Collaborative Learning

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Collaborative Learning

• How an Online Competition brought Learners
  Together

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Presentation roadmap

• Collaborative learning
• Via Virtual-Workspace
• Via Thinkquest project
• Meet the V-W teams
• Outcomes
• Nanotechnology
• Ethics of Genetics
• Where next?

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Collaborative learning

• Active learning construction
• Dynamic frame
• Live or asynchronous
• Renders traditional barriers invisible
• Shared outcomes
• Shared responsibilities
• Operates at many different, interconnected levels
  School, class, subject, age, location

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The ThinkQuest project

• ThinkQuest is all about students thinking and
  learning together. Students work in teams to
  create the best educational websites and compete
  for exciting prizes, including a trip to
  ThinkQuest Live, an educational extravaganza
  celebrating their achievements. Sponsored by the
  Oracle Education Foundation, the competition
  offers a unique project-based learning experience
  to students and teachers around the world.
  Globally relevant subjects and diverse teams are
  encouraged.
• The teams' websites are published for the world
  to see in the ThinkQuest Library. This rich
  online resource contains over 5,500 educational
  websites, created by students for students.
  Source www.thinkquest.org

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Virtual-Workspace.com

• Closed, secure community of 22,000 online
  learners
• 14-19 PFI Pathfinder project
• Encourages collaborative eLearning through
• Live chat
• Hundreds of lively sub-communities
• Live and asynchronous human mentors
• Peer mentor scheme

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Meet the Teams
The Maiden Team Lee Worcester 6th Form Louisa
Nunnery Wood High John King Charles 1 Martin
Baxter College David Christopher Whitehead
Project Nanotechnology www.maiden.networcs.net
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Meet the Teams
The Paragon of Virtue Team James Woolley
Trinity High School 6th Form Tom Mead Chantry
High School Tamsyn Hyatt Highfields Specialist
Science School Tom Saville Dyson Perrins
School Amy Conway Hanley Castle High School Sam
Little Virtual-Workspace Development Team
Project Ethical Genetics www.paragon.networcs.net

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Outcomes

• Two well defined learning projects
• Student centred
• Student led
• Primary purpose to benefit other students
• Coaching role for teacher and online mentor
• Nanotechnology
• Purpose to make nanotechnology accessible
• Ethics of Genetics
• Purpose to explore the science of genetics from
  an ethical / philosophical standpoint
• Moral of this tale
• how often do we underestimate our students!

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Nano-technology
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Ethical Genetics

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A snippet..
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Where next?

• Collaborative learning
• eLearning
• Personalised learning
• 2008 Virtual
  online space

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Where can I find more info?

• Web references
• www.virtual-workspace.com
• www.thinkquest.org
• www.maiden.networcs.net
• www.paragon.networcs.net
• www.nordangliaelearning.com