Dalia Naujokaitis

MAKING THE WORLD OUR CLASSROOM

Adventures in Project-Based Learning On the Internet

Since 1994 my students (8-12 year olds) in the Program for Gifted Learners (PGL) located at St. Elizabeth Catholic School in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada’s capital) have been collaborating with other classes worldwide in a series of innovative, Internet-based learning projects.

PGL provided an ideal setting for curriculum experimentation. At the start we felt like explorers in uncharted waters without a compass. The World Wide Web as we know it today did not exist. Text-based e-mail was the main means of communication and that was not always reliable. But we persevered, and today I am the luckiest teacher I know, as my job allows me to explore new technologies along with the students. My role has changed dramatically, as I am now more an observer, a co-learner, facilitator and team player in a class where cooperative learning, inquiry, online collaboration and investigation are regular fare. The wave of the future is here: teamwork, telecommunications, and transformation. Business is “not as usual” in our classrooms as we begin to create electronic, networked learning communities.

Together with help from schools around the world we have created and continue to maintain more than a dozen educational websites. Through publishing on the web, students have become the creators and not only the consumers of knowledge. Our online collaborations and projects have gained both national and international recognition from Canada’s SchoolNet, International Schools Cyberfair, AT&T Virtual Classroom, Childnet International, The Stockholm Challenge and the International Society for Technology in Education.

Since 1995 I have also been the Computer Site Administrator at St. Elizabeth School. In this capacity I not only look after the “techie” problems that might arise but also act as curriculum coach to assist teachers with integrating ICT into the curriculum.

This year through my efforts and action plan, St. Elizabeth has become a member of the Network of Innovative Schools (Schoolnet Canada). With this membership comes with $10, 000 grant for PD and project development. Teachers are being trained to integrate ICT into the curriculum in innovative ways. It’s a big job but very exciting.

OUR ONLINE PROJECTS

How We are Making the World Our Classroom

Through the World Wide Web students have been collaborating, investigating and researching real issues. All of our projects are recognized by Canada’s SchoolNet as exemplary online projects through its GrassRoots program. Projects are websites in their own right, created and illustrated by students for students.

All links to the projects can be found at St. Elizabeth Catholic School website-

Taming the Tube:TV-Watching Habits of 10-to-12 Year Olds (1994- http://www3.sympatico.ca/dalia/tube/front.htm
a student-run survey and analysis via the Internet of the TV-watching habits of 10-to-12 year olds around the world, has attracted some 3,000 participants annually since 1994, from close to 300 classrooms in 7 countries on 4 continents. The project provides a forum for junior-level students to apply the research process in an innovative way through the use of information technology. Students become scientists conducting "real" research on an activity in which they have all participated : TV-watching.
NewsWave Canada (1995-)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/newswave/online.htm
the first Canadian online news magazine created, illustrated and published by students for students (ages 8-16) was launched on the WWW in the fall of 1995 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. This interdisciplinary Internet learning project serves as a forum for students from Grades 3 to 12 writing from across Canada and the world.
Award of Excellence (ISTE)
Canada’s Cool, eh? (1997)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/eh/eh.htm
An online collaboration by students from across our country in celebration of Canada, Canadian heritage and being Canadian. Launched in February 1997, it is an annual event during Canadian Heritage Week. Perhaps the Acoolest@ compliment the students received was when they were invited to showcase it to Prime Minister Jean Chretien on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in Feb. 1997.
Gallery of Unsung Heroes and Heroines (1997)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/hero/front.htm
with the help of students (ages 8-16) from 18 schools around the world, “The Gallery” celebrates and honours ordinary people who have made a difference in other people’s lives, those who have had a positive influence or have inspired others to be their best... our everyday heroes and heroines.

