Announcements

Introducing the Expanded TIGed Team!
This January, TIGed established an internship program, bringing on board seven hard working individuals committed to technology, global education, and youth development. Each intern has been working in various capacities to strengthen the TIGed program by supporting special projects, developing and improving resources, building the body of research related to online and global education, promoting TIGed, and generally enhancing the overall usability of the platform.

A new troupe of interns will be building on this hard work starting in May! If you are interested in joining the TIGed team as a volunteer intern, please watch our "Join the Team" page for updates!

Kathryn Barber, Research Assistant (kathryn@takingitglobal.org)

Kathryn is working to compile research related to online education, international collaborative learning, student-centered approaches to teaching, and project-based and experiential learning to establish a knowledge base that supports and informs TIGed's mission, vision, and work.

Deanna Bralten, Marketing and Promotions Assistant (deanna@takingitglobal.org)

Deanna is working to promote and raise awareness about TIGed's platform, programs, and initiatives through various social media outlets and local educational technology events.

Lucie Drabinova, 6th Microsoft Asia Pacific Innovative Education Youth Forum Coordinator (lucie@takingitglobal.org)

Lucie was responsible for coordinating the student track of the 2010 Microsoft Asia Pacific Regional Innovative Education Forum. Her work has included promoting and moderating the online dialogue, short-listing students to attend the event in person, supporting the event planning process, and providing guidance and inspiration to the students while in Singapore. Now that the event has come to a close, Lucie will continue to support the students by facilitating the Sprout e-course for the students.

Sara Hassan, Program Coordinator (sara@takingitglobal.org)

Sara is working to provide general programmatic support for the TIGed program, guiding and assisting TIGeducators in-person and virtually, supporting the development of the TIGed platform, and working to strengthen the TIGed community.

Ping-Ya Lee, Tread Lightly Program Coordinator (ping@takingitglobal.org)

Ping is working on developing, implementing and promoting Tread Lightly, a climate change education and engagement initiative developed by TakingITGlobal and supported by the Staples Foundation for Learning. She is currently updating the curriculum, developing new lesson plans, and building partnerships with groups that will help to implement Tread Lightly in more countries.

Sarah Robertson, Ecosystem Analyst (sarahr@takingitglobal.org)

Sarah is contributing to the development of the TIGed platform by researching other online learning platforms and educator networks in order to provide a comparative analysis and recommendations on how to improve TIGed's offerings.

Vivian Trumblay, iEARN Youth Forum Coordinator (vivian@takingitglobal.org)

Vivian is assisting the iEARN Canada coordinators with the various stages of planning the 2010 iEARN International Conference and Youth Summit, which will convene participants from around the globe to network with each other and participate in workshops about education, technology and action-taking. Her work is focused specifically on the Youth Summit component of the event.

TIGed Site Improvements

• Class Bookmarks and Class Files have been enhanced to allow for unlimited levels of folders, enabling you to better categorize and organize the various resources in your class.


• Soon to be launched, the TIGed Lounge will provide an online space for members of the TIGed community to network, discuss teaching experiences and strategies, share resources related to collaborative learning and global education, and get a feel for the TIGed Virtual Classroom platform. The lounge will be open to all TIGeducators and accessible from the TIGed Community Page.

TIGed Social Media Survey
TIGed is working to identify how we can use social media to expand our reach and better serve existing members of the TIGed community. Toward this end, we want to know what other social networks you are using and how you like to receive information. The survey will take about 5 minutes to complete and all of those who participate will be entered into a draw for a FREE one-year premium virtual classroom license! Complete the survey today!

Media Awareness Network (MNet) Launches Enhanced Web Site to Help Parents "Be Web Aware"
Be Web Aware is a national, bilingual public education program on Internet safety. It comprises a multimedia public service announcement campaign and a comprehensive website. Developed by MNet, this site is full of information and tools to help parents effectively manage internet use in the home.

Opportunities

Online Multilingual Volunteer Opportunities with TakingITGlobal
TIG is currently seeking motivated, creative and outgoing young people to join its Multilingual Team. If you are, or know someone who is, interested in youth engagement in an online environment, international development and social change issues, gaining experience in online media and working in a high-energy community, this could be an ideal placement! Becoming an online volunteer with TIG means joining a team of youth leaders and innovators who create opportunities for close to 300,000 youth around the world!

