Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:16:42 -0800WeeblyTue, 15 Mar 2011 07:00:52 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2011/03/special-announcement-international-audience-votes-for-most-successful-projects.htmlOver the past 2 weeks students and teachers globally have been voting for the top student and teacher projects. They were asked to vote for the ideas that would have the most potential if implemented.  We are excited to announce the results.

Student Projects:
First Place: Team 9 Movement 9
Second place: Team 19 Enermeter
Third place (tied): Team 1 Culture Connect and Team 6 Clear Water

Top Teacher Project - Team 10 Tackling Transport Together

Congratulations to the above teams who have been recognised by supportive viewers virtually. All conference material can be found on or linked from the Flat Classroom Conference Ning, and the Conference 2011 wiki.
]]>Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:03:12 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2011/03/vote-for-top-student-project-flat-classroom-conference.htmlA culmination of the Flat Classroom Conference was a student-led celebration and ceremony featuring student and teacher work. The top 6 student ideas had been transformed into videos that clearly showed what they wanted to happen in terms of action in the future. There is a global VOTE on now to determine the top 3 videos.
The vote is open until March 12. All details on the Voting wiki page.
]]>Sun, 27 Feb 2011 03:37:44 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2011/02/and-then-it-snowedflat-classroom-conference.htmlSome fun, some frustration with ice and cold.....but the Flat Classroom Conference at Beijing BISS International School was not deterred by the snow!

]]>Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:57:56 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2011/02/connect-communicate-change-a-conference-with-a-difference.htmlWe are about to start Day 2 of the Flat Classroom Conference 2011 here in Beijing, China. Already the Student Summit has been meeting for 1.5 days and teams are working furiously towards their 'animatic' presentation before lunch today. The Leadership strand have provided feedback to the student teams for their oral pitch of concepts and ideas. They have also developed their own curriculum ideas for implementing a project or idea that joins classrooms around the world and flattens the classroom walls and will pitch these to student teams this morning for feedback.
This conference is about global collaboration, it is about flattening the learning experience. Students, teachers, leaders are learning and leading from each other. We are excited, we are exhausted! and we have great expectations for what today will bring!

Don't forget to follow us virtually, both Taking It Global and Beijing Kids have supported us with online spaces to view media.
Our Flickr group has the latest pics!

]]>Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:16:55 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2011/02/the-flat-classroom-conference-is-about-to-begin.htmlBeijing (BISS) International School is abuzz with activity preparing for the Flat Classroom Conference. Educators and students from more than fifteen countries are coming to Beijing to learn about and do global collaboration.

This conference is unique because it is project based. Spotted with short, high energy presentations, adults and students will design and create global collaborative projects while being coached and taught by some of the leading thought leaders in educational technology.

As a conference, co-organizer, I'm amazed at the superlative effort being put forward by this school and the lovely hospitality shown by our host country of China. While there are certainly technological challenges (as there are with technology differences in any country) we will be able to discuss and experience global collaboration as we work to envision the future of education.

The students are arriving and my seven students and I have been here since Saturday. We've loved the food and enjoyed seeing the beautiful scenery in Beijing as well as kung fu theater, Chinese opera, and acrobatics as well as a delicious Peking duck dinner.

The world is coming to Beijing and I believe that some very impactful learning experiences and projects will emerge from this conference and that connections will be made that will make an impact on global collaboration as we know it. We have over fifty virtual participants registered who will participate as full members of our teams.

OK, gotta run - there is a lot to do! We have people coming in to meet us at the W.A.L.L. "where we all learn and lead." I am hearing bustle and hustle in the hall as they prepare to leave for their tour of WAB (Western Academy of Beijing.)

Vicki Davis, Conference Co-organizer.

]]>Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:23:20 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2011/02/students-and-education-leaders-prepare-for-action.htmlPress Release Feb 15 – Flat Classroom Conference 2011
Excitement is growing as we approach the time for the Flat Classroom Conference 2011 to start. Hosted by Beijing BISS International School February 24-27, this event will bring to together 250 educators and students from more than 15 countries and 45+ schools and institutions. In true ‘flat’ learning style elementary, secondary and tertiary education converge as participants work through a conference program that inspires them to connect globally and take action back in their own schools.

For the Leadership Workshop, adults will explore collaborative learning modes and emerging technologies that support these while designing new instructional models for immediate use in their own classrooms. These new curriculums and pedagogies that include interaction and true problem solving in collaboration with other classrooms around the world are aimed at developing global citizens who have confidence and knowledge with digital learning environments.

For the Student Summit, nearly 100 students will be challenged by an action project that asks them to envisage solutions to problems they have identified along the theme ‘Our Global Future Living Together’. Working in teams they will pitch ideas to the Leadership strand, then after feedback create a presentation that is a pre-visualization for a multimedia story. After an international vote, the best student teams will work with a Hollywood film producer to create a short movie based on their ideas.

