Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1522644
When we started using Connected North in our school, most teachers approached the sessions as one-offs that were interesting activities that may loosely connect to what they are doing in their classes or as interesting information sessions for students. With experience, I started to see the learning implications of using Connected North as a way to further the learning opportunities for students. Activating and follow-up strategies depend on the unit and connections we are making to the sessions we use. The best activating and follow-up strategies for the sessions that have been used in my classroom fall into two categories: Learning about the provider. Give guided questions and resources to help students become familiar with the provider. This will give them a sense of who the person is and usually improves students' engagement in the session. The research creates a level of comfort with the provider and helps students receive information and provide feedback or ask questions of the provider. The follow-up activities can include discussions about the provider; questions or discoveries made about the provider, and written activities such as thank-you letters, questions via email, and session reviews. 1. In high school physical education courses, Connected North providers became co-teachers with regular sessions that offered students instructors with expertise in a specific area of the curriculum. In these moments, I, the classroom teacher, took on the role of an educational assistant, helping students stay on task and helping the instructor get feedback and questions from the students and manage the technology and classroom resources. In doing this, we can maximize the learning and enjoyment of the session. Being passive limits the effectiveness of the session in the learning context. The person in the classroom needs to be actively checking, monitoring, and facilitating interactions for the provider. C o n n e c t e d N o r t h i n O u r C l a s s r o o m Parke Trann - Connected North in Our Classroom 100