#sschat is a network of educators, resources, and ideas that started on Twitter, but has expanded to Facebook, an annual NCSS unconference, and more. Join us to chat asynchronously on Twitter or Facebook, or chat with us live on Mondays from 7-8pm EST.
Welcome everyone. My name is Peter Paccone and I am a San Marino (CA) High School social studies teacher and the host of tonight's #sschat. The first of tonight's seven questions coming up.
#sschat A1: I'm Amy from New York...I've bee using @Skype in my classroom for the last nine years....My elementary school students and I have traveled to every continent and over forty countries...So, I'd say I'm pretty experienced. @SkypeClassroom#TeachSDGs
Welcome everyone. My name is Peter Paccone and I am a San Marino (CA) High School social studies teacher and the host of tonight's #sschat. The first of tonight's seven questions coming up.
Chris from Bloomington, IN. Teach world history for private online HS. Use videoconferences to collaborate with teachers more than w/ Ss. My Ss don't like to videoconference. :( #sschat
A1: Hi all! I'm Anna, a preservice teacher studying history and secondary ed at Grove City College in PA. I have a little experience with video conferencing, but not much #sschat
Hi! I'm Michael - I'm one of the #sschat mods and my videoconferencing is mostly for contacting in laws, my niece, the #sschat board, and folks for @VisionsOfEd
Hi #sschat Scott Petri, HS World History T checking in from LA. I'm fairly proficient with vidconf tech. Skype, GHO, & Zoom. Some can be blocked by Dist filters. Test first.
Hey #sschat, Dwight from the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, where I teach 7th grade social studies to an awesome group of students! Recently started doing daily updates for my classes via YouTube... check it out: https://t.co/dZSgFGSSmb
Hey everyone! Kayla here from Raleigh NC. I currently teach high school students #APUSH and #AH2. I don't have much experience with video conferencing beyond google hangouts so I'm excited to learn from everyone tonight! #sschat
A2 One of my fave VCs was with this professor Ray Kimball who Skyped in from West Point & talked to my Ss about serving one's country right before Memorial Day. #sschat
#sschat A2: One of the highlights has been having video conferences with children in Uganda. We sang songs, shared artwork, and they took us on a tour where one of the little girls showed us a huge jackfruit. We took action and did a read-a-thon in class to help the kids there.
A2 Epic fail happens when tech does not work. Frustrating to the 30+ students in the classroom and the guest star waiting online. Try, try again. #sschat
#sschat Q2 (if Skype with a class qualifies as "video conferencing") Had a great session that benefited from the teacher preparing students with Qs ahead of time. My epic fail: I never feel like I'm keeping up with Student Speed!
Yeah, I have to make sure that I ask my kids to stop watching videos, stop playing Minecraft/Fortnite, etc. before I start a video conference. Sigh. #sschat
A2 epic fail/success happened this December during One School One Book activity with William Kamkwamba (Boy Who Harnessed the Wind) b/c of horrible internet connection ... tough & frustrating at the time, but led to great convo with Ss about taking internet for granted #sschat
#sschat A2 One of our best was a talk with Mike Eruzione. He has spoken with our #80s class the last 4 years about the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team. Great way for our Ss to understand the Cold War US/USSR relations.
https://t.co/9jMOLVu7SN
(I've never actually used videoconferencing with my students. I was going to once, but the pollster ended up wanting to drive to my classroom. #sschat)
A2: I haven't yet used video conferences with my students but I used it as part of my APUSH mentorship. It was awesome getting to chat face to face with fellow "newbie" APUSH teachers. It really personalized the PD for me. #sschat
A2 One of my faves has been a periodic skype exchange I do w/ a Gaza colleague in which my pedagogy Ss skype w/ her Ss in Gaza. Good experiences include humanizing experiences & lots of reflection #sschat
Hi everyone; I'm a student teacher in a 10th grade ELA class in Oakland, CA. I'll be teaching 9th grade humanities (English + social studies) next school year and this is my first time joining in! #sschat
A2: Any video conference I've participated in in which the internet was slow or overloaded was a disaster (unfortunately I feel like that's pretty common) #sschat
A2: I've never done a video conference before... I guess ideally I'd want students to really get something valuable out of it. They'd need to find it meaningful, which would be the most difficult aspect. #sschat
A2B This past Friday, I also just facilitated a Mystery Skype between 2 third grade classes. Seeing third graders use map skillls to learn where other school is on videoconference is great! #sschat
A2- we did great Skype field trips with the Wyoming state museum. Who better to teach us about the Wild West? The most difficult part was logistics- how we could work out getting all 6 sections of students. #sschat
A2. Another great video conference - when Miki Nyguen (the man featured at the heart of this story) agreed to video conference with my students. https://t.co/CK2JqS55EG#sschat
A3 Reach out on Twitter a la the @Educurious expert https://t.co/6vR6GPxY1H model. Most authors/hist figures want to connect w students and tell their stories #sschat
A2. Another one of my better video conferences - when Lynne Spickards (the girl featured in this pic) agreed to talk to my students. Lynne can be reached at https://t.co/Gb2CKjofxl#sschat
#sschat Today we had @terrondbrooks talk with our History of Rock & Roll class about his role in the Temptations movie. He also shared his view of music. Also had @justleon speak earlier this year about his role in the movie as well. Answered Ss questions. It was wonderful!
