowledge. But if they don't do anything with the empathy that they have developed, if they don't do anything with the knowledge that they have gained, if they don't respond to a connection, a vital part of connections-based learning is lost.<br />
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That is why my favourite part of the CBL experience is asking students what we are going to do in response to hearing from our learning partner:<br />
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<b>"Now that we know what we know, what are we going to do about it? </b></div>
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<b>What are we going to MAKE about it?"</b></div>
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This returns the onus of learning back to the students and opens the door to <i>individualization</i>, <i>differentiation</i>, and <i>personalization</i>.<br />
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<b>Individualization</b><br />
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Individualization is matching the speed of the learning with the students. If the learning outcome is based on connection, the typical teacher-imposed-timeline for concept attainment is thrown out the window. The teacher truly becomes the guide on the side as students develop their response to the connection. Students can take time to pause, follow a rabbit trail, delve into a topic of interest deeply, or dare I say <b>skip over parts that don't interest them</b>.<br />
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In connections-based learning, students <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CoConstructGoals&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoConstructGoals</a> right at the beginning of the CBL. It is the responsibility of the educator to construct those goals with the student as they <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CoDesign&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoDesign</a> the connection response. Learning outcomes were considered as the learning partner was established. It is way too late to be establishing learning outcomes while students <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23Cooperate&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoOperate</a>. They need their autonomy. They need time ... and check-ins to help them along their path.<br />
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But Robinson, we have deadlines. We have report cards. The semester ends for goodness sake!! Yes, but student learning never does. Might I direct you to our <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/05/the-precarious-and-powerful.html" target="_blank">CBL with Karishma Bhagani</a>, creator of the low cost water purifier. The end of the semester did not end the learning for my students. Or what about our CBL with the Dominican Republic? Second semester classes were working with first semester classes to <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2017/01/how-to-tackle-light-poverty.html" target="_blank">build and send the solar lanterns to the Dominican Republic</a>, Macedonia, and Kenya. The course was over for some and yet the work, and the learning, never stopped. <b>Semesters should not dictate the learning timeline; students should.</b><br />
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<b>Differentiation</b><br />
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As a guide on the side, the teacher is tasked with being the linchpin to support groups and individuals as they pursue their response to the connection. Each response is individual to the student. In no way can the teacher take over. It doesn't make any sense in this context. Differentiation, tailoring the instruction for the learner, is the only way that this can work. Learners may need to be connected with other experts to accomplish their goals. Learners may need to be guided to where they can attain needed skills. Let me assure you, as learners develop their own responses to a connection, they will be all over the map. As students developed their response to their connection with the Dominican Republic students, students went off in all kinds of directions. And I wouldn't have it any other way!<br />
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<b>Personalization</b><br />
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Personalization is where students drive their own buses. They pursue their own interests. As students make a connection with a learning partner, they are encouraged to respond in their own way. This "freeing up the student" allows the learners to follow their own path to a response. The door is opened for innovation, creating, campaigning, advertising, and fundraising.<br />
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I love it when a student enthusiastically follows their own path but I believe a connection opens student's eyes to <b>consider others as they do it</b>. The connection is needed to keep the personalization from becoming completely insular. How can our students consider the needs of the class, community, and globe as they follow their path? This is where a sharing the Sustainable Development Goals can guide the students as they inquire and innovate. There are so many possibilities, so many needs, exposure to the SDGs expands the horizons of the students as they consider their response to a connection.<br />
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As educators, it is our delight when students find their passion and follow their interests. My desire is to see more and more educators allowing for more and more students to do just that. As we seek to connect with learning partners in the community and around the world, <i>and allow our students to respond</i>, we naturally encourage individualization, differentiation, and personalization. How do you see this playing out in your classroom?<br />
<br />Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-1696008046598293052018-04-09T12:58:00.001-07:002018-04-09T12:58:20.115-07:00Put on your #ConnectionLens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In February, a couple hundred students at my school made connections with individuals in their community. We called the task, simply: <i>Community Connection</i>. Students connected with professional photographers, music teachers, swim coaches, optometrists, neonatal intensive care nurses, website designers, oil and gas engineers, financial advisers, litigation lawyers, personal trainers, rugby players, dentists and dozens and dozens more professions.<br />
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My lifework has been making a case for educators to look for a <b><i>who </i></b>as they attempt to achieve learning outcomes, to bring in the human resources available as educators teach their students, to see human connection as the best way to teach the whole child. The learning outcome we were addressing with our hundreds of grade 9's was: <i>Explore volunteer and other new learning experiences that stimulate entrepreneurial and innovative thinking</i>. Donning a <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23ConnectionLens&src=typd" target="_blank">#ConnectionLens</a> means that exploring experiences like these leads educators to ask: <b>who can we engage as we learn?</b><br />
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The activity we created for students simply made sense:<br />
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We asked students:<br />
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<i>1)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Choose someone who is involved with something that you are passionate about. This could be a job, a volunteer role, a skill, or a hobby.</i><br />
<i>2)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Connect with this individual and plan a time when you can interview them in person or using technology during the first week in February. </i><br />
<i>3)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Converse with the individual asking them the questions such as "Why are you passionate about your job?" and "What advice would you pass on to someone interested in what you are doing?" , as well as your own questions. Either record the responses or document them in written form. </i><br />
<i>4)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Create a post on your digital portfolio account outlining what you learned from the interview and how it connects to you. </i><br />
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Now I have to give credit to my colleague Phil Barrington for this amazing connections-based learning assignment. As we collaborated together, he passionately suggested this idea and wouldn't take no for an answer despite the seemingly colossal endeavour it seemed to be. Imagine: meeting with students from a dozen classes, telling them that they had to find a connection, interview that person on their own time, and blog about the experience. Add to that the work to read through the hundreds of blog posts and comment. It was pretty huge.<br />
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<b><i>But it was so worth it.</i></b><br />
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So much learning went on. I loved going through the posts with my colleague Brian Barazzuol and hearing the unique encounters students had as they connected with individuals who were engaged in the their passions. Students learned about hard work, difficult life choices, and dealing with obstacles. But they also learned about success and how to set goals and make it happen. I think one of the coolest responses a student made was to interview Kristopher London, a former D1 basketball player turned Youtuber. Here is a bit about Kris:<br />
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The student post (<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/phoenixl2017/2018/02/08/col-9-interview/" target="_blank">here</a>) includes a conversation about passions, obstacles, and depression. The post knocks the learning outcome out of the park. Not only did the student hear how someone he looks up to turn his passion into his lifework but who knows what possibilities this connection could open up for the student. All this from an Instagram cold call that the student made to seek out a connection.<br />
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In chapter 5 of the<a href="http://a.co/3ChOoB6" target="_blank"> Connections-based Learning book</a>, entitled #ConnectionLens, I ask educators to strive to see the possibility of human learning resources around them. I share four connections to consider. Connections with: the community, experts, organizations, and classrooms around the world. I love how the <i>Community Connection</i> put two of these focuses together: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CommunityService&src=typd" target="_blank">#CommunityService</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?vertical=default&q=%23ExpertLearning&src=typd" target="_blank">#ExpertLearning</a>. I also love the skills that students practiced as they accomplished this task. Many students had to make cold calls and found positive responses to the question: "Hey, do you mind if I interview you?" The <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CBLchat&src=typd" target="_blank">#CBLchat </a>Community question for the week considers that skill: <b>Consider a time when you had to cold call in order to make a connection. What did you learn from that process?</b><br />
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Consider adding your voice. Join our <a href="https://web.voxer.com/chats/1452200365811_0029697343_5c47c372" target="_blank">#CBL Voxer Community</a>. You can share your thoughts there, tweet them using the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CBLchat&src=typd" target="_blank">#CBLchat</a> hashtag, or comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts and experience regarding cold calling in connections-based learning.<br />
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[photos: <i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Interview (modified) by </span></i><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/68380274@N07/7032150711/in/photolist-dHvELT-9JF2mn-61z4Lt-avVY64-bHpBpM-5BHMYm-5BHN3w-E8Rbc-bUYbh-p4JoT-7tf5d-x5Pt-mZxxr-6qXxzp-7tf4P-6iRN36-ecmyYi-SvbbQU-5hqPaE-nDLVD-VdpLjw-m55A1X-UguPbG-52t9zo-DsrCQU-fuWLU7-pN9Mp1-ssZGgc-aRW3xc-9GPjqX-6mrP5s-e2jJNL-664xPy-9vW3iR-aRP6en-6f7aiS-ndpQyT-2iMfU-pavkqW-bbZUvZ-6srbZ2-SdSmpF-nXMkd-FSuqfk-6DwecF-a7p6D-cPHE1S-dkLkHS-4Tj9Hk-4Tj1bt"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Arielle Lilley via
flickr</span></i></a><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">,</span></i> “<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/saralparker/3029658672/in/photolist-dHvELT-9JF2mn-61z4Lt-avVY64-bHpBpM-5BHMYm-5BHN3w-E8Rbc-bUYbh-p4JoT-7tf5d-x5Pt-mZxxr-6qXxzp-7tf4P-6iRN36-ecmyYi-SvbbQU-5hqPaE-nDLVD-VdpLjw-m55A1X-UguPbG-52t9zo-DsrCQU-fuWLU7-pN9Mp1-ssZGgc-aRW3xc-9GPjqX-6mrP5s-e2jJNL-664xPy-9vW3iR-aRP6en-6f7aiS-ndpQyT-2iMfU-pavkqW-bbZUvZ-6srbZ2-SdSmpF-nXMkd-FSuqfk-6DwecF-a7p6D-cPHE1S-dkLkHS-4Tj9Hk-4Tj1bt">Interviewing</a>“,
by Sara Parker, “<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/alper/9516543726/in/photolist-dHvELT-9JF2mn-61z4Lt-avVY64-bHpBpM-5BHMYm-5BHN3w-E8Rbc-bUYbh-p4JoT-7tf5d-x5Pt-mZxxr-6qXxzp-7tf4P-6iRN36-ecmyYi-SvbbQU-5hqPaE-nDLVD-VdpLjw-m55A1X-UguPbG-52t9zo-DsrCQU-fuWLU7-pN9Mp1-ssZGgc-aRW3xc-9GPjqX-6mrP5s-e2jJNL-664xPy-9vW3iR-aRP6en-6f7aiS-ndpQyT-2iMfU-pavkqW-bbZUvZ-6srbZ2-SdSmpF-nXMkd-FSuqfk-6DwecF-a7p6D-cPHE1S-dkLkHS-4Tj9Hk-4Tj1bt">Interview</a>“,
by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/alper/" title="Go to Alper Çuğun's photostream"><span style="font-family: "proxima nova";">Alper
Çuğun</span></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/alper/" title="Go to Alper Çuğun's photostream"><span style="font-family: "proxima nova";">By:
Alper Çuğun</span></a>, “ licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">CC BY-SA 2.0</a>.] <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-21141029816973353802018-03-12T08:29:00.000-07:002018-03-12T11:08:56.671-07:00#CBL - The Future of Education<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was super excited to see connections-based learning in the news recently. Global Teacher Finalist 2018, Barbara Zielonka, was sharing with <a href="https://hundred.org/" target="_blank">hundrED</a> about her use of connections-based learning in the article: <a href="https://hundred.org/en/articles/connections-based-learning-should-be-the-future-of-education" target="_blank">Connections-Based Learning Should Be The Future Of Education</a>. hundrED searches out education innovations and establishes 100 innovations to highlight each year. hundrED declared, "Connections-based learning is one of the most useful tools a teacher has at their disposal, but many feel they don’t have the time to utilize it – or don’t realize that they could!" Barbara Zielonka has been part of my PLN for many years and she had the opportunity to share about her love of connections-based learning with hundrED. Here is a quote from the article:<br />
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<i>‘Connections-based learning is a pedagogical approach where teachers connect their students to experts, communities and organizations so that they can learn from each other,’ explains Zielonka. ‘We live in the 21st century, and connections play a very important role in our lives. We need to take advantage of this connected world we live in. Connections-based learning gives my students real-world experience that cannot be recreated in any other way.’</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcvPENTyHwiAo96crjLynoNZUmj_qKaavNX8K5z6ypECKCgmG8umvnHoEY74j07Ajq0hd2lopGtjScSgv26sJYIOMPC4zz0W2Hw47F-FJ4-n83ny8i_RzXNQj7Pve2T4f2UUEHZWKngMc/s1600/hundrED+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcvPENTyHwiAo96crjLynoNZUmj_qKaavNX8K5z6ypECKCgmG8umvnHoEY74j07Ajq0hd2lopGtjScSgv26sJYIOMPC4zz0W2Hw47F-FJ4-n83ny8i_RzXNQj7Pve2T4f2UUEHZWKngMc/s320/hundrED+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://hundred.org/">hundred.org</a></td></tr>
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What she put so eloquently is at the core of my desire for connections-based learning. That connection would be harnessed for learning. I love hearing about the CBL work going on around the world. Barbara Zielonka is a truly connected educator. One of the amazing works that Barbara created was a global collaborative project called <a href="https://theuniverseismadeoftinystoriesblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">"The Universe is Made of Tiny Stories"</a>. I remember her request for participation in September 2016 as she used the connection platform that Leigh Cassell, Nicole Kaufman and I created to connect educators for projects like Barbara's. We created <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/06/connected-learning-partnerships.html" target="_blank">Connected Learning Partnerships</a> (CLPedu) to spurn on <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23ClassPartnerships&src=typd" target="_blank">#classpartnerships</a> helping classrooms connect around the world. I love how Barbara used CLPedu as one of the platforms to help her find educators to join this amazing global endeavour.<br />
