Let's look at the 'Find a lesson' option on the Microsoft Educator Community - why not join today?

This is the third post in a series on the Microsoft Educator Community. The previous two are:
*The NEW Microsoft Educator Community - all you need to know! Why not pay a visit...
*A brief overview of the 'Get Trained' option in the new Microsoft Educator Communit
Today we'll look at the section called ' Find a lesson'.

What is the Microsoft Educator Community?
You'll find the Microsoft Educator Community community at: https://www.educatornetwork.com/.
This new site is Microsoft's central education destination, a place to connect and collaborate around the world and gain easy access to lessons created by educators for educators. You'll have access to well over 1.5 million educators around the world plus more.

Let's go back to the landing page of the new community once you have signed in.  You'll notice six options on the landing page, so let's take a look at the 'Find a Lesson' option.

Let's look at the 'Find a lesson' option
This section contains resources created by teachers to be used by students around the world. You'll see it includes three subsections namely Lesson Plans, Skype Lessons and Virtual Field trips.

1. Lesson Plans
Here you will find lesson plans to download or view for your classroom. These have been written by other educators. 

You will notice a fairly simple filtering system that allows you to very quickly find the kinds of materials you are looking for. Many subject areas are catered for, and you'll find the different age groups and languages are given as options. 

You can also upload one of your lessons that you would like to share. You'll notice that there is a button on the top right of the filtering options called CREATE. If you click on the downward arrow you'll see that you can add a lesson plan, a video tutorial, a Skype lesson or a Virtual Field tour. Once you upload your lesson you'll find that it disappears temporarily so that it can be moderated by a member of the community team. This is done to ensure quality lessons. Each uppload is either approved or rejected.  

2. Skype Lessons

Let's take a look at the Skype lesson button. This is where you can connect with hundreds of global professionals and experts on a variety of topics to bring live learning lessons into your classroom.

In this section you'll find a large number of specific live Skype lessons to explore. 

Id you click on the one that says ' Skype in the classroom'  you'll be taken to a place of  instruction on how to use Skype in your classroom.

There is plenty to explore in the Skype lessons section.

3. Virtual Field Trips
The third section in 'Find a lesson' is the Virtual Field Trips section.  You'll notice under this section that you can find a virtual field trip, see a virtual field trip in action and host a virtual field trip.  Your students can go on great adventures without leaving the classroom.

If you visit the ' See a virtual Field Trip in action' you'll see the ultimate field trip - under the sea. The video is shown below. In 2014 Skype in the classroom was part of the historic Mission 31 expedition during which Fabien Cousteau and his team broke new ground in ocean exploration. Fabien and his team spoke with classrooms around the world via Skype. This video showcases 3 of those calls. Some of the pupils had never left their local area and were transported into a world deep beneath the sea. Their fascination evident, Fabien answered questions and offered glimpses into life as part of Mission 31.

Why not head over to https://www.educatornetwork.com/, Join if you haven't yet joined and take a look around.  You'll be amazed at the incredible wealth of resources for you and your students. 

Great Google posts for teachers this week #52

After looking through all the Google posts that were shared to various subscriptions recently, these are a selection that look useful for teachers. All the previous posts in this series can be accessed on this link http://bit.ly/1VEJp3r: 

Great Google posts #52

View more lists from Fiona Beal

MIEExpert Spotlight #12: Mochudu Machaba from Limpopo talks about Teaching with Technology

This is the twelfth post in the series "MIEExpert Spotlight for South Africa". The tab with all the posts can be found at: http://bit.ly/1ZYy8Z7. Today we focus on Mochudu Machaba who is a Grade 5 and 6 teacher at Ngwanamago Primary School situated around 25 kilometers from Polokwane in South Africa’s Limpopo province. She is also recognised for being an Educator Community Influencer and Contributor, a Microsoft MIE Trainer and a Microsoft Master Trainer.