2^nd place Community and Special Groups, International Schools Cyberfair 1997
2nd place A&E Television Network Teacher Grant Competition

1^st place, Exemplary Online Project, ISTE,

Learning the Next Generation (1997)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/learn/front.htm
students as futurists investigate the impact of technology on teaching and learning. As architects they design schools of the future and share their blueprints via video-conferencing (broadband experimental) with participating schools. As journalists they research what life would be like in the next millennium and report their findings in “Shocked”, a news magazine dedicated to all things wired and futuristic. Collaboration between St. Elizabeth School in Ottawa and Burrville School in Washington, D.C.
Who Can Catch the Wind? (1997)
website is under major re-construction
an inquiry-based online project in which teams of students collaborating in several countries over the Internet, investigate the world of energy and alternative energy designs for communities. Through an Energy WebQuest students learn basic energy concepts, the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy resources and their environmental impact. In particular, students investigate wind energy and experiment with windmill/wind turbine designs, which they then demonstrate to other schools and evaluate through videoconferencing using a QuickCam video camera and CU-SeeMe technology. As apprentice engineers and city planners, students use Hyperstudio software to develop multimedia presentations on environmentally-sensitive energy systems for a remote community.
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), 1^st place Exemplary Online Project
GrassRoots CyberPal Internet Adventure: City of Ottawa (1998) http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/cyberpal/front.htm
joint project among gr. 4-6 students across Canada showcasing their capital city; I served as lead school host for the City of Ottawa, sponsored by SchoolNet and Canadian Capital Cities Organization. Student-researched, designed and illustrated website on the city of Ottawa, from the perspective of children. This project helped to develop and apply students' skills in information technology, research and writing, through the medium of Internet communications and publishing on a contemporary, real‑world topic: the history, culture, economy and geography of our national capital. A student-created interactive component features educational games and puzzles: wordsearches, sliding puzzles, museum mania, historical time machine, quizzes. This site saw the collaborative creation of Gatino, our truly Canadian web mascot who is the official guide to the website. You can see this animated character in all his guises at http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/cyberpal/gatino.htm
One Spirit, Many Gifts: Leadership in the City of Ottawa (1998)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/leaders/
1^st Place Winner- International Schools Cyberfair 1998 (Our Learders Category)

"One spirit, many gifts! Our diversity is our strength!" This website provided opportunities for students to identify and interview the local leaders of the City of Ottawa and create a Hall of Fame to showcase the diverse qualities and gifts of leadership as reflected through the contributions and achievements of the identified leaders.

Students Against Landmines (1999-on-going)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/mine/
1^st Place Winner- International Schools Cyberfair 1999
Commended project Childnet International
An I*EARN project
An interactive website that is not only an online resource created by students for students to learn about issues surrounding anti‑personnel landmines, but also showcases activities undertaken by students world‑wide to raise both awareness about landmines and money to demine schoolyards in Mozambique and Afghanistan. The project demonstrates that when given a chance kids can make a difference in creating a better world. On Dec. 2, 1997, on the occasion of the signing of the Global Ban on Landmines Treaty in Ottawa , Nane Annan, wife of the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and Diana Fowler, wife of Governor-General Romeo LeBlanc, visited Dalia=s class to lend support to the project. This website has become a resource for the Canadian Landmine Foundation, UNESCO and Canada=s Safe Lane, the Foreign Affairs Website on landmines.
Good News From Around the World (1999)
http://www.att.virtualclassroom.org/vc98/vc_47/
Grade 6 students participate in the AT&T Virtual Classroom. They are paired with Settlers Farm School in Adelaide, Australia and Opequon School in West Virginia, USA. Collaboratively they create their website. Part of the AT&T Virtual Classroom.
One World, Many Rights (2000)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/rights/rights.htm
Students from Australia, Canada and USA celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. They research the rights and as journalists find what is being done around the world to promote these rights. They create virtual gallery to showcase the rights
Millennium 2000+ Our Future, Our World
http://www.att.virtualclassroom.org/vc99/vc_59/index.html
Grade 6 students participate in the AT&T Virtual Classroom. Partnered with a school in Tasmania and Yorkshire, UK, students build a collaborative website about the future: hopes, heroes, school, the environment
Special Merit Award- Collaboration from AT&T
The Rideau Canal- Ottawa’s Community Waterway (2000)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/rideau/
A student-researched and created website on the Rideau Canal, a man‑made local attraction, which evolved from having a military purpose in the 1800's to becoming the focal point of many cultural and tourist activities in Canada's capital in the 2000's. It is famous for being the longest skating rink in the world! The site includes facts about the canal=s festivals, history, location, locks and the wildlife that needs the canal to survive. Take a Virtual Tour of the canal with Gatino, the web mascot. And of course, there is Rideaurama - fun games, interactive activities created by students for students.