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<i>The CLPedu Educator Badge</i></div>
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Here comes my <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CLPedu?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CLPedu</a> Educator badge:) Thanks! Looking forward to making meaningful connections:) <a href="https://t.co/L90CGBxnDG">pic.twitter.com/L90CGBxnDG</a></div>
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— Barbara A.Zielonka (@bar_zie) <a href="https://twitter.com/bar_zie/status/777884482347077632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2016</a></div>
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In "The Universe is Made of Tiny Stories", students from all around the world would create a multimedia presentation in the form of a digital story. As students shared their stories internationally, they would connect and become part of a global community. They were learning digital media while developing digital citizenship. The <a href="https://theuniverseismadeoftinystoriesblog.wordpress.com/">site</a> Barbara made in conjunction with the project is amazing. It is full of assignments, links, and teacher resources. Here is a video summary of how the project went:<br />
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The hundrED article goes on to talk about how using connections-based learning has affected Barbara's teaching practice. Lessons became much more exciting as her students connected with "entrepreneurs, volunteers, ICT experts and CEOs from all over the world" And students learned how easy it is to reach out an connect "effectively and consciously".<br />
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The article brings up a few good points that beg responses. First, is CBL the future of education? I believe so. With this fast-paced world, there is no way a teacher can be an expert at everything. Students will need to connect more and more outside the class to access that expertise. And collaboration cannot simply stay within the four walls of the class. Students need to collaborate globally to address some of the huge issues facing the world. CBL is crucial. In fact, I actually believe that there could be a day where we don't use the term connections-based learning. We just call it learning and leveraging the connected world is just commonplace. Until that time, though, I soldier on sharing the importance of connections with as many as possible.<br />
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The second point to address is the statement: "many feel they don’t have the time to utilize it – or don’t realize that they could!" I appreciate this statement. In fact, it is why I wrote the <a href="http://a.co/dxBmAAD" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning book</a>. One of my hopes was to address the idea that some might feel that they have to "add" CBL to one's teaching load. They don't. As I explained in the book, CBL is about a way of seeing. The <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23ConnectionLens&src=typd" target="_blank">#ConnectionLens</a> causes us to seek out with WHOM we might connect to achieve a certain learning outcome. The <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CollaborationLens&src=typd" target="_blank">#CollaborationLens</a> helps us see HOW we might collaborate with learning partners to maximize learning. And the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CultivationLens&src=typd" target="_blank">#CultivationLens</a> reminds us WHY we do what we do. We don these lenses as we look at our curriculum. And it opens our eyes to understand that we don't have to do everything, to be an expert at everything as educators. We have to be linchpins to lead our students to the necessary learning partners and connections that can help do amazing things.<br />
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The article ends with some great examples of schools using connections-based learning: "if you’re excited to get going with connections-based learning, check out <a href="https://hundred.org/en/innovations/education-cities" target="_blank">Education Cities</a>, <a href="https://hundred.org/en/innovations/liger-leadership-academy" target="_blank">Liger Leadership Academy</a> or <a href="https://hundred.org/en/innovations/microcampus" target="_blank">Microcampus</a> – all of which make the most of connections-based learning." I am very thankful to both Barbara Zielonka and hundrED for sharing out CBL and drawing attention to how vital an approach CBL is.<br />
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See the full hundrED article here: <a href="https://hundred.org/en/articles/connections-based-learning-should-be-the-future-of-education" target="_blank">Connections-Based Learning Should Be The Future Of Education</a></div>
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<i>Child with telephone image used with permission from hundrED</i></div>
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Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-28900705620917250362018-03-06T07:40:00.000-08:002018-03-06T07:40:11.822-08:00The impact of connection with your students<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_f7p1NpzoYlgXEJ75qq5RgGFFhz3yuln4fLUIi91GCU0rtG_Nj8MPO_d2eiA9kwWsRby_2y91sQLvtMKD2nSzPwxbMZDwit-AwyrtfTMtWWtqns_5X2E_jv7-F9HLd7L1YCagmrhN7sx/s1600/CBL+14+Whisper+Student+Connections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1080" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_f7p1NpzoYlgXEJ75qq5RgGFFhz3yuln4fLUIi91GCU0rtG_Nj8MPO_d2eiA9kwWsRby_2y91sQLvtMKD2nSzPwxbMZDwit-AwyrtfTMtWWtqns_5X2E_jv7-F9HLd7L1YCagmrhN7sx/s400/CBL+14+Whisper+Student+Connections.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I start chapter 4 of <a href="http://a.co/dxBmAAD" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a> by sharing my experience with one of my students, Amanda Todd. In that opening vignette, I reflect on both her life and her death. I tell of the challenges we had in the class. I tell of her heartbreaking story of online bullying and harassment, widely covered in the media. And I share my own reflections: what our connection taught me. Death is a tragedy on its own, but her story causes us pause as educators. I have had students pass away before. But not like this. A tragedy like this leads those around to shine the spotlight on themselves.<br />
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I truly believe I connected with Amanda as her grade 7 teacher. Sure, she would often give me the "you're not going to make me do that work. It is just not going to happen" look. But she did it with a smile. Really, she did. We had a lot of laughs. And in the challenges she had with her work, her message to me was basically "you know this is not the way I learn. I am social. I learn while interacting with people. You should know that." And so we worked at it, as a team: parent, principal, learning specialist, youth worker, teacher, and student.<br />
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As I reflected on my experience years later, a personal lesson reflected back. When we look out over our classes while teaching the formula of a circle's circumference or ohm's law, we have no idea the inner turmoil that some students are facing. We can't help but consider: does our influence as educators help the core of our students? In the words we whisper to our students daily through our actions and our interactions, are we whispering words of encouragement? Support? Inspiration? And do our students have someone in whom they can confide when things go sideways.<br />
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Connection is worth it.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/contact-us.html" target="_blank">CBL Community</a> question for this week is: how have instances of deep connection with your students affected you? Another thing I learned from my interaction with Amanda was how important it is to have students be part of the lesson creation. When a student is saying "you are not going to make me do that work", they have a point. When we <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CoConstructGoals&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoConstructGoals</a> with our students, we include them in the planning. It is not "the teacher's work" that they are completing, it is their own.<br />
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I feel like I can open the doors wide for my students now. What do they want? Do they want to connect with a stem cell researcher? We can do that. Do they want to connect with an online gamer? We can do that. Do they want to represent their learning with a video, a play, a song, a cake? We can do that to.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BwRCJHB17YQd8bg7GKbj5aZKMpr85bH5yircU3fdR87yhRrgSFvibFXARGZDNX7jOZDYNaA-KSp6CtF1nuthvrDVizu9GwVvhuKFVQ8IwbBRdbeojxuZfBfSqW7LGqPCfraiaAdA4_r-/s1600/cake+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BwRCJHB17YQd8bg7GKbj5aZKMpr85bH5yircU3fdR87yhRrgSFvibFXARGZDNX7jOZDYNaA-KSp6CtF1nuthvrDVizu9GwVvhuKFVQ8IwbBRdbeojxuZfBfSqW7LGqPCfraiaAdA4_r-/s320/cake+picture.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You guessed it. A plant cell cake from one of my grade 9's!</td></tr>
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Our students hold a wealth of possibilities for our own growth as educators. How have the connections you have had with your students affected you?<br />
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<i>Visit <a href="http://www.amandatoddlegacy.org/" target="_blank">AmandaToddLegacy.org</a> for resources regarding awareness and prevention of bullying and cyber abuse. plus materials on mental wellness and healthy living. One resource that caught my eye was the: <a href="http://www.amandatoddlegacy.org/help-line-resources-all-ages.html" target="_blank">Global List of Helplines</a>. In this globally connected world, we need to start thinking bigger. I love how Carol and the Amanda Todd Legacy folk are doing just that as they direct teens around the world to helpful resources.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1W16SMF32qdKlYWUkRatH5Vo5yIs-dOM93520YF8qL5vHtUuW1Qp8N0tW_zuXOCRiNTHag95gPYubJd-WwPufMHWc1NkH3_tr_lWZ1Qm6FDYcaexVSr2PGVVpD4vlfvUjqAGRLHs9BwaJ/s1600/Amanda+Todd+Legacy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="1470" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1W16SMF32qdKlYWUkRatH5Vo5yIs-dOM93520YF8qL5vHtUuW1Qp8N0tW_zuXOCRiNTHag95gPYubJd-WwPufMHWc1NkH3_tr_lWZ1Qm6FDYcaexVSr2PGVVpD4vlfvUjqAGRLHs9BwaJ/s400/Amanda+Todd+Legacy.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-17775727196388284322018-02-05T16:31:00.001-08:002018-02-05T16:31:38.160-08:00Share your Incongruence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYU5664MqjUqVRFouEi6xtNz5zsDwMK5TY7faWd31bOa1RgRZh_ZYCf00gZFMYEqYdr-Rb1Mxh19ksW8eHVQ67LTAA5JKgu5qBnd_c8YlW5zm7FBPbLl9jTQqkLO4fVuKdBSYo6KSYVuV/s1600/CBL+9+Going+Deep+Incongruence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYU5664MqjUqVRFouEi6xtNz5zsDwMK5TY7faWd31bOa1RgRZh_ZYCf00gZFMYEqYdr-Rb1Mxh19ksW8eHVQ67LTAA5JKgu5qBnd_c8YlW5zm7FBPbLl9jTQqkLO4fVuKdBSYo6KSYVuV/s320/CBL+9+Going+Deep+Incongruence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the <a href="http://a.co/2P1FsyH" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning book</a> I share a story of teacher peril where a parent was ticked off at the lack of effectiveness my teaching was having on his son. These are the kinds of situations that we don't like to talk about as educators. It is easy to share out classroom successes, where students demonstrate leaps and bounds in their learning, where classes show initiative in creating effective responses to the inequality or poverty or a need that they see. It isn't as easy to share out a failure. And yet in order to grow, we must reflect on our failures as well. That is why I love this picture:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqL55JGhEAwOuwfK8iqb4NLNueuRfUJMdNJkJfa73E2PBDKCaiAEQg1McH_i8QZMGSpKlrTuSTjvsxej3mvvS65AgsWnJnleVYqvd8MeQ_9-IvcJLwnH5f5wesbydI-sSPUSorRHLUfNQW/s1600/3D+Print+Fail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqL55JGhEAwOuwfK8iqb4NLNueuRfUJMdNJkJfa73E2PBDKCaiAEQg1McH_i8QZMGSpKlrTuSTjvsxej3mvvS65AgsWnJnleVYqvd8MeQ_9-IvcJLwnH5f5wesbydI-sSPUSorRHLUfNQW/s320/3D+Print+Fail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It is isn't that I like showing off failed 3D printing attempts or that I'm interested in illustrating what a 3D printing fail looks like. I love what this picture represents to me because it came from a student post, a reflection where the student courageously shared his own failure. This is the bravery, the reflection, the vulnerability necessary to spark betterment. This is showing how we must <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23workoutloud&src=typd" target="_blank">#WorkOutLoud</a> to advance learning by sharing successes but also sharing failures.<br />
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The thought for the <a href="https://web.voxer.com/chats/1452200365811_0029697343_5c47c372" target="_blank">CBL Voxer Community</a> this week is a reflection on the effects of the incongruence between our teaching philosophy and our practice. It is one thing to espouse giving up control to one's students. It is quite another to actually do it. It is easy to pontificate the need for connections in our teaching. It is something else to actually connect our students.<br />
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Here are three thoughts regarding sharing our failures:<br />
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<b>Reflection is crucial</b><br />
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If we gloss over our failures, we are bound to repeat them. How often have we made the same mistake over and over again? May I suggest that we never really acknowledged the mistake in the first place and got help. Accountability. Help. Insight. All these are needed for lasting change. We need to honestly reflect on our work and be willing to share. One more thought: often we are asking our students to do just that with their portfolios; shouldn't we be willing to do the same?<br />
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<b>Feedback helps</b><br />
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When we share out mistakes, we are opening ourselves up to feedback. We get another perspective. And people are often willing to help when you bring down your guard. Feedback is attuned to the product shown. When we truly share, we get the most relevant feedback. When we don't share, we are relying on our own self assessment.<br />
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<b>We are all human</b><br />
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It is tough on the psyche when all we hear about are the successes of other people. Whether it is the stream of effective teaching activities on Twitter, the moving life moments shared on Instagram, or the personal successes shared on Facebook, it is overwhelming. Honest sharing brings us back to reality and reminds us that life isn't all unicorns and rainbows. We are all on a journey and our sharing should reflect that.<br />