More about Mochudu Machaba
Mochudu Machaba is a Grade 5 and 6 teacher at Ngwanamago Primary School situated around 25 kilometers from Polokwane in South Africa’s Limpopo province. She first became interested in technology and especially the use of Microsoft applications when CozaCares Foundation trained teachers in her area in the use of technology and she was recognized as an ISPA SuperTeacher in 2013. For her entry into this competition Mochudu created a project using Microsoft’s SongSmith in which her learners created their own tunes and lyrics.

Mochudu and the Microsoft Innovative Teacher competition
Mokhudu heard about the Microsoft Innovative Teacher competition at one of the SchoolNet South Africa ICT in the Classroom Conferences and was immediately interested in entering the competition. “I decided to do a project with my learners using Microsoft’s free tools and I uploaded it to the Microsoft Educator Network as it was called at that time.” Even though her school is poorly equipped in technology Mochudu feels that the learners deserve to be exposed to interesting lessons that use technology, so she prepares at home and then uses her laptop and the school’s data projector to present her lessons with the aim of inspiring her Grade 5 and 6 learners. She says, "My learning activity centered on the Marula tree which we have in our school yard. We used the tree for research to see what we could use it for, and we ended up producing our own juice, our own jam and nuts.”

Mochudu uploaded six learning activities to the previous Microsoft Educator Network and has joined the new Microsoft Educator Community, where by the start of 2016 she has been awarded six badges for being an Educator Community Influencer and Contributor, an MIE Trainer and Master Trainer,

The inspiring 2015 Microsoft E2 Educator Exchange
In 2015, Mochudu was recognized as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIE) for her Marula project and was selected to attend the Microsoft E2 Global Teacher Exchange in Seattle along with three other South African teachers. She says, “This was a mind-blowing experience for me. It was a great achievement for my school. They were very proud of me." 

Mochudu says she feels honored to have been selected for the E2 Global Teacher Exchange in Seattle. “The Global E2 conference was amazing. We were given a group task to develop a learning activity that could be used and accessed all around the world. Our group won second place.” Mokhudu’s group tackled a project on everyday heroes and despite the language barriers they pushed through and developed a great project that others can use. “It was a great experience for me, meeting new people from different backgrounds. It taught me a lot of things mainly to start doing things differently. Now when I look at education in my country I look to see what changes I can make that will benefit my learners. We had incredible speakers at the E2 Conference. They changed my thinking completely. We have to work through all the obstacles of life and make a way for things that have to happen in education. I can still hear Angela Maeiers asking “How big is your brave?”

Microsoft's Teaching with Technology course
Mochudu is very familiar with Microsoft’s Teaching with Technology course. In addition to having completed the course herself, and having encouraged colleagues to do so, she has also run a series of professional development sessions on it for teachers in Mogodumo Circuit.

Mokhudu feels that this course is exactly what teachers need to get familiar with using technology for teaching and learning in the classroom. For trainers, the Teaching with Technology courseware already exists, so trainers do not have to produce their own materials. Once teachers have been introduced to the course, they can then work through the various modules and quizzes at their own pace as it suits them. Teachers who successfully complete the online course are able to get a certificate which is endorsed by the South African Council of Educators which counts for fifteen professional development points through SchoolNet SA. This means that teachers are formally recognized for their learning. “The Teaching with Technology course is what I use most of the time to teach my colleagues whether at my school or in the district. It helps the teacher to get on board using ICT. It takes a lot of commitment for the teachers to do this online course but if you finish the course you get a badge. I really thank Microsoft for its impact in my life.”

Find out more about the teaching with Technology course:  SACE accredited (15 points)
This course is free and it can be found on the Microsoft Educator Community at http://bit.ly/1S1YYQl. It is SACE accreddited for South African educators and is worth 15 points.  The Teaching with Technology (TwT) curriculum is designed to help educators understand how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can enhance the teaching and learning experience and enable students to acquire 21st century skills. Among many benefits, Teaching with Technology is free, aligned with the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers. Successful completion of Teaching with Technology will prepare you to pass the Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) exam.

