Christmas Message exchange – Advent Calendar

The #ccGlobal Christmas Greetings exchange project has really captured the imagination and creativity of kids around the world. The excitement starts with the creation of the greeting that is mailed around the world and then continues with the eager anticipation of receiving greetings from their peers from wherever they may be.

An Advent Calendar has been created in the QRChristmas wiki to allow the greetings to be viewed online by a greater audience. The wiki contains pages for each participating school. An image from the class page together with the URL for the Christmas Greeting forms the content of the daily broadcasts during Advent. The Social Media broadcasts are carried out via:

1. via Twitter. Check the #ccGlobal stream.
2. via Facebook with an Advent Calendar photo album. Images and message URLs posted every day of Advent
3. via Google Plus with an Advent Calendar photo album. Images and message URLs posted every day of Advent

Kids in the #ccGlobal are doing their bit to spread a bit of festive cheer these holidays so please add a favourable coment or two to let them realise how important their role is this exciting project.

Latest Projects

The Christmas Greetings exchange project is capturing the the imagination and creativity of kids around the world right now. Sign up for some festive fun.

Check out the information about other #ccGlobal projects and to see where #ccGlobal schools are located around the world and also for links to more information about each project.

Next G+ Hangouts for #ccGlobal

Following on from our successful first introductory link-up last week-end, we will have our next Google+ hangouts this Friday (22nd July) and Saturday (23rd July) at the following times globally:

• 7am – Iowa
• 8am – EST
• 1pm – Ireland/UK
• 3pm – Finland
• 8pm – Western Australia
• 10pm – Sydney

Since there is a limit of 10 connections in G+ hangouts, please feel free to pop in and out at times that suit over Friday and Saturday. I created the Mindmeister mind-map to share with all #ccGlobal folk so that we can take the project to the next level.

Resources for #ccGlobal

I have created a public MindMeister mind-map for #ccGlobal folk to brain-storm and share ideas about how to manage our Connected Classrooms project.

+Michael Thornton created this LiveBinder to manage the resources used for the #ccGlobal project.

I have also added the project to the Skype in Education resources.

#ccGlobal hangout on GooglePlus

#ccGlobal has had a lot of on Twitter and will hangout on G+ to have an informal chat about how to transform the enthusiasm into real authentic collaborative learning projects.

The following post was published on G+ to introduce everyone to the #ccGlobal circle.

#ccGlobal folk, in the absence of a feature to share a circle, I am posting the list of members in my ccGlobal circle here. I will update this post with any new members as they join. You may want to create a similar circle.
+Ann Leaness +Becky Fisher +Chris Woldhuis +Corrie Kelly +Fred Boss+Henrietta Miller +Ira Socol +Lee Ann Spillane +Mary Ann Reilly +Matt Esterman +Meenoo Rami +Melissa Techman +Michael Craddock+Michael Thornton +Nick Jackson +Pam Moran +Pam O Brien +Shannon Miller +Steve Bunce +Summer Charlesworth +Timo Ilomäki Tomaz Lasic and maybe also from NBCS +Jen Exton +Chantelle Morrison +Stephen Collis
Reminder: Our introductory G+ hangout chat is scheduled for Fri 15th and Sat 16th at 10pm-AEST; 8am-EST; 7am-Iowa; 1pm-Ireland/UK; 3pm-Finland. There are 2 Hangouts scheduled as the limit is 10 connections to a hangout. Feel free to pop in and say hello and share some ideas about how to manage the enthusiasm for connecting with so many schools all over the world. I will post a list of current resources in a separate post.
Here is a Google Calendar event for the hangout:

Pymble Ladies College – Year 7 Chinese chat

The first connection between St Augustine’s College – Sydney and Pymble Ladies College took place on June 17th between the Year 7 Chinese Language classes.

TeachMeet Sydney North

The TeachMeet pecha kulcha unconference was a great success on Tuesday 14th. A survey sent out by Matt Esterman and the presentation by Liam resulted in five Sydney schools and a UK school joining the team of collaborators wishing to connect.

Check the schools page for a full list of schools or individually for the latest schools to join: Sydney Schools – Brigidine College St Ives; Northern Beaches Christian School; Ravenswood School for Girls; Roseville College; and Pymble Ladies’ College. We also have a new country which merits a special welcome: Fulford School in York, UK.

Connecting Classrooms

In 2011 I explored ways to facilitate engaging C21 eLearning into the way we educate the students at St Augustine’s College – Sydney. I started the process with the intention of demonstrating how learning can be improved by using technology to enhance the learning experience. My initial intended audience was the new executive team who had questioned the effectiveness of a 1 to 1 program and especially with regards to whether to implement this strategy with Year 5 students.

I first raised a few questions asking my PLN on Twitter (@LiamDunphy) on the #edchat and #edtech forums. Jerry Blumengarten (@cybraryman1) suggested that I contact Van Meter Community Schools (#vanmeter) in Iowa, USA. After some initial consultations with John Carver (@johnccarver, the District Superintendent) and Deron Durflinger (@DeronDurflinger, the Principal) a very successful connection was established between Year 5 at St Augustine’s College – Sydney and Grade 5 at Van Meter Elementary School. Read about this connection in the Projects page of this blog.

The success of the Van Meter connection has started the process of exploring connected classrooms projects around the world. As new projects come on board, they will be added to this blog in the Projects page. If you are interested in exploring a connection project with me, please complete the form on the “Register to Connect” page or contact me via email at LiamJDunphy@gmail.com or LDunphy@saintaug.nsw.edu.au

Following on from the successful Van Meter connection, there have been further requests to connect with schools in Finland and Virginia, USA.

Staff within St Augustine’s College are also trying to incorporate similar engaging eLearning connection projects.

St Augustine’s College would like to be able to use the experience gained from connecting with Van Meter and other schools to start building connected classrooms with other Augustinian schools throughout the world including St Rita’s of Cascia High School in Chicago (7740 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL, 60620) and Villanova College in Brisbane, QLD..

I will be presenting the concept of Connected Classrooms at the TeachMeet Sydney North on Tuesday 14th June at Brigidine College, St Ives.