The Global Learners Workshops

8/14/2008 11:31:00 pm

I just stumbled upon these videos on google video. They are from a 2 day series of workshops I did last summer for the Global Learners of Adams County School District #14 in Commerce City, Colorado. I knew that Joe Miller had recorded my presentations, I've only just now discovered them. Thanks for sharing this Joe!

While some of my thinking and the assignments I give my students have evolved since then, it's still a pretty good overview of how I work with my students and how I think about designing learning experiences and assessments for them. Each video is about an hour long.

Part 1 of 5: Tear Down The Walls (Day 1, August 9, 2007)



Part 2 of 5: Learning The Guitar (Day 1, August 9, 2007)



Part 3 of 5: Whiplash! (Day 1, August 9, 2007)



Part 4 of 5: What Can I Do Now That I Couldn't Do Before? (Day 2, August 10, 2007)



Part 5 of 5: Developing Expert Voices (Day 2, August 10, 2007)

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6 comments

  1. Anonymous27/8/08 13:02

    Hi Darren,

    Your blog is pretty amazing and I'm about to venture into the world of class blogging. Here is my concern in that I notice if I use a free blogger account I can only invite 100 students to read my blog. I figure I need to only invite students due to security issues. Any thoughts on any way I can create secure blog for mor than 100 readers?

    Thanks,
    Colin Hogan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Colin,

    Well, my first thought is: Why restrict readership to just the blog authours? Don't underestimate the power of "audience." It's a key component to a successful class blog. The cluster map you'll see on each of my class blogs is a powerful motivator for my students to publish high quality work. i.e. They can see they are being read across the world.

    Nonetheless you can set up a Blogger blog to have only you and your students as publishers, moderate the comments, and leave it open to viewing by the world.

    Then again, do you really have over 100 students in your class? If you teach k-12 I'm sure it must be less than that and you're thinking about having all your classes share one blog. I wouldn't do that. "Ownership" is another important facet of a successful class blog. Have a separate blog for each class.

    If you teach higher ed., again, I'd suggest you rethink the "walled garden" your question suggests. Walled gardens tend not to have the same diversity and vigorous growth found in open forests. Also, walled gardens close the door on serendipity: the random visitor whose comment spurs your students to greater efforts by establishing the fact of their public audience. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous30/8/08 20:29

    I really like your blog! Keep up the good work.

    Check this out:

    http://theinfluentialteacher.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Darren,

    Hey, the work you did was incredible. You remain the strongest influence so far on our project. The blog is picking up with a new crop of teachers and they venturing out in what they discuss and what they do. Keep tabs on these folks they are doing cool things: http://principianteglobal.blogspot.com/

    Joe

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Joe. Can I quote you on that? ;-)

    I do poke in every now and a gain on the Global Learners blog. I almost always see something new and innovative being modeled. You've got a great team there.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey Darren,

    If you ever need an endorsement you can use my quote or just send the folks my way for a reference. You rock!

    ReplyDelete