Fostering Learning in Unique Ways:

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Fostering Learning in Unique Ways
Brown v. Topeka Board of Education Interactive
Panel Discussion

• Greg Monaco, Great Plains Network
• Linda Rosenblum, National Park Service
• Randy Stout, KAN-Ed
• Kate Adams, Great Plains Network

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Outline

• Overview How this Activity Evolved (Randy)
• Interactive Panel Event and National Park Service
  Involvement (Linda)
• Supplemental Learning Pilot (Greg)

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1. Overview How this Evolved

• GPN K20 Committee founded in 2006
• Volunteer activity to pool efforts
• Founding Members
• Randy Stout
• Sandy Sprafka (emeritus)
• Kim Owen
• Bill Giddings (emeritus)
• Rick Golden
• There are now 20 active subscribers to the
  mailing list, including teachers
• Web site http//collaboration.greatplains.net

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Activities

• Phone Meetings to plan coordinated events
• Developed Some Guiding Principles
• Take advantage of whats available local to the
  GPN Region
• Retain for future use
• Streams located at GPN Wiki
• Curriculum materials should be available to
  teachers, both for the event itself and to
  accompany viewing after the event.

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State and local organizations came together with
K12 and higher ed. for some unique events.

• Riverbluff Cave
• Lessons from Greensburg
• Chinese Autumn Harvest Festival

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Curriculum Materials Issue

• Tried a BLOG for Riverbluff
• Book, when possible

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Brown v. Board of Education National Historic
Site in Topeka, KS

• Local to Randy and Greg
• Contacted Linda Rosenblum
• Visited Site

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Brown v. Board of Education National Historic
Site Open Daily 900 a.m.-500 p.m. Free of
charge
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Note

• This would not have been possible without other
  Internet2 members as partners.
• As with many of the events, the significance was
  not clear until it actually happened.
• Linda Rosenblum and Randy Stout spearheaded the
  organization of the event and involvement of all
  appropriate people.

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2. The Event

• Linda Rosenblum, National Park Service

Kansas Brown v. Board of Education
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(No Transcript)
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3. Supplemental Learning Pilot

• Recap
• How to provide supporting materials for teachers
  and students both before, during and after the
  event
• Brown v Board web site has extensive curriculum
  materials
• Blog didnt really work
• Security issues for GPN Wiki

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Can we employ Web 2.0 technology successfully for
an interactive distance learning event?

• Learning should be enjoyable
• Learning is collaborative
• Learning is engaging
• The idea is to "encourage kids to use media and
  technology and not let it use them." (from Human
  Futures for Technology and Education By Michael
  Wesch)

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Pilot with the Brown v Board event

• Collaborative environment wiki
• Augments existing material and webcast/streaming
• Sustainable and expandable
• Informal testing of self and others
• Ease of use for teachers
• Identity management
• Track student progress
• Reinforcing to students

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Wiki Choices

• Better looking skin
• Live chat
• Contribution scores
• User tracking
• http//collaboration.greatplains.net/k20
• Made available for teacher use prior to event
• Accounts grow from 7 to 33

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Skin
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Site
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Post Questions
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Contributions
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Test Yourself
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Contribution Scores
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Contributions
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Chat
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User Evaluation Q1

• How did you participate?  (Note  Interactive
  Classrooms could ask questions of panelists 
  Video Streaming Classrooms saw the panelists but
  could not ask questions during the event.)
• Panelist 1 (9.09)
• Teacher (Interactive Classroom) 1 (9.09)
• Teacher (Video Streaming Classroom) 1 (9.09)
• Student (Interactive Classroom) 2 (18.18)
• Student (Video Streaming Classroom) 0 (0)
• Technical Support 5 (45.45)
• Other 1 (9.09)
• Total 11

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User Evaluation Q6

• About the online information at the web site
  http//collaboration.greatplains.net/k20 (please
  select all that apply)
• I read information at the web site. 7 (63.64)
• I contributed information to the web site. 1
  (9.09)
• I am likely to go to the web site in the future
  to read info. 1 (9.09)
• I am likely to go to the web site to contribute
  info. again. 0 (0)
• I found the information helpful in preparing for
  the event. 3 (27.27)
• I did not use the web site. 1 (9.09)
• N/R 2 (18.18)
• Total 15
• One could do multiple things at the web site.
  
• Two comments
• The format of the wiki was confusing for the
  discussion portion. (student)
• Good materials! (teacher)

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User Evaluation Q7

• What are your suggestions for making a web site
  like this more useful
• I observed the students looking at the website
  and this is a great learning tool. This website
  needs to be available several days ahead of time.
  Our students didn't receive the web info until a
  day or two before the event. (Tech Support)
• I had to make up a worksheet so that focus could
  be brought to certain material. The DVD material
  was helpful also, though on a low level. Maybe we
  could also know who made up the Supreme Court at
  the time and why the decision finally went the
  direction that it did. (Teacher)
• Instead of a wiki, I suggest a blog site for
  instant chatting! (Student)

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Conclusion

• The event, itself, was a success
• Intend to repeat, at least annually
• Perhaps engage higher ed
• More living history events
• Web 2.0
• Needs more testing/development
• More fun
• More variety
• Easier to use
• Multiple Web 2.0 features (wiki, blog, etc.)
• Involve kids
• Involve teachers early

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The End

• http//collaboration.greatplains.net
• http//collaboration.greatplains.net/k20
• http//www.nps.gov/brvb/
• greg_at_greatplains.net
• Linda_rosenblum_at_nps.gov
• rstout_at_ksbor.org
• kate_at_greatplains.net