1^st Place National Winner- Communities@ca 1999-2000

Gold Winner- International Schools Cyberfair 2000

I Have a Dream : Bridging Diversity and Building Peace (2001)
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~sel/dream/index.htm
An international project with participants from 25 countries, built around the global themes of tolerance, peace and celebration of cultural diversity. Students in Canada and around the world are invited to create a Web of Peace that will encourage understanding and respect of others regardless of their race, gender, colour or religion, and will celebrate diversity as a bridge for peace-building and peace-making. The website consists of a pyramid of open-ended, student-created activities: profiles, news articles, poems, drawings, photos, multimedia collections.
Gold Winner- International Schools Cyberfair 2001
Commended Project- Childnet International
Be a Consumer Hero! (2001-2002)
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dalia/buy0/
an interdisciplinary project on consumer consciousness for students from Grades 4 to 11. Built around the celebration of the International Buy Nothing Day, the theme of the project, as expressed in the slogan "Be a Consumer Hero! Stand up against the pressure to BUY! BUY! BUY!", provides students with a framework for investigating the impact of advertising on consumer spending, and over-consumption as a primary environmental problem in the world today. A great choose your-own-adventure story written by students is on the website.

Finalist in the Stockholm Challenge in the Environment Category

MENTORING

I have been Computer Site Administrator at St. Elizabeth since 1995. The job involves not only making our network work well, but also to act as curriculum coach. A curriculum coach provides support and in-service for teachers in the integration of Information and Communication Technology into the curriculum.

1995-2001 Mentoring teachers who participate in online projects created by me

1995-97 Education Network of Ontario (ENO) – moderator for a number of online conferences for teachers: (online projects, environment, global education)

1998-99 Online mentoring with classrooms in US, Australia, UK and Tasmania through the AT&T Virtual Classroom

1998-2000 Lead teacher in online collaboration with teachers across Canada –CyberPal Internet Adventure- showcasing capital cities across Canada through a collaborative website

1999- Development of The World is My Classroom- online theme-based resources using the WWW as a research and collaboration tool

2000-2001 Online Moderator/Mentor for teachers participating in Canada’s SchoolNet Communities website competition

2001-2002 St. Elizabeth has become a member of the Network of Innovative Schools (Schoolnet Canada). With this membership comes a $10, 000 grant for PD and project development. Teachers are being trained to integrate ICT into the curriculum in innovative ways. I am the lead teacher.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1995 & 1996 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

Award of Excellence

1996 Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in Mathematics,
Science and Technology

Roy C. Hill National Award for Innovations in Teaching (Canadian Teachers' Federation)

YMCA-YWCA Woman of Distinction Award in Education, Training and Development- in particular for encouraging girls in technology

1996-1997 Royal Bank Fellowship at Queen's University, Faculty of Education
visiting fellow – lectured on online project-based learning and telecommunications

1997 A&E Television Network Teacher Grant Competition, 2nd place

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE),

1st Prize Exemplary Online Project, Gallery of Unsung Heroes and Heroines

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE),

1st Prize Exemplary Online Project, Who Can catch the Wind?