A2 epic fail/success happened this December during One School One Book activity with William Kamkwamba (Boy Who Harnessed the Wind) b/c of horrible internet connection ... tough & frustrating at the time, but led to great convo with Ss about taking internet for granted #sschat
A2 Our last VC was the best. My students were well prepared, as were the Ss in Ukraine. @Gen_Global_ provides a facilitator and a tech coordinator. Tech issues are taken care of before we begin. Facilitator asks the Qs. Very professional. #SSChat
#sschat A3: @SkypeClassroom is a terrific resource in making connections around the world! #MIEExpert I've also asked my students' parents for connections and we've had several family reunions from country to country right in our classroom. Ss learn cultural similarities.
A2 I have very few chats under my belt and this years was an epic failure because of some difficult behaviors in the room. We skyped with a guy in Colorado and my kids flipped him off. #sschat
Really depends on the topic & how in depth the discussions get. They range from as short as 2 mins upwards of 12. Take about 45-1.5 to film & edit. #sschat
#sschat A3 We use @Twitter, email contact searches and phone contacts. We explain our class and the role of the speaker. Most are willing to help and speak with our students. @1988project is the master of the phone contact!
A3: I would reach out through my school's business alliance and also through educational twitter, or my professional facebook groups to see if anyone could point me in the right direction. #sschat folks have been awesome in providing resources and suggestions
I feel like the @CollegeBoard redesign of AP US Govt & Politics really lends itself to teleconferences with professionals in the field as part of its service learning & civics research expectations. Would love to connect students with individuals and institutions. #sschat
A3. Another great way to find folks to contact with your students - have your students reach out via email. A very well-crafted student letter usually works wonders. #sschat
#sschat A3 For our Mystery @Skype /Hangouts and cultural conversations, we use @GooglePlus community Connected classrooms Workshop. Ts and classes always looking to connect.
A3 I've had numerous Skype events with former government students who work in government. It is a powerful way to convey the importance of the subject matter (and it's pretty easy to find the speakers!) #sschat
A3- I could have my students connect via video conferences with my brother, who is a US Marine reserve and college student, to learn about both military service and higher education. Interesting in hearing about what in-service teachers have in mind #sschat
A3 @Gen_Global_ has scheduled conferences you can sign up for. You must register with them and use their curriculum to prepare. There still is flexibility. If their schedule doesn't work, they will work with you. #SSChat
And what a great learning opportunity for Ss to learn to write an effective introduction and explanation of their project/purpose. Ss can make those connections. #sschat
A3. Another great way to find folks to contact with your students - have your students reach out via email. A very well-crafted student letter usually works wonders. #sschat
I prefer @zoom_us but it isn't free. But if you are doing a lot of video conferencing and looking for an outstanding produce, I highly recommend. #sschat
A3 I've had numerous Skype events with former government students who work in government. It is a powerful way to convey the importance of the subject matter (and it's pretty easy to find the speakers!) #sschat
#sschat A4 The tools we use are Skype, Hangouts and FaceTime. Most of our speakers prefer using FaceTime and with the use of Apple TV, simple to mirror. Very few problems with it.
