Goals, Connecting with the Community & the Innovation Center

Yesterday, we spent most of the morning discussing the GEC (Global Education Community) and how we move forward.  Our key focuses were on goals for the next three years, collaborating components, coordinating, research, resources and more.  Our teams brainstormed these topics to develop a plan and then shared as a group.  The big idea is that we need to get the word out about the GEC, grow our network, and continue the collaboration.  I continue to see more and more, how the work we are doing with this organization is really beneficial to our students' growth and readying them for life beyond school and in the workforce.  As a team of educators, we have really been able to come together and form a single vision of where we want to take this community.  Every member of this team sees the vast potential of the GEC in their schools.  Tis has the potential to take us to some great places!

We also talked a lot about not only just being globally conscious and connected, but also having ties to your own community. I feel like one of my buildings does an amazing job of being connected to the community, mostly through service projects that every grade does each year.  I will need to continue to focus on this critical part of creating a global citizen because it is often not sued enough or even let out.

I shared what Jefferson Elementary 2nd and 3rd grade students and staff did this year for the community.  They collected ingredients to create soup bags to donate to the local community food pantry called ECHO. The students learned about how food pantries work and help their community.​    Additional projects are happening by bringing gifts to nursing homes and globally by sending needed items to a school in South Africa. We also have community members join us for literacy nights, Junior Achievement programs, teaching topics like healthy eating, Parent Teacher Associations, and more. We encourage the community to come into our schools.

During the afternoon, we were able to visit the Museum of Technology - Tekniikan museo in Finland.  "The Museum of Technology is the only general museum of technology in Finland. The Museum of Technology highlights basic technological phenomena, technical inventions and industrial processes, and tells the story about Finland and the Finns."

This place was amazing seeing all the innovations that have come from Finland or that are apart of Finland's history.

Our main focus of this visit was the three different innovative learning activities that they are offering kids and schools.  The first one was an Innovation Game.  Before I played it I was skeptical of how it would work and promote critical and innovative thinking.  Once we began to play, then I say its potential for kids.  In my school, the students would need a facilitator so that they really play the game, but with that piece, it would really get them using some higher-order thinking.

The second activity revolved around younger kids.  A blanket was made that had many items hidden within it.  It also had some pictures that tied to the app Aurasma creating some Augmented Reality.  After the students have viewed what the pictures on the carpet took them too on the iPads, they had to  find the items hidden in the blanket and choose which ones fit with the Augmented Reality.  The last part of this activity was that each person shared a piece of technology that was important in their life. After sharing we had to create our own museum display, placing the items in groupings and displaying them based upon importance.

The last activity, I think the kids must have a blast with.  The activity is called TekGame.  "In the TekGame you'll score points by solving puzzles and brainteasers about the museum objects. Developing innovations requires both creativity and knowledge. In the TekGame Creativity Consultant Aimo and Engineer Iina introduce you to Finnish innovations and at the same time test you skills as an innovator. In the end you'll discover which area was your strength in the game – knowledge or creativity. Are you an expert? Are you bold enough to share your ideas with other players on the TekGame website?"  The entire game is played with a mobile phone (older model) and the use of QR codes setup at different exhibits around the museum.

**Moment to brag..... my team took first, being the most knowledgable and creative!  Go Team Old School (Kati and me)

I was highly engaged (and competitive) and thought this activity would really get my students interested in discovering information  They would get more out of research or exploration if it is made into a game.  This game me really fun ideas for what I could do for activities in the LMC (or soon-to-be Innovation Center) for students.  

Overall the day brought forward many great news ideas I am taking away as well as planning for the future.