I thought I was dreaming when I read a tweet about Google Teacher Academy running in Sydney, Australia this year.
The Google Teacher Academy is a FREE professional development experience designed to help primary and secondary educators from around the globe get the most from innovative technologies. Each Academy is an intensive, one-day event where participants get hands-on experience with Google’s free products and other technologies, learn about innovative instructional strategies, receive resources to share with colleagues, and immerse themselves in an innovative corporate environment
Only 50 educators Australia wide will be selected. Although my chances are small, thanks to Anne Mirtschin, I decided to have a go. Why not? The application process itself is valuable in its evaluative and reflective focus. An important part of the application is the creation of an original 60 second video on either of the following topics: “Motivation and Learning” OR “Classroom Innovation.” To me, they’re pretty much one and the same. I chose “Classroom Innovation” and included evidence of some of the learning which used new technologies to take learning out of the textbook and the classroom by creating interactive, collaborative and often global learning opportunities.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3ot-bCDPgA]
What do you think? Not easy to cram a message into 60 seconds. The music is from Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, and I’m grateful that the manager of the band, Tristan Ludowyk, responded so quickly to my email request and gave me permission to use the band’s music.
If you’d like to apply, you’d better hurry up because applications close 27 January 2011. Click here for information.
Good luck Tania! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you! Wow, you used Through Global Lenses as an example. The old B/W movie and the repeating words of the teacher are very effective!
Thanks, Sinikka! I was really stuck with regard to the film, and wanted to do a stop motion film using my sister’s drawings but it all became too hard. I decided to trawl through Through global lenses blog (and also my reading blog) because there was so much evidence of interactive learning and wonderful contributions from students. I hope the message in the video was clear; I decided not to caption it, just let the contrasted images speak for themselves.
Great video, Tania – I’m sending good vibes your way! Glad that Anne influenced you to proceed with the application – as you say, it is a good reflective process! Keep us posted!
Thanks, Marie. I don’t expect to get it with only 50 people selected Australia wide, but I would have been disappointed with myself if I hadn’t tried.