Announcements

Badges Launched!

TakingITGlobal wants to recognize the changes you and your students are making in the world! By collecting badges, you identify your achievements and display your successes right on your TIG profile. You can earn badges at your own pace, or race to compete by issuing challenges to your friends. Show others the accomplishments you have made both online and beyond. Check My TIG for more information and to get started on your quest for badge glory!

Pulitzer Center Student Journalism Challenge: Global Water

Pulitzer Center Student Journalism Challenge The Student News Action Network, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, is running a student web journalism competition in conjunction with the UN World Water Day 2011 theme of "Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge." Student journalists from around the world are invited to write about global and local issues pertaining to water and submit their entries by April 8 for a chance to win an iPad and be mentored by a Pulitzer Center journalist to complete a reporting project of their choice. The resulting work will be published and featured on the Pulitzer Center and News Action websites.

GYCA goes Bilingual!

GYCA goes Bilingual The Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA) Project Management e-Course was recently run completely in French for the first time ever! The course was open to francophone GYCA members and MTV Staying Alive Foundation grantees from across the globe. A total of ten participants signed up for the inaugural class, representing organizations doing incredible work in Togo, DRC, Burundi, Bénin and the Ivory Coast. Congratulations to all those who took part!

Opportunities

Upcoming TIGed e-Course: Introduction to Global Project-Based Learning

Upcoming TIGed e-Course TIGed is thrilled to be responding to educators' growing requests for professional development opportunities in technology enabled global education by launching our second accredited e-course, "Introduction to Global Project-Based Learning," beginning on March 30/31! Accredited by the College of Graduate Studies at Plymouth State University, TIGed e-courses are designed to support teachers in enhancing their understanding of and competencies in global education and the use of e-technologies to bring the world into the classroom. Discounts are available for groups of 3 and 5, and educators based in Least Developed Countries may apply for tuition assistance. Please visit the TIGed Professional Development homepage for more information and to register. This course is filling up fast so register today!

Take the Tread Lightly Challenge!

How many Earths does it take to sustain your livelihood? How much of the planet's resources do you consume and what can be done about it? Take the Tread Lightly Challenge to learn about the impact of your lifestyle and how you can reduce your ecological footprint. The Tread Lightly Challenge is a great way to learn about the environment, the consequences of daily habits and the ways to reduce your environmental impact. Engage your family, friends and students, challenging them to live a sustainable lifestyle! Please visit the Tread Lightly Challenge page for more details.

Imprints Art Contest

The Imprints Art Contest calls on environmentally-minded artists aged 13-30 to submit their eco-artwork now through April 15. Submissions must be digital in nature, in order to be uploaded to the contest site, with acceptable formats including (but not limited to) video, animation, digital photography, and digitally captured drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, and mixed media. All submissions should reflect this year's theme, which is creating a narrative that addresses climate change or ecological footprints. Submissions will be showcased online, and the winners will receive Staples gift cards. For more information, please visit the contest site.

Project Borneo: Be in a 3D Action Movie!

Project Borneo DeforestACTION is a global, youth-led initiative designed to protect endangered rainforests and orangutans. The search is on for ten amazing young leaders between the ages of 18-35 to spend five months in the forests of Borneo. Once there, they'll help lead the project and provide updates to young stakeholders and supporters across the globe while starring in a 3D feature documentary produced by award-winning Virgo Productions in collaboration with National Geographic Entertainment. The April 10 deadline is quickly approaching, so submit your video entry now or vote for your favourite submissions!

Panorama

Looking for ways for your students to express themselves? Have them contribute to the next issue of Panorama Zine, TakingITGlobal's online youth-led, youth-driven publication, which focuses on the theme of freedom. Ask them: "What is your idea of 'freedom'? At a time when freedom is being questioned all around us, and when the word 'freedom' motivates thousands of people to stand up for themselves, what does the word mean to you? Have you ever fought for your freedom?"

Wanted: Online Volunteer Translators

Wanted: Online Volunteer Translators Volunteer translation is a great way to give back to the TakingITGlobal community and to help extend our offerings to global audiences. The following opportunities are open for applications from now until March 25.

TIGed in the Media

Rainforest Action Network (February 2011)

TIGed was recently highlighted in the Rainforest Action Network's blog, The Understory, in an article entitled "Call for Rainforest Action Heroes in Borneo: Deadline March 18th" by Ashley Schaeffer.

7pm Project Borneo (February 2011)

DeforestACTION Project Borneo was recently the topic of a story on 7PM, an Australian news show. Award-winning Australian documentary director Kathy Henkel was on hand to tell viewers about the project. Watch the clip here.

Recent and Upcoming Events

Connecting Online 2011 (CO11)

February 4-6, Online

Director of Education Programs, Katherine Walraven, participated in this year's Connecting Online by facilitating a webinar on how to utilize TIG and TIGed to take classrooms global. View an archive of the session.

Flat Classroom Conference

February 25-27, Beijing, China and Online

If you weren't able to make it to China and missed participating virtually, you can still engage in the event through the Flat Classroom Leadership Video Library, an archive of 14 video recordings from this year's conference.

DeforestACTION Web Events - Live from Borneo!

March 4, Online live from Borneo, Indonesia

DeforestACTION made royal history this month when the King of Java broadcasted to over 12,000 youth from 29 countries worldwide. Interactive webinars allowed students to engage with royalty and share their questions with Dr. Willie Smits, a world renowned conservationist, and Cathy Henkel, director of the upcoming DeforestACTION 3D movie. If you missed the live webinars you can watch the archives here.

Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) Conference

March 14-16, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Don't miss the two learning sessions co-facilitated by TIG co-founder Michael Furdyk: "Best Practices in Global Collaborative Learning and Innovative Ideas from an ICT Living Lab" and "Social Networking in Education."

Shout - Change and the Land - Online Conference

March 16, Online

In partnership with Microsoft Partners and Learning and the Smithsonian Institution, TakingITGlobal is excited to announce the newest event in the Shout online conference series. Three sessions will be hosted on March 16: "The Art of Science" with Suzannah Niepold at 11am (EST), "Educating for Global Competence: Why does it matter today? What does it look like in student work?" with Verónica Boix Mansilla at 1pm (EST), and "Inspiring Students about Living, Breathing, Changing Soils" with Pat Megonigal at 2pm (EST). Register to participate today! After the event, be sure to visit the Shout Global Classroom to carry on the conversation!

Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL) Conference

March 16-18, Detroit, Michigan, USA

TIGed staff will be attending in person to facilitate two learning sessions as part of the conference program: "Digital Citizens, Global Citizens" and "Take Your Classroom Global." We hope to see you there!

The Middle East in Transition - Live Event Series

March 15, April 7, and April 13 - Online

This three part series will provide your students a first hand account from the region and help shed light on the complexity and humanity of the history that is taking place every day. Participate by watching the events streamed live online.

Reminders

Don't forget to add your collaboration details!

Do you have specific ideas for how you'd like to work together with other educators on TIGed? Share your collaboration details by visiting the TIGed community page and inputing your ideas. Your details will be featured alongside your name in search results.

Wrap Up

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