It was a wonderful feeling to know
that someone so far away cared
about what they were producing.
students suggested that we do another
project like this with our Baltimore
buddies because it was more exciting
than writing on their own.
Engaged Learners
The result of this collaboration was
meaningful engagement in a global
collaborative learning experience. The
students had the tools they needed, the
teachers and administrators to support
and celebrate their work, and the freedom to guide their own learning.
The tools. In their reflections, many of
the students mentioned the power of
technology as a communication tool.
One of the students thought it was
amazing that she could make such a
good friend in Hawaii through the use
of technology. Another reflected that
the tools allowed them to learn with
each other, not just about each other.
Novotny noted that using collabora-
tive tools such as Edmodo, Skype, and
Voice Thread were key. “They renewed
the love of learning for our students,”
she said. “Students are excited to learn,
collaborate, and communicate. The
understanding of various cultures and
geography, along with the content-
related projects, provide rigor and en-
richment for our students.”
Acknowledgments
This project was possible thanks to the support of
inspiring, visionary administrators, such as Darlene Morrison and Kahealani Naeole-Wong. As
principals, they provided encouragement to the
teachers and students in Maryland and Hawaii.
Their commitment to innovation and creativity
allowed the teachers and students to thrive.
—Carmen Richardson, MEd, is a K– 5 technology teacher at Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii,
USA. She blogs about her students’ adventures
at http://blogs.ksbe.edu/castack. Follow her on
Twitter @edtechcarmen.
