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Anticipation grew as a technology specialist worked to establish an internet connection that would open the door for elementary school students, their families and friends to participate in a worldwide communication event.
Instructional technology specialist cadre Lori Roe remained calm as she endeavored to establish and maintain video and audio reception. Concern grew when audio activated and a disembodied voice was heard saying, “Portugal can’t get in.”
“It’s connecting,” Roe said moments later, inciting a round of applause. Then the image of the hostess from another country appeared on the large screen, her voice was heard and the show began.
“Hi kids in Delaware. How are you?”
Local stars of the Rock Our World event at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, June 9, were 10 Richard A. Shields Elementary School students from Cindy Cunningham’s fifth-grade class. The event also involved other students on six continents from 16 countries including China, Germany, Australia, Italy, Portugal, New Zealand and Israel.
With admirable ease, the Shields students individually stood to answer questions posed by other students, discussing their involvement and strategies used in the Rock Our World project.
“Because of their work on this project my students are able to assess information, access information and share information globally. It’s just incredible,” said Cunningham.
“This is what 21st-century learning skills are all about. We are working with emerging technology and global collaboration to raise student awareness of the global community,” Roe said.
Rock Our World
Rock Our World is an annual collaborative effort among educators and their students, ages 10 to 16. It focuses on a different project each year. This year’s project involved games around the world. Throughout the project students teleconferenced and shared videos, photographs, movies and music they created using Apple computers, Garageband, Imovies, podcasting, digital video cameras and more.
“We use every technological tool available to us to assist us with our digital storytelling and musical composition,” said Roe.
The Shields students said Garageband was a favorite part of their project.
The students in each country start with a drum beat that is passed on to another country that adds the bass, and then passed to another country that adds other instruments or voices. At the end, a piece of music created by students around the world returns to its place of origin.
The Shields students said they enjoyed creating music, learning to form a storyboard, videoconferencing and meeting friends from around the world.
Among student benefits are learning about writing, interpretation, visual storytelling and other cultures, Roe said. Cunningham and Roe also credit the experience with enhancing the students’ skills in problemsolving, making predictions, journaling and formulating strategies.
The success and confidence of the students is apparent in how they describe themselves and their project roles.
Austin Kitchen served as an actor, photographer and storyboard artist. Haley Becker was a camera operator. Conor Donohoe was an actor and director of the Garageband, and Sidney Miller was the assistant director. Other Garageband members included Madison Long, Madison Kitchen and Grant Gillan.
Keiasha Miller, Karissa Lemaire and Dan Myers were actors. In addition to acting, Madison did artwork and Grant handled props.
All of the students said they liked filming at the beach and all of the students said they want to do it again.
Roe said her goal is to design, coordinate and execute professional development for technology integration in all grades.
She said she hopes more students of different ages will be able to participate in Rock Our World during the 2007-08 school year.
More information about Rock Our World is available at www.rockourworld.org
Contact Georgia Leonhart at g.l.leonhart@comcast.net.
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