1998 Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE),

1st Prize Exemplary Online Project, Students Against Landmines

International Schools Cyberfair ‘98 (1st place): One Spirit, Many

Gift

1999 Royal Bank Fellowship at Queen's University, Faculty of Education visiting lecturer for teachers-in-training “The Wave of the Future:Telecommunications, Teamwork and Transformation”

International Schools Cyberfair ‘99 (1st place): Students Agains

Landmines

2000 Communities@ca Competition- 1^st place winner for the Rideau Canal

International Schools Cyberfair – Gold Winner- The Rideau Canal

2001 International Schools Cyberfair – Gold Winner- I Have A Dream

2002 Finalist Governor Generals’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History- using online learning, WWW and shared projects with students across Canada

RECENT PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

1993 Teacher Training Manual: Desktop Publishing Software in the Writing

Process

1994 Ottawa R.C. Separate School Board Enrichment Handbook

1995 Council for Exceptional Children Conference; Televised interview on @discovery.ca ;

Phi Beta Kappa Council:

Electronic Networking for Education;

Young Entrepreneurs Showcase;

Curriculum Enrichment Committee of Eastern Ontario Boards of Education

1996 Queen's University: Classrooms Without Walls - Internet as a Learning Tool in Curriculum

National New Frontiers Conference: Telecommunications in the Classroom

Royal Bank Fellowship at Queen's University, Faculty of Education

1997 "Taming the Tube: Trust No One", in Cable in the Classroom (about her

work)

Professional Development Workshops for Canada's SchoolNet

Journal of Online Learning: publication of 2 winning online projects

1998 Contributor to : The Information Highway, Smart Students and the Net (Key Porter Books)

Identities 7, Actions and Reactions (The Oxford University Press)

The Reader’s Digest

Students Against Landmines , Journal of Online Learning, (ISTE)

Education Advisor (GrassRoots Program, Canada’s SchoolNet)

Member of Advisory Committee for Technology in Learning (Ministry of Privatization)

1998 AMTEC Conference ; The DaVincis of Education (Project-based online Learning

2000- Educational Advisor (GrassRoots Proram, Canada’s SchoolNet)

Online Teacher Mentor (TeacherTalk GrassRoots)

Looking through my files I just came across a letter two Grade 6 girls wrote in 1995 to the judging committee of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in Mathematics, Science and Technology when they nominated me. I will reproduce it in full. These girls must be very close to university.

June 13, 1995

Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence

in Science, Technology and Mathematics

Dear Sir or Madam:

We are two eleven year old girls who are in the Grade 6, Program For Gifted Learners at our school. We would like to recommend our teacher, Dalia Naujokaitis, for this honourable award. Why? Because she taught us a lot about computers, the Information Highway, problem solving and how to work in groups.

One of our major projects started a few months ago when our class decided to run an Internet project concerning television watching habits of ten and twelve year olds around the world. The Taming the Tube Project was born! We brainstormed to create a questionnaire about attitudes towards TV and we sent the survey to all the participants. Can you believe that over 200 classes around the world participated? It's true! We had information pouring out of our E‑mail mailbox. We used databases to keep all this info together and spreadsheets to make the calculations. Thank goodness for SchoolNet! With their help we had our own listserver to manage all our mail!

Although this was our biggest project so far, we've had many others in which we used telecommunications, like the Canadian Geography Game , a geographic scavenger hunt, and NewsOntario, an Internet newspaper project involving 20 schools in Ontario. We participated in Internet scavenger hunts to learn navigational tools and do online research. It was totally cool!

We are now going on to Grade 7 and will miss St. Elizabeth's, but will always remember our P.G.L. class where we had a teacher who encouraged us to take risks and try new things. We now realize that when it comes to using computers and applying technology girls and boys are equals.

Yours truly,

Jessica D. and Katya M.

IN CONCLUSION

The most exciting lesson of our online adventures has been the realization that we have at our finger tips a technology that is having and will continue to have a true transformational impact both on learning and teaching... the World Wide Web. Business is “not as usual” in our classrooms as we begin to create electronic, networked learning communities.

I believe that our students not only must learn to use technology, but must acquire sound communication skills, flexibility, resourcefulness, problem solving techniques, and the ability to work as members of a team. That’s what I’ve been trying to give them, in my classroom and in collaboration with other teachers across the Internet.