A close look at introducing project-based learning into your classroom in 7 steps. Try it!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH7I8jKp0oXy8q58kctOLsGJey5VIh7Mauk5GWWhiqVI63oyrL1QmuzC6KXT8g0xdhTV8-nnfkLe0HQTDAdfRE2XFnfdwbvHn2AwtcFELXm0XPlSn0q2ddsFOGIzbkniI-Nyo5cXFbfRg/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSK8gVP_IN1nx-Uszz2FbK4Qkk-c5cbelFw-JlFJNAkHahvTvUuGc88OgQ1udG4DTuiYoLV9v7LvrCvFFJCd1tjcpXPahNK7-qGTljIbJLrTm-2O56xf8pNqur61BAIX96hYQMpXSEYo/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl">http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pbl</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Submitted by Fiona Beal</i><br />In this post we'll go through the steps to implementing project-based learning in your classroom and then we’ll hear from an expert in designing projects – Michele Botha from Somerset House and see how she does it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Introduction</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The old-school model of passively learning facts and reciting or memorising them out of context is no longer sufficient to prepare our students to survive in today's world with its complex problems. In order to be a problem solver students need both the fundamental skills (reading, writing, and maths) <b>AND</b> 21st century skills (teamwork, problem solving, research gathering, time management, information synthesizing, utilizing high tech tools etc). With this combination of skills, students become directors and managers of their learning process, guided and mentored by a skilled teache<b>r</b> – a great preparation for the work world. This process is known as<b> </b>project-based learning (PBL). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let’s just add to the 21st century skills mentioned above the following: </span><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">personal and social responsibility</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">planning, critical thinking, reasoning, and creativity </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">strong communication skills, both for interpersonal and presentation needs </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cross-cultural understanding </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">visualizing and decision making </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">knowing how and when to use technology and choosing the most appropriate tool for the task</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This video, made by Common Craft for the purpose of introducing teachers to project based learning, is a good place to start.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LMCZvGesRz8" width="420"></iframe> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8</a> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What is project-based learning?</span></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what is project-based learning? In it’s simplest form project-based learning is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges. With this type of active and engaged learning, students are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they're studying. Project-based learning has been developed in response to the results of studies done on how children learn most effectively. The most important thing is that studies show that PBL can increase retention of content and improve students' attitudes towards learning, among other benefits. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-introduction-video" target="_blank">video</a> from Edutopia gives us an introduction to a project that is being done as a project-based learning approach. Would you say this is the same as the general current approach to doing projects at school? </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dFySmS9_y_0?rel=0" width="480"></iframe> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The video showed students designing, planning, and carrying out an extended project that produces a publicly-exhibited output such as a product, publication, or presentation.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What is the difference between 'doing projects' and 'project-based learning'?</span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a useful <a href="https://app.box.com/s/6h6a67co94y8lfzlivh1" target="_blank">downloadable </a>chart created by Amy Meyer of <i>Fried Technology</i> showing the difference between </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the way projects are often done currently and project-based learning.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="400" src="https://app.box.com/embed/xo0qxtsu9rhixvs.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="466" wmode="opaque"></embed><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What does PBL essentially involve - in a nutshell?</span></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Project-based learning essentially involves the following factors. Let’s list them and then tackle project-based learning step by step. </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">students learn knowledge in order to tackle <b><i>realistic problems</i></b> as they would be solved in the real world </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">increased <b><i>student control</i></b> over his or her learning </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">teachers serve as <b><i>coaches and facilitators</i></b> of inquiry and reflection </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">students (usually, but not always) work in <b><i>pairs or groups</i></b> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>the end result</i></b><b> </b>is presented to a wider audience than the classroom</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Results of project-based learning</span></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><u>Ownership</u> – students work harder when they take ownership of a project and have some say in the choices for the project. For instance, these days, it's common for students to know more about technology than their teachers. They may have some computer shortcuts or ideas for the final product that you didn't even know were possible.<br /><u>Creativity</u> – in a carefully constructed project creativity can soar<br /><u>Collaboration</u> – together we can achieve more<br /><u>Critical thinking</u> - improves radically. Allow the students to solve problems<br /><u>Fun</u> - brings fun to learning<br /> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Project-based learning step by step </span></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i></i></b><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>So let’s imagine that you want to get started in project-based learning in your classroom. What are the steps? </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><b><u>Step 1. The Big Question</u></b><b><u> (Begin with the end in mind)</u></b></span></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></b> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpPl_sGFlw-CQ8nvx9giVNcRcwKxWO5JEPnOxx05glXNP6dD-n-eZYdKC8Y8AnfnNGJNmnsHOgozwEGvA4Q9xscAAtGV0fIvAWvrfpIbGSYWMbsO3SnELVJmeN4vBLJBVL4W2btkpAdU/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D%25255B2%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="clip_image002[4]" border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JJgOIG07YnGMNve1snXV0tHpicIduzynIRF9L0Kzv80KnXaACPLsH-tkA3JZpIgjYY6jV1WUfrHdlRwe9mfhBiA5I01ua4eroIv6Prj4KWp-AwK-gDaAH41uyubVTBekiraD-WW6-9o/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="clip_image002[4]" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-resources#pbl_ppt" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This comes from Edutopia's free downloadable PBL PowerPoint</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u></u></b> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This question focuses your project. It should be compelling and open ended and should appeal to your students.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) <strong>So what is this ‘big’ question?</strong> </span><br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be a question that people ask in the ‘real world’</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be a question that has no easy answer, and stretches students’ intellectual muscles</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should be a question that ignites students’ imaginations.</span></li></ul><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finding a question that fits these three criteria is not easy: it takes time. The ideal answer to the question will result in a product or performance that has personal and/or social value.<b></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) To get started<b> take a look at your CAPS curriculum</b> and perhaps consider combining two subjects (Microsoft’s research says that a project should combine at least two subjects). Think of a <i>big question</i> to ask. This is an open-ended question that is often referred to as an Essential question. SO: </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Start with the Essential Question. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a real-world topic and begin an in-depth investigation. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make sure it is relevant to your students.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This open-ended question should be something that engages your students, engages you and will lead to meaningful learning at the end. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) <strong>Examples of big questions:</strong> </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How have the simple inventions of the past helped to create the complex life of today? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can an idea be transformed into a product that could make us millions? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do humans need to protect the earth, and how can we as 12-year-olds play a role in this? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How have ancient civilizations influenced each other? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do drugs impact our bodies, our families, our community, and our world? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is war ever justified? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How have maritime discoveries, advancements, and events shaped our world? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can an election candidate effectively persuade voters to elect her/him? </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can a home be designed to have minimal impact on the environment?</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) Once you have your question, think of a<b> fun way to express this question</b> to make it really seem real and exciting to solve. We’ll provide a relevant example from Michele Botha at the end of this post. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 2: Plan</span> </u></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If this is all new to you start small. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a favourite project and turn it into project-based learning. The interesting part of planning is that you mainly do it WITH the students so that they take ownership of the project ALTHOUGH you will have thought it all out before you start. Involve students in the questioning, planning, and project-building process.</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teacher and students brainstorm activities that support the inquiry. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plan your structured group work taking into account the student suggestions </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use groups of three to four students, with diverse skill levels and interdependent roles </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Implement team rewards </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Encourage individual accountability, based on student growth </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plan an exciting entry event. This could be something like be a guest speaker (make sure the person is an engaging storyteller), field trip, lively discussion, puzzling problem, interesting video, or thought-provoking activity or piece of reading. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclude the project with a bang. This should be an event that has a real audience other than classmates, and a real-world connection.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1) Before planning the project with your students make sure you have thought around it carefully.</b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decide what you want your students to learn, and <b>plan ‘backwards’</b> from there. I’s a good idea to make a list of the things you expect your students to have learned: this should include subject content, skills, as well as attributes to be developed (e.g. confidence, resilience,resourcefulness). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2) To begin, write down everything that you expect your students to learn from doing this project. </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This could include all kinds of things: knowledge of subject-specific content (CAPS), ‘generic’ skills like working in teams and critiquing drafts, specialist skills, (which could range from statistical analysis to carving wood), and personal attributes such as self-confidence. It’s helpful to write everything down in your own words, but this is a good time to see what ‘required’ content (such as CAPS) your project can cover. Once you have your list of ‘learning goals’, decide how you will be able to tell whether or not a student has learned each item on the list. Once this is done, you have the project’s learning outcomes and a plan for assessing them. This will make your project more robust, and give you something to show anyone who comes around asking to see some evidence that you’re doing ‘serious’ work. Also, don’t forget about the final exhibition – it’s never too soon to start thinking about how and where the work will be exhibited. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3) By the way – test drive the project yourself first before you start the project with your class. </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are asking your students to conduct research and build, design, paint, draw, or write something, you will have much more success if you do it yourself first before you ask them to. There are several reasons for this such as - If the project is unworkable, you’ll find out in advance (this does happen). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4) Particularly when you’re starting out, it’s much easier to plan your project using a template </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following a template will also ensure that you don’t forget about anything important. Here is an example of a template from <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/files/existing/teachingmodules/PBL/pdfs/Project_Template.pdf" target="_blank">Edutopia</a> that you can <a href="https://app.box.com/s/f9ehi915h6f6jx0joqch" target="_blank">download. </a></span><br /><br /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="400" src="https://app.box.com/embed/u26au0tdtezgg0j.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="466" wmode="opaque"></embed> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first thing to do is fill in the plan with everything you’ve already done - the project idea that you’ve already sharpened up with a colleague, the things that you want every student to have learned by the end of it, and the ways that you intend to assess them. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your project plan won’t be complete until you’ve gone through every step in this section – and even then, it will be substantially revised after you hold a tuning session.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>5) Once you have designed the project you can then include your student’s thinking</b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adapt what you have planned. It is important that you first know how to go about things yourself so that you can set parameters.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 3: Schedule</span></u></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Setting a schedule is one of the most important ‘structures’ a teacher imposes on a project, because it makes a potentially daunting project feel manageable to students, and helps you make sure that they will have time to accomplish everything that you expect from them. If possible, post your timeline online so that students, parents, and other members of staff can check it whenever they need to. This involves: </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The teacher and students together design a timeline for the project components. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set benchmarks </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep it simple and age-appropriate.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 4: Monitor</span></u></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Facilitate the process </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mentor the process </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Utilize rubrics</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1) It’s a good idea to hold weekly check-ins with all your student</b>s (or all the groups, if the students are doing the project in groups). At each check-in, work with students to set tasks for completion by the next check-in, and make sure you both have a copy of the tasks you’ve agreed (again, it’s best if this can be stored online). Check-ins also give you the opportunity to find out how the project is going so that you can make adjustments to your plans. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2) In addition to the check-ins, you will need to set interim deadline</b>s. This will include deadlines for drafts, and final deadlines for specific components of a product (such as the videos in the Blood Bank project – see page 92). </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>3) You may also want to schedule quizzes </b>to make sure students are gaining the knowledge that they need to be acquiring. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>4) Make sure you have some checklists for the students to look at for guidance </b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 5: Assess</span> </u></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Assessment is not something that happens once, at the end of a project – you assess your students’ work throughout the process. On your timeline, plan in a series of ‘check-ins’ to take place throughout </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make the assessment is authentic. (Know that authentic assessment will require more time and effort from the teacher.) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vary the type of assessment used.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>1) On your timeline, plan in a series of ‘check-ins’ </b>to take place throughout the project, to make sure students are on track. These may be short papers, quizzes, journal entries, meetings with the teacher, and critiques. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2) Types of assessment tasks: </b></span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">true-false or multiple choice </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Constructed-response items: a student has to state the answer to a problem. These tests often can allow more than one answer letting all students have a chance to demonstrate their new knowledge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Essays: students are asked to analyze and synthesize their new knowledge and then write about it. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Performance tasks: students are asked to perform a task that will demonstrate the application of the new knowledge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Exhibitions and demonstrations: these projects can be done individually or within a group and demonstrate the application of the new knowledge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Portfolios: students keep a collection of work that best demonstrates the understanding and application of the new knowledge. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Classroom presentations and oral discussion: students can orally demonstrate the application of the new knowledge.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 6: The final presentation</span></u></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When students know that the work they are creating in a project will be displayed publicly, this changes the nature of the project from the moment they start working – because they know they will need to literally ‘stand by’ their work, under scrutiny and questioning from family, friends, and total strangers. This inspires a level of ambition and commitment much greater than is fuelled by the incentive of ‘getting good marks’. In addition, students’ families, as well as other people from the local community, get to see what is going on in the school, providing an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the school and community.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Step 7: Evaluate</span></u></b> </span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take time to reflect individually and as a group. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Share feelings and experiences. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Discuss what worked well. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Discuss what needs change. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Share ideas that will lead to new inquiries, thus new projects.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">An example of project-based learning from Michele Botha of Somerset West</span></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michele is the Head of Curriculum and also the Technology Integration Specialist at Somerset House Primary. She creates wonderful projects using the project-based learning approach and I have learned so much from her. I asked her to give her views on project-based learning and she created this screen cast for me: </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like the link to Michele’s <b>prezi</b> here it is:</span><br /><a href="http://prezi.com/scmmw9ja9csq/project-based-learning/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://prezi.com/scmmw9ja9csq/project-based-learning/</span></a><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) In this great<b> screencast </b>Michele explains her Prezi</span><br /><br /><h4></h4><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b></b> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe height="385" src="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9-gFsvcYaRhWFE2RFI3b3ZBZk0/preview" width="420"></iframe></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) <a href="http://www.bie.org/tools/freebies/project_essentials_checklist" target="_blank">The PBL Essential Elements checklist</a> (from the Buck Institute of education)   that Michele refers to can be downloaded. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="400" src="https://app.box.com/embed/gesd4bfxydnuk5x.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="466" wmode="opaque"></embed><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Resources</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Edutopia, the Buck Institute of Education and Intel have some amazing project-based learning resources:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.75pt;">1) </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-resources" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.75pt;" target="_blank">Resources for Project-Based Learning</a></div><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">2) <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/project-based-learning-getting-started-basics-andrew-miller" target="_blank">Getting Startedwith Project-Based Learning (Hint: Don't Go Crazy)</a> </span></h1><h1 style="line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.75pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">3) </span><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide-activities" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">Hands-on lessons you can adapt for your PBL workshops</a></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">4) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18.75pt;"><a href="http://www.edutopia.org/teachingmodules/PBL/pdfs/Project_Template.pdf" target="_blank">Project-basedlearning template</a></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.75pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">5)</span> <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/stw-maine-project-based-learning-ten-key-lessons" style="font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">10Takeaway Tips for Project-Based Learning</a></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18.75pt;">6) <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-introduction" target="_blank">WhyTeach with Project-Based Learning?: Providing Students With a Well-RoundedClassroom Experience</a></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 18.75pt; margin-bottom: 3.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 3.75pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">7) <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning" target="_blank">Project-BasedLearning</a></span></span></h1><div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8) <a href="http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/k12/project-design/design.html" target="_blank">Project design from Intel</a></span></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We hope that you will try out project-based learning if you are not familar with it. Start small! Enjoy!</span></div>