I feel like the @CollegeBoard redesign of AP US Govt & Politics really lends itself to teleconferences with professionals in the field as part of its service learning & civics research expectations. Would love to connect students with individuals and institutions. #sschat
A3 We also got some help from our local Microsoft store. That company really sees the value of early brand recognition, but they provide many services for free. Its a win win relationship. #sschat
A4- I'd definitely leverage Twitter to help connect my students with the world. Having fellow teacher friends who teach/will teach in other parts of the country/world would be another key resource to utilize for the benefit of my students as well as theirs #sschat
Agree. We have Zoom through the university (the online HS I teach for is part of Indiana University) and it is a great videoconferencing platform. I use for making screencasts and leaving video feedback for Ss, as well. #sschat
I prefer @zoom_us but it isn't free. But if you are doing a lot of video conferencing and looking for an outstanding produce, I highly recommend. #sschat
A4: I mostly have experience with Skype, which usually works well, but some of my peers have found that Apple TV runs more smoothly so I'd like to try that #sschat
A4: I'm constantly encouraging students to seek out new information, and explore the world via the web. There are plenty of stories being put out into the world in new ways, just waiting in zeroes and ones for someone to listen. #sschat
A4 my awesome colleague @giseleramilo used twitter to connect with alum that starred Black Panther...and he is coming on THURSDAY! @OPRFHistoryDiv#SSChat
A4 We used Skype to check tech. Vidyo for the actual conference. Skype gave us a separate channel for any tech issues. The schools, facilitator, and tech people were actually in 4 different locations. US, Ukraine, Egypt, India. #SSChat
I spent some time discussing this with a history prof while I was in ed school. Many would probably like it, but you might want to try some from farther away but specialize in your field. You could have students prep questions! #sschat
A4: I think I would use twitter, and show them how I use it to connect with people all around the country and world, and explain its benefits. I would also really like to incorporate Skype/google hangouts so students can talk directly to other students/people #sschat
A5- Best structure for video conferencing:
1. Strong & stable internet connection
2. Access to headphones (optional)
3. List of questions to ask
4. KWL chart (?)
5. A riveting guest/speaker!
#sschat
A4- I’m in grad school online, and we use webex for our “synchronous” classes. Videoconferencing may be good prep for students who will probably take classes online at some point. #sschat
Q3. Retired folks always seem to want to meet with the kids via video conferencing tech. The more famous the retiree, the more likely he/she will want to vc. Not sure why; but that's what experience has shown. #sschat
A4 Our school participates with global scholars. This puts schools from all over the world in the same curricular programs to discuss cultural differences. https://t.co/DLWH1ccepl#sschat
#sschat A5: Ss research the topic in advance and devise open-ended, thought-provoking questions. The little ones practice eye-contact, voice projection in advance, and after the call, they write reflections. It's pure magic.
#sschat A5 We have the Ss develop questions based on researching the speaker and their accomplishments. We focus on them! We do not ask gotcha questions. Also we use @TeachingLC materials. Outstanding resources for Ts.
https://t.co/pujqrE1oVX
A5. I'm not a fan of just inviting someone to talk to the students. What works best, I think, is a talk-show format, where one more students are called upon to ask questions after the guest has been a chance to chat for 10 mins max. #sschat
A5 Structure 1st one to be short. 15 min max. Have Ss write Qs for expert. Let the expert speak, then take Qs. End before awkward silences begin. #sschat
A5. If you structure the vc along the lines of a talk show, I suggest giving the kids time to research and write q's . . . though this takes time. #sschat
There’s a ton of new information being shared via #sschat RN... Really cool ideas for expanding learning opportunities for students and the boundaries of your classroom with video conferencing.
#PLN#letsk12better#edchat
A5- Best structure for video conferencing:
1. Strong & stable internet connection
2. Access to headphones (optional)
3. List of questions to ask
4. KWL chart (?)
5. A riveting guest/speaker!
#sschat
#sschat A5 Great example was our talk with Joe Piscopo. His best friend is Eddie Murphy. We focused on his accomplishments not Eddie’s. These people are taking time to spend with our Ss. Our focus is about their story!
A5 In the handful I’ve done I find it best to make sure the Ss are prepared with specific questions. Lesson learned from an awkward moment during a Skype. #sschat
A5: I've found that having students do some research beforehand and come up with a few questions helps with engagement (and avoiding awkward silences when the speaker asks for questions). I'm also a fan of moving desks around so students aren't so far from each other #sschat
A6- Top three dream team to video conf. with
1. @POTUS44
2. @Kaepernick7 I'm designing a unit "American Sports, Society, and Culture" (tinkering w/ name!) this summer
3. @jk_rowling Ms. R got me into reading/literature and put me on the path towards being a teacher
#sschat
A4- I’m in grad school online, and we use webex for our “synchronous” classes. Videoconferencing may be good prep for students who will probably take classes online at some point. #sschat
#sschat A5. I am also glad to send an advance e-mail to students describing which area I'm researching and why (right now, digging for actual Af-Am populations in 1850 in New England), so their research and Qs can dovetail for convo.