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Here is a picture of the final product created for our lanterns to address the <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/11/doing-something-beyond-ourselves.html" target="_blank">light poverty in the Dominican Republic</a>. The students stayed at it and after many attempts, got it just right.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT63k2e3X9sXFFu9Y-gZZMUzdXx4fGiTMjpR9ldWlCLqmq0dI0-h-L3Y2F-zIfU3Kj0i6DR1s2UVbMwcPMgPjHBeQr4ePs6G-il4bkScpHPA4TCAFn7mzQNnCZSzMBR1d54F4x06fRMbBy/s1600/Kaleb%2527s+product.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT63k2e3X9sXFFu9Y-gZZMUzdXx4fGiTMjpR9ldWlCLqmq0dI0-h-L3Y2F-zIfU3Kj0i6DR1s2UVbMwcPMgPjHBeQr4ePs6G-il4bkScpHPA4TCAFn7mzQNnCZSzMBR1d54F4x06fRMbBy/s320/Kaleb%2527s+product.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Where are you working to align your ideal with your practice?Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-47975886442014844832018-01-29T08:25:00.000-08:002018-01-30T15:21:48.169-08:00#CBLchat and #TeachSDGs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMztrZpnE6GzyK9AzThlLq6HMP-ZOc1Ut0YqzW7_dCDF1_9ONEz5NfuldHfsWdUnJGycFH95uaECQ4YPo9WkhtJ6jiT3RMH6MiHG62_zHzX5x5lJ8Ci4rwlEeMtDimfkWeVzAzycPWNDD/s1600/CBL+8+Why+Connect+TeachSDGs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1080" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMztrZpnE6GzyK9AzThlLq6HMP-ZOc1Ut0YqzW7_dCDF1_9ONEz5NfuldHfsWdUnJGycFH95uaECQ4YPo9WkhtJ6jiT3RMH6MiHG62_zHzX5x5lJ8Ci4rwlEeMtDimfkWeVzAzycPWNDD/s400/CBL+8+Why+Connect+TeachSDGs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When my good friend <a href="https://twitter.com/profeedtech" target="_blank">Fran Siracusa</a> mentioned that I should chat with <a href="https://twitter.com/Ada_McKim" target="_blank">Ada McKim</a>, I knew it would be a meaningful experience. I really had no idea, though. I didn't know it would lead me to join a movement to spread the message of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals as a Global Goals Educator Task Force member (now considered a <a href="http://www.teachsdgs.org/our-ambassadors.html" target="_blank">Founding TeachSDGs ambassador</a>). I had no idea it would send me flying 11,000km to meet with passionate Model United Nations educators in Doha, Qatar. I didn't have a clue it would start me at the inaugural meeting of the <a href="http://munimpact.org/" target="_blank">#MUNImpact</a> movement founded by Lisa Martin and a crew of dynamic MUN enthusiasts who are making waves to ignite MUN groups all around the world for positive action. And I didn't realize I would begin to look at everything I did in my class through a lens of this global "To Do List" affectionately known as the Global Goals.<br />
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I want to share an amazing moment I had with you. Speaking at the <i>Qatar Leadership Conference </i>in Doha, Qatar was a 2017 highlight for me. As I was considering what my workshops would look like, I couldn't help zero in on the particular global goal on which Lisa Martin wanted the conference to focus: <b>SDG 5 - Gender Equality</b>. Not having been to Qatar before, I had some nervousness about sharing a message of women empowerment with the students there. And I felt extremely inadequate to do it. In fact, when I would tell my colleagues that I was going to the Middle East to talk about gender equality, I would always get this look of "You?" with the following words: "I'd be careful if I were you."<br />
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There was one thing I knew and knew well, though. Connections-based learning is not just a teaching approach. It is, as I explain in the <a href="http://a.co/2P1FsyH" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning </a>book, a lens with which to view your actions. I am really used to being inadequate in the classroom. Stem cells, innovative power production, Mars, creating circuit boards, 3D printing: all these I have needed to teach to my students. The only way I have been able to do that well is through connecting with experts. Could I connect to experts to prepare to share Sustainable Development Goal 5 in the Middle East? Of course.<br />
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I began by connecting with <a href="https://twitter.com/25MaHa" target="_blank">Mareike Hachemer</a>, a fellow Task Force member. This is the kind of connection you make when you are completely unconnected to the field. She is an amazing Global Goals speaker and activist and has crucial relationships that span the globe. She connected me with <a href="https://twitter.com/MiriamMasonSesa" target="_blank">Miriam Mason-Sesay</a>, a champion educator for women empowerment in Sierra Leone. I also Skyped with <a href="https://twitter.com/YAZEEDALJEDDAWY" target="_blank">Yazeed Al Jeddawy</a>, a fellow educator I knew from Yemen, considered one of the least gender equal countries in the world. He in turn put me in touch with <a href="https://twitter.com/HindAleryani" target="_blank">Hind Aleryani</a>, another champion for women empowerment. Finally, I connected with <a href="https://twitter.com/McAnanyS" target="_blank">Stephanie McAnany</a>, our first TeachSDGs ambassador who had done some work in Ghana and had shared with me a powerful story about her work there. I was able to gather soundbites from these conversations to share with the students in Qatar.<br />
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But there was no way I was going to go into a workshop like this and tell people what to do. Not only is that a bad way to help people grow in a certain area, but it never really works anyway. I have to give credit to Mareike when she mentioned the idea of sharing scenarios with the high-school-aged workshop attendees. In preparation, I also gathered 10 actual scenarios where women around the world were treated differently than men. During the workshop at the Qatar Leadership Conference 2017, I shared those ten scenarios with the students: women considered half of a witness in one country, childhood marriage in another, experiencing pay rate discrimination in another, experiencing vulgar remarks or violence. As the students grouped up around these scenarios, I would ask them these three questions:<br />
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<b>What obstacles does this woman face?</b></div>
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<b>Rank this situation out of 10 in terms of gender equality</b></div>
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<b>1-horrible to 10-perfect</b></div>
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<b>What would you say to this woman?</b></div>
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I remember clearly the thoughts one group shared out during my session at the conference. The scenario they were given went like this:<br />
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<i>All your life you have been told that you are simply not as smart as the boys. “No girl can be,” they would say. You are one of the few girls enrolled in school. There were just 10 girls enrolled in your school but now there are only six as four left due to pregnancy. Now at school, you hear something different. Girls are just as smart as boys. It is hard to accept this. You feel pressure to quit school and go to work harvesting rice. What is your reaction to this situation?</i><br />
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Several boys had this scenario to discuss and when they shared out, they expressed how wrong this view of women was. They considered this a 1/10 in terms of gender equality and would say to the young girl: "This girl faces the obstacle of a lie. Girls ARE equal to boys and she should not go work in the rice field. We would say to her to stay in school. Keep fighting. Get your education despite the pressure."<br />
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But it wasn't the boys report out that was so memorable for me. It was the reaction of the girls surrounding them. There were smiles. There were nods. The girls looked emboldened, validated, vindicated. And I realized that it is this generation that we have to help see the damage that is done when <b><u>half </u></b>of the population of a community is suppressed. The rest of the discussion went the same way, each group sharing their disdain for the inequality. Each group nodding in agreement. I ended my <i>Champions of Gender Equality</i> session with a single word on the screen: YOU. You are a champion for women and it is your actions that will make a difference.<br />
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The question for the <a href="https://web.voxer.com/chats/1452200365811_0029697343_5c47c372" target="_blank">CBL Voxer Community</a> this week is how does the connections-based learning approach help you to #TeachSDGs. This experience sums up my answer. I see a perfect marriage of connections-based learning and teaching the Sustainable Development Goals--both in my class and personally. The Sustainable Development Goals gives us the curriculum. Connections-based learning gives us the conduit. The SDGs give us the mandate. CBL gives us the power. In fact, I ask you: how can we make a difference without making a connection?<br />
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<i>You can find out more about <a href="http://munimpact.org/" target="_blank">MUN Impact</a> and check out some more of my experience at the Qatar Leadership Conference in this THIMUN Qatar article called: <a href="http://thimunqatarpress.org/blog/2017/11/18/the-power-of-gathering-the-passionate-at-qlc17/" target="_blank">THE POWER OF GATHERING THE PASSIONATE AT #QLC17</a>.</i><br />
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Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-91666502763402088892018-01-23T11:12:00.000-08:002018-01-23T11:12:25.662-08:00Meaningful Connection Experiences<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wrote the <a href="http://a.co/bYsyczQ" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning book</a> to paint a more complete picture of CBL. Part of that was to create questions for reflection that would promote discussion of the ideas within the book. Chapter 2, entitled, <i>Why Connect?</i>, guides the reader through the effect connections have on us and the effect they have on the world. In the chapter, I share about a student who beautifully illustrates the impact of her connections-based learning work. She said that it <i><b>"is not only making an impact on the world but it is also impacting me as person"</b></i>. She goes on to describe the two sides of that coin: how the connection was helping her make a contribution, but also how it changed her personally. That is what I want for all my students. That is the meaningful nature I seek in all my classes. Of course I don't always get there with every student but that is the goal.<br />
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In chapter 2, <b>Vision Checkup</b> question three asks you to reflect on meaningful experiences you have had with your students and how connection has played a role. The act of reflecting on meaningful experiences we have with students is to tease out those powerful moments where something really special happens. My hope is that these moments happen on a regular basis in my classes and with those with whom I work. I truly believe that as a class connects with experts, organizations, the community, and classrooms around the world, this will happen.<br />
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I mention in the CBL book one powerful experience for me was the moments after my students had connected with <i>The Community for Learning</i> in the Dominican Republic. How they set their sights on helping out and making a difference. Another powerful moment was when my Science and Tech 11 students brought in and <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2015/05/cbl-connections-based-learning.html" target="_blank">interviewed a student cancer survivor</a> for our medical innovations unit. What a meaningful opportunity for both the cancer survivor and the class. Another moment was when one of my student groups hit top 30 experiments for a chance to have their experiment flown to the International Space Station. I share about those moments in the Microsoft Education Transformation Story: <a href="https://www.msfteducation.ca/teachers/a-journey-into-space" target="_blank">A Journey into Space</a>. What a blast it was!<br />
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I am about to have an interview with Noa Daniel on her <a href="https://voiced.ca/the-personal-playlist-podcast-with-noa-daniel/" target="_blank">Personal Playlist Podcast</a> where she asks her interviewees to choose three songs that represent us: a nostalgic song, an identity song, and pick-me-up song. Though I won't reveal my identity song until the podcast plays, I want to share about it a bit. This song walks a person through life's moments and how fleeting they are. Different stages in life come and go and you can't go back. We have an opportunity to offer our students powerful moments or pointless moments. When the students are able to connect, I believe that helps those moments become powerful. That is what I wish for my identity: powerful moments for me and my students.Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-56924983553767468842018-01-15T08:34:00.002-08:002018-01-15T08:34:41.358-08:00First impressions of the #CBLchat book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I read Brené Brown's <i>Daring Greatly</i>, I can't help but examine what I do through a lens of vulnerability. She mentions on p.46 that "sharing appropriately, with boundaries, means sharing with people with whom we've developed relationships that can bear the weight of our story." I agree, but as I consider the "sharing" that I do through my writing, I feel like I am offering vulnerability to you the reader, and I yet am not necessarily in a relationship with you. I know one might say that is not what she is talking about. But this brand of vulnerability, I believe, is good. And should be talked about. In fact I believe that sharing begets risking which begets sharing.<br />
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I take a risk. As I share how it went, and survive through the aftermath of vulnerability, I am able to risk more. And see the benefits of it. Furthermore, I believe that this not only happens within a person but within a group. As one person becomes vulnerable and shares a bit of themselves, others follow suit. With this in mind, I want to open up a discussion about the first chapter of <a href="http://a.co/acuBO9L" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a>.<br />
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Our CBL journey begins by framing CBL as donning a new lens. My hope has always been to have connections-based learning accessible. Adding all sorts of do's and don't's works against the accessibility of the approach. Revealing a new lens leads to effective change. It reframes. It inspires. It helps us shift our paradigms. This new paradigm is centred around a shift from <i>what</i> to <i>who</i>. With whom can we connect to help us learn? I mention that this shift opens the door for three things:<br />
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<b>Student Voice</b> - allowing students to speak into another situation<br />
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<b>Student Empowerment </b>- allowing students to make a difference<br />
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<b>Student Compassion</b> - allowing students to see from another's perspective and act in a caring manner<br />
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How does this resonate with you? Is the lens somewhat familiar or is it foreign? Is it clear or is it foggy? Is it accessible or does it seem unreachable? Take a vulnerable step and share your thoughts either with our<a href="https://t.co/8uQBET4ZQK" target="_blank"> Voxer Community</a>, using the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CBLChat&src=typd" target="_blank">#CBLchat hashtag</a> on Twitter, or below and let's get the dialogue going.Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-21680925034630128282018-01-06T09:45:00.000-08:002018-01-06T09:45:03.247-08:00What is connections-based learning? #CBLchat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is not a rhetorical question.<br />
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I would like to start this year off with asking you <i>what you think connections-based learning is</i>. I have spent many years talking about this approach to teaching. But teaching is not about one person spouting off ideas. It is about the transmission of those ideas and the meaning made within everyone else. For this post, I want to share some resources that can help you make meaning from the idea. My hope, though, is that you share your ideas on the approach as we learn and make meaning together.<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections-based_learning" target="_blank">Connections-based learning Wikipedia article</a><br />
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections-based_learning" target="_blank">CBL wikipedia article</a> gives an outline of the approach as well as how it differs from other 21st century approaches to teaching. It allows for others to share their thoughts, add their ideas, submit their examples. Like all Wikipedia pages, it is a work in progress that blossoms as others add to it.<br />
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<a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/10/connections-based-learning-connected.html" target="_blank">Connected Terminology Post</a><br />
