Home About VC Contest 99 Clubhouse
Overview
How It Works
Model Virtual Classroom
Orientation Guide
Requirements
Program Schedule
Official Language
Role of Teachers
Technologies
Application Procedure
Team Registration Procedure
Support
Judging
Judging
Applicants by country
Participating Teams
VC Entrance
VC Contest 99 FAQ
Award-Winning Web Sites

Web Authoring Support Confirm ability to author web pages and to upload/download files via FTP.
Communicating with Partner Schools Check mail once a day.
Scheduling Be familiar with the holiday and event schedules of all three schools.
Stay in Touch with the GVC Project Manager Read announcements from the GVC Project Manager.
Related Activities Plan classroom activities that relate to the GVC project, or plan a GVC site that relates to subjects you already plan to explore.
  1. Communicating with Partner Schools

    Check every day for mail from your partners. When you receive mail, reply within two days. If you cannot respond immediately, send a quick message to let your partners know that you have received the message and will reply more completely later. Keep your partners well informed of your progress.

    Advice From Veterans
    "If you participate, keep in mind you make a commitment to students all over the world. Don't let them down. "

    "Start communicating with your team right away and get your ideas going. It is a long process and the better the communication, the better the project."

    "Start early, communicate daily and be flexible with your partners and you will have a wonderful experience. Also, don't be afraid to ask the Project Manager for help. Please don't get involved if you are not willing to communicate with your partners."

    "The most difficult part of the program was having to explain to my students why our partner school was not communicating, when I didn't really know why. Some friction was caused because of this as students and teachers became frustrated."
  2. Scheduling

    Teachers should organize their teams' work schedules, taking into account holidays and other conflicting events. (school events, testing periods, etc.)

    Advice From Veterans
    "Get organized early and get the planning done quickly. Give the children plenty of time to learn and practice new skills as well as trying to get the site created. Aim to be finished in plenty of time to review and make changes to the work. Enjoy the experience."

    "Try to pick a simple topic, and have a portion of each day set aside for working on the project. If that is not available to you, you shouldn't undertake it."

    "Start the work as soon as possible, and make sure they're aware of the holidays of the other schools. This project can be very time consuming and if the work is not perfectly schedled one risks not completing the work."
  3. Web Authoring Support

    We require participating teachers to have a basic understanding of how to make a website so they can help their students create their own. As part of the application process, teachers must confirm their ability to use basic technologies (uploading and downloading via FTP, and simple HTML authoring).

  4. Communicating with the GVC Project Manager

    The GVC Project Manager will set up a mailing list used to send announcements to participating teachers during the course of the program. Considering the program's tight schedule, these announcements are very important. Teachers must read them and pass on important information to their students. Since the Project Manager will communicate with teachers primarily through e-mail, please keep the Project Manager informed of e-mail address changes. If you lose Internet access for some reason, please fax the Project Manager to let them know.

  5. Lead Students and Keep Them Motivated

    As an adult with lots of experience communicating with groups of people, it will be up to you to encourage your students to keep in touch with their teammates, even though they cannot see them, and to keep them motivated in the early days before results are visible.

    Advice From Veterans
    "Without a strong teacher as facilitator for each of the three teams, the project falls apart and is disappointing to other students. Students cannot take it over by themselves. They certainly can do the work and communications with other students, but without a strong teacher who facilitates the students, the result can be sad for many."

    "Lead, don't follow. Delegate, don't do. Guide the discussions, delegate the work, and get out of the way. Refuse to touch the website. Coax and cajole the kids to bring out their best, but let them do it. Never do for someone what they can and should be able to do for themselves. Be a coach, a guide, a cheerleader. Be a servant for your students, and do what you need to do to create an environment which allows them to perform. Answer your e-mail promptly. Pay for the pizza. Don't think you know everything, cause you don't. But just do it."

    Computer and Internet availability varies greatly among schools, and it is easy to feel isolated from other team members when you cannot see them face-to-face. We suggest that teachers plan classroom activities that will help students feel more involved.

    Examples:
    Post a list of name and photos of Virtual Classmates >> Students will get to know the names and faces of the students with whom they are working.
    Post the contents of on line discussions on a classroom bulletin board. >> Students will stay informed of what's going on in the team.



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