Find out more about the Microsoft Innovative Teacher competition

We invite you to join the amazing Microsoft Educator Community (all free) and get involved in the Microsoft MIEE program in 2016/2017. 

If you are a teacher who likes to be innovative in the classroom, think about entering Microsoft's Innovative Teacher MIEExpert program in 2016/2017 when applications reopen later this year. You can learn more about the program at this link: http://bit.ly/1H4gKcB on the Microsoft Educator Community. 

Global Leadership week takes place this week online - why not join in?

What is Global Leadership week?

Global Leadership Week (GLW) is a week-long celebration of leadership through global action in K-20 education, taking place April 25 - 29, 2016, and organized by the Global Education Conference (GEC) Network. GLW is an opportunity for global education leaders (and those who want to be!) to learn from one another and share effective principles in leadership, particularly within the context of an interconnected, global age.

What happens during Global Leadership Week?

During Global Leadership Week, leaders in schools, universities, non-profit organizations, and corporations have designed and will be hosting over 25 virtual events to showcase thought leadership. The global education community at large can choose to participate in these online activities by browsing event listings on the GLW calendar. All events are free of charge to attend.

Major events during Global Leadership Week

First is the Global Leadership Summit on Monday, April 25th, an invitational, face-to-face convening at Edmodo’s headquarters in San Mateo, California on Monday, April 25th, from 4 PM - 7 PM PDT (UTC-7). You can watch this event virtually - join the GEC Network to be sent the links to watch.

Second is the Global Leadership Day virtual mini-conference on Tuesday, April 26th which will feature thought leaders at all levels. The conference is only online, and sessions will be streamed and recorded for the public; subsequent recordings will be used as living artifacts to continually inspire leaders. These series of presentations, interviews, and panels will highlight leadership practices from a range of experts, and will take place between 12:00 - 4:00 pm US-Pacific Daylight Time. Topics include: State/National/International Leadership, District Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Classroom Leadership, Teacher Education, Corporate and Nonprofit Leadership. Again, join the GEC Network to be sent the links to watch.

What questions will be addressed in Global Education week?

• What is global competence, why is it important, and how does this concept fit into existing
  education priorities?
• How does equity fit into the global education puzzle? 
• What does it mean to be a global-ready school?
• How do we prepare students and teachers to be global-ready?
• How does a school or district foster empathy and other soft skills within its community?
• How can we heighten awareness about the importance of the global education movement?

What is the goal of Global Education Week?

The goals are to elevate the global education dialogue and to focus attention on the urgent need for developing global awareness and competency in students and teachers. We plan to provide resources and inspiration for student leaders, teacher leaders, school leaders, district leaders and state/national/international leaders to further develop global goals within systems.

How to participate during Global Education Week?

You can participate actively in these events by posting comments and ideas to Twitter using the hashtag #globaled16. Global Leadership Week discussions are also being hosted in a new Edmodo feature called Topics. You’ll need a free Edmodo account to participate and we encourage you to respond to the prompts on this page:https://www.edmodo.com/topics/609/2016-Global-Leadership-Week. Also, feel free to add yourself to the participant map.

What happens if I miss some parts of Global Education Week?

Recordings will become available as sessions finish. Within a few days we will also upload YouTube recordings to the Global Education Conference YouTube channel. Visit this page to listen to the recordings: http://www.globaledleadership.com/conference-recordings.html 

Useful Microsoft posts for teachers this week #48

The Internet is currently full of posts about using Microsoft products effectively in the classroom. Here are a number of them from this past week:

Useful Microsoft posts for teachers this week #48

View more lists from SchoolNetSA

Teachers interested in technology integration in the classroom - please join the SA Edtech group...

