TakingITGlobal launches Youth Media Exchange

Youth Media Exchange (http://www.ymex.org) is a new social networking site that empowers youth worldwide to create, share, and discuss digital media about global issues and participate in online educational activities. Through collections of resources and media, developing projects with peers in other countries, and responding and reflecting through online discussions, students will build the digital media literacy skills and knowledge necessary for university and work in a global age.

Educators and organizations who are currently working with youth media producers are also invited to join as content collaborators on ymex.org. The site showcases youth media content and resources from your network, providing a global youth audience to view, discuss, and build on these exemplars within a highly interactive educational framework.

Youth Media Exchange is developed by TakingITGlobal and Global Kids, Inc. in collaboration with Asia Society and supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.



Support Tools and New Resources

Video tutorials
If you're looking for step-by-step resources for using the TIGed tools, or need support introducing TIGed to your colleagues, check out our new screencasts, which will walk you through creating a classroom, setting up assignments, and using some of the community featured of TIGed. Check out the TIGed Screencasts here'

del.icio.us meets TIGed
Do you use the social bookmarking tool del.icio.us to share web resources with your students? You can now import your bookmarks directly into your TIGed classroom - just go to the bookmarks section and click on "import del.icio.us bookmarks" to set up an automatic feed of your bookmarks.

New Blog Translation Tool!
Many of you have asked about translation tools that help connect students who don't speak a shared language, so we're thrilled to be piloting an auto-translation feature in the TIGed class blog tool, in partnership with World Lingo. When you post a blog entry to a TIGed classroom, the text can be translated into French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Swedish, Russian, Dutch, and Arabic. Even though machine translations can't match the accuracy of human translators, this tool is still a great step toward connecting people across languages. As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas on this new feature, and for improving the multilingual functions within TIGed overall.

New Curriculum from the United Nations Millennium Campaign
Check out the Activities Database for new lesson plans on the Millennium Development Goals, or download the PDF of the entire MDG Campaign Curriculum Project.



"Preventing Genocide, Promoting Peace" Podcast available from Facing History and Ourselves

As part of our April featured issue on genocide, we've partnered with Facing History and Ourselves to provide a podcast and classroom resources of a conversation with Arn Chorn Pond, peace educator and survivor of the Cambodian genocide. Visit Be the Change to listen to the podcast and learn more about Arn Chorn Pond's amazing story. You can also join the event page on TIG to continue the conversation with other members around the world.



Asia Society and The Goldman Sachs Foundation Youth Prizes for Excellence in International Education

If you work with students in a US high school or American international school, this opportunity is a great way for them to showcase their global learning with technology. The 2008 competition asks students to create an in-depth written essay or multimedia feature examining a social or economic issue that has relevance to them in a global context. Up to five winners will be selected to receive up to $10,000 each as well as an all-expense paid trip to New York City in November 2008 to receive their prize. Please visit http://askasia.org/students/gsfprizes.html for the contest questions, eligibility rules, guidelines and helpful hints, and submission instructions. The deadline for applications is Thursday, June 12, 2008.



Upcoming Featured Issues

Thanks to all who have participated in our recent monthly featured issues! Upcoming features include:

May: Freedom of Expression

June: Human Rights - a special feature in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

July: Fitness and Sport

Come check out the resources and invite your students to share their perspectives!

For more information on how to attend, please visit: http://www.takingitglobal.org/tiged/ec/events.html

Office Hours

A reminder that the TIGed team holds weekly virtual office hours using Elluminate so you can ask questions and seek support for using TIGed:

Mondays, 11 AM - 1 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
Thursdays, 3 PM - 5 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

Visit the TIGed events page to learn more and join the Elluminate meeting: http://www.takingitglobal.org/tiged/ec/events.html



Wrap Up

If you like what you've read don't keep it all to yourself! Please share this email with colleagues and friends in education, or direct them to our TIGed blog at http://www.tigblog.org/group/tiged.

We'd love to hear from you! If you have questions or feedback, or would like more information about TIGed, please contact us: education@takingitglobal.org. If you do not wish to receive future TIGed updates, please e-mail this address.