One challenge to motivating students is …. One challenge to helping students collaborate is…

1. *Please log on to Thinkquest.com to check your account. Sentence Starters…(discuss with neighbors as participants come in) • One challenge to motivating students is…. • One challenge to helping students collaborate is… • One challenge to differentiating curriculum is…

2. Discussion: What has worked to address those challenges?

3. Overview of ThinkquestSessonprovided by Oracle Education Foundation • Essential Questions • How can projects build 21st century skills in students? • How can the Thinkquesttools help all students access the curriculum? • How can teachers utilize technology to attract and motivate students? • How can we keep students safe on line? This is an introductory/overview session and is not intended to replace the formal GSWP class.

4. 21st Century Skills, as determined by the Oracle Education Foundation

5. The Challenge Teachers are changing the way they teach in order to make sure their students are ready for a knowledge-based, technology driven world. Project learning is a systematic teaching and learning model that engages students in learning knowledge and skills from a series of complex tasks including: design and planning, problem solving, decision making, product creation, and communication of results.

6. What is Thinkquest? Thinkquest.org is a protected, online community and project space made up of teachers and students. All of the schools participating have agreements to provide supervision, and all of the students participating have permission to do so from parents and/or guardians. No advertising of any kind is permitted. Thinkquest.org is provided by Oracle Education Foundation to schools all over the world.

7. Overview of Account Roles • Administrator (can be a teacher) sets up school account and teacher accounts • Teachers distribute/collect paperwork • Teachers set up student accounts and give account information to students • Teachers design assignments/projects • Students participate, interact, and contribute • Teachers review pictures and other content as needed

8. Distribute Student Paperwork * PAPERWORK? I HATE PAPERWORK!(so do I…) • Oracle Paperwork includes: • Terms of Use (parents keep) • Privacy Agreement (parents keep) • Consent Form (teacher keeps) • Our paperwork includes: • Acceptable Use Agreement • Student/Parent Thinkquest agreement

9. Let’s Get Started • Go to http://www.thinkquest.org • Enter username and password, hit “Log In”

10. First time? Read the rules and click “Accept”.

11. Passwords

12. First Page Edit vs. Preview modes Student Name and information Add, delete, reorder, move/copy, and edit pages Tools to create content Messages

13. Create Your Page

14. The “Write” Tools • Text • Type into box • Copy and paste from word processor • Can include hyperlinks and other html codes • Can edit at a later time • List • Type into boxes • Can include hyperlinks • Can edit and add more later

15. The “Upload” Tools • File • Multimedia • Pictures (this is a great way to introduce citing sources)

16. The Interact Tools • Vote • Message Board • Debate • Ask Me • Brainstorm

17. Finding Others Click on the “My School” tab (top) Click on “People” (left) Under the “World” tab, you can search for other teachers by last name, or schools by location.

18. Communicate With Your Friends! Go to another person’s Thinkquestpage. • Click on “Write a Message”. • Click on private if needed. Private options: Teachers can send public and private messages, and students can send private messages to teachers.

19. Play with your page.(Explore!) Don’t forget to add a page or two!

20. How can you use these tools with students? • Create small assignments • Create larger assignments • Store paperwork and forms • Any others?

21. Leave Guidelines and Instructions

22. Bigger Assignments-Lab to Home (October Lesson) Research • Write • Interact • Tell Teacher

23. Projects! • Use collaborative space (up to 25 pages per project) • Create small or large scope projects • Create short or long term projects • Use a variety of 21st century skills • Use simple tools for collaboration • Protected environment • Can be limited to specific students or open to TQ students around the world • Students can add to and edit work • Single-subject or cross-curricular topics

24. Setting Up a Project

25. Sample Science and Math Projects • Visualizing Solid Shapes • Need of the Hour, Nuclear Power • National Geographic “Ocean Now” • World Water Woes • Share the Skies • Sue the T-Rex and other Dinosaur…

26. Student Safety • Teachers agree to help monitor • Own students • School’s students • World Community • Teachers teach students to monitor & report • messages • Postings • Teachers communicate with each other and with students

27. How Do I Flag a Student’s Content? - Go to that student’s page. • Click on “Report Misuse”. • Choose what needs to be flagged and write an explanation to the student. • The student won’t be able to see the flagged item. • The student’s teacher will get a message.

28. How Can a Student Flag an Account? Students don’t have the ability to flag an account. Instead, teach them to send you an e-mail with either • 1. a link to the page with the offending item • -Or- • The name of the student and the student’s school. • Stress that they are empowered to keep their community clean and positive. Encourage them to report their concerns privately, and even to have conversations with their friends about appropriate content.

29. OEF Has Some Kickoff and Sample Lessons, So Don’t Panic!

30. Competitions

31. Questions? What if I can’t remember anything you’ve showed today?

32. Additional Training and Support

33. Back to Our Essential Questions How can projects build 21st century skills in students? How can the Thinkquest tools help all students access the curriculum? How can teachers utilize technology to attract and motivate students? How can we keep students safe on line?

34. Reflections What else do you need to know to get started with Thinkquest? Feedback/Share Reflection • Please send a message on Thinkquestsharing: • Excitements • Concerns • More information needed • Other feedback