A5. If you structure the vc along the lines of a talk show, I suggest giving the kids time to research and write q's . . . though this takes time. #sschat
Q6. Anyone know who this is. Clue - Watergate. He is tentatively scheduled to vc with my students this week. What lesson did you learn from Watergate. Should Nixon have been pardoned. Etc. #sschat
#sschat A6 have been fortunate to have many great speakers already. Started in 2013 with @goodymade and @AlanHunterMTV. They were the first to join us and continue to visit with our Ss each year. I cannot thank them enough for what they have done!
A6 1. Anyone currently on the ISS
2. Joe Biden
3. Selfishly, Dolph Lungren
I'd find a way to make it about the cold war or something. I just think he would be cool to talk to, though.
#sschat
It doesn't happen every day. That's for sure. These are once a year, maybe twice at most. #sschat. But once they happen, they are good to share year after year. #sschat
A7- As an ELA student teacher, first time attendee, and soon-to-be social studies teacher, too (!), I got a lot out of this community tonight. Thanks to those who sent resources my way. It's always great to learn from those with experience and different perspectives.
#sschat
A6: I'm about to start the Cold War so anyone who was involved in the war in a governmental aspect would be interesting. Or any past president to help my students understand what actually goes into foreign policy decisions #sschat
I would LOVE to someday do a videoconference with David McCullough--he makes history come alive like no one else. I also love the idea of conferencing with local representatives to give students an idea of what that looks like #sschat
A6 This is such a tough question! Not sure I could choose just 3. I think based on videoconference experiences I've had I would like to have the opportunity to videoconference w/ more groups of people whose voice is traditionally marginalized or not heard around the world #sschat
I read All the President’s Men a couple months ago... amazing how it really was a series of right time, right place, combined with lots of hard work. #sschat
#sschat A6 Not every visitor is video, fortunate to have Brad Long, Buddy from the movie Hoosiers and Philo Barnhart, creator of the Ariel from The Little Mermaid join us. Shared their artifacts with the students.
#sschat A7: A great tool to connect around are the @UN Sustainable Development Goals. #TeachSDGs Goals include Climate Action, Gender Equality, Life Below Water, and more...teachsdgs.org. There's a TweetMeet on April 17th at 1:00 pm EST #MSFTEduChat!
It doesn't happen every day. That's for sure. These are once a year, maybe twice at most. #sschat. But once they happen, they are good to share year after year. #sschat
#sschat So great to talk with this group about my favorite topic. My classroom has been transformed through our video conferencing experiences. Can't wait to see what's next!
This would great. So curious what he would say if you were to reach out. Doubt any teacher ever has. It would give him a chance to motivate an entire class of students to take history (and writing) seriously. #sschat
I would LOVE to someday do a videoconference with David McCullough--he makes history come alive like no one else. I also love the idea of conferencing with local representatives to give students an idea of what that looks like #sschat
G10 discussion on source evaluation today, as applied to sources used to study Gandhi's social movement (film, articles, his speeches). "Which is most accurate, which is most interesting, which is 'best'?"- all different answers. Good to discuss. #sschat#aelincoln
A7: I am actively going to try to find an expert for my students to video conference with. It may be after their AP exam but I think the skills and experience would be so valuable to them. #sschat
#sschat A7 We have participated in what we call “cultural conversations.” Last week, @1988project class spoke with a class in Argentina 🇦🇷 about gender inequality & HS CE discussed current issues with a class in Monterrey Mexico 🇲🇽. Great opportunity to hear other views.
#sschat A7 Our Indiana Senators have even participated with our Ss and answered their questions. Great way to participate in civic engagement. Thanks to @SenToddYoung and @SenDonnelly !
Well, as we are wrapping up - a special thank you to our guest host @PeterPaccone for leading this discussion! Cheers!
We'll have the archives up in a bit! #sschat
Michael: Here's an Open Letter I wrote last month to the President of College Board (about the newlyrevised AP Gov class). Bottom line: I LOVE IT!!! https://t.co/4wLuA7NsB0#sschat
I read All the President’s Men a couple months ago... amazing how it really was a series of right time, right place, combined with lots of hard work. #sschat
#sschat Thanks to @PeterPaccone for hosting tonight and everyone else who shared ideas about video conferencing! Powerful tool for the classroom. Share one last story.
https://t.co/EtDmoJX3O9
#sschat I don't know how much Todd already told all of you, but one of the highlights of my class has been connecting technology to enable to students to communicate with the National Park Service and our Senators to help plan a monument to James Garfield's assassination
