Press 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.
 


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