Project-based learning A close look at introducing project-based learning into your classroom in 7 steps. Try it!

http://www.bie.org/about/what_is_pblSubmitted by Fiona BealIn this post we'll go through the steps to implementing project-based learning in your classroom and then we’ll hear from an expert in designing projects – Michele Botha from Somerset House a…

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Webinar of past winners shows the creative ideas teachers come up with to enter Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Forum

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the moment we are having a series of nine webinars featuring past finalists and winners in Microst’s Partners in Learning Forum (formerly called the Innovative Teacher competition)  I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting and listening to these twice a week as it shows me that we have some very creative teachers in our midst. I have also had the tasks of converting these webinars to YouTube videos and podcasts which makes for easier viewing </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today I am going to feature the webinar presented by Helen Robertson, Wessel Theron, Ryan Galving and Sarietjie Musgrave . After the little write ups about the projects I will add the vdieos and podcasts. If you are a South African teacher please considering entering this great competition. Some of these presenters travelled up to Joburg for the South African Finals, then went off to Jordan for the African and Middle east finals. Some even got to the World Finals in Washington DC. What a year of travel in 2011!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Helen Robertson who was teaching at Cornwall Hill College in Pretoria at the time</b></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Helen’s project was called Functions for Technologically Functioning Teens. In the webinar she renamed it ‘It all started with a cell phone’. Getting learners to plot and analyse functions is a tricky part of the grade 10 Mathematics curriculum. To address this, learners used a cell phone app to plot the functions whilst they focused on the more important skill of analysing the effects of changing the variables. Support structures, including contacting their teacher using Whatsapp and asking questions of the “Functions for Technologically Functioning Teens” Facebook group, encouraged independent learning. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIg2m1EpdkQpBYkHWhQoWv1aruLv0lWH5g1NwdN22Tkuv_wEyW5OwUZqS2avPcw9BvP3-YkT6Xl68j15OVQjNAcZIKmHC9DIRay3usP-f_Go2gFBjLQjai-ZhswofwjwG5poa5OAOgRE/s1600-h/image%25255B16%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHoylpx06Q-XbVodjgDwSKFZrghZlRlmbOCPum279hcEQtMs05i1jqz62mrSjXDrF6Gi22YllcXO8u1iymJf1LPyhhDMwlQXXkzJ1l-ccROrVAWc5rotHS8ryL0JzNrBifMaktX48yxU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">^{<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wessel Theron from Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town</span></b>}</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">^{<b><br /></b>}</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Wessel called his project ‘School of Rock’. To create interest and excitement in additional language lessons, this project involved learners searching for their own Afrikaans song and then creating a music video for it that is shared on YouTube. Grade 8s had to work in pairs to match images to the lyrics of the song. They also had the option of translating a song and singing it themselves. This was a perfect opportunity to be creative using ICTs, improve Afrikaans comprehension and vocabulary, and be entertained while learning. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SGH1kvzxrVolEYAHDq6ZdPuBkflffa8htwHUbpVsvWsdbpPhk938oRGLj2S2O-UrkvYIB4Ad1XgRpFzXPu41YyoPPB5C2BkZxu8MwLZMPGuqp2NMqb0IC5G9Niy1jaXyIptgXCHRv3c/s1600-h/image%25255B12%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTvxrP6tKYaou4Rrju-0duDA8L4NuBoIiOBPZnRvkkOjCrIZJQkQowq82OttjKnqqeFAG8BxvMNkWuRlwoMv9P-JMPMdojiAuwUUFsH2zXa3DMXl7Fnh-T8_CO7DHmsZUlCfhbhEtkNc/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ryan Galvin from St Nicholas in Pietermaritzburg</b></span><br /> </span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ryan called his project R and J in R and B which is short for Romeo and Juliet in Rhythm and Blues. In an attempt to persuade his grade ten class that the story of Romeo and Juliet is relevant to any time, this teacher offered learners the opportunity to re-tell the story and revise the play. Learners made use of MP3s on their cellphones, iPods, YouTube, Twitter, digital cameras and videos. The final task was creating a MovieMaker slideshow, using the music, tweets and photos they had gathered.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlf97MIIvjG4PgQxt4kr-VStC9mFOTEsudZ8MNqRdxS4Ep6FPSkrXDCREhroGPb1id1UgVTQpgMnPEu2azq1W_uXKmWbsxa2ucIRLtn-64SyigVWFjYMyhvpOFHgxLk25bVdmC2T5tHo/s1600-h/image%25255B18%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvY0ChNmE3OUZ5iu5bBWv4vdsdQ7EinmyidHEiHhyphenhyphen8zAEa6BPYktepWIMs5IO73TbigqobouPT4zH052iUKHzUVIkX5VlixYEBgTiV1IlRP8hIJr-2Y0hBYOt-ZZCuhu9GNC3y-4_Eeto/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">^{<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sarietjie Musgrave who was teaching at Eunice High School in Bloemfontein at the time.</span></b>}</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">^<b> </b></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">She did a hugely successful project called ‘Spread the sunshine’ and did South Africa proud by achieving a second place in the world finals with this project! Her students each found students with disabilities in the community to link with and created ICT programmes to help them.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">^{<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span>}</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZRhuSxAA89X_1zfOGWDDgvLoS8LJmMVVqyS8rXc90mmkC7cVJdFGaeHgLiivV9_T2nStG627rlzpGY9WuJ6UEQB2uvg4aaO0M4rFyexrWBxSr7PVbwCXFSVt0acdNPgkjnxiLTh1XgY/s1600-h/image%25255B19%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLAZX9-so7Ln-oHM2Oh3aK7nnR7e93QWmCxJjX4W2lkEjGATzLwYIwdXS52gJ4dJj9vKmLW2wIV_rQiXoKf7Duwcoh5f6qxNEmExML7ptxxYK70NSyV0uElhDwDJxjWxpzGaBzo85_u8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are their YouTube presentations neatly tucked into this Slideshare presentation. Their podcasts will appear below.</span> </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div id="__ss_11546254" style="font-family: inherit; width: 425px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0pt 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/past-pil-winners-in-south-africa-part-3-webinars" target="_blank" title="Past PIL winners in South Africa Part 3 - webinars">Past PIL winners in South Africa Part 3 - webinars</a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11546254" width="425"></iframe></span> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0pt 12px;"><span style="font-size: small;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a></span> </div></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665054" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665054-helen-robertson-it-all-started-with-a-cell-phone.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Helen+Robertson+-+It+all+started+with+a+cell+phone&mp3Time=08.41pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665054-helen-robertson-it-all-started-with-a-cell-phone&rootID=boo_embed_665054" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665054-helen-robertson-it-all-started-with-a-cell-phone.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Helen Robertson - It all started with a cell phone (mp3)</a></object></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665066" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665066-wessel-theron-school-of-rock.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Wessel+Theron+-+School+of+Rock&mp3Time=08.50pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665066-wessel-theron-school-of-rock&rootID=boo_embed_665066" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665066-wessel-theron-school-of-rock.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Wessel Theron - School of Rock (mp3)</a></object></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665063" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665063-ryan-galvin-r-j-in-r-b.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Ryan+Galvin+-+R%26J+in+R%26B&mp3Time=08.47pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665063-ryan-galvin-r-j-in-r-b&rootID=boo_embed_665063" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665063-ryan-galvin-r-j-in-r-b.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Ryan Galvin - R&J in R&B (mp3)</a></object></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665076" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665076-sarietjie-musgrave-spread-the-sunshine.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Sarietjie+Musgrave+-+Spread+the+Sunshine&mp3Time=08.59pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665076-sarietjie-musgrave-spread-the-sunshine&rootID=boo_embed_665076" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665076-sarietjie-musgrave-spread-the-sunshine.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Sarietjie Musgrave - Spread the Sunshine (mp3)</a></object></span></div></div>