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Getting our terms straight is an important part of communication. I appreciate <a href="https://twitter.com/KMuhumuza" target="_blank">Kenneth Muhumuza</a> reminding me of this post regarding just that:<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBLchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CBLchat</a>: My team <a href="https://twitter.com/ServeUganda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@serveUganda</a> and I would like to introduce connections-based learning <a href="https://twitter.com/teachCBL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@teachCBL</a> in Uganda and start training teachers to embrace it. This kind of learning has potential to solve many challenges especially in the developing world. Join the community!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeachSDGs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeachSDGs</a> <a href="https://t.co/fGydPZ0GqJ">pic.twitter.com/fGydPZ0GqJ</a></div>
— Kenneth Muhumuza (@KMuhumuza) <a href="https://twitter.com/KMuhumuza/status/949587586997215232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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How is CBL different from global ed? Isn't CBL just another version of Connected Education? How does it differ from Connected Learning? I believe I address all these questions in the <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/10/connections-based-learning-connected.html" target="_blank">"Connections-based Learning, Connected Learning, Connected Education, Global Ed. Any dif?" </a> post.<br />
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<a href="http://a.co/8g79GJP" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning book</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvXFiEC1lMnk3NL-ub3zjmzyyDm3eX4ThGNwzGiMcBEugJkjvzyGSCxYBwhwMMBzYgfdxO6IvHgO8onXw0pZRLLSwENExvlja4E0Yk1RFwcrkANVKB8_EFRZRO9lfznceKAPRs4Cwss5N/s1600/CBL+Paperback+Cover+Twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1162" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvXFiEC1lMnk3NL-ub3zjmzyyDm3eX4ThGNwzGiMcBEugJkjvzyGSCxYBwhwMMBzYgfdxO6IvHgO8onXw0pZRLLSwENExvlja4E0Yk1RFwcrkANVKB8_EFRZRO9lfznceKAPRs4Cwss5N/s400/CBL+Paperback+Cover+Twitter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://a.co/8g79GJP" target="_blank">CBL on Amazon.com</a> <a href="http://a.co/8qqhFup" target="_blank">CBL on Amazon.ca</a> <a href="http://amzn.eu/9DSytpP" target="_blank">CBL on Amazon.co.uk</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0774ZCCP5/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_AequAb0D69JVZ" target="_blank">CBL on Amazon.de</a><br />
<a href="http://amzn.in/5L0nWB7" target="_blank">CBL on Amazon.in</a> <a href="http://amzn.eu/41m71Gk" target="_blank">CBL on Amazon.fr</a> <a href="http://a.co/iiiAQQw" target="_blank">CBL on Amazon.com.mx</a> <a href="http://a.co/bNehDpv" target="_blank">CBL on Amazon.com.br</a><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="550" src="https://read.amazon.ca/kp/card?asin=B0774ZCCP5&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_KlquAb001VEZD" style="max-width: 100%;" type="text/html" width="336"></iframe>
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I am so thankful to have been able to paint a more complete picture of my thoughts on CBL with the Connections-based Learning book. I have tried to make this book accessible to as many as possible. Not only am I able to share examples of CBL in action with this book but in the Kindle version, there are links to Twitter hashtags (like <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CBLChat&src=typd" target="_blank">#CBLchat</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CoConstructGoals&src=typd" target="_blank">#CoConstructGoals</a>) to allow the conversation to deepen. This is a great starting place for anyone wondering what connections-based learning is all about.<br />
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<a href="http://connectionsbasedlearning.com/">Connectionsbasedlearning.com</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvSNra5Wd9mW8cVDy1LsXx94wCKb3YlRnM_WqPrwYxM4IOswPEu3c0KTnK1dM1FsroQdS8rgGQscLZ7NsLIAkBovt4YzLUkINFStzl4zt9nfKs3XJ9KMA7IxiveEYu4gTMW6biln-EliP/s1600/CBL+website.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="1530" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvSNra5Wd9mW8cVDy1LsXx94wCKb3YlRnM_WqPrwYxM4IOswPEu3c0KTnK1dM1FsroQdS8rgGQscLZ7NsLIAkBovt4YzLUkINFStzl4zt9nfKs3XJ9KMA7IxiveEYu4gTMW6biln-EliP/s640/CBL+website.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://connectionsbasedlearning.com/">Connectionsbasedlearning.com</a> is also another place to visit on your CBL journey. It outlines the three focuses of CBL: connect, collaborate, and cultivate. It shares ways to connect. It contains research and resources. It is a great spot to bookmark and refer back to.<br />
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And many more resources exist to add to your knowledge of connections based learning:<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOMJX5LflTYZbKBYj8aJjDw" target="_blank">My Youtube Channel</a> / <a href="https://plus.google.com/communities/105990227223931221485" target="_blank">Google plus Community</a> / <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">This blog</a><br />
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In the end, CBL is what you make of it and how it plays out in your classes. Join our <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2018/01/join-cblchat-voxer-community.html" target="_blank">Voxer chat community</a> here: <a href="https://t.co/8uQBET4ZQK" target="_blank">#CBLchat Voxer Community</a> and share what you think connections-based learning is. Or share your thoughts on Twitter using the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=%23CBLChat&src=typd" target="_blank">#CBLchat</a> hashtag. Find me on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/teachcbl/" target="_blank">TeachCBL</a>. Comment below. But please, share your thoughts!<br />
<br />Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-26453292881648481902018-01-04T11:57:00.000-08:002018-01-04T15:26:18.218-08:00Join the #CBLchat Voxer Community<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGu8ZNorVIzcFfEfgrxX6RyakuvL8uuvsZsbn2ALz2_2mpetVlJU04BGsytArrCXn1lIUy19_cvzFZhtWKJ20SPdYoUAtp6AAAV8D3FmW1f7BRcXYWuAC_At9mh8JYbRACQQoAFCvuzIS/s1600/CBLchat+Voxer+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1123" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGu8ZNorVIzcFfEfgrxX6RyakuvL8uuvsZsbn2ALz2_2mpetVlJU04BGsytArrCXn1lIUy19_cvzFZhtWKJ20SPdYoUAtp6AAAV8D3FmW1f7BRcXYWuAC_At9mh8JYbRACQQoAFCvuzIS/s400/CBLchat+Voxer+Map.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The concept of <i>community </i>is an important aspect of my life. I think it is for most of us. Whether it is the nostalgia of growing up with kindred spirits (these days referred to as BFFs) or spending years watching TV shows like <i>Friends</i>, or <i>Cheers </i>(where everybody knows your name), I think we all long to be part of a group that enjoys life together. Churches work at this diligently. Whether they call them Bible studies, life groups, small groups, community groups, the hope is that each member of the church body finds its place in a troop just the right size. Large enough to obtain a group dynamic, yet small enough not to get lost.<br />
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We possess a yearning to be known with all our bumps and bruises. To be accepted. We see it in the classic coming-of-age stories. Finding the proverbial seat in the cafeteria. (See <i>Mean Girls</i>, <i>Mr. Peabody and Sherman</i>, <i>Karate Kid</i>, <i>Spiderman</i>, <i>A Walk To Remember</i>, and now <i>Wonder</i>) At our core is a desire to connect, to know and to be known, a longing not only for acceptance but for inclusion. Community addresses this longing.<br />
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Our desire for community isn't simply indulgence. It is how we grow, how we learn. I reference that in the<a href="http://a.co/bYsyczQ" target="_blank"> Connections-based Learning book</a> when I talk about the <i>Kangaroo Care</i> I gave to my preemie twins. Through connection, we thrive. It is the basic understanding of connections-based learning: we learn as we connect. We learn even more as we connect with those who are different from us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjN9id7QrGWwSCa3ifOMWg0x6AQeshWATLDdloOBFcJM3F_9WOb-6CWWrV-TFhP1qEobOPQkWmGcwnkMCc6yQbGdULMuetiuL3CDJW9asNZXNzdwvKsekWco3G9cW0P8Km8qKFoXRZLb8/s1600/voxer-logo-horizontal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="980" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjN9id7QrGWwSCa3ifOMWg0x6AQeshWATLDdloOBFcJM3F_9WOb-6CWWrV-TFhP1qEobOPQkWmGcwnkMCc6yQbGdULMuetiuL3CDJW9asNZXNzdwvKsekWco3G9cW0P8Km8qKFoXRZLb8/s320/voxer-logo-horizontal.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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For a number of years now, I have been part of a growing community. With an approach to teaching focused on connections, a community is vital. We connect through an app called <a href="http://voxer.com/" target="_blank">Voxer</a>, a multi-person messaging app. This is where we share our trials and triumphs as we connect our classes with learning partners near and far.<br />
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<b>More than just a flash in the pan</b><br />
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A short connection does not attain the community needed for growth. Our <a href="https://t.co/8uQBET4ZQK" target="_blank">#CBLchat Voxer Community</a> allows for week to week connection. We can support each other over time. We can grow to understand each other. We can work together on collaborative projects...together.<br />
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<b>Voices / accents / intonation</b><br />
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Voxer allows for voice messages. I love hearing the different accents. I wish I could support interaction in more languages however English is what we are using at this point. But not only can we hear each others' voices, we hear each others' hearts. It is not polished; it is raw, real, genuine.<br />
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<b>A global focus</b><br />
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The map above pictures pins in the locations of the community's participants. My hope is that the map grows to where every country in the world is represented. Imagine that: educators coming together from around the globe to make education better for their classroom and their world.<br />
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Now I am not saying that joining the #CBLchat Voxer community is going to meet all your needs for belonging. It might help you find your tribe. It will definitely help you connect. What I am saying, though, is that I am going to change the way that I refer to it, and therefore the way we think about it. I have been calling this a chat but I want to change one word. Call it my<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23oneword&src=typd" target="_blank"> #OneWord</a> for the year. The #CBL Voxer Chat is the #CBLchat Voxer <i>Community</i>. I think the word better represents my hope for the group.<br />
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If you are interested in joining the community, you can click here: <a href="https://t.co/8uQBET4ZQK" target="_blank">#CBLchat Voxer Community</a>. It does require a <a href="http://voxer.com/" target="_blank">Voxer</a> account (free) but I think that it is well worth the effort. Though you can address the community with any kind of ideas around <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections-based_learning" target="_blank">connections-based learning</a>, to keep us conversing, I have been going through questions in the <a href="http://a.co/bYsyczQ" target="_blank">CBL book</a>. This gives us a weekly focus that I send out through Voxer and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23cblchat&src=typd" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.<br />
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Like people, communities have their bumps and bruises. None of them are perfect. But please feel welcome to join our imperfect group of educators as we learn and grow together.<br />
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<br />Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-59062359015886261552017-11-25T15:18:00.000-08:002017-12-02T14:11:06.642-08:00Connections-based Learning Book Available! #CBLchat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDj7PdDvpRtoFjlprtWskaZLrUMWlgyOo_QbgXUhYbJ2maQFOVc9aKlU-42ogIMpjbaKrP9C-GloOEZBDP4mx3JFOAW4kQ2YhdZSTx_APBTngIWT2hqTP9TEq9bb9tVneU2J5Aay278C9/s1600/CBL+Paperback+Cover+Twitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1162" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDj7PdDvpRtoFjlprtWskaZLrUMWlgyOo_QbgXUhYbJ2maQFOVc9aKlU-42ogIMpjbaKrP9C-GloOEZBDP4mx3JFOAW4kQ2YhdZSTx_APBTngIWT2hqTP9TEq9bb9tVneU2J5Aay278C9/s320/CBL+Paperback+Cover+Twitter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Find the book in your Amazon book store. See: <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Connections-based-Learning-Framework-Teaching-Connected-ebook/dp/B0774ZCCP5/ref=zg_bs_5788757011_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A1ANRQBDZGV5BVZAPNDH" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a>.<br />
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There is a reason I have not posted in a while.<br />
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Our time is limited. We can't do everything and we have to make choices. For me, I have always wanted to give a full-fledged explanation of connections-based learning. I set my sights on writing a CBL book and gave up my blogging to do it. But I am back.<br />
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I am so excited to be able to provide this resource as educators navigate the connected world. I have combined a clear outline of the connections-based learning approach while sharing relevant hashtags to not only explain how to teach with the #ConnectionLens but how to get involved. And of course I include some silliness here and there.<br />
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At the time of this posting I have been so encouraged to see that CBL is number one on the Amazon Best Seller list for Pro D books. This is pretty surprising and super encouraging particularly because this book is about as indie as you can get. It reminds me of those videos students make for class that say: written by Jimmy, produced by Jimmy, filmed by Jimmy... with special thanks to Jimmy. You know that Jimmy kinda played a big role in the whole thing.<br />
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The book is loaded with ideas on how to make connections-based learning a reality in your class, but also makes a special effort to connect learning outcomes to CBL. I wanted to put to rest once and for all the notion that have to make a choice between following the curriculum and making local and global connections. You don't.<br />
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I will continue to moderate the <a href="https://web.voxer.com/chats/1452200365811_0029697343_5c47c372" target="_blank">#CBL Voxer Chat</a> with new vigor. Each week we will look at a "Vision Checkup" question (at the end of the chapters) and dialogue about it on Voxer and as a Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CBLchat&src=typd" target="_blank">#CBLchat</a> slow chat. If you want to join the <a href="http://voxer.com/" target="_blank">Voxer </a>chat then don't hesitate to contact me.<br />
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Thanks so much for being a part of the <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a> community. Here's to leveraging connections for student learning!Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-19308819340967591932017-02-01T10:11:00.000-08:002017-03-05T21:13:44.241-08:00Teamwork makes the dream work | #CBL Collaboration Lens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My son loves the <a href="http://dudeperfect.com/" target="_blank">dudes</a>. I've mentioned <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/co-construct-learning-goals-cbl.html" target="_blank">the love-hate relationship I have with the bottle flipping epidemic</a> before. I have Dude Perfect to thank for that. But it's not just the flipping. It's the trick shots, and the videos, and the making anything into a competition. It's the cap flips and the 30 foot 3 pointers. It's making me loony. But I can't help myself. I gotta keep taking those shots.<br />
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Dude perfect represents something to me, though: teamwork.<br />