TIG is currently seeking motivated, creative and outgoing young people to join its Multilingual Team. If you are, or know someone who is, interested in youth engagement in an online environment, international development and social change issues, gaining experience in online media and working in a high-energy community, this could be an ideal placement! Becoming an online volunteer with TIG means joining a team of youth leaders and innovators who create opportunities for close to 300,000 youth around the world!

All volunteers are required to commit to a minimum term of 6 months (with possibility of renewal), and about 3-5 hours per week of work. Upon completion, volunteers will receive a reference letter stating their volunteer hours.To learn more about available positions and expectations, please click here.

For more information about our Multilingual Community and what we do, visit http://multilingual.tigweb.org. For more information on the application process and for full job descriptions, please visit: http://www.tigweb.org/about/who/weare/jobs.html.

Multilingual Blog Contest
In celebration of International Mother Language Day, TIG's Multilingual Community will be launching a multilingual blog contest entitled "Cultures of Peace: Youth & Multilingualism for Dialogue and Change".

Blog entries can be written on any of the following topics:
1. Language vitality;
2. Intercultural dialogue;
3. Languages & rights;
4. Multilingualism in cyber-space;
5. Languages & social media: inspiration, interaction & international activism; and
6. Languages empower, cultures inspire.

Prizes will be given to the top 6 winners. Keep checking the Multilingual website for updates on this exciting event!

Magical Moments Around the World
Magical Moments Around the World is a global educational project dedicated to inspiring global coexistence, compassion, mutual care, understanding and a reverence of life, by fostering awareness that we are all connected by one human spirit. Through a web-based project collaboration centre, students are able to introduce themselves, publish their Magical Moment, add digital media and communicate with their peers in other countries.

For more information on how you and your students can get involved, please check out the Magical Moments website.

Make a Fundred. Make a Difference!
You and your class can help TIG and Fundred.org be part of the solution to eliminate the devastating effects of lead-contaminated soil that currently places children at risk of severe learning disabilities and behavioural problems. Draw your unique Fundred Dollar Bill and upload it to TakingITGlobal's Fundred Collection Centre. The goal is to collect over 3 million of these unique pieces of artwork. This cumulative total of 300,000,000 Fundred Dollars is equivalent to the cost (in USD) required to make safe every lead contaminated property in New Orleans, so that every child is protected.

Make a Fundred. Make a Difference! Visit the project site, fundred.org for more information!

Recent and Upcoming Events

MacArthur Digital Media and Learning Conference
(http://dmlcentral.net/conference/)
18-21 February 2010, La Jolla, California, USA

The Digital Media and Learning Conference is an annual event supported by the MacArthur Foundation and organized by the Digital Media and Learning Hub at University of California, Irvine. The conference is an inclusive, international and annual gathering of scholars and practitioners in the field, focused on fostering interdisciplinary and participatory dialog and linking theory, empirical study, policy, and practice. The conference was attended by Katherine Walraven, Director of Education Programs. She co-facilitated two session focused on online learning and leadership for global citizenship and public engagement amongst youth.


6th Microsoft Asia Pacific Regional Innovative Education Forum 2010 (http://www.rhapsodyconcept.com.sg)
9-11 March 2010, Singapore

In the lead-up to the forum, TIG engaged a group of over 200 Asia Pacific youth in a three week long online dialogue about innovation and technology in education and then selected a core group of sixteen students to attend the event in person. These students, representing ten countries around the world participated in a parallel youth forum, taking in professional development workshops and working in teams to develop ed-tech projects. All students who attended the forum are taking part in a special offering of the Sprout e-course, and will compete to receive mini-grants from Microsoft, in order to move their project ideas forward.

Helping Canadian Kids Thrive - National Conference on Positive Youth Development (http://www.thrivecanada.ca)
6-7 May, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada

Thrive! The Canadian Centre for Positive Youth Development is dedicated to providing opportunities for caring individuals to gather and learn from and with each other. Each year, Thrive! organizes a national conference with a focus on the positive skills young people possess. The conference aims to focus on the strengths of youth and what is working, rather than trying to 'fix' what is wrong. The conference will be attended by representatives of TakingITGlobal.


17th Annual iEARN International Teachers Conference and Youth Summit (http://iearn2010.org/)
12-17 July 2010, Barrie, Ontario, Canada

TIG is collaborating with iEARN for the 17th Annual iEARN Conference and Youth Summit. Educators and students from around the world will convene to share how they are using the Internet and other connective technologies to enhance teaching and learning. As the most international gathering of educators engaged in online project-based learning, the event will feature technology and curriculum presentations, cross-cultural experiences and the development of new project partnerships.

Wrap Up

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