Microsoft podcasts Project-based learning Slideshare videos webinars Webinar of past winners shows the creative ideas teachers come up with to enter Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Forum

At the moment we are having a series of nine webinars featuring past finalists and winners in Microst’s Partners in Learning Forum (formerly called the Innovative Teacher competition)  I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting and listening to these twice a …

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Join our webinar session of past winners at 5pm today!

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />This afternoon we have another webinar of three past finalists or winners in the South African Partners in Learning forum. Please log in as a guest and join us if you can: <a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Ngaka Ralekoala from Bloemfontein</b></span><br />We have Ngaka Ralekoala who worked in a team of four in a project about vulnerable children. In this project l<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">earners from participating schools received training in ethics and research methodology and then conducted research in their local community to determine the needs of vulnerable children.  Through this project, learners have been given the opportunity to collaborate with other schools, the University of the Free State as well as experts in the field of Social Action research from the De </span><span style="color: black;">Montford</span><span style="color: black;"> University in the United Kingdom via the Internet. </span></span><br /><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlKke9SSq4IlK8q6yoeoikC9tpKxMiRaICwOtsUr7b8A1DtFhqaFzdMSBnfzd1fN2tPmiFV1epYVZxht6ECbPveDk00_Whr1JI8KYtXmMB1lGU_YWQP7HWFRiCtu3g4l6a26-xNUQgaM/s1600/Children+who+care-Ngaka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlKke9SSq4IlK8q6yoeoikC9tpKxMiRaICwOtsUr7b8A1DtFhqaFzdMSBnfzd1fN2tPmiFV1epYVZxht6ECbPveDk00_Whr1JI8KYtXmMB1lGU_YWQP7HWFRiCtu3g4l6a26-xNUQgaM/s400/Children+who+care-Ngaka.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Charli Wiggil from Eden College in Durban</b></span><br /><div style="direction: ltr; language: en-ZA; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; mso-line-break-override: none; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;"> We also have Charli Wiggil from Durban who did a project around the world cup in South Africa called ‘Tweenzites’. In t<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">his grade 10 Life Orientation project involved learners identifying a contemporary problem in their community and exploring it using various technological tools (Intel Thinking with Technology, GPRS, cell phones, Microsoft Office Applications etc). Learners were then challenged to devise strategies to address the problem that they identified and these were presented to local community and government leaders, community members, educators and learners from other schools. It is hoped that the municipality might implement some of the suggestions through their Department Planning Programme. One of the groups developed a DVD to be used in Life Skills by other schools.</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUg3_baFVkmUKm7dHmPjdaoMxKsMKaf2h_U6MLHibVtuvGlFImLT7x8n7JyAek3Jx4rld9ExSi6-YoTlqM9U86habdmtcr1p7ZoVrb7K_qx-Eh3PjiKR3uL0WS4TcuXopj0K_DLcoU9E/s1600/Charli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUg3_baFVkmUKm7dHmPjdaoMxKsMKaf2h_U6MLHibVtuvGlFImLT7x8n7JyAek3Jx4rld9ExSi6-YoTlqM9U86habdmtcr1p7ZoVrb7K_qx-Eh3PjiKR3uL0WS4TcuXopj0K_DLcoU9E/s400/Charli.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Glen Williams from Sunridge Primary in Port Elizabeth</b></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> The third teacher is Glen Williams who did a project which he calls ‘Silent Morals’ around a particular IT programme called Scratch.Glen says " <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-style: normal;">Well</span><span style="color: black; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> , m</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">y grade 6 learners had to USE what they learnt in basic programming, EXPLORE, and CREATE an ANIMATED SILENT MOVIE which DEPICTS a MORAL VALUE or LESSON.You will see that I start AND end this presentation with the word FUN, because I believe that education must be ENGAGING in a FUN way. </span><span style="color: black;">Projects</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;"> allow learners the FREEDOM to EXPERIMENT with what they already learnt in a STRUCTURED way AND forces them to EXPLORE things which they haven’t learnt yet, without RELYING on a teacher."</span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2Im1wqvWq6jEusiZsLyBhUl8Y7IEGP3T_SpRe63C-F4rr0uwajsio2KeCVKmEpBSBKTLCn_e5zQaC7semIKpjxaAnL-VdFt7UJkXUILceTvlYB_8d3DWi2pQ-REmFCfYVt-mwuPI8AM/s1600/Silent+Morals+-+Glen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2Im1wqvWq6jEusiZsLyBhUl8Y7IEGP3T_SpRe63C-F4rr0uwajsio2KeCVKmEpBSBKTLCn_e5zQaC7semIKpjxaAnL-VdFt7UJkXUILceTvlYB_8d3DWi2pQ-REmFCfYVt-mwuPI8AM/s400/Silent+Morals+-+Glen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /></div><br />This all makes for some interesting listening this evening. If you can’t make it the recording will be placed on the wiki tomorrow. (<a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/View+webinar+recordings">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/View+webinar+recordings</a>) But please join us if you can this evening at 5pm:<br /><a href="http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/">http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/</a><br /><br />Well, five 'o clock has now been and gone and the webinar is over. Here is a Slideshare with embedded YouTube videos showing the webinars of these three finalists. Take a watch and a listen if you have the time. <br /><br /><div id="__ss_11539587" style="width: 425px;"><b style="display: block; margin: 12px 0 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/past-pil-winners-webinars-in-south-africa-4" target="_blank" title="Part 4 - Past PIL winners' webinars in South Africa ">Part 4 - Past PIL winners' webinars in South Africa </a></b> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/11539587" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/thecroaker/death-by-powerpoint" target="_blank">PowerPoint</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div><br />Otherwise, listen to their podcasts instead<br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665090" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Ngaka+Ralekoala+-+Children+who+care&mp3Time=09.12pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care&rootID=boo_embed_665090" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665090-ngaka-ralekoala-children-who-care.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Ngaka Ralekoala - Children who care (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665100" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Charli+Wiggil+-+Tweenzite&mp3Time=09.18pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite&rootID=boo_embed_665100" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665100-charli-wiggil-tweenzite.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Charli Wiggil - Tweenzite (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><object data="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" height="129" id="boo_embed_665112" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://abfiles.s3.amazonaws.com/swf/fullsize_player.swf" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="bgColor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665112-glen-williams-silent-morals.mp3%3Fkeyed%3Dtrue%26source%3Dembed&mp3Title=Glen+Williams+-+Silent+Morals&mp3Time=09.31pm+12+Feb+2012&mp3LinkURL=http%3A%2F%2Faudioboo.fm%2Fboos%2F665112-glen-williams-silent-morals&rootID=boo_embed_665112" /><a href="http://audioboo.fm/boos/665112-glen-williams-silent-morals.mp3?keyed=true&source=embed">Glen Williams - Silent Morals (mp3)</a></object><br /><br /><br /></div>