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If it was just <a href="https://twitter.com/TylerNToney" target="_blank">Tyler Toney</a>, taking the shots, it wouldn't have caught on. It's the synergy. It's the team. It's buddies working together to work against each other to make something happen. I love the Dude Perfect team. They are real with their strengths and weaknesses. They capitalize on both. And they make something special together: something motivating, something engaging, something inspiring.<br />
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Something to get me to make a 2-story no-look cap flip.<br />
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Think about the last time you worked on something as a team. Did it go well? Were you happy with the product, the process, the experience? Did you feel as though you had come to an understanding with your teammates? Or did you decide to never work with them again?<br />
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Working in groups happens day in and day out in school. From long term group projects to 30 second think-pair-shares, students are often working in groups. But how often do we as educators give students tools to help them do groupwork effectively? We can't simply throw students together and hope for the best.<br />
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Teamwork is a skill. After a semester of developing teamwork skills, the teamwork I see at the end of the semester is different than the teamwork I see at the beginning. Students seem happier with the team. They seem more effective. They seem to come up with better responses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_aAeOx8WT9q2GBT9K8znANfZdcAwvmLkfjAWtO0d8BI2b4CDND3o4cgKljb41s2VR9wIMSXp8Hw6XWwJB47TA4kKW1q_RGtHiMFBkX6uyXBSIUTc-w_QfiPd1ueKrkofm9jMKpo6m-LQ/s1600/CBL+Design+graphic+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_aAeOx8WT9q2GBT9K8znANfZdcAwvmLkfjAWtO0d8BI2b4CDND3o4cgKljb41s2VR9wIMSXp8Hw6XWwJB47TA4kKW1q_RGtHiMFBkX6uyXBSIUTc-w_QfiPd1ueKrkofm9jMKpo6m-LQ/s320/CBL+Design+graphic+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Strategize a Collaboration Plan</strong><br />
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No one goes into a partnership without first discussing the terms. How can we ask our students to do just that? A collaboration plan is crucial as students embark on <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a>. In the CBL Design process, students reflect on the collaboration at the beginning of the process. This was crucial as we responded to the dire conditions in the bateyes we heard from <a href="https://twitter.com/ejimenezmade" target="_blank">Eladio</a>, Dennis and the students from <i><a href="http://www.tcfl.edu.do/" target="_blank">The Community For Learning</a></i> school in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The students had <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/empathize-local-and-global-needs-cbl.html" target="_blank">empathized the needs</a>, <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/co-construct-learning-goals-cbl.html" target="_blank">co-constructed learning goals</a> with me, and <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/dare-to-dream-cbl-collaboration-lens.html" target="_blank">developed a proposal</a> to address light poverty. The next step was to establish how the team would function.<br />
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Answering questions such as what strengths do we bring to the group, what non-negotiables do we have, and how do we see the work load divided must take place to guide the collaboration. Using our <a href="https://www.onenote.com/classnotebook">OneNote Class Notebook</a> collaboration space, students ironed out some group parameters by answering some guiding questions.<br />
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They then signed the plan, demonstrating that they were committed to these ideas. Opportunities for guided collaboration must continue throughout the CBL. Having digital and actual time and space for collaboration is crucial for developing teamwork. Whether it's brainstorming questions for Skype chats:<br />
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or gathering a list of materials to create 3D printed lanterns<br />
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collaboration is entered into by the students, but monitored and guided by the teacher. Finally, it should be reflected upon by each student, as they <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/jannag2016/2017/01/19/artifacts-of-learning-engineering-brightness-reflection/" target="_blank">bookend their learning</a>.</div>
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When teamwork skills are built, there is no telling what students can do. I am amazed at <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2017/01/how-to-tackle-light-poverty.html" target="_blank">what these students created to address light poverty in the Dominican Republic</a> as they worked together. And I love the sentiment above: </div>
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<i>"we can accomplish anything if we put our minds to it"</i></div>
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See previous CBL Design Posts:</div>
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- <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/empathize-local-and-global-needs-cbl.html">Empathize Local and Global Needs</a></div>
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- <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/co-construct-learning-goals-cbl.html">Co-construct Learning Goals</a></div>
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- <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/dare-to-dream-cbl-collaboration-lens.html" target="_blank">Dare to Dream</a></div>
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<i>Thanks for walking with us as we attempt to tackle light poverty. Support us in further attempts by visiting our My Class Needs page.</i></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="560px" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://myclassneeds.ca/en/project/8722/embed/" width="320px"></iframe></div>
Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-75159519257307446942017-01-26T10:48:00.000-08:002017-01-28T11:47:25.693-08:00How to Tackle Light Poverty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO080LIM7F8k53VduJc9yWSeILUNuTUbpyNzJcZl8zMBWayoBdrnNpVZGtXxE9k2iQ9Dyvf6wplIdFSfcjNI2_vKuI1yLlq2KFBuwrPsC0RImcY6lDimCGtFICZ8KMbnMTUwjpt0OEzrFx/s1600/CBL+EB+Title.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO080LIM7F8k53VduJc9yWSeILUNuTUbpyNzJcZl8zMBWayoBdrnNpVZGtXxE9k2iQ9Dyvf6wplIdFSfcjNI2_vKuI1yLlq2KFBuwrPsC0RImcY6lDimCGtFICZ8KMbnMTUwjpt0OEzrFx/s320/CBL+EB+Title.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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On November 21st, 2016, I wrote a post called <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/11/doing-something-beyond-ourselves.html">Doing Something Beyond Ourselves</a>. In it, I outlined an idea that I wanted to press into: meaningful making in connections-based learning. Provoked by a connection, the natural response is to ask "what are we going to do/make about it?" Admitting my own lack of electronics skill, I went about making connections to facilitate my students to get involved with battling light poverty. We went through the whole CBL process as we connected with collaborators in New Brunswick and the Dominican Republic: design, network, create, and celebrate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNeWpwnoQUpf6gjktLWr6iaWOhAZuyUISvTsLrRVAY-MwH9dntR_ziV2d1OzjSwuPOAbPv5KFr6ID94YRWtLsJ6jv8EyWxIS276ov_3kYcvhcoZHgLgNxfG6Q6Enysw0_3-ptz4mjMpcZ/s1600/CBL+Collaborate+Lens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNeWpwnoQUpf6gjktLWr6iaWOhAZuyUISvTsLrRVAY-MwH9dntR_ziV2d1OzjSwuPOAbPv5KFr6ID94YRWtLsJ6jv8EyWxIS276ov_3kYcvhcoZHgLgNxfG6Q6Enysw0_3-ptz4mjMpcZ/s320/CBL+Collaborate+Lens.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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What follows is what my students created in response to our connection with students in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and the <b>Engineering Brightness</b> group with Ian Fogarty in Riverview, New Brunswick. I am very proud of where the students got to: prototyping, fundraising, light building, connecting with other schools. It was a pleasure to work with these students.<br />
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When a connection is made, the possibilities blow open wide.<br />
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I encourage you to look at these student "Artifacts of Learning" posts, see what they have accomplished, hear what they have learned, and comment on their thoughts.<br />
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<b>Lantern Housing Design</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FtNw9iDlJzeHlUlEntuod6_Y01FS01EctaVNxtF5PXZKRft9SQupLLu6wfFwkKb3cGcO9r1POrFLNVfszVPOwcKy-bELy2iGUc0QFBLP-NK52fjMa5ID_RWjsWUycQhEQg9zfhgdnbiy/s1600/Lantern+Designs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FtNw9iDlJzeHlUlEntuod6_Y01FS01EctaVNxtF5PXZKRft9SQupLLu6wfFwkKb3cGcO9r1POrFLNVfszVPOwcKy-bELy2iGUc0QFBLP-NK52fjMa5ID_RWjsWUycQhEQg9zfhgdnbiy/s320/Lantern+Designs.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>became</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDTK88aHXdgoAYM9R7ykRdoPREr3GLBl8m0oI6ExKK_ZHuWpgZJjIyPNhDDK540kCVDUdbiU5TG-lCLPn3f_ZcOdwzBrKcpykqrbs3geprYxH8801fzDdT_jU3ozUM1Z2RFv0wFDfr82i/s1600/Gavin+Lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDTK88aHXdgoAYM9R7ykRdoPREr3GLBl8m0oI6ExKK_ZHuWpgZJjIyPNhDDK540kCVDUdbiU5TG-lCLPn3f_ZcOdwzBrKcpykqrbs3geprYxH8801fzDdT_jU3ozUM1Z2RFv0wFDfr82i/s1600/Gavin+Lantern.jpg" /></a></div>
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These students prototyped their own light, designing and 3D printing the lantern housing. They created top and bottom, ready to add the light components.<br />
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/gavinp2016/2017/01/20/engineering-brightness-connection-based-learning/">Gavin's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/liamc2016/2017/01/20/engineering-brightness-connection-based-learning/">Liam's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/owenw2016/2017/01/20/light-lab-summery/">Owen's Post</a><br />
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<b>Fundraising</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3r9cbi6bLIlfPmSTD8ydl1PJetBZIJS4NUU3Mn4Vs13vGB_JKUF3eyIxO6MgzbLSyCRKBnpsvaly68YAe5WWz_az5ST9IMSmlMVnPGv57hvSGS18n10c_b0XUllIiRqiogB2ty-hqJZZ/s1600/Sabrina+Fundraiser+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3r9cbi6bLIlfPmSTD8ydl1PJetBZIJS4NUU3Mn4Vs13vGB_JKUF3eyIxO6MgzbLSyCRKBnpsvaly68YAe5WWz_az5ST9IMSmlMVnPGv57hvSGS18n10c_b0XUllIiRqiogB2ty-hqJZZ/s320/Sabrina+Fundraiser+Poster.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<b>became</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielBC6ICpImV9FDcxw_O8chI1ONGYbQXhGXgdSdpGDoQrggozCy09oVdFM6vEBbGD4CmHJFW3H6-zlu53OLwLVg7dxfajhMRWwvANojz1WiKbUaBzNCbzmjbFx-l_OY9Rd36PNba0KVywj/s1600/Bake+Sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielBC6ICpImV9FDcxw_O8chI1ONGYbQXhGXgdSdpGDoQrggozCy09oVdFM6vEBbGD4CmHJFW3H6-zlu53OLwLVg7dxfajhMRWwvANojz1WiKbUaBzNCbzmjbFx-l_OY9Rd36PNba0KVywj/s320/Bake+Sale.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/jannag2016/2017/01/19/artifacts-of-learning-engineering-brightness-reflection/">Janna's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/angelinah2016/2017/01/20/artifacts-of-learning/">Angie's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/sabrinas2016/2017/01/20/engineering-brightness-artifacts-of-learning/">Sabrina's Post</a><br />
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These students connected with other schools to raise money and awareness for light poverty. Right now schools around our district are getting involved and raising money to help the cause of light poverty. Other students put on a Photo Booth to raise money. They created a video to advertise the event.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjB8EgQWoW60vY2YHJNPqpqvyffEvG32L5b3CCwyv38xmqlDK2GzWgMou9woedGRRkOsBIXhnTk-8WJYDnjbt5ELsQ9UmCUP6mTyGB_BxEgPJ4FvoIbaCEw2jQnWzhcAcUkE7d-IHjICe/s1600/Photo+Booth+Ad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjB8EgQWoW60vY2YHJNPqpqvyffEvG32L5b3CCwyv38xmqlDK2GzWgMou9woedGRRkOsBIXhnTk-8WJYDnjbt5ELsQ9UmCUP6mTyGB_BxEgPJ4FvoIbaCEw2jQnWzhcAcUkE7d-IHjICe/s320/Photo+Booth+Ad.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Social Media Campaign</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn6idu7G8VFdLcSOY0NgnwMO-dP_SzjQrwbqigqSTkrj8Yph7VZreX7myh4nsylgRgEFXHProxmupgtpNiW2uxwPVA43-rfzhhP5sXmahgwxWAaMXLPCFhcvmBmfyUimjFls_lfZjFGfc/s1600/Social+Media.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn6idu7G8VFdLcSOY0NgnwMO-dP_SzjQrwbqigqSTkrj8Yph7VZreX7myh4nsylgRgEFXHProxmupgtpNiW2uxwPVA43-rfzhhP5sXmahgwxWAaMXLPCFhcvmBmfyUimjFls_lfZjFGfc/s320/Social+Media.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/marwaa2016/2017/01/20/cbl-artifacts-of-learning/">Marwa's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/jaydenb2016/2017/01/19/cbl-artifacts-of-learning/">Jayden's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/alyahg2016/2017/01/20/connections-based-learning-artifacts-engineering-brightness/">Alyah's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/ashianas2016/2017/01/19/engineering-brightness-artifacts-of-learning/">Ashiana's Post</a></div>
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<b>Electricity Production Design</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxAkYViMXOvea57reWkA87BWM8PoFpENquurooGl5PSKnnRqTQwOyy0vYoJ4tUejP0lv71yQ3-pwmajfDkV1UFTACvlVnDWEOJCXAhSBPD1zBCGeKY4elGIFboyiqpfFTTbc8EwiA6FSo/s1600/Alhans+Sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxAkYViMXOvea57reWkA87BWM8PoFpENquurooGl5PSKnnRqTQwOyy0vYoJ4tUejP0lv71yQ3-pwmajfDkV1UFTACvlVnDWEOJCXAhSBPD1zBCGeKY4elGIFboyiqpfFTTbc8EwiA6FSo/s320/Alhans+Sketch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>became</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFHYGG8apywuDCfmwcF8ZHLII98y7oiqCYzRDMV44bERjOn-8Fa7VM6iIgQoNxaveSeeqTH8lezK6FeoVBTMeNH7tY9cNUFy8r1jzoZ4sCCDK1fU31fW-6lPJ26-enw8JIaJczUKZYx2p/s1600/Shakeable+Light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFHYGG8apywuDCfmwcF8ZHLII98y7oiqCYzRDMV44bERjOn-8Fa7VM6iIgQoNxaveSeeqTH8lezK6FeoVBTMeNH7tY9cNUFy8r1jzoZ4sCCDK1fU31fW-6lPJ26-enw8JIaJczUKZYx2p/s320/Shakeable+Light.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These students developed an innovative technology to use kinetic energy to charge the lights. These shake-able lights could be carried around by a person or an animal to charge and then used at night. In these posts is a video that asks for future students to continue working on the idea.<br />
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/alhanz2016/2017/01/20/cbl-engineering-brightness-artifacts-of-learning/">Alhan's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/josht2016/2017/01/20/cbl-eb-artifacts-of-learning/">Josh's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/benjaminp2016/2017/01/17/cbl-engineering-brightness-artifacts-of-learning/">Ben's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/zaco2016/2017/01/20/engineering-brightness-artifacts-of-learning/">Zac's Post</a><br />
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<b>CBL Historians</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxS6yzoa2y4bDQPE3l40kn5ui7CbvZIIBb9jWXhyN6fH_EAe20Vt57ottjCJ1ivrF_9Im0rMLD0C_mkUMl9dB9h3G3-ZVFqln5HoFp5re-8iOGwZuaFL5liSjWCYuuYP5r8eQrj7GIohO/s1600/Class+Video.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxS6yzoa2y4bDQPE3l40kn5ui7CbvZIIBb9jWXhyN6fH_EAe20Vt57ottjCJ1ivrF_9Im0rMLD0C_mkUMl9dB9h3G3-ZVFqln5HoFp5re-8iOGwZuaFL5liSjWCYuuYP5r8eQrj7GIohO/s320/Class+Video.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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These students created a video to curate the activities and learning that was happening with the teams.<br />
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/ellam2016/2017/01/20/cbl-artifacts-of-learning/">Ella's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/clarem2016/2017/01/20/engineering-brightness-artifacts-of-learning/">Clare's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/riaj2016/2017/01/20/cbl-reflection/">Ria's Post</a><br />