Here in South Africa, Sean Hampton-Cole (a teacher from Johannesburg) has started a Google group for teachers interested in Ed Tech to share ideas with one another. He has called this group the 'SA Edtech group', a shortened form of South African Educational Technology Integration Group'. Here is a message from Sean:

Please join the 'SA Edtech' group

"Please could I ask you to assist in getting teachers to sign up to this group? I belong to a similar group for Geography which has over 800 members and it is an incredibly powerful means of sharing great ideas. I would like this group to have a similar influence on technology integration. Please could I ask those of you who are at your workplace to share the sign-up link with teachers who are excited about edtech?" 

Here is the link to join: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/saedtech  You will need to wait for one of the SA Edtech group admins to confirm your application once you apply. 

How does the 'SA Edtech' group work? 

This SA Edtech group is what is known as a Googlegroup. 'Google Groups' is a free email service from Google that provides discussion groups for people sharing common interests. All you need in order to join a Google group after it has been set up, is an email address. This can be a non-Gmail email address.

Depending on the group settings, you can send a message to all members using a single email address, create a question and answer forum or post a message to the group via a web interface. After this you and the others in your group can post messages to one another, upload files for review and collaborate on a a document etc. All your discussions can be seen by everyone in the group.

How do you send a message once you have joined?
Just write your email in the ordinary way. Google groups will automatically add the tag [SA Edtech Ideas] at the beginning of your subject line.

Q and A about the SA Edtech group

Sean answered some of my queries as follows:

Q. What is the SA Edtech group?
A. This group is a forum for exchanging links and ideas around integrating technology meaningfully into education.

Q. Why don't I see my post when I have posted something?
A. In general, even though everyone else sees your post, you don't. This was something that puzzled me when I first started! You can, however, see all the topics if you go to the Group home page (but you must be logged on with your Google Account to see the posts).

Q. Does the tag [SA Edtech Ideas] automatically precede what your write in the subject line?
A. I've set up the [SA Edtech Ideas] to appear automatically in the subject line. I just thought it might be nice for people to set tags and rules by. It is also a way of indicating that the email is from a group member

Q. What happens after you submit a request to join?
A. All requests to join must be approved by an Admin person. This sometimes takes a few hours depending on how busy we are.

Q. Which option does one choose for email delivery?  Would it be the bottom option below 'Notify me for every new message' if you wanted to get a posted email as it is sent?

A. The email preferences are basically to get either an email as someone mails something or to get a summary once a week. The 1 per day thing is based on our current average (not very much just yet, I'm afraid, but as more people join and post this will change). I can change this setting for anyone who isn't sure how to do it themselves.

Here's a short video that may help: http://youtu.be/xJkrdaoq3-w

Three examples of recent sharing

Why not add your input to the SA EdTech group? We would love it!

Great Google posts for teachers this week #51

After looking through all the Google posts that were shared to various subscriptions recently, these are a selection that look useful for teachers.

Great Google posts for teachers this week #51

View more lists from Fiona Beal

MIEExpert Spotlight #11: Kathryn Riva from Cape Town talks about her use of Sway & other applications for a classroom project

This is a guest post from Kathryn Riva, a MIEExpert from Micklefield Primary in Cape Town. Kathryn Used Sway and other applications in a project with her Grade 7s this year. Follow Kathryn on Twitter @kathriva 

"The Grade 7s are required to do a project in the first term in which they have to…

• Draw a sketch map(s) of own area
• Include symbols, key and scale
• Record own observations of land use and kinds of vegetation 
• Show four cardinal compass directions

I decided to make this project a little more challenging and fun by turning it into a blended learning project.

The class

The Grade 7s busy with their task in the classroom

The task

We started off along the traditional path where the girls were given a Cape Town Street Guide and they had to plot the route from Micklefield School to Cavendish Square Shopping Centre. They then had to draw a sketch map and provide instructions of the route to be taken. This was the planning phase of our project.

In their computer lessons, the girls took a virtual tour of their route on Google Street View. They looked for important landmarks and collected them using Microsoft’s Snipping Tool. The final project required a virtual tour of the planned route to be created and presented as a Microsoft Sway. 