Competitions Microsoft podcasts Project-based learning Slideshare Teaching videos webinars Join our webinar session of past winners at 5pm today!

This afternoon we have another webinar of three past finalists or winners in the South African Partners in Learning forum. Please log in as a guest and join us if you can: http://meet78641452.adobeconnect.com/previouswinners4/Ngaka Ralekoala from Blo…

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What are YOU doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Can you feel the excitement in the air? it's time to be preparing for Microsoft's Partners in Learning Forum. This is an exciting competition that used to be called the Innovative Teacher competition. There are some superb prizes available, and it is <b>really</b> worth giving it your best shot. The competition involves taking something you are doing in class and adding technology to it. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmaoAQXTViMjTSSa8H-OdtR21pMIEOA9Tia97c3oh20eWbJlzz3BbpzEEwmhdJYx2eu7OBOy6iczWkV8yx7KLWOIyJxC6ljP8V9g7vZ0RoSgqVVbPpNzqXf4Hb4QvhXkPzMcgxpT8fh0/s1600/Victor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmaoAQXTViMjTSSa8H-OdtR21pMIEOA9Tia97c3oh20eWbJlzz3BbpzEEwmhdJYx2eu7OBOy6iczWkV8yx7KLWOIyJxC6ljP8V9g7vZ0RoSgqVVbPpNzqXf4Hb4QvhXkPzMcgxpT8fh0/s400/Victor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />If you are successful you could be in for a year that involves travel and adventure! If you haven't started a project yet and you are still floundering for ideas, well, I have prepared a Slideshare to help you. Just remember that entries have to be uploaded by 12 March 2102. For more information please look at the wiki we have created to guide you through the days until closing date - <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces</a>. You can still sign up so that we can take a special interest in you. <br /><br />Here is the Slideshare:<br /><div style="width:425px" id="__ss_11488569"><strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum" title="Get started on a project for the Partners in Learning Forum">Get started on a project for the Partners in Learning Forum</a></strong><object height="355" id="__sse11488569" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=getstartedonaprojectforthepartnersinlearningforum-120208160417-phpapp02&stripped_title=get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum&userName=fionabeal" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><embed name="__sse11488569" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=getstartedonaprojectforthepartnersinlearningforum-120208160417-phpapp02&stripped_title=get-started-on-a-project-for-the-partners-in-learning-forum&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div style="padding:5px 0 12px">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">fionabeal</a>.</div></div><br />So, what are <b>YOU</b> doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Microsoft Project-based learning Slideshare What are YOU doing about the Partners in Learning Forum this year?

Can you feel the excitement in the air? it's time to be preparing for Microsoft's Partners in Learning Forum. This is an exciting competition that used to be called the Innovative Teacher competition. There are some superb prizes available, and it is…

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A recap. of our South African teachers' involvement in the Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum in 2011