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<b>Lantern Production</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pg3e0j7lrc17rISTUav_03_GnalQMBIUdU_OUCErZH3TmDSRU5XpofjPusS833lZRV95o60yHQl0xbMVgISWdu_ysSIXAajCTW78EJpUzwO7WjNeANaJs_-xxC1M7_r4oRyC3aSmXNNb/s1600/3D+Print+Fail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pg3e0j7lrc17rISTUav_03_GnalQMBIUdU_OUCErZH3TmDSRU5XpofjPusS833lZRV95o60yHQl0xbMVgISWdu_ysSIXAajCTW78EJpUzwO7WjNeANaJs_-xxC1M7_r4oRyC3aSmXNNb/s320/3D+Print+Fail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEXvnMkSlHIg1ha_74py1Luomoznl2zV8SY6tY9JWrB1FpZ4tURhALo3biFTzWLzHCs34n_8LnHOA3-ptM2Ph_MFE_pabwLdPEn6nppe5QZKKdcpRc7kG2Lu7uvPTV1IS3oJSpl9y5p0L/s1600/Kaleb%2527s+product.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEXvnMkSlHIg1ha_74py1Luomoznl2zV8SY6tY9JWrB1FpZ4tURhALo3biFTzWLzHCs34n_8LnHOA3-ptM2Ph_MFE_pabwLdPEn6nppe5QZKKdcpRc7kG2Lu7uvPTV1IS3oJSpl9y5p0L/s320/Kaleb%2527s+product.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These students were able to re-create the <b>Engineering Brightness</b> New Brunswick students' design and make a fully functioning light.<br />
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/kalebg2016/2017/01/24/artifacts-of-learning-engineering-brightness/">Kaleb's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/oliviah2016/2017/01/20/cbs-engineering-brighness-artifacts-of-learning/">Olivia's Post </a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/evant2016/2017/01/17/connection-based-learning/">Evan's Post</a><br />
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These students all helped in other capacities to tackle light poverty: creating Powerpoints, participating in Skype chats, supporting other teams, finding other methods of creating lights, and bringing an awareness to light poverty.<br />
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/ghazalh2016/2017/01/20/connections-based-learning/">Ghazal's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/brynneb2016/2017/01/25/artifacts-of-learning/">Brynne's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/zacharyc2016/2017/01/18/connecting-based-learning-part-one/">Zachary's Post</a> </div>
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/alanz2015/2017/01/23/connections-based-learning/">Alan's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/jackj2016/2017/01/23/engineering-brightness-artifacts-of-learning/">Jack's Post</a> <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/mariab2016/2017/01/20/engineering-brightness-cbl/">Maria's Post</a> </div>
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<i>Thanks for walking with us as we attempt to tackle light poverty! Support us in further attempts by visiting our My Class Needs page:</i></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="560px" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://myclassneeds.ca/en/project/8722/embed/" width="320px"></iframe>
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Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-41063868186898906552016-12-26T08:47:00.002-08:002017-02-01T10:57:38.592-08:00Dare to Dream | #CBL Collaboration Lens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSM2RmzjTXjv3UEA1q5vRilDL36-nMYwa4U8fqvY5X_HAMhqkOHsjiN77sqw2ubap_pjCDoKN_oM95R6sFclyauRlNjlagFp7ue9Ayg-zPsiRsHyzypcrbx36rV1RF9Zv28AKWO_QtrD2-/s1600/CBL+Proposal+Post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSM2RmzjTXjv3UEA1q5vRilDL36-nMYwa4U8fqvY5X_HAMhqkOHsjiN77sqw2ubap_pjCDoKN_oM95R6sFclyauRlNjlagFp7ue9Ayg-zPsiRsHyzypcrbx36rV1RF9Zv28AKWO_QtrD2-/s320/CBL+Proposal+Post.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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1.3 billion people don't have access to sustainable lighting. The immediate danger isn't the carcinogenic nature of kerosene lamps: people are dying in fires due to flame based light use at night. My Science 9 students got to hear firsthand of the conditions in areas dealing with light poverty. In a Skype chat with <a href="https://twitter.com/ejimenezmade" target="_blank">Eladio</a>, Dennis and their students from <i>The Community For Learning School</i> in the Dominican Republic, we heard about the conditions in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batey_(sugar_workers'_town)">bateyes</a>. These workers in the sugar cane fields live with little to no electricity; accessing safe light at night is one of the many struggles with which they deal.</div>
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In <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/11/doing-something-beyond-ourselves.html">Doing something beyond ourselves</a> I share my dream of <b>meaningful making</b> with <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/">Connections-based Learning</a>. Connections-based learning is an approach to teaching and learning that leverages the connected world. After making a connection, the most natural response is to ask "how can we help?". We design the learning experience by first seeking out needs. I share how we sought the needs in the Dominican Republic bateyes in <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/empathize-local-and-global-needs-cbl.html">Empathizing the Local and Global Needs</a>. The students and I then created learning goals together (See: <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/co-construct-learning-goals-cbl.html">Co-construct Learning Goals</a>) as we sought to meet those needs. The next step in <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/collaborate.html">CBL Design</a> is to develop a response to achieve those goals. At this stage, students dream what they propose to do and to make.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyB8y2Gw3HtkIf3WxqjY9HXdoHkrhlYXlsDn9H4LXxYUcPLTaQ-WLE2hZnMbok35poz84SsAfCNGbKy4-ULMFjDSsNJxmhR1HN4dofXfsXOJWfwpC7L4dnq3N6hU9lOedgzruX72iknMS/s1600/CBL+Design+graphic+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyB8y2Gw3HtkIf3WxqjY9HXdoHkrhlYXlsDn9H4LXxYUcPLTaQ-WLE2hZnMbok35poz84SsAfCNGbKy4-ULMFjDSsNJxmhR1HN4dofXfsXOJWfwpC7L4dnq3N6hU9lOedgzruX72iknMS/s320/CBL+Design+graphic+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Dream a CBL Proposal</b></div>
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Time must be given for students to dream up a response to the need and to flesh out what their response could look like. Through the inspiration of a real need, brainstorming sessions, and group discussions, students develop their plans. We used OneNote Class Notebook to collaborate and share ideas. We also Skyped with <a href="https://twitter.com/ifoggs" target="_blank">Ian Fogarty</a> and his students and learned about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ZRMvdn_ZQ&t=1s" target="_blank">Engineering Brightness</a>, an association of teachers hoping to address light poverty by STEM based making. I then ask students to make a polished document or blog post that outlines their proposal. Finally, students share their proposals to the rest of the class to further refine, get help for ideas, or to combine ideas. For me, proposal day is just as important as when students share their final products.</div>
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<b>Engineering Brightness Student Proposals</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxAkYViMXOvea57reWkA87BWM8PoFpENquurooGl5PSKnnRqTQwOyy0vYoJ4tUejP0lv71yQ3-pwmajfDkV1UFTACvlVnDWEOJCXAhSBPD1zBCGeKY4elGIFboyiqpfFTTbc8EwiA6FSo/s1600/Alhans+Sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxAkYViMXOvea57reWkA87BWM8PoFpENquurooGl5PSKnnRqTQwOyy0vYoJ4tUejP0lv71yQ3-pwmajfDkV1UFTACvlVnDWEOJCXAhSBPD1zBCGeKY4elGIFboyiqpfFTTbc8EwiA6FSo/s320/Alhans+Sketch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>"Create
a more efficient source of light for countries that have light poverty using
electromagnets"</i> - <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/alhanz2016/2016/12/06/engineering-brightness-1-2/">Alhan's Proposal</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulCw_DxgqvpdFH8aikCswgifGXnk59dcAKr2wraQU2GxTug6bgvC_cpeRfL56fG42g0o6ahsO-vvhwr-6HKBLXOfLChTxWEPXAaCIuejs5FND4IKDAAq0iEDa4oL_vywswNDkl8BtS2mg/s1600/Lantern+design.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulCw_DxgqvpdFH8aikCswgifGXnk59dcAKr2wraQU2GxTug6bgvC_cpeRfL56fG42g0o6ahsO-vvhwr-6HKBLXOfLChTxWEPXAaCIuejs5FND4IKDAAq0iEDa4oL_vywswNDkl8BtS2mg/s320/Lantern+design.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>"Make a solar powered light but also teach them how to make it so
they can fix it if they brake it and also they can make even more if they need
them so they are self sufficient" </i>- <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/liamc2016/2016/12/08/engineering-brightness-2/">Liam's Proposal</a></div>
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<i>"one of our goals, would be for Kaleb to start creating a model of our light source in his Industry and Design 10 course, to give us an idea of what it would look like. We could get help from outside sources of the school, with the connections that we have made from the Skype calls, or even with a new source."</i> - <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/oliviah2016/2016/12/04/engineering-brightness-proposal/">Olivia's Proposal</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGp_7Nxed0JDgZXMBjDITFRLEXnKrXX1Z2J03hO6xzMGy89lqbcVOZ_WkeiEyglI-pWnv419oYWfAy6iXSIq-UUxESKYPMPyx3gTWMe94TY0gSde9SJO5_tNJGeLuXWu9d-0zJhTvGXfjy/s1600/CBL+Photo+Booth.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGp_7Nxed0JDgZXMBjDITFRLEXnKrXX1Z2J03hO6xzMGy89lqbcVOZ_WkeiEyglI-pWnv419oYWfAy6iXSIq-UUxESKYPMPyx3gTWMe94TY0gSde9SJO5_tNJGeLuXWu9d-0zJhTvGXfjy/s320/CBL+Photo+Booth.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>"Fundraise
enough money to supply Alhan's group to make shakable lights and be able to
teach our friends in the Dominican Republic to make lights as well"</i> - <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/ashianas2016/2016/12/06/engineering-brightness-proposal-eliminating-darkness-one-light-at-a-time/">Ashiana's Proposal</a><br />
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<i>"We could do a bake sale and possibly pair up with another group and maybe work with Citadel Middle School and their leadership team to raise money at their school.</i> - <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/clarem2016/2016/12/08/cbl-engineering-brightness/">Clare's Proposal</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKp-q-yl5AW2U9PUCTl0nIsY0_mwbtWgznIig_yHxGVKNFH21bDRaCRbalYTz3f6DvyTIKZ-N9rDH2ONWbBNivliQgFYTDytOo8KyJqAhoURtM30q12fA3jdECnzeRvEmDz9UtCWXhFwcO/s1600/CBL+Collaborate+with+Middle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKp-q-yl5AW2U9PUCTl0nIsY0_mwbtWgznIig_yHxGVKNFH21bDRaCRbalYTz3f6DvyTIKZ-N9rDH2ONWbBNivliQgFYTDytOo8KyJqAhoURtM30q12fA3jdECnzeRvEmDz9UtCWXhFwcO/s320/CBL+Collaborate+with+Middle.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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<i>"Raise awareness about the light poverty in the Dominican, and also raise $1000 dollars towards buying/making lights to send to the Dominican Republic"</i> - <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/sabrinas2016/2016/12/03/engineering-brightness-reflection-1/">Sabrina's Proposal</a></div>
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<i>"Our plan is to make a power point on everything that has happened during this project and what other people are doing. To also try and spread awareness for light poverty."</i> - <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/brynneb2016/2016/12/08/engineering-brightness/">Brynne's Proposal</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdp8-ATXXwyHBCH6Fd3Owm3yOhA__F9PlCJhjXZl8EV4t10IYp-ABSIXqqnPfkzqSdHTNlRQF307gzG_b5uVdaUGq4Sk0ruCdlpOiC61n2q6ty0bt-VnS0RwFkvdbJR19P3WlaXXE0TaB/s1600/CBL+with+Litre+of+Light.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdp8-ATXXwyHBCH6Fd3Owm3yOhA__F9PlCJhjXZl8EV4t10IYp-ABSIXqqnPfkzqSdHTNlRQF307gzG_b5uVdaUGq4Sk0ruCdlpOiC61n2q6ty0bt-VnS0RwFkvdbJR19P3WlaXXE0TaB/s320/CBL+with+Litre+of+Light.png" width="223" /></a></div>
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<i>"We were thinking about working with solar power, because it’s safer and easier to charge the light, we also thought that it’s really interesting and trying new stuff. We are now connecting with a company called Liter of Light to get some ideas"</i> - <a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/mariab2016/2016/12/07/cbl-engineering-brightness-proposal/">Maria's Proposal</a><br />
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The above links are just a few of the proposals students shared out to the rest of the class. Each student works out loud sharing their proposals to allow for <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2015/11/meaningful-comments-why.html">meaningful commenting</a>. I encourage you to take a look at the proposals and make a meaningful comment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIf5vuzCAvVXYxfzVv06fUaKHOS3M4pKRy3q409xvjr6Jm2Q9yL04gKTzq4m8XoOzVUQuVi3wejJLaswDF4FxpXFwRRIOyfPetHw2cfzW8QfjkESjAdvhTUlymnRR7GS6AKkvdoG6_Z5w6/s1600/blogger-image--180731772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIf5vuzCAvVXYxfzVv06fUaKHOS3M4pKRy3q409xvjr6Jm2Q9yL04gKTzq4m8XoOzVUQuVi3wejJLaswDF4FxpXFwRRIOyfPetHw2cfzW8QfjkESjAdvhTUlymnRR7GS6AKkvdoG6_Z5w6/s320/blogger-image--180731772.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It has been amazing to watch these students' dreams become a reality. As they connect, design, build, and campaign, they must work as a team. Part of the CBL design is to plan to work together. I will share how we do that in a post: <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2017/02/teamwork-makes-dream-work-cbl.html" target="_blank">Teamwork makes the dream work</a>.<br />
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Thanks for walking with us as we attempt to make a difference in light poverty.<br />
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See previous CBL Design Posts:<br />
- <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/empathize-local-and-global-needs-cbl.html">Empathize Local and Global Needs</a><br />
- <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/co-construct-learning-goals-cbl.html">Co-construct Learning Goals</a><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="560px" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://myclassneeds.ca/en/project/8722/embed/" width="365px"></iframe></div>
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<i>Consider partnering with us as we fight light poverty in the Dominican Republic</i></div>
Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-52032896719723857592016-12-11T15:54:00.000-08:002016-12-26T08:50:34.700-08:00Co-construct Learning Goals | #CBL Collaboration Lens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Bottle Flipping</b> is sequestered to the back deck in the Robinson household. If you don't know what I am talking about, see this <a href="https://dudeperfect.com/">Dude Perfect</a> video:<br />
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It is all the rage. I see it at soccer practices. At breakfast. In my class. In the car. I am not sure, but I think it actually can cause parental madness.<br />
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But I can't ban it all together. To see someone work to perfect something must be pondered as an educator. It is the equivalent of kids developing their skateboarding skills, practicing that ollie over and over and over again until they get it just right. It causes me to ask myself what causes this drive. And how can I utilize this for learning. When we tap into students' own drive, learning is transformed from blowing on embers to managing a blaze.<br />
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This is the second in a series of posts that look at the <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/collaborate.html">Connections-based Learning Collaboration Lens</a>. In the previous post we examined what it means to <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/empathize-local-and-global-needs-cbl.html">empathize local and global needs</a>. Now that my students have discovered needs that they want to address in response to the <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/11/doing-something-beyond-ourselves.html">Dominican Republic provocation</a>, the next step is to bring out students' own learning goals. Here is where bottle flipping meets school. Can we tap into students' own interests while guiding them in meaningful directions? Can we construct learning goals together?<br />
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<strong>Co-construct Learning Goals</strong><br />
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In our <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/11/doing-something-beyond-ourselves.html">Engineering Brightness CBL</a>, the students were asked to ponder the connection. An answer to the light poverty in the Dominican Republic is a natural response. Hearing about the need for safe efficient light sources leads to students to consider how they can help. In our case, after brainstorming and discussing the Dominican Republic connection, the students were to write down their goals for learning.<br />