The assessment rubric

The girls had so much fun doing this project and the creations were phenomenal.

Quotes from the girls:

“I had fun exploring Sway and Google Streets, the tools were fun to learn and the more I worked with it the more I enjoyed it ~ Julia
“Once I got the hang of Sway and Google Streets I enjoyed playing around and using them.” ~ Carrie
“I loved the themes and styles of Sway.” ~ Chloe
“I liked seeing the outcome of my Sway.” ~ Josie
“I enjoyed exploring Street View and finding different routes.” ~ Michaela"

Examples of Kathryn's students' Sways:
These are simply lovely:

https://sway.com/xAuIOT8txgwwOfLM

https://sway.com/NPDIbrWhIBgtRUNS

https://sway.com/mN6UN4VXlmqSJd50

https://sway.com/9OoXfFhUia2AmXUz

Find out about Microsoft Sway on the Microsoft Educator Community

You’ll find the Sway website at https://sway.com/ You can create and share interactive reports, presentations, personal stories, and more. If you are keen to learn about Sway – check out this freeIntroduction to Sway course on the Microsoft Educator Community.

Get involved in the Microsoft MIEE program in 2016/2017
If you are a teacher who likes to be innovative in the classroom, think about entering Microsoft's Innovative Teacher MIEExpert program in 2016/2017 when applications reopen later in the year. You can learn more about the program at this link: http://bit.ly/1H4gKcB on the Microsoft Educator Community. 

4Africa Virtual Academy webinar #5: Free local Microsoft webinar on ‘Minecraft’ on Tuesday 19th April at 3pm (GMT+2). Please join us!

The free Microsoft webinar scheduled for TOMORROW, Tuesday 19th April, features the gamification application teachers and students all over the world are talking about - Minecraft!

Time: Tuesday afternoon 19 April at 3pm – 3:45pm.

Presenter: Megan Rademeyer and Victor Ngobeni

Topic:Minecraft

Explanation: "Minecraft is a computer game that uses virtual building blocks to create opportunities for creative problem-solving. More than a million people are playing Minecraft at any one point in time – so chances are that if you teach tweens or teens some of them are already playing Minecraft.
In this webinar we will consider how teachers can begin to use Minecraft in their lessons and where they can find educational resources for this game. Keshma Patel – a current Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert – will be a guest presenter to tell us how she has used Minecraft with her Grade 6 learners at Micklefield Primary School for Girls in Cape Town.

The link to join: http://mva.zoom.ms/
Here is the PowerPoint presentation that will be used in the webinar. 

Minecraft in the classroom presented by 4Afrika Virtual Academy 2016 from Schoolnet SA

Reflections on the E2 Educator Exchange in Budapest, Hungary, by Keshma Patel, a MIEExpert from South Africa

This is a report back on the Microsoft Educator Exchange E2 event in Budapest from one of our South African MIEExperts, Keshma Patel. Keshma is a teacher at Micklefield Primary in Cape Town

"What an honour it was to be selected as one of three South Africans to attend this year's Microsoft E2 Global Exchange conference in Budapest, Hungary! Besides Budapest being a beautiful city rich in culture and history we had plenty to learn and even more people to meet.

Some of my highlights:

1. Meeting amazing teachers both from South Africa and around the world:
Having the opportunity to interact with dedicated, talented and inspired teachers was by far the best part of the E2 for me. From working on our Hack the Classroom challenge to sharing ideas at the Learning Marketplace, this conference was built around the sharing of ideas and working towards a common goal. These two factors are so crucial for any teacher to be successful in today’s world. Meeting other teachers from across the globe, made me realise that every classroom no matter where in the world, are facing similar challenges. WE ARE NOT ALONE!!! We are also not that far behind and after collaborating with teachers I realised how on par some of our schools in South Africa are with the rest of the world.

