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a simulpost with TechLearning Don Tapscott , author of Wikinomics and Growing Up Digital agreed to keynote our Horizon Project and has delivered his keynote address on the wiki. The students will be interacting and communicating their thoughts via the wiki and Ning . I personally appreciate Don's willingness to bring attention to the issues in education. We need broad support from leaders such as him to get the message out about the need for global collaboration and changing system of teaching. Some points I believe are very important: 1) This generation is different from the students we've had in the past. 2) The education system has remained basically the same although the students have changed. 3) It is time for educational evolution to match today's students needs AND the need to collaborate globally. 4) Having the students envision the future, as they are with the Horizon Project is IMPORTANT! He applauds their efforts and I DO TO! What you can do! I hope you'...

a simulpost with TechLearning The Five Phases of Flattening a Classroom Right now, Julie and I are both doing several things to help duplicate ourselves and help others understand what it takes to conduct a Flat Classroom project or Horizon Project. I've outlined what I believe are the five phases I take my classes through to prepare them for independent, self-directed levels of collaboration. I suspect these ruminations will evolve. Phase One: The INTRA-connected Classroom First, one must have a classroom that is connected electronically to itself. This includes: A walled blog (I use Ning .) Intra-class Instant messaging and Skyping I teach this using a backchannel in some of our class discussions. By observing a live backchannel chat, I teach appropriate behavior and what it means to be a professional student. I also have them video and audio skype each other. Intra-class collaboration using a public wiki First, someone they sit next to. Next, someone who sits on the ot...

One of my extremely excited and talented assistant project managers for Horizon Project has set up an appointment to instant message the project manager in Doha, Qatar today. They had an appointment for 8 am and 12:30 noon! (Uhm -- we got out at noon for spring break!). As they made their intros and said hello, first she exclaimed to the class: "Hey, guys -- they go to school on Sunday through Thursday." Another one of my students didn't "get" what she was saying and said, "Let them just TRY to make ME go to school on Sunday." "No, you don't understand, she said, their weekend is Friday and Saturday." Now this is interesting because I had told my students this... in fact, I have told them multiple times, however, it was this exchange that got their attention. It was this exchange that TAUGHT them! Then, as I peeked over her shoulder (as I always do when my students are instant messaging), I saw this conversation. (I got permission to t...

Tomorrow, we'll be hosting an information session for the Horizon project that I talked about last week . If you are a teacher, administrator, or potential expert, this is a free and open meeting, feel free to listen in. This is the elluminate link for the session tomorrow. https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2007066&password=M.B0DBAC6B1D38045736B7C2A60D84FD Feel free to show up early and test it. tag: hz08 , planning

I can't believe we're already planning the Horizon Project for this year. Julie and I meet once a week (via elluminate) and discuss what needs to be improved. Wow! What a great collaboration it is for me. Really, one of the most meaningful relationships of my life is with a friend halfway around the world that I've only met once. (And such it will be for many of us who take on the role of teacherpreneur.) If you're interested in looking at the Horizon Project for your school this year (or next), you are invited to our Horizon Project information session next week at 3 pm EST in Elluminate (it will be recorded for those of you in Asia.) Here is the information sent out by Julie: " Vicki and I are planning the Horizon Project 2008 and wish to invite interested people to a preliminary information sharing and discussion meeting on Wednesday next week. We understand that one meeting in one time zone will not be enough however we will make a start with this and work...