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I comment on these goals encouraging students to elaborate, press into, or try a different direction for their goals. Often students have ideas on <b>what they want to do</b>, but I encourage them to develop <b>what they want to learn</b>. As I do this, I keep in mind my own goals for this CBL. In this case, my goals stem from the competencies that I selected from <a href="https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/science/9">the new British Columbia curriculum</a>. They look like this:<br />
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Students also get to make their own rubric that looks at the focuses of the <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/collaborate.html">CBL Collaboration Lens</a>, considering ideas such as Design, Network, Create, and Celebrate as they construct their learning goals. Later, this rubric will be used to self-assess after the students receive <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/02/4-steps-to-feedback-meaningfully-cbl.html">meaningful feedback</a> on their digital portfolios.<br />
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You might notice that below each rubric strand is a place for <b>evidence</b>. When I ask the students to do a final evaluation, they need to add evidence that supports how they assess themselves. I take a copy of these Co-construction sheets and then give them back to the students. They can use these sheets to guide them as they develop their proposal and carry on with their work. Will their own goals engage them as much as bottle flipping? Time will tell.<br />
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The proposals the students came up with are amazing. I am going to outline them in the next post: <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/dare-to-dream-cbl-collaboration-lens.html">Dream a Proposal | #CBL Collaboration Lens</a>. Here is a little taste of what one group came up with:<br />
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<i>Consider partnering with us as we fight light poverty in the Dominican Republic</i></div>
Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-43065196187420528612016-12-08T09:21:00.000-08:002016-12-11T15:59:48.156-08:00Empathize Local and Global Needs | #CBL Collaboration Lens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My Science 9 students are well on their way with their <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning </a>to help the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batey_(sugar_workers'_town)" target="_blank">bateyes</a> of the Dominican Republic with the problem of light poverty. I shared how this CBL came to be in <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/11/doing-something-beyond-ourselves.html" target="_blank">Doing Something Beyond Ourselves</a>. At that point, I had a few ideas on where I wanted to take my students, but it was all speculation.</div>
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Now the students have been unleashed. Connections do that. They catch students right where heads meet hearts. They reveal a compassion that might hide dormant without prompting. Connections fan the flames of empathy and lead to action. Learning becomes a necessity, not an assignment.<br />
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We had two amazing Skype chats focused on light poverty. You can find a taste of these chats on these student posts:<br />
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/angelinah2016/2016/12/07/cbl-engineering-brightness-proposal/" target="_blank">Student Post</a></div>
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<a href="http://myriverside.sd43.bc.ca/ashianas2016/category/grade-9/science-9/" target="_blank">Student Post</a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/collaborate.html" target="_blank">Connections-based learning Collaboration Lens</a> helps educators steward the connection. It is one thing to make an amazing connection with the community, an expert, an organization or another group of students. It is quite another to maximize it for learning.<br />
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I want to share how we used the CBL Collaboration lens to take us from connection into response. It starts with the <b>Design focus </b>and specifically <b>Empathizing</b> local and global needs.<br />
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<strong>Empathize local and global needs</strong><br />
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Seconds after our Skype chat was over with Eladio, Dennis and the students from the Dominican Republic, we were talking <strong>needs</strong>. Now the needs might be a little more obvious when we are talking about the people living as sugar cane workers in the Dominican Republic. There might be one or two hours of electricity a day. There might be none. And if electricity is available, it is during the day. Light at night is a real issue and affects both learning and safety. It was hard to hear about people dying in fires as a result of candle and kerosene lamp use at night from Dennis during our Dominican Republic Skype chat.<br />
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But empathizing needs looked vastly different for the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/trending/education/a-journey-into-space" target="_blank">SSEP CBL</a> my students did. In that case, our experiments would never get on the Space X rocket if they didn't address a need. The need gives meaning to the action. It gives meaning to the making. The need has to be there. Without it, why bother.<br />
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My students went through a whole CBL process as they designed their Engineering Brightness learning experience. The first thing was to reflect on the connection, ponder the needs they discovered, and develop the learning goals they have for themselves. Here are some student samples:<br />
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With students discovering needs through the connection, the next step is to Co-construct Learning Goals. I will continue to share as this CBL develops. Look for the next post: <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/12/co-construct-learning-goals-cbl.html">Co-construct Learning Goals | #CBL Collaboration Lens</a>.<br />
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<i>Consider partnering with us as we fight light poverty in the Dominican Republic.</i></div>
Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-10575444375799263192016-11-21T14:05:00.001-08:002016-11-22T18:13:44.995-08:00Doing something beyond ourselves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>The last time I made an electronics project was in grade 9. It was a light tree. A large metal box would hook up to a stereo receiver and pick up the analogue audio signals. The box would translate the signals into different frequencies which would light up one of the three different coloured lights hidden underneath light globes. It's gone now, but I kept it around for decades.</i><br />
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There has been something stuck in my mind for some time: meaningful making in Connections-based Learning.<br />
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It is so natural. When provoked by a connection, the natural question to ask our students is:<br />
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<i>Now that we know what we know, and have seen what we have seen, and have met whom we have met, what are are we going to do about it?</i><br />
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But also:</div>
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<i>What are we going to MAKE about it?</i></div>
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I found the perfect connection to develop my chops in meaningful making several months ago.<br />
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I met <a href="https://twitter.com/STEMhowe" target="_blank">John Howe</a> in Denver Colorado at ISTE 2016. He is a pilot, a Smart Exemplary Educator, and a big proponent in STEM education as a STEM institute director. He was presenting in one of the digital playgrounds in front of a bunch of engaged educators. During his presentation, he shared this video on Engineering Brightness.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/90ZRMvdn_ZQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/90ZRMvdn_ZQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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I was floored. This was it. If ever there was a meaningful making endeavor, building lights to combat light poverty was it. I stuck around after and asked John about this Engineering Brightness company. He was clear to say that Engineering Brightness was "more of an association". He shared about this association and the grass roots nature of the association between the handful of classes involved drew me in even more.<br />
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Addressing light poverty. Printed circuit boards. 3D printing. Soldering.<br />
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All this was well beyond my capabilities. You know my experience with electronics: <b>nothing since grade 9.</b> Add to that I had no supplies, no Makerspace, no 3D printing experience. The only thing I could do was what I have been teaching my students all this time: make connections.<br />
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Really, to do anything amazing, you have to make connections.<br />
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I immediately made a connection with a fellow Canadian who had some experience in Engineering Brightness.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/ifoggs">@ifoggs</a> Heard about ur involvement w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/Eng_Bright">@Eng_Bright</a> from @preSTEMhowe @ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISTE2016?src=hash">#ISTE2016</a> & interested in bringing 2 <a href="https://twitter.com/rside43">@rside43</a> in BC. Wanted to connect</div>
— Sean Robinson (@sr_tutor) <a href="https://twitter.com/sr_tutor/status/748194551257391104">June 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/ifoggs" target="_blank">Ian Fogarty</a> is an award winning high school teacher, a past NASA researcher and currently co-director for the <a href="http://www.shad.ca/" target="_blank">SHAD </a>network (to name only a small part of his impressive portfolio). He lives on the other side of the country but he was quick to try to help me out. We chatted over Skype and he shared his story and passion. A few weeks later, I was surprised by a package he sent to me: a light prototype.</div>
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Meanwhile, I began a connection of another kind. I sought funding for materials through My Class Needs and Fuel Your School. Here is my "fund me" page.<br />
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At this point, the funding level is low. In fact, I am not sure if I will get any funds in this way. But should a perceived lack of funds stop the process? Not without pressing deeper into the connections. I added connections from teachers at my school. <a href="https://twitter.com/AbrahamKang_" target="_blank">Abraham </a>and Ollie, two of our Industrial Design teachers, were quick to come on board.<br />
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Most recently I made a connection Eliadio Jimenez Made and his team in the Dominican Republic. It began as this simple tweet.<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/ejimenezmade">@ejimenezmade</a> No prob. Another thing: fighting <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lightpoverty?src=hash">#lightpoverty</a>. Can U help us make a connection 2 those who need help? <a href="https://t.co/VjfPdqpypC">https://t.co/VjfPdqpypC</a></div>
— Sean Robinson (@sr_tutor) <a href="https://twitter.com/sr_tutor/status/794949988585377793">November 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
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I now have a Skype chat set up with <a href="https://twitter.com/ejimenezmade" target="_blank">Eladio</a>, Dennis (also in the picture), and some of their students. They will share some of the conditions of the communities surrounding them with my students and give me the chance to ask: so what are we going to do about it.<br />
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The idea here is that I have no idea where this is going to go. And the much bigger idea is:<b> that is okay</b>. If we are wanting to ask our students to step out of their comfort zones, share their work in portfolios, make meaningful connections, and do meaningful things, we must be willing to do this as educators ourselves. Blog posts shouldn't only contain the successful, but the not-yet-successful, and the I-hope-this-works, as well.<br />
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I am excited to see where this goes and am enjoying the journey and relationships built on the way.Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-4425308533671703012016-11-02T11:16:00.001-07:002016-11-04T07:57:35.445-07:00A Journey into Space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.sd43.bc.ca/Pages/Space.aspx" target="_blank">Our district</a> has been given a microgravity experiment chamber and cargo space aboard a rocket travelling to the International Space Station. That rocket will dock with the ISS and deliver the experiment to the astronauts living in the microgravity environment. While there, an astronaut will carry out the specific instructions of the experiment. Finally, the experiment chamber will be loaded up for transport back to earth. Meanwhile, the same experiment will be completed back in British Columbia. The control group and the experimental space group will be compared and the effects of microgravity on the contents of the experimental chamber will be analyzed.<br />
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Sounds fictional doesn't it. But it is actually true! The <a href="http://ssep.ncesse.org/about-ssep/" target="_blank">Student Spaceflight Experiments Program</a> (SSEP) allows students to participate in a real-life science process. And real life science is competitive. There is one spot for which hundreds of groups compete. And I have students who really want to have that spot.<br />
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It is an amazing opportunity! The big question is: how do we best steward this opportunity? How do we maximize our talents? How do teams in my class get to be the ones who have their experiment taken to space?<br />
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If there is one thing I know from my work with Connections-based Learning, we can't do this alone. We used the <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a> lens to guide us as we created our experiments. <a href="http://www.connectionsbasedlearning.com/collaborate.html" target="_blank">The Collaborate component</a> is not meant to be a prescription but is to be used as a guide to leverage the connected world to learn. Each facet reminds us how making connections can be part of the learning process. To create a great SSEP experiment, making connections must be part of the plan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CBL Infographic by Sean Robinson and Leigh Cassell</td></tr>
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<strong>Design</strong><br />
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Immediately we got down to the business of design. <br />
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Using pages in our OneNote class notebook, students grouped up and began to brainstorm ideas about possible experiments. What do we as a global community need to know about microgravity? What are we curious about regarding gravity? What even wacky ideas do we have that we could try? OneNote documents were created for groups of three students and each student would add to the document from their devices.<br />
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On another OneNote class notebook page, students were asked questions about some of the non-negotiables of their collaboration. Goals and collaboration principles were established.<br />
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<strong>Network</strong><br />
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As students searched through websites to see what has gone before, some contacted groups who had previously participated in the SSEP. Here is an excerpt from one of the students blogs:<br />
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Some connected with Simon Fraser University students to guide them as the students teased out meaningful questions to explore in a microgravity environment. As they emailed back and forth, students were able to build ideas about possible experiments.<br />
