Scratch Professional Learning Community Organizing
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Last spring, an international group of educators met monthly by Skype to share ideas about using Scratch with students and to try out a collaborative project between schools. We are interested in continuing the project and welcome new participants.
Two ideas behind this project are that adults learn by processing experiences and that to really implement change in classroom practice, it helps to have on-going support.
The group keeps a private wikispaces site to record minutes of our conversations and keep in touch between meetings.
The meeting format is generally an hour long conference call focused on a topic. We start with check-ins from everyone and try to end with a reflection on the topic and the meeting from everyone. To deal with time zone challenges, last year we met on Sundays at 1:00 GMT, but this year's group could look for a different common time.
For last year's collaborative project, students from five schools passed along a remix project about the foods they eat at special celebrations. ( http://scratch.mit.edu/galleries/view/74573) We've talked about trying a storytelling project this year, but nothing is decided yet.
Here are links to the notes from a few of our conversations, posted on Scratch-Ed:
http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/scratch-plc-conversation-1-lesson-design
http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/scratch-plc-conversation-2-teaching-programming-concepts
If this sounds like fun to you or if you have questions, send me an e-mail: <karensrandall@gmail.com>. At the end of the month, we'll have a session on Skype to see how the group wants to organize this year.
I hope the school year, beginning middle or end for your part of the world, is going well for you,
Karen Randall
Karen,
I too, would like to be included in this group. You have my email.
Kent
Karen,
I would love to get involved. I obviously missed October's event, but please contact me for your next event.
Thanks,
Vicki Gold
You'd be very welcome. I sent you an e-mail through your Scratch profile. Basically, I need your direct e-mail address in order to add you to the wiki. Our next conversation is Sunday, December 5 at 2:00 pm GMT (9:00 AM ET in the US).
Karen
We had a great conversation on October 3rd and set up a schedule for Skype calls this school year on the first Sunday of the month at 1:00 GMT. For those who missed the first meeting and want to get involved, we are doing another "get-to-know-you" call this Sunday, October 10, also at 1:00 GMT. Please e-mail me directly if you'd like to join in.
Here's what has been worked out. The group decided that we have these interests in common:
The November meeting will include presentations about math projects from educators at two different grade levels plus conversation about setting up collaborative projects between our classes. Then each month, other members will present projects they've done with kids and there will be a topic for discussion.
That's the PLC news,
Karen
I am interested, but I'm unavailable Oct. 3. Count me in for next month.
Hello, my name is Vera and I am from Mexico, I would love to join you guys. How do I do it?
Thanks.
Great to have your interest. Send me an email and I'll include you in the organizing messages.
Karen
karensrandall@gmail.com
Hello everyone,
We have about 10 people interested in the Scratch Professional Learning Community so far. It would be great to add in more folks from around the world. We're planning for an organizational Skype conference call on Sunday, October 3 at 1:00 PM GMT. There is a great mix of experience and age groups, so send me an e-mail if you'd like to try it out.
Karen R.
karensrandall@gmail.com
Hi Karen,
I enjoyed myself so much last year that you can certainly count me in. It was great making friends across the globe and learning from one another through shared experiences. It was also so thrilling to have the opportunity of attending the Scratch conference with you and the rest via Skype. Thank you and looking forward to our conversations again. : )
Best regards,
Ai Boon