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since the Partners in Learning Forum (formerly known as the Innovative Teachers’ Forum) has opened its 2012 competition and we at SchoolNet are encouraging all teachers to participate in our free online support group <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a> (so that we can support you with your entry), I thought I would write and tell you something about our participants last year. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Face-to-face Courses in 2011 and 2012</span><br /><br /></b>SchoolNet hosted a number of free face-to-face courses for this competition around the country in 2011 so that teachers could find out more about the requirements of the competition. We are doing the same this year and if you want to be included in one and you have heard nothing about them to date please contact <a href="mailto:almah@schoolnet.org.za">almah@schoolnet.org.za</a> to find out more.  </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkw4ff4jofIc5m5ymNC6W7GdBVXnQp8npZ4qcIk5dFJi3FuSJRxuZA4exuvGhM9aPedCbZ9diVpotDqIJTxJNzdu-f91Tw22zLjg5LTfb2oG750pdSGC1Z4_TjmNv_jC8dFNRw5So1Hc/s1600/PIL+wiki.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">New this year – an Innovative Online Support Course!</span><br /><br /></b>This year we are also including a free online support course with daily posts which you can follow at at your own pace. It will include two (optional) webinars a week where you can find out about past finalists and winners and hear what they did. If you miss the webinars they will be recorded and you will get access to the link to listen at leisure. "Where will this link be posted?" I can hear you asking. Well, the course will be run from a wiki and if you sign up we will take an extra special interest in you all the way to the final date for entries! The place to sign up is: <br /><a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkw4ff4jofIc5m5ymNC6W7GdBVXnQp8npZ4qcIk5dFJi3FuSJRxuZA4exuvGhM9aPedCbZ9diVpotDqIJTxJNzdu-f91Tw22zLjg5LTfb2oG750pdSGC1Z4_TjmNv_jC8dFNRw5So1Hc/s1600/PIL+wiki.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkw4ff4jofIc5m5ymNC6W7GdBVXnQp8npZ4qcIk5dFJi3FuSJRxuZA4exuvGhM9aPedCbZ9diVpotDqIJTxJNzdu-f91Tw22zLjg5LTfb2oG750pdSGC1Z4_TjmNv_jC8dFNRw5So1Hc/s400/PIL+wiki.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last year’s entrants</span><br /></b><br />So let me tell you about last year’s entrants. Quite a number uploaded their PowerPoint entries (don’t worry, we’ll guide you through all this) by the required date and 22 were chosen because they offered something that was considered innovative for their schools. Those 22 people were elated when they heard of their success especially as they were to be whisked off to Johannesburg to the South African Finals to present their projects to the judges. They stayed in excellent five star accommodation, and for once in their lives teachers were treated like royalty! They also experienced some really innovative workshops and were sponsored to attend the ICT in the Classroom Conference which SchoolNet hosted last year. The winners received their accolades on the last night of the Conference amidst the cheering of the large crowd of educators from around the country.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They had a ball! Did you think that innovative teacher finalists could be so crazy? Look at this!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjMk7XIijPLGkYujJlLVcXWFqA_ffBy6WR5WYJGEwf-ZJcakyiuDAa6VvpsTPGZtdnTDGK1NwKmgrdOF_xAB0G-haiI_XdiQEMenutNROSI3mWiP4mJnVEnINH7ISf_zRpI8spviYbgE/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg7n5cVCAlQKT7j5XAypexTrHn9UpGtZFxNcJ7GzIBPAJisBxR6jbsyBOlH-Ulrdq4uSIePPeLac_aimbIcLfo2VljOZ-3QtxgjjpkiGJjEdROm18PIKEijClbA2ZklQgp5ZVAD6ojTM/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpLMD8i_QKRKNhcPXd0Izel0zFXfCWMrzvTX1-q69HecHZ2J7BC9XervwVpWrOoO2LWeAwuCtPbX6-DlBtOfBJ2MdIDLPWTA7CRXdYzWJ-lcxWkPbrDEF7I0tWSzjHPXJ9soPzPAYX-pE/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcg8Q9yRJpZIyET3QtH7HW29rwzibME5Ib2xWqJPEFk9O3sS1LORCSAB0cWONy9WkcWuysxtafgGQ5cDEXcvjcS-11UnfxO-5c1mP3BcD1l2W9FlogppQzN8nUY8ylj2e-9QUH2hN9rr0/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmTbXItvJAn6SnvelsuIk5I8teczw8lNl27T6w2N2QM0PtF2R1GxEToVEI502dQcdiyBRvkcTnK7Zr5ZOWYUBmV9res9OHPaPeXF4TpW9nIyjR_Y7XHqN_NuioMBNG7IaJYvEHX8NAQA/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSSjafnSLvzvv148Brl_P-yvt5Gjfz5W33bpX2WvP1ZqOrilsqYvpB7Piieum4tnmWFAcN0NHk2wipBCoAvllwx7dwpp0WeFqDcLt6HSoVVG9iA8-qE67X0T3PRIrwlnH3xX6ucG8Ues/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1slaowwt8AmGw_ePz-p3SHOiXKCXOMY7CB90s-OmHZvSZoU38mbp74xl6UOsiGQsAqE_gyNArdEUrFsYSUdBgXOHvKLZhbfFRj-q2isaq72AIhQd5paJnBsSaeIrZJ58NeRe_uofkTw/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NeP84pohNGuTotrR-7xocSLiFmJE6auL_FZCIJZ6hVkj2WtDI9C6WW2635kcLW0g66aVTZ0ScBjDtMjFTPQpuHa5nj6w4o62GgW0fiLkwSULbTqCl-18BjwzWT2UXb9NhDPTYOlTkyg/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the next video (created by Lisa Gair who was a finalist), you can see them riding trolleys down the ramp at the Oliver Thambo Airport in Johannesburg on the way home, excited and happy after an AMAZING week!</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-d75a4589172a86d0-10595" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwXLvoKgziJkbtjCUoD0zpU2FIZvbmP6OyP2KAIvFwYgYam2lhKD1rbTNQxE_cEi_wIM_X2H3cx0SSzgx4HOmzu9GBrR-f0YZUruKhrT-sR0z67UkcL1RjREByNiob0-Wb7sjuN" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The South African winners</span><br /></b><br />The winners were:<br /><br />§ Louise Clarke and Kim Jackson of St Cyprians College in Cape Town for their class project “Tollbooth Movie Maker”; <br />§ Natalie Meerholz of Holy Rosary School in Edenvale for her class project “E-Waste Away”; <br />§ Lyneth Crighton of Brescia House in Bryanston for her class project “DigiGirlz puzzle IT out”; <br />§ Wessel Theron of Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town for his class project “School of Rock”; <br />§ Ryan Galvin of St Nicholas Diocesan School in Pietermaritzburg for his class project “R and J in R and B”. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately we don’t have a photo of the five winners all together, but here is Louise Clarke the overall winner (along with Kim her Grade 4 colleague who was in England at the time) receiving her award and prize.