Going Global: Reflections of a Flat Classroom Judge

In the Going Global series, we’ve usually highlighted global collaborative projects and resources in an effort to get more teachers involved in all that collaborative projects have to offer. Today, though, I want to share some reflections on my participation in something that I found incredibly exciting–being a judge for the most recent Flat Classroom project.

The Flat Classroom project involves high school students from around the world. Students collaborate to create content that’s meaningful and relevant around the diverse and broad topic of technology. It’s amazingly well organized and executed by the Flat Classroom team, including project founders Vicki Davis and Julie Lindsay and several other highly skilled and dedicated educators. You can find more information about the project in this blog post and at the project home page.

At the end of the project, judges evaluate the videos that students create and a “meta-judge” scores the finalists and identifies the best videos in several categories (Web 2.0, Wireless Connectivity, Google, the World Wide Web, etc.). For the first time, I signed up to judge videos. I was amazed by what I saw…students collaborating to create meaningful content about important issues. The videos demonstrated deep, rich learning and really epitomized all that can happen when we give students opportunities to express themselves, explore relevant topics, and work together.

The videos were incredibly difficult to judge…I had to select my top 4 out of 20 videos in the Web 2.0 category. That fact speaks to the amount of effort the students must have put into these creations. I was in awe and inspired.

Why do I share this? Because my experience broadened my viewpoint and gave me insight into just how great a well-managed global project can be. And because I want you to not only get involved in Flat Classroom yourself, whether as a judge or a participating school, but I also want you to get involved in helping students to develop that vital 21st century skill: collaboration.

Global collaborative projects, and the Flat Classroom project specifically, provide a means for students to connect, learn, and grow across borders and time zones. They help them develop the skills needed to work as part of a team in ways that can be incredibly difficult to teach working only within the confines of your classroom or school or school district. Seeing all of this firsthand as a Flat Classroom judge served as a powerful reminder that teachers and students can accomplish amazing (and meaningful) things when they work TOGETHER. I want you to remember that this is a fact. A fact proven time and time again by the Flat Classroom project and the countless other stellar global projects going on in classrooms all around the world.

Please take the time to consider what ways you could be helping to develop the vital skill of collaboration with your students. And be sure to contact us if you’d like help connecting with others. AND be sure to pre-order your copy of Vicki and Julie’s book–Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds–due out in early 2012. AND be sure to follow our blog because Engaging Educators is facilitating the online book club for this book.