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Students we able to attend an SSEP gathering at Heritage Woods Secondary where they made even more connections with experts.<br />
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<strong>Create</strong><br />
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Before the creation of an experiment could take place, students needed to develop competencies and skills in certain areas. I had to teach some students about the effects of different acids while some needed to learn about bacteria. We used agar plates to gather and experiment on bacteria. Students also examined what had gone on before during the SSEP flights. Each group studied a previous mission to glean important information to guide them in their own experiment. In the end, the students created an experiment of their own and began to write up their proposal to submit to the SSEP committee.<br />
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<strong>Celebrate</strong><br />
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Students continued to document their process. They took pictures that they will later publish on their blogs. They kept track of emails they sent and information that they received back from collaborators. And as much as possible (this is a competition) they worked out loud, making connections with university students, other teachers, and the teacher librarian. All this will be published after the competition in their digital portfolios where students, teachers, and parents can read and comment.<br />
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Soon the winning experiment will be chosen and we will find out if one of our groups will be sending an experiment into space. Regardless of the outcome, participating in the SSEP experience was amazing and throughout the process, learning happened. That learning will be celebrated and shared out to support future SSEP participants. Moreover the meaningful learning relationships students made will be connections they can tap into for the future as they curate their learning network. This is Connections-based Learning.Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1208838233177161848.post-51779915447853985982016-10-17T11:10:00.001-07:002016-11-04T07:42:19.205-07:00Connections-based Learning, Connected Learning, Connected Education, Global Ed. Any dif?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Let's set the matter straight.<br />
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We all have some intuition about the fact that the 21st-century connected world has opened doors to new ways of looking at teaching and learning. We all feel like there is potential to tap into. We might not know how to do it, but we often catch wind of something amazing going on. We are asked to make our teaching more relevant, more personal. We may not feel like we have the tools to do it, but we feel the pressure with this felt potential.<br />
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We also know that this potential goes beyond simply what technology offers. It is the human element that makes the difference. It is not enough that online games are more engaging, that apps are more intuitive, that our devices are more powerful. We recognize that education is about the heart. Therefore, it is not about the games, apps and devices, but more the doors those games, apps, and devices open. What, in the end, do they do for us? And how do they help us get to a place of meaning. Really, in education these days, the question has to be: what matters?<br />
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I have been trying to share an approach to teaching that can give us a framework regarding answering that question: forming learning relationships needs to be the foundation of learning. Learning must be based on making human connection. I have called it Connections-based Learning I also recognize that there are many terms out there that have been used to add meaning to the idea of connecting our classrooms.<br />
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The first order of business should always be to define the terms. What I would like to do is to look at the terms surrounding connection in education to help us reach some common language. The terms Connected Learning, Connections-based Learning, Global Education, and Connected Education are not synonymous. They each have their focus and I will attempt to give each term a solid spotlight in order to clarify the connected landscape.<br />
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<b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connected_Learning" target="_blank">Connected Learning</a></b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/98763656" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe><br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/98763656">Connected Learning: The power of making learning relevant</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/theclalliance">Connected Learning Alliance</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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Connected Learning is a type of learning based on student personal interest. <a href="http://dmlhub.net/wp-content/uploads/files/Connected_Learning_report.pdf" target="_blank">Connected Learning - an agenda for research and design</a> states that "Connected learning is realized when a young person pursues a personal interest or passion with the support of friends and caring adults, and is in turn able to link this learning and interest to academic achievement, career possibilities, or civic engagement." - (Ito, M. et al., 2013).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wA8_JNyUC9X30N2E9EPgjfEMRyQfrBY7Wt0HmGjp6yggrG5TG0qiczO8XLu0RPLFIMvbpVSCtOOQAl7si4LZUmLfZmeso0tRWMnpfq5BUAyUxU6yYvKjK2F8NizwuwXERBj9coSDYCk8/s1600/Connected+Learning+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wA8_JNyUC9X30N2E9EPgjfEMRyQfrBY7Wt0HmGjp6yggrG5TG0qiczO8XLu0RPLFIMvbpVSCtOOQAl7si4LZUmLfZmeso0tRWMnpfq5BUAyUxU6yYvKjK2F8NizwuwXERBj9coSDYCk8/s640/Connected+Learning+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It is a perfect marriage of peer involvement, interest pursuing, and academic engagement. The focus of the process is not on a certain structure (Ito, M. at al., 2013, p. 45), but more that students' learning happens in the context of pursuing shared interests and goals.<br />
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It has a focus on educational reform which includes addressing and eliminating ethnic achievement gaps. The desire is to "bring together in-school and out-of-school learning and activity." and form deeper bonds between different spheres of learning.<br />
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Examples of <b>Connected Learning</b>:<br />
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"Examples of learning environments that integrate peer, interest, and academic pursuits including athletics programs that are tied to in-school recognition, certain arts and civic learning programs, and interest-driven academic programs such as math, chess, or robotics competitions. These connected learning environments embody values of equity, social belonging, and participation." - p.8 (Ito, M. et al., 2013)<br />
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See the <a href="http://clalliance.org/" target="_blank">Connected Learning Alliance</a> for more information<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connected_Education" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connected_Education" target="_blank">Connected Education</a></b><br />
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Connected Education has a focus on online learning activities. The term Connected Education was first used in conjunction with personalized learning in the form of online lessons describing the groundbreaking work of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Levinson" target="_blank">Paul Levinson</a> and Tina Vozick. In the 80's, they created masters degree programs that could be completed online. The term Connected Education continues to be used to describe any kind of learning that uses the internet in some capacity.<br />
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Here is a 2008 Connected Education video on digitizing lessons. The early focus on Connected Education was to have video lessons readily and easily available for learning.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kooKgroU5Gc" width="560"></iframe></div>
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The term is still used very generally today. You can see that in the information gathered by the New York Times Learning Network in this post: <a href="http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/01/what-connected-education-looks-like-28-examples-from-teachers-all-over/?_r=0" target="_blank">What connected education looks like - 28 examples from teachers all over</a>. </div>
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Examples of <b>Connected Education</b>:<br />
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In the article <a href="http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/01/what-connected-education-looks-like-28-examples-from-teachers-all-over/?_r=0" target="_blank">What connected education looks like - 28 examples from teachers all over</a>, you can see connected education as:<br />
- utilizing learning networks such as Edmodo<br />
- compiling pictures that students take with their devices around a certain topic<br />
- collaborative projects with other classes<br />
- educators blogging about classroom experiences<br />
- district-wide twitter chats<br />
- creating web-based lessons<br />
- sharing educator resources using online bulletin boards like Padlet<br />
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<b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_education">Global Education</a></b><br />
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Global Education has a focus on seeing the world as a whole. Learning about the world, its needs, and what must be done to meet those needs is key. In the province of Alberta, we have the <a href="http://tcge.tiged.org/about.html" target="_blank">Centre for Global Education</a>. This Edmonton Public Schools organization provides opportunities for students to learn about global issues and "the potential youth have to shape a common future" through online conferences and interactive sessions. You get an understanding of Global Education as the TCGE describes its mission:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f5f6fa; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" ,; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px; text-align: center;">"The mission of The Centre for Global Education (TCGE) is to educate 21st Century students for a 21st Century world by providing global learning opportunities, enhanced through technology, informed by sound research and innovative teaching."</span><br />
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In Atlanta, Georgia there is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consortium_for_Global_Education" target="_blank">The Consortium for Global Education</a>. Their desire is to provide opportunities for students and teachers to help develop global worldview through school partnerships, student exchanges, and collaborative research.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.centreforglobaleducation.com/" target="_blank">Centre for Global Education</a> in Belfast focuses on achieving a "just and equitable world". They remind us that part of Global Education is to influence leaders and policy makers, to support organizations that foster social and economic equality, and "to promote an understanding of the interdependency of people across the world."<br />
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Examples of <b>Global Education</b>:<br />
- learning about the social and economic needs of another country<br />
- student trips and exchanges<br />
- raising funds for relief organizations<br />
- campaigning for social and economic equality<br />
- service projects that meet needs in a key area of need<br />
- learning global citizenship and sustainable lifestyles<br />
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See: <a href="https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/nscentre/GE/GE/Maastricht_Global_Education_Declaration_EN.pdf" target="_blank">The Maastricht Global Education Declaration</a> for more definitions on Global Education.<br />
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Here is an example of a Global Education project by <a href="http://thewonderment.com/" target="_blank">The Wonderment</a> where students changed a Guatemalan bus into a mobile library:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/137873892?color=dc4a38&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/137873892">The Wonderment: Guatemala Library Bus</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/thewonderment">The Wonderment</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<b><a href="http://connectionsbasedlearning.com/" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://connectionsbasedlearning.com/" target="_blank">Connections-based Learning</a> is an approach to teaching and learning that leverages the connected world by connecting students with their community, learning from experts, supporting organizations, or partnering with peers.<br />
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While Connected Learning uses connection to support students' own interests, Connections-based Learning has connection running through every facet of the process. Connected Learning is a more free flowing process that harnesses a student's everyday experience while Connections-based Learning focuses on connecting students with learning or action partners. Connected Education includes utilizing apps to maximize learning; Connections-based Learning uses apps to promote connection to maximize learning. While Global Education often includes a true connection with others outside the classroom, Connections-based Learning must include a connection. Global Education <b><i><u>looks out</u> </i></b>to find the needs of the world; Connections-based Learning <b><i><u>looks around</u></i></b> finding connection anywhere--from home and the community all the way to the ends of the earth. For Global Education, learning is focused on the world and its needs; Connections-based Learning could include learning about <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/01/can-we-teach-too-cutting-edge.html" target="_blank">stem cells</a>, or <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/05/getting-connected-finding-experts.html" target="_blank">white water rafting</a>, or <a href="http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2016/06/finding-water-on-mars.html" target="_blank">Mars</a>.<br />
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The infographic below clearly shares the nature of Connections-based Learning. This infographic was created in collaboration with Leigh Cassell (see her amazing resource called the <a href="http://digitalhumanlibrary.com/" target="_blank">digital Human Library</a>) who had a huge hand in the images, wording and focus of this resource.<br />
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Clarity is crucial as educators. And without a common language, we are not truly communicating clearly. As connected educators, let's work together to achieve a common understanding as we seek to make better teaching and learning. Please share your thoughts!<br />
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References<br />
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"Connected Learning". <i>Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. </i>Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.<i> </i>Mar. 8, 2016. Web. Aug. 31, 2016.<br />
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Europe-wide Global Education Congress (2002). <a href="https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/nscentre/GE/GE/Maastricht_Global_Education_Declaration_EN.pdf" target="_blank">The Maastricht Global Education Declaration</a>. Maastricht, The Netherlands.<br />
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Ito, M.; Gutiérrez, K.; Livingstone, S.; Penuel, B.; Rhodes, J.; Salen, K.; Schor, J.; Sefton-Green, J.; Watkins, S.G. (2013). <a class="external text" href="http://dmlhub.net/sites/default/files/Connected_Learning_report.pdf" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgb(247, 247, 247); color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;"><i>Connected learning: An agenda for research and design</i></a> (PDF). Irvine, CA: Digital Media and Learning Research Hub.<br />
<br />Sean Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02793158257986607322noreply@blogger.com0