Awards Arrive!

It was a long journey for the award plaques to get to the winners in Afghanistan! The team from Tajrobawi Girls High School won awards in both divisions of the Global Virtual Classroom web contest during the 2013-14 competition.  The final travels of the awards were accomplished through assistance from the US and Afghan Embassies. (Thanks!)

Left to right Mr. Atarpoor,  Mr. Taheri Chief of Education Department in Herat City, Basira Basiratkhah Principal of Tajrobawi Girls high School and Nasrin Obaidi, teacher and guide during the contest.

Some of the very happy students holding the awards.

After the exams are finished (for the end of term), there will be a grand celebration for the entire school with guests from the City of Herat also invited.  More will be posted then.

2014-2015 Web Contest Begins!

Thirty six primary division classes and thirty three secondary classes have received their team assignments and are ready to start the six month journey getting to know each other, choose a collaborative topic and perhaps be ones to change the world.  They are from many countries, with many from the USA and India.  See where our classes are located!

Connect & Collaborate Through Global Virtual Classroom

Connect & Collaborate Through Global Virtual Classroom

Some 2013-14 GVC Participants

Connect & Collaborate Through Global Virtual Classroom

The Global Virtual Classroom vision is to empower, enable, and connect students around the world using Internet technology. Teacher and students must be willing to make a serious commitment to collaborating with their partner schools for the duration of the project. Our emphasis is on teamwork across cultural and geographic distances, which is much harder than working together in the same room.
What is this contest?
Three schools are teamed by the GVC into a single team. That team works together to create a website about a world issue that they have chosen collaboratively. This is a full year commitment. Schools need strong collaboration skills, as the 3 schools in each team are separated geographically, but need to work together as one.
Who may participate?
Teacher guided Primary (Grades 1-­7) and Secondary (Grades 8­-12, or equivalent) classes and youth groups around the world that have access to the Internet and know or can learn to use Google Sites.

Contest Benefits

Why would a teacher and class take on this task?

• Real world experience and audience
• Global collaboration
• Build on each person's strengths to create a whole; the group is better together!
• Nothing teaches faster than learning from each other.
• Authentic assessment ­rubric provided for guidance

What do projects look like?
To see what others have done, look here. The Primary division is listed first, followed by the Secondary.

Ready for this adventure? 

Click here to register.

Want more information first? Go to the GVC’s Web Contest

Contest

If you have questions, contact our Program Manager, Janet Barnstable.

Sponsored by Give Something Back International Foundation

2014-15 Contest Registration Open

The registration for the 2014-15 contest is formally open.  You can access the registration form at: https://docs.google.com/a/gsbi.org/forms/d/1b9cw1_Iko_zevNL5bMcpbWdA9QzF-aoVR-txXGCSR54/viewform

There are a few changes in the prize structure for this year's contest.

• Every participating school still get a downloadable certificate.
• Every winning school receives a plaque.
• Tech4Learning software company will continue to provide free software. 
• The winning primary team and the winning secondary team receives $1000. These teams can decide what to do with the money.  They can split it 3 ways.  They can donate it to a charity of their choice.  Whatever they choose.
• A GSBI scholarship/sponsorship to a needy, disadvantaged student will be given on behalf of each school on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place primary and secondary teams.  Each school will receive a certificate of recognition of their sponsorship. (To learn more about the scholarships see: http://gsbi.org/by-funding-education/)

All teams will use Google Sites to create their joint work.  The space will be assigned by the GVC.