Welcome

The projects below have come out of the work of graduate students in the University of Michigan-Flint's Technology in Education Global Program. They are in various stages of development and piloting. While each project is unique, each focuses on using technology to create new educational activities that connect learners to current knowledge and issues of global importance. We invite you to join us in helping these projects to grow and evolve. If you would like more information about becoming a participant, supporter, or collaborator for any of the projects, please use the contact information found within each project description.

Current partners and collaborators include: Commune du Grand-Saconnex (Switzerland), DevInfo, Fédération des Institutions Internationales Semi-officielles et Privées Établies à Genève (FIIG), International Labor Association, John Knox Center, Laogai Research Foundation, Parks and Museum of Cozumel (Mexico), United Nations Association of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNICEF, and the World Federation of United Nations Associations

Students and guests may continue on to the course site. For others wishing to learn more about the Global Program, please see our informational site.

Current Projects

Take Action!

Take Action! is focused on raising awareness of the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals by engaging students to be activists in their local communities each day. Using a simple prompt, students will be able to take an action every day which is related to an MDG. They will then be able to share their experiences by uploading photos, videos, and stories on-line with other students around the globe who have taken the same actions. Our goal is to increase global and social awareness in youth, and engage a new generation of responsible global citizens.

Website: http://act.umfglobal.org/

Status: Actively seeking participants of any age for open pilot beginning in early 2010.

Contact: Kira Christensen (kirac@umflint.edu) and Ben Rimes (brimes@umflint.edu)

More information:

One World | Many People

One World | Many People is a social change project that was developed to address the many issues young people face today. In a world where the connection to those around us has often been lost, One World|Many People teaches students to see beyond the surface in order to connect for the purpose of being the change they would like to see in the world.

Website: http://oneworld.umfglobal.org/

Status: Actively seeking high school participants for open pilot beginning in early 2010.

Contact: Jennifer Riegle and Sarah Fornero, 1worldmanypeople@gmail.com

More information:

Empower the Congo

The Empower the Congo project will bring awareness to the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is an online project that provides information, lesson plans, and a social network for those interested in advocating/fundraising on behalf of the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Working with the United Nations association of the Congo, we hope to both build awareness and provide direct support on the ground in order to help improve the condition of and empower the people of the Congo, with special emphasis being placed on supporting women and children.

Website: http://www.empowerthecongo.org/

Status: Actively seeking participants of all ages for open pilot beginning in early 2010. Website under construction.

Contact: Scott Morey, Anna Stephenson, and Shavonne Thomas at empowerthecongo@gmail.com

More information:

Community Agricultural Network

CAN promotes community involvement and global connections around the issue of sustainable development through urban/suburban agriculture. It is a space where people working toward this common purpose can broaden their impact, strengthen their networks, and unite for change. CAN uses technology not only to disseminate information, but also to form relationships on both a local and global scale.

Website: http://can.umfglobal.org/

Status: Actively seeking K-12 school and community participants for open pilot beginning in early 2010.

Contact: Amanda Harper, Mary Spencer, and Emily Tibbetts-Freeman at gardensconnect@gmail.com

More information:

Mission Laogai

Mission Laogai is working in partnership with the Laogai Research Foundation in Washington DC to educate and promote activism regarding human rights violations of Chinese prisoners in forced labor camps. Mission Laogai is developing an informative website for educational use in middle and high schools, as well as an online simulation for students to develop sensitivity and an understanding of life in Laogai prison camps. The curriculum will focus on technology, economics, globalization, psychology, communism, Chinese history, and informed consumerism.

Website: http://laogai.umfglobal.org/

Status: Actively seeking high school participants for open pilot beginning in early 2010.

Contact: Wendy Apfel, Amanda Brooke, and Johnathan Beals at Mission.laogai@gmail.com

More information:

Conservation4Cozumel

Visitors to Conservation4Cozumel can learn about the ecosystem conservation work that is currently taking place on the Island of Cozumel, and more specifically the work that has been done through Cozumel-based Chankanaab National Park, San Gervasio Mayan Site, Faro Cerarain Eco Park, and Cozumel’s Island Museum. Conservation4Cozumel promotes community empowerment for the Cozumel people and allow them to share their stories and messages to people around the world.

Website: http://conservation4cozumel.org/

Status: Actively seeking participants for open pilot beginning in early 2010. Website under construction.

Contact: Amy Linton (amylintin1@hotmail.com), Scott Morey (swmorey@gmail.com), and Ronda Papenhagen (ronda6332@aol.com)

More information:

A Peace Chat

Peace Chat is a project working towards decreasing violence in the lives of children around the world. An online discussion board will be used to connect early elementary and high school students. These groups will work together sharing ideas, through written expression, art, video, and podcasting. Students will be working through student generated scenarios to build non-violent conflict resolution strategies.

Website: Under development.

Status: Pilot scheduled for early 2010.

Contact: Miranda Kundrat and Emily Chapelle at apeacechat@gmail.com

More information:

Indigenous Language Connections

This project will be a connecting point for teachers of indigenous languages and their students around the world. A key component will be a shared database of teaching materials and media.

Status: Under development; piloting scheduled to begin in early 2010.

Contact: Paul Stone at fourclaws@gmail.com

DevInfo Gameworks (DIGW)

Begun by students in the 2007-2008 Global Program, and now supported by a MacArthur Foundation-funded grant, DIGW brings wide-ranging global information to young people in an engaging, social way through a software engine that supports the creation, exchange and play of games based on real-world data. While the primary focus of DIGW is on the UN Millennium Development Goals, games may focus on any subject, content area, or grade level. Game templates are based loosely on familiar games (for example, the currently available one is based on tic-tac-toe), so they're not hard to learn.

Website: http://digw.org/

Status: Ongoing pilot site is open for use by individuals or groups at any time.

Contact: Shawn Baglin, Beth Robertson, and Jeff Kupperman at info@digw.org

First Annual International Shakespeare Student Film Festival

This unique film festival takes William Shakespeare's themes from the page to the movie screen. Students sit in the directors chair -- writing, directing, shooting, and editing their own three-minute short film. Films can be either an interpretation or a re-creation. This festival is open to all students - kindergarten through college, novice or expert.

Website: http://shakefilmfest.org/

Status: Film submissions due April 2, 2010.

Contact: info@shakefilmfest.org