Group 14: Gamify: A few of the amazing teachers that I got to meet

 

The four South Africans At the awards ceremony –
this took place at the National Arts Gallery

 2. The Learning Marketplace and digging into exciting new Microsoft tools and tricks:There is so much out there that makes our teaching and our learners learning that much easier, from efficient add-ons, the life changing OneNote and of course Minecraft. On the last day of the conference we got to learn from each other at the Learning Marketplace. This was certainly a highlight and we came away with loads of different and interesting ideas to teach concepts in our class. One of my favourites was by a teacher from Sweden, Ana Girgensohn. She had used Minecraft to teach her class about the water purification system that their town uses. They had to use Minecraft to recreate the system within the town.

A teacher from Taiwan – her class created toy dolls

The three South African stands

Asa’s project using Minecraft

3. The 21st Century Skills
This year’s conference focused on developing 21st century skills in the classroom. Communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and computational thinking formed the basis of our learning. I have come back filled with ideas and inspired to teach my girls to be successful women in the 21st century. This excited me the most as for the first time in history we are finally starting to look at ways to restructure the education system and prepare our learners to be globally aware citizens.

Being able to attend this conference has made me extremely grateful and proud to be an educator. We are part of such an exciting time in education and Microsoft sure is leading the way by creating a space where teachers are embodying and are actively engaged in practising and sharing these 21st Century skills.

I am looking forward to share my new knowledge with both the girls at Micklefield and my fellow teachers!"

Useful Microsoft posts for teachers this week #47

The Internet is currently full of posts about using Microsoft products effectively in the classroom. Here are a number of them from this past week:

Useful Microsoft in Education posts this week #47

View more lists from SchoolNet

Earth Day Special: TFK Talks to Dr. Sylvia Earle! (Intel Engage webinar) 19th April

In this special EdWeb webinar, students will hear from oceanographer, explorer, and conservationist Dr. Sylvia Earle, who has worked tirelessly to protect the planet’s oceans. Over the course of her more-than-50-year career, Dr. Earle has led more than 100 expeditions and has logged more than 7,000 hours—nearly 292 full days—of underwater study. She founded the Sylvia Earle Alliance and Mission Blue to ignite support for the protection of “hope spots”—special places that are vital to the health of the ocean. Mission Blue works with partners around the globe to increase public awareness of the importance of supporting marine environments. Dr. Earle is also the subject of the Emmy Award–winning Netflix documentary Mission Blue.

During her presentation, Dr. Earle will report on her career-long effort to understand and protect the world’s oceans. She will also answer questions from students and teachers. Submit a question from your class when you register. Additional questions can also be submitted totfkasks4you@timeforkids.com.

TFK editors will provide participants with background information on Dr. Earle’s work as an oceanographer and conservationist. They will also provide background information about the world’s oceans. Additionally, TFK will provide printable worksheets, graphic organizers, and a reading list, to support learning about Dr. Earle’s research and mission.

We hope you and your K–8 students will join us for this special event!

Register here: 
http://home.edweb.net/webinar/earth-day-special-tfk-talks-dr-sylvia-earle/

Date
Tuesday, April 19, 2016 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT

Find out more:
http://goo.gl/42k1wC 

Global Education Teachers International Exchange Program - 5 Johannesburg teachers wanted...

The World Affairs  Council in Washington, DC are searching for 5 teachers from Johannesburg who are interested in participating in an exchange programme with 5 teachers from United States.  Interested? If so please contact omashani@schoolnet.org.za for more details before 22nd April 2016. Read about the program below:

Overview

The World Affairs Council—Washington, D.C. is a U.S. based non-profit dedicated to providing quality programming in global education. While many organizations focus on the student experience, WAC-DC couples its student programming with professional development for teachers. We firmly believe that teachers are the key to developing globally aware students who are consciences, informed, and ready to succeed in the interconnected 21^st century world.

