Here are some personal recommendations for current trends and technology in Global Education:
Flipgrid!Have your students produce authentic discussions via simple videos, sharing ideas and connecting with every classmate and with students from around the world.
I often use this awesome tool to have my students discuss a variety of topics we're analyzing in class. It not only gives students an engaging way to learn reading, writing, speaking, and listening processes, but it also gives every single student a voice and an audience. I am planning to connect my class to local and international classes in the future using Flipgrid. Below is one example of a discussion we had in class.
Non-Fiction Books / Interview Flipgrid |
Padlet!Have your students create interactive, organized bulletin boards they can share with each other, their communities, and the world.
I've been obsessed with this tool lately! I use it to have my students reflect on their learning, collecting and organizing their learning experiences in a visual way, almost like an online portfolio. There's so many ways you can use it! Below is an example of the 2017-2018 World Literature Classes' Padlets for their Cultural Exchange Projects.
World Literature Course Padlets |
GeoGuessr!Have your students journey and explore the world with this interactive web-based geographic discovery game using Google Street View.
This online game is super fun! My students love playing it. Mostly utilizing it as an "extra activity," when a lesson ends early, I'll break out this game. It is unfortunate how much students don't understand geography, and in my World Literature class, it is essential for them to know where places are and what they might look like. This website offers that skill in a really educational and engaging way.
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Google Expeditions!Have your students travel the world virtually with this teaching tool that immerses them in global VR field trips.
I utilized my district's access to Google Expeditions (which includes the Google Cardboard-like Goggles) to take my students to come of the world's most amazing places. Being the leader of these virtual field trips, I took them on a tour of sites from their assigned World Regions in the Cultural Exchange Project. Because they were reading books from these areas, it was very neat to see these places become real and immersive. Students will be able to lead their own tours as well, teaching them some great leadership skills. I encourage teachers to talk to your amdinistration about purchasing this program for your school. Below is an example of the Cultural Exchange Project the students are working on:
Cultural Exchange Project |
Wattpad!Have your students read and write short stories and share them with each other, their communities, and the world.
I've used this website to have my students publish their writing to a worldwide audience on the internet. We read, analyze, and comment on not only our fellow classmates' stories but also on stories by writers from around the world. It's an authentic, exciting experience that makes students feel like their work is "meaning something bigger." Below is an example of an assignment I used in World Literature.
Standard #23/#11: Magic Realist Story |
Goodreads!Have your students explore, read, and critique novels, sharing their opinions and experiences with each other, their communities, and the world.
An online book club for the world, I've used this social cataloging website to have my students explore books, organize their own virtual book shelves, share thoughts on books, and review books they've read. I have my students write book reviews and essays for all the books we read in World Literature, posting them to this website. It's another great tool to connect my students to a wider audience and make their learning more authentic and real. Below is an example assignment I use with Goodreads.
Reading Magic Realism Books Project |
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