Student Summit Classrooms, Flat Classroom Conference 2011
World - Think Global School
USA  - Westwood Schools
Oman – Osama Bin Zaid School
Korea  - Gyeonggi Suwon International School
Indonesia - Al-Azhar Islamic Senior High School
India - Stonehill International School
China - Yew Chung International School
China - Western Academy Beijing
China - Tsinghua High International School

China - Shekou International School

China - RDFZ-Xishan School

China - International Academy of Beijing

China - Hua Shi Yi Fu Zhong High School
China - Beijing BISS International School

Both teachers and students will work together and learn from each other at key times during the 3-day conference. In particular they will enjoy ‘Ted Talk’ style sessions called Flat Learning Action Talks (FL.A.T.s) where both presenters and students have an opportunity to communicate a passion and a message in 10 min.

Another vital part of the conference is the Virtual Flat Classroom. Supported by Taking IT Global (a global social network for educational collaboration), Flat Classroom organizers have out together an opportunity for any interested teachers and students who cannot come to Beijing to be part of this event. Through video streaming, backchannels, Skype, the use of wikis for collaboration, and other Web 2.0 tools (online tools that are normally free that support connection and collaboration, also called the Read/Write web), virtual participants can observe, interact and in fact become full team members if they wish.

Essential Links to the Flat Classroom Conference
Website: http://flatclassroomconference.com
Wiki: http://conference2011.flatclassroomproject.org/
Educational Network: http://flatclassroomconference.ning.com
Virtual Flat Classroom: http://flatclass.tigweb.org/
Our host, Beijing BISS International School: http://www.biss.com.cn

Julie Lindsay
E-Learning Coordinator
Beijing BISS International School
Director Flat Classroom™ Conference and Live Events Inc.
]]>Mon, 07 Feb 2011 19:20:08 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2011/02/calling-all-virtual-participants.htmlWe are looking for students and educators who are interested in joining us virtually for the Flat Classroom Conference 2011, to be held in less than 3 weeks time.

All details on the wiki at http://conference2011.flatclassroomproject.org/Virtual+Participants

There will be TWO online meetings in the next 2 weeks to discuss this further.  Come and join us!  If you have students who are interested please let us know and encourage them to sign up.

The first information/ training meeting is tomorrow morning, Tuesday February 8, 2011 at 7am Eastern with Julie Lindsay.
]]>Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:44:50 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2011/01/flat-classroom-conference-2011-meet-us-at-the-wall.htmlFlat Classroom™ Conference February 25-27, 2011

Meet us at the W.A.L.L. - where We All Learn and Lead

In less than 1 month over 230 educators, students and education leaders from 45+ schools and institutions and 14+ countries will gather at Beijing at Beijing BISS International School for the second ever Flat Classroom Conference. We are delighted to welcome K-12, tertiary and post graduate learners and teachers to the Leadership Workshop. We are excited to have 90 students in the Student Summit!

Coming soon this week will be Virtual Participation opportunities for those who cannot make it to Beijing! Watch this space and come and join our other spaces, Flat Classroom Conference Ning, Flat Classroom Conference 2011 wiki.


]]>Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:54:11 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2010/10/student-summit-and-leadership-workshop-early-bird-closes-november-15-flat-classroom-conference-2011.htmlPRESS RELEASE - October 18, 2010
Latest News!
Student Summit and Leadership Workshop Early Bird closes November 15 for the next Flat Classroom™ Conference, to be held in Beijing, China, February 25-27, 2011.
“Join us at the W.A.L.L. - We All Learn & Lead”

Co-founders of the Flat Classroom™ Conference, Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis are excited to share with you updates about conference planning and also announce that Early Bird Registration closes on Monday November 15 for students and teachers.

The Flat Classroom™ Conference is a unique limited-seating conference including students and educators to envision the future of education as they use leading technology tools such as wikis, blogs, social networking and multi-media storytelling. The conference is diverse in participation while allowing smaller groups with leading world-class presenters in a "flattened" environment where virtual participants join in the conversation from remote corners of the world. Partnered by organisations such as Taking IT Global, Apple Education, Elluminate and Wikispaces and hosted by a forward thinking institution, Beijing (BISS) International School, this event promises to be one of the leading 21st Century conferences held ever in the Asian region.

Student Summit
Flat Classroom connections scaffold online collaborations and actions. However, consider the power of also bringing together students from around the globe face to face with a view to sharing ideas, learning about communication and collaboration tools in a flattened world, and working on a project theme that can be transplanted back into their home school. This is what the Flat Classroom Student Summit is all about. The selected theme will inspire unity and action as well as fostering continued connections after the event in China. In an ever-changing world this event provides an opportunity to bring together classrooms face-to-face in a culmination event based on the Flat Classroom projects over the past 4 years. It is envisaged this will improve global understanding and cement friendships for ongoing collaborations. Students will leave the conference with leadership skills, technology skills, presentation skills, and a better understanding of diverse cultures and collaboration. We are searching globally for motivated teachers to bring small groups of students to Beijing to provide cultural diversity within the summit.