In 2015, WAC-DC launched a new program made possible by a generous grant from The MasterCard Foundation in which 5 Washington, D.C. and 5 Johannesburg area high school teachers are paired up, providing a two-way exchange and a professional development opportunity to create collaborative curriculum and work with a partner to explore current global issues.

Through this program, participating teachers are introduced to WAC-DC’s 10 Global Competencies (see attached) and how they can be utilized to teach students 21^st century skills such as critical thinking, cross-cultural awareness, making interdisciplinary connections, media literacy, and communication skills. With feedback from WAC-DC and 2 curriculum specialists, teachers will cooperate to develop cross-cultural lessons that give their students an opportunity to learn from and interact with each other. In the past year of this program, teachers practiced new lesson planning theories, implemented meaningful integration of classroom technology, and experimented with classroom techniques to encourage discussion and forward thinking in the classroom.

Program Requirements

• 1 week training and 1 week teaching in the U.S.
• Communicate and work with partner teacher on a regular basis
• Develop and teach a total of six (6) lesson plans using WAC-DC’s 10 global competencies
• Use technology in the classroom, such as student videos, Dropbox, etc.
• Attend mandatory monthly meetings
• Submit monthly progress reports

We are looking for teachers who understand the time commitment and are eager to develop new lessons for the classroom.

Participants will be responsible for the cost of their passports. All other costs will be covered through the program.

Eligibility

South African Applicants must:

• Be a South African citizen and have a passport (or be eligible to apply for one)
• Be fluent in English
• Be a full-time high school teacher with at least one social studies* course in the Johannesburg area
• Demonstrate continued professional development/growth
• Have taught fulltime in the classroom for at least 3 consecutive years
• Have experience with classroom technology and social media
• Have a demonstrated interest in bringing innovative teaching strategies into the classroom
• Committed to deadlines, benchmarks, and one year program

*Preference will be given to teachers who have not previously participated in an exchange program.

Application Checklist

• Meets all eligibility requirements
• Recommendation letter from school principal (which includes plan for school participation)
• Recommendation letter from one additional professional reference (for example: social studies chair, social studies curriculum supervisor, co-teacher…)
• Application (includes basic information, use of technology in the classroom, brief essay on goals and anticipated outcomes for the program, teaching experiences)
• Resume
• 1-page biography

• Certified copy of ID documents

* Social Studies is considered to include courses in history, government, economics, civics, sociology, geography, and anthropology. If a teacher has any doubt as to whether or not he/she fits in this classification, he/she should be in touch with WAC-DC immediately in order to clarify and confirm.

A globally educated person has the ability to understand the interconnectedness of people and systems, to express cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity, to empathize with others, to maintain an open-mind to see different perspectives, to apply knowledge of global dynamics, to practice effective problem solving skills, and to communicate and work efficiently in diverse environments.

10 Core Competencies for Global Education– Standards for Learning in the 21^st Century

1.      Critical Thinking – Analyze and assess information from multiple angles to arrive at an informed decision or perspective

2.      Making Connections – Interdisciplinary examination of the complexities of issues (how business, economics, science, humanities and social studies are interwoven)

3.      Leadership Skills – Being able to inspire, motivate, represent and guide people to process issues and act upon them

4.      Cross-Cultural Awareness – Readiness to understand  and embrace differences between individuals and communities while recognizing similarities

5.      Problem-Solving Skills/Decision Making Skills –  Critically analyze issues, reflect upon past experiences, and develop informed solutions based on specific goals and objectives

6.      Communication Skills –Ability to convey information and listen to another effectively and efficiently and across cultures

7.      Understanding Others Perspectives – Understanding the viewpoints of others and identifying the influences of those perspectives

8.      Investigate the World – Look beyond one’s immediate surroundings to place events and issues in a larger human context; having a lifelong disposition of learning and discovery

9.      Understanding of Major Global Issues – Development, human rights, environmental protection, international cooperation, geographic and economic interests, etc…

10.  Media Literacy –Critically assessing available information; being able to navigate the news and internet with a critical eye