<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2D8cYSKjbApuwarEhw7lmq_P6WeU1_Wyh3tzbaAT0hrHzccCEs7WC2T5Rly_Qgv7hpQhmPhHNRDU9JjDdIUz84xVBTpq_l2LsomavBEGakBn1C_wuy5jVzFz09PZzSzYe7ZB1yncbkE/s1600-h/image%25255B15%25255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQSsqmgF3SEzKdFnyDsTNyyIGvpOnnsvx-_7uas_9v5mRKjBBON5zPQkxfqqxOsELVIz2DDR1-Hjw4jWKWg91lyzb5W1M-qbcgG2ADa1sccmMZiQKN4_gwg3wbbB1NI2FIgVFmzLctoU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Jordan finals</span><br /></b><br />The next round of the competition for the five winners was to attend the Middle East and Africa Finals in Jordan in September 2011. I have written a blog post about this if you would like to find out more. Once again it was loads of fun and Microsoft provided the most stunning accommodation. <a href="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/09/snippets-from-partners-in-learning.html" title="http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/09/snippets-from-partners-in-learning.html">http://e-blogschool.blogspot.com/2011/09/snippets-from-partners-in-learning.html<br /><br /></a></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFWhsek9eiLsYwhfxgwpF4vtIFjXeDf6Q_dXTHufmFRQE6FJk7qEFGons0i1h6HpVTwcbZvBDcsLEbeFSLTQAd9dnbmOgZEXYf02cAmx9U2dsI5Yy5CpUHbzZ6vx89-wVrwowvStk_Lc/s1600-h/image%25255B18%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ib8_KZ7ayw3USohcg5Ya7mBar39_C7-beTIcJthgAd39j7mlf3ZFDvzmmFO7cKiqe6yp_9A2S6ibgKx_vzyxY5fLq_gHW10hD30j9x3VJZ2rAZQBJghhRrcVwL12F1E53KMj1kuO66Q/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a>  <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4p-JoJ7uXHkXodXKuWbaajCwFompnxYOEfxdfRUloPOigH3bmdcZamjP-jm7gZ1n2_n3pOovU1_YSDbM10uCOfZ15hcISsEcWpg1lXorpDWpiTRh8-4kGojnl9xTAGEvUiMaqBbNHak/s1600-h/image%25255B21%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaLdOJgMHDNECHlbYAObgO9v1q-q9r0UibQWRYiaJT-uIpSg4JkM20m45tmeUbOWUQjT1oUfkv5x9g6_yztYgNDlIHqB_cgum_Zzn8xhp7AckjkxuQdwfjzPc8GmxAiXcQXlkeuLYQg8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="244" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />The South African and Lesotho winners at this event were:<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Louise Clarke and Kim Jackson from St Cyprians College in Cape Town won the 'Collaboration' category for their Grade 4 class project 'Tollbooth Movie Maker'.<br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Lyneth Crighton from Brescia House in Bryanston won the 'Cutting Edge' award for her class project 'DigiGirlz puzzle IT out'. <br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Natalie Meerholz of Holy Rosary School in Edenvale came 3rd in the ‘Beyond the Classroom’ award  for her class project 'E-Waste Away'.<br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Malatela  Monaheng from Lesotho came 2nd in the 'Challenging Contexts' category. </span><span style="font-size: small;">§</span><span style="font-size: small;">Wessel Theron from Bishops and Thejani Malakane from Lesotho were part of the group that won the 'group project' award in Jordan, which meant the whole group could compete in Washington.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT_TEl-MUx4h459h3fVQXaf1zn5rKcllm0t-bYeHU7pFbntErED_hS7HC8lqL39Ql2e1vwwvWekXf3t04uDdAuh24kcrTjXcIsxGHIcQsje5V0FZqOLzpT4ga3-ZtUfspWR8UO5ZREbkg/s1600-h/image%25255B39%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6-kvz9WRU_gociDhn8AHdzxnXAIi458YmhWJpNPfCL6e9rmyvVApnT-jW9sNjMA8P028dS1-6MVj8y_4vLkVaXmPlH4ieEHUBUaOYsR-g1Q5UX1V2KVuoQslFQQ9qXV1hRvfN7Zb9WU/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Malatela  Monaheng and Wessel Theron (Thejane is seen below)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span> </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The World Finals in Washington in November<br /><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The winners from this event went on to the World Finals in Washington in November. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Here they are in Washington:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWXJUgiOI7yQnilDRsAK6hIZW-Y5a4Rfytr747vDz-ppPC3_DLowBRKICwOoRJYrs-dEfcogHHq7la74WbK0z5aR-UtKyTtISTRKyZc8saN0Vi_FrNQTdRufsP6layKdQuMcEKDAM2_FE/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some of the group with the Whitehouse in the background</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVHxb80ypLsz-_v1RIQwy3lDoncTMUFYGLY85hCsjkBioyZGelwY_p-pbXpEwKCugP9fEo2W4qpy82V2GmLWg9xRi7DvEUvH-fchbP4PiKBBVbbgIdBbCrTWs61nGCsfEbjUSCHZyiGY/s1600-h/image%25255B30%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQimoehDIq2qLt0UZMixxMpkm3om60VjO8QnIrDMyjpqPiHDNJKS1zZqC_23adVbP1qvXQnOK5L8PFJ7o3oox14GcTMBreBYnNRAv3Vq3zU-KKJN0tt41yifYEwBmcb_yv55b6KPso4Q8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="304" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Natalie at her project stand</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipzwR8Zw2UiORzyVaw46xteY26SX0NS3jrefbuaKyS278Nj-gDC-PVi2kyWBzIAZF2Sw2p0Fg-hvmDCh78XSGI0xsUBptnJwuvI61lfstSVmfLpBElc2xr9-NvIgRvOOelp-Tp4qtBGE/s1600-h/image%25255B27%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQaxP99QDfNwmEiA2YPGJLz4rHCESS-Rh-_JKAZ3SklNWRuTa0QK4UQFEw7OUF-1tpCUptskLE1Ac9AMHJEFllI2qZbST5109aSE72GRFCU1ZWlE7AvGpKOrfLAgSd2Bo5zC6fkJYzN8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kim and Louise at their project stand</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeOfkqS1X1FnJfPlXOrl8yvaRKRojQIn3r9UKjpy31dlKQR_wjcKjQYnBIil7tzS2k2cERgvUJJoxgVnB0qqVNcrkn99eGjI2fx5_UOchVV2ALnelLdJhfrEANkA7Wktn9wO263EIOTo/s1600/blog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaeOfkqS1X1FnJfPlXOrl8yvaRKRojQIn3r9UKjpy31dlKQR_wjcKjQYnBIil7tzS2k2cERgvUJJoxgVnB0qqVNcrkn99eGjI2fx5_UOchVV2ALnelLdJhfrEANkA7Wktn9wO263EIOTo/s400/blog.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wessel and Thejane with their winning group from Jordan</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq5Qy-OztlxNKejsfMucdnJr_qTC3LDEVo5M4nell1aHkdYKfV5aaOtCE2gi6W8ghcc2GTycK5b7jBUFV7jvUyUsUIkR7ay2il6PE0rz_XXl1MPb7z0h0WDh_-X8kctd5vHy59QJ8vj8k/s1600-h/image%25255B33%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECzhMrO7xL5Kmwo9LTbnapoOL6xuz8t9xGSnpCJZTIo-f2zNdmAQCysC8o8cFR1bx2sHYMlPw4AWRCBJ94mcwLFlq2JmLmfPIkD2DlNqyAnS1iflkCIw9Y1xSSjBPqiy5_bXXSmH9gbk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lyneth at her project stand</span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lyneth Crighton was also interveiwed by the Global Forum team and found herself being featured on YouTube</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">      </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pkHw8M3YhU4" width="420"></iframe></span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is what Natalie Meerholtz said about the event in Facebook, “Awesome closing gala dinner in Washington DC. No SA awards. The Yanks cleaned up on innovative gaming projects! There should have been a category for most spirited country - no doubt South Africa!”</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK33lewmsrMv5bTxzYgLGN0dOfuifV0dghbJhAyj6HnKtO0eFPtOSqgN7_pFzBXkG8Ae8Ur8CKjqJCPyd1L4iWXo4bbfspizhhT5IDRn9fpW3hSTwIY38lY7ip5FiHSeQqxGIYj4YhGYY/s1600-h/image%25255B36%25255D.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="image" border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMyvn-2ejhzKBgGlgAmbLpH1Z0jNcbsQabg10cgvoCw9iKxLD8gMui_kiJS6rj_t8lm0JVgS22tpOP_2DQV_Cl15KIBzJZw0eVSf11bQFu1k5HJy7ohD02sXnHxoirH93BoO04FzJYsI/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The final Gala dinner when the Awards were announced</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">What this means for you!</span><br /></b><br />Please consider entering a project this year. You just never know what can happen!<br />Projects have to be uploaded by March 15th and the Awards will be handed out at the Basic Education conference in Durban in April. The winners will go on the Middle East and Africa forum in Morocco, and the winners from that occasion will participate in the Global Forum in Athens,  Greece. All expenses are paid by Microsoft each step of the way.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don’t know where to start? Sign up for our  free online support course so that we can take you through the steps and encourage you during the next 8 weeks.  <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span> </div></div>