Leadership Workshop
Why should the students have all the fun?  This workshop for educators is challenge-based and hands on. Participants will work in cohorts facilitated by internationally acclaimed presenters joined by Apple Distinguished Educators from Asia, to create products that can be transplanted into their classrooms and schools and will leave the conference understanding how to collaborate globally and with contacts in hand to start projects. Sessions will include opportunities to learn from and with the Student Summit teams, TED Talk style presentations and time to explore and expand on the use of technology tools for learning as well as the pedagogy of flattening the classroom walls.

We invite you to put this on your calendar now: Flat Classroom Conference, Beijing (BISS) International School, February 25-27, 2011! Come to China in February 2011 and be part of this dynamic change in 21st Century learning for all. This is an excellent opportunity to see more of the world and develop personal learning networks while being challenged to envisage the future of learning and society.
Note, there will be a virtual component to this event that organisers are putting together in partnership with Taking IT Global. More details about this coming soon!

Find further details -  http://flatclassroomconference.com/
Register online for the Leadership Workshop and the Student Summit at http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/register-now.html  Don't forget, Early Bird registration closes November 15!
Don't forget to watch the Flat Classroom Conference 2009 Video Documentary on the main website and at http://tinyurl.com/flatclass2009
Questions? We invite you to contact the conference administrator at conference@flatclassroom.org
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/flatclassroom
]]>Mon, 13 Sep 2010 06:34:38 -0800http://www.flatclassroomconference.com/1/post/2010/09/2011-flat-classroom-conference-news-update.htmlPRESS RELEASE announcing partnership with Taking IT Global
2011 Flat Classroom Conference Announced
“Join us at the W.A.L.L. - We All Learn & Lead”
Beijing (BISS) International School are pleased to be hosting the nextFlat Classroom Conference, to be held in Beijing, China, February 25-27 2011, in partnership Flat Classroom Conferences and Live Events Inc. and with TakingITGlobal.

Beijing, China, September 13, 2010 – Following the success of the inaugural Flat Classroom Conference in 2009, co-founders of theFlat Classroom™ Project,Vicki Davis andJulie Lindsay, are pleased to announce that a second conference will take place February 25-27, 2011 in Beijing, China. The event provides a unique opportunity for educators and students to hear from world-class presenters and envision the future of technology-enabled education in a “flattened” environment, where virtual participants join in the conversation from remote corners of the world.

The conference organizers are pleased to have partnered with TakingITGlobal in order to make the event more accessible to virtual participants. TakingITGlobal will facilitate pre-conference presentations online, and support virtual conference participation and networking via social media.

The 2011 conference will have two strands  – a Leadership Workshop and a Student Summit  – which will meet separately as well as in combined sessions to discuss and model best practices for promoting international collaboration as part of a “flat classroom.” This year participants will produce not only a video vision of the future, but also curriculum materials to accompany the global projects.

The Leadership Workshop will allow educators to explore methods and strategies that provide a fuller understanding of what it means to “flatten” a classroom and participate in global learning projects. Instructional design for authentic collaboration and the use of emerging technologies are key areas of focus within the project-based workshop strand. Youth participating in the Student Summit will share idea, learn about communication and collaboration tools in a flattened world, and work on a project theme that can be transplanted back into their home school.

Educators will leave the conference understanding how to collaborate globally and with contacts in hand to start projects. Students will leave the conference with leadership skills, technology skills, presentation skills, and a better understanding of diverse cultures and collaboration.All participants will have the opportunity to develop their capacity and leadership related to using information and communication technology to connect, communicate, and collaborate.

Seating for the 2011 Flat Classroom Conference is limited, and interested students and teachers are encouraged to register early. The early bird registration deadline is October 15 2010.

About the Flat Classroom™ Project

The current series of Flat Classroom™ projects, including Digiteen, NetGenEd and Eracism, immerse educators, experts and students in Flat Classroom™ pedagogy. Flat Classroom™ projects have been described as  a revolutionary interdisciplinary educational approach and include global collaborations using Web 2.0 tools, with a focus on digital citizenship, cultural understanding and emerging technologies.

About TakingITGlobal

Established in 2000, TakingITGlobal serves youth worldwide through a multilingual online learning community and innovative education programs. TIG aims to help young people develop their potential as creative, technology-enabled and globally-aware citizens by strengthening their capacity as leaders and stakeholders, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, and increasing awareness and involvement in global issues.

For more information about the Flat Classroom Conference, please contact:

Steve Madsen, Conference Administrator, Flat Classroom Conference and Live Events Inc.
Email: conference@flatclassroom.org
Website: http://flatclassroomconference.com
Online Community: http://flatclassroomconference.ning.com
Documentary about the 2009 Conference held in Doha, Qatar: http://tinyurl.com/flatclass2009
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