IT cooperation:
Variety of web methods
Aim
Time management
Network game as an example
Variety of methods
Use of tools
Aim
Work on content
Work on relations
• to discover and „examine“
the river
• to get to know each other –
students present themselves
and discover the others
• to draw conclusions
• to publish results
• to raise public awareness
• examples:
virtual brainstorming,
virtual thought rotation
• to experience, that there are
nice people at the other end
of the online connection
• examples: network game,
virtual partner interview
Work on content and work on relations are two sides of one
pedagogical process. No learning without relations (between
students, between students and teachers) – neither in the
classroom, nor in online cooperation. E.g. the river project
requires sharing tasks and responsibilities...
Time management
Synchronous methods
Asynchronous methods
• All partners have to be
online at the same
moment → demanding in
terms of management
• All partners have to work
within a certain „window of
time“
• quick → demanding in
terms of moderation
• not so quick
• instant response → highly
motivating
• no instant response
• tools like chat or skype
• tools like forum, E-Mail,
filestore
• examples: fore chat,
virtual partner interview
• examples: network game,
forum with moderation
Network game as example
Why a network game?
• Students will carry out their river project together with
partner groups from other European countries.
• It would be nice to get to know each other. That is the
sense of the small network game.
• Students should contribute very actively. They should,
make themselves “visible” to their partners.
Every students group gets some tasks they have to solve at
local level (in the classroom, nearby the school...).
The results are uploaded to the common workspace and,
thus they are visible to the partners.
Network game as example
The tasks (examples – can be adapted to your needs!)
• Take a photo of your group showing a prominent role of water!
• Complete the sentence “Thinking about rivers, I remember . . . . . “
and write it down.
• Complete the sentence “Thinking about partner schools, I
hope/desire . . . . . . . .“ and write it down.
• Imagine you are reporters at the 7th Pan-Aquatic Olympic Games
in 2020. Write a report containing the following terms: Amazon
river, crocodile, student, vanilla ice cream, bathrobe, gold medal,
Romania, rubber dinghi (rubber boat), ladder, rain
Solve these tasks together with the students from your group!
Post your results in our virtual workspace > Documents, URLs.
Have a look at the presentations of your partner groups, enjoy them!
Variety of web methods
Virtual brainstorming
• work on content
(to develop ideas
together)
• synchronous
• quick, fast
• chat
Network game
• work on relations
(to get to know each
other)
• asynchronous
• slower
• filestore („our materials,
files, links“)
More web methods are available at
www.freeyourriver.net > Get active > Online cooperation.
Use of synchronous tools
Chat
Alternative tool: Skype
•
text based communication
•
voice communication + webcam
→ highly motivating!
text based communication available
•
6 chatrooms are integrated in
the common workspace,
no further requirements
•
Skype as external tool has to be
installed on the computer,
headset + webcam required
•
students log in with their
students’ account
•
every student needs a personal
Skype account (many students
have one already!)
•
e.g. 2-8 participants per
chatroom
•
e.g. 2-8 participants in a Skype
conference
•
chat can be logged, chatlog
accessible in the workspace
•
results are not directly available for
the teacher / other students
•
normal internet connection is
sufficient
•
highspeed internet connection
required!
Use of asynchronous tools
Forum
File storage (our files, materials,
links / photo and video gallery)
•
text based communication
•
•
well suitable for structured
discussion
any kinds of documents can be
shared, including pictures,
presentations, videos
•
different formats → motivating
•
integrated in the common
workspace
•
can be used with browser; e.g.
additional software to read files like
Powerpoint presentations
•
integrated in the common
workspace
•
can be used with browser,
no further requirements
•
students log in with their students’ •
account
number of participants not limited •
•
•
normal internet connection is
sufficient
•
students log in with their students’
account
number of participants not limited
highspeed internet connection
required if big files!