Competitions Microsoft Project-based learning Teaching Technology integration A recap. of our South African teachers' involvement in the Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum in 2011

Since the Partners in Learning Forum (formerly known as the Innovative Teachers’ Forum) has opened its 2012 competition and we at SchoolNet are encouraging all teachers to participate in our free online support group http://partnersinlearningforum-sa…

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Microsoft announces the Partners in Learning South African Forum 2012

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Calling all South African teachers who are using technology in engaging ways. Entries are now open for the Microsoft Partners in Learning South African Forum 2012.<br /><br />Share your innovative lesson or project that uses ICT and you could win a trip to Morocco to attend the Middle East Africa Forum and from there, possibly the Global Forum in Athens, Greece. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">What do teachers need to do to enter the Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum?</span></b><br /><br />Teachers need to have run a project or lesson that uses ICT in a creative and engaging way. Teachers then need to complete the PowerPoint entry template describing their project or lesson. This entry then needs to be uploaded to the Partners in Learning Network by Monday 12 March: <a href="http://www.pil-network.com/">http://africa.partnersinlearningnetwork.com/communities/f3a5865473b842f7b690ed9f47217405/Pages/default.aspx</a> . To download the entry template please visit <a href="http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf">http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Face to face workshops</span></b><br /><br />To find out about face to face Microsoft Innovation Workshops that will be taking place in February 2012 call Almah at SchoolNet on 011 403 5777 or email <a href="http://www.blogger.com/almah@schoolnet.org.za">almah@schoolnet.org.za</a>. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sign up for the online course</span></b><br /><br />To find out about the Online Innovation Course which will be run by Fiona Beal from 16 January 2012 email fiona@schoolnet.org.za or sign up on the wiki <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course">http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a> <br /><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Summary of important links</span></b><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To sign up for the online course go to: <a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course"><br />http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/Sign+up+for+this+course</a><a href="http://partnersinlearningforum-sa.wikispaces.com/"></a></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Visit the "South African Microsoft Partners in Learning Forum" on the Partners in Learning Network at <a href="http://africa.partnersinlearningnetwork.com/communities/f3a5865473b842f7b690ed9f47217405/Pages/default.aspx">http://africa.partnersinlearningnetwork.com/communities/f3a5865473b842f7b690ed9f47217405/Pages/default.aspx</a></li><li>For further information visit <a href="http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf/">http://www.schoolnet.org.za/itf/</a> <b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></b></li></ul><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">Read more about the forum<br /></span></b><br />Read more about the Partners in Learning Forum, last years's winners, and the fantastic prizes on offer in this Youblisher.com flipbook below (just click on the writing to enlarge the pages):<br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youblisher.com/p/225372-Partners-in-Learning-Global-forum-brochure/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Partners in Learning Global forum brochure" src="http://www.youblisher.com/files/publications/38/225372/200x300.jpg" /></a></div></div><div></div></div>

Competitions Microsoft Project-based learning Teaching Technology integration Microsoft announces the Partners in Learning South African Forum 2012

Calling all South African teachers who are using technology in engaging ways. Entries are now open for the Microsoft Partners in Learning South African Forum 2012.Share your innovative lesson or project that uses ICT and you could win a trip to Moroc…

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ISTE-NASA Education Project Application Deadline, January 15

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">ISTE and NASA are collaborating to provide a great project for Middle and High School teachers who are enthusiastic about SPACE.  The selected teachers will work together in groups to produce educational materials for teachers and students about the Earth’s  magnetosphere. The final projects stand a chance to be featured at the ISTE 2012 annual conference and exposition, and may also be selected for publication on the NASA website. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">Are you a Middle or High School teacher that fits these requirements? Here is a great project opportunity for you.  Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Here is more information:</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTvQMtesDGQP4XTd2Zt7GSnGx1p2Vd700R7uuJDa4ovoDqm8iQ7GFUcAD3xClfIZMzdF-lKzppb0-gIoxKMysEmjJTyl0p9lKiOxn0i61AXBOsUIx47i25JbwMw3opVgOf_fupgVe5hA/s1600-h/image%25255B16%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURuaVepOaP6BqEnf0i1uHXY4ifhBIWRGWUC07IQhPzah2Ceg0gHtdWEksda5d8qE4AtZjAfOUbWAUn01rKCVWgWQfgLIbQyWlzqCIfJkjKsoLoq1RhbWapjDEQjSYXj9ykHlWwMh5Ee8/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="513" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GtTVOlRv7Cwmo99GUaXjfrDNe2vF8IXx0GPDsBIbuM2_LPWJQffGgVLpsR_41-78tHxDr2opid05Pb2Gl13Pnrf_t-5__xZiqV5Siv9l1b7AUJFGwf3qeEjaBwdMcS-CNYeyroSX6zY/s1600-h/image%25255B18%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uRCKUO7qYwl6EjWv6UY8-IL1ZGERBPC-wRDDyNn2ZJCSS7GVArt8uuqHiR16wt-MbW6dxCIHfw12Cv-0Wez-SdNA0HPnlEQO1oA9WxMMVgjybn2GE5G4h7ExygKiU8920m5WSSi55PA/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="513" /></a></div>

Collaboration Competitions Project-based learning Technology integration ISTE-NASA Education Project Application Deadline, January 15

ISTE and NASA are collaborating to provide a great project for Middle and High School teachers who are enthusiastic about SPACE.  The selected teachers will work together in groups to produce educational materials for teachers and students about the …

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