Jan4-8

**For this project, you must use your first name and last initial only!**

 * 1. Join the [|Flat Classroom Ning]. [] - As soon as you are approved, create and begin editing your own page. Remember to add only school appropriate pictures, music, movies, etc. There are students in the group who are from the middle east and have different value systems than what we might have. Pictures need to be modest - no nudity, cleavage, suggestive poses, etc.**

//Flattener #2, p 60-77// The second flattener is identified as our ability to not only author our own content, but to send it worldwide with the 1995 launch of the Internet. Netscape and the Web broadened the audience for the Internet from its roots as a communications medium used primarily by 'early adopters and geeks' to something that made the Internet accessible to everyone from five-year-olds to eighty-five-year olds. (8/9/1995)
 * Overview of topic**
 * Development of the Internet: low-cost global connectivity
 * The emergence of the World Wide Web: Individuals able to post content for world viewing
 * Spread of the commercial Web browser: Netscape and others, able to display WWW content on any computer, development of protocols enabling devices to talk to one another
 * Ideas related to this topic**
 * Global Perspective on Internet connectivity
 * Digital divide issues
 * Standards and policies for use of the Internet and the WWW: comparing differences between countries
 * Development of eCommerce, dot-com boom and bust
 * Development of social interaction and communication between individuals via the Internet
 * Group 1 Topic: 'Connecting the World Online'**
 * Provide a perspective from your country on Internet connectivity: development, access methods and statistics
 * Conduct a digital divide comparison and discussion based on country and regional news and issues (Are there digital divides between countries, within the countries themselves? What is the impact of limited Internet availability on education and industry?)
 * Group 2 Topic: 'How the World Wide Web has Changed the World'**
 * Discuss the development of the WWW (Netscape etc) and associated protocols
 * Provide a perspective from your country on WWW standards and issues
 * Conduct a discussion about the use of the WWW in education and business (local and global perspectives)

Group 3: Work Flow Software
//Flattener #3, p 77-93// Free workflow software was developed, allowing people from around the world to collaborate and work together on projects using a shared medium. The ability of machines to talk to other machines with no humans involved.
 * Overview of topic**
 * Being able to create and manipulate digital content (words, data, pictures) from the desktop
 * Through online connectivity being able to share and distribute this content: machines talking to machines
 * For work to flow seamlessly: connections between different platforms, transmission protocols and languages e.g SMTP, HTTP, HTML, TCP/IP
 * Interoperability between departments necessitating software and hardware development
 * Standardization of business and other practices: PayPal, JPEG
 * New coding called AJAX: allows for online productivity (what you would normally do on a PC eg WP, can be done over the Internet)
 * Group 3 Topic: 'How Work Flow Software can Enhance Productivity and Communication'**
 * It has become more important to standardize software and devise platform compatibility in order to be able to work more efficiently between programs and between users: Discuss a perspective on this in relation to business and education
 * Provide current scenarios and examples of work flow software to support your comparative discussion eg how does a Mac OS PC 'talk' to a PC running WinXP? What are the most common applications that promote interoperability: packages and Web 2.0
 * How does the concept and practice of work flow software enhance/improve productivity and communication: give specific examples
 * How must education change to instruct students in collaboration? How must industry change how they train their workforce? How cultural and geographic (time zone) issues impact collaboration?

Group 4 and 5: Uploading
//Flattener #4, p 93-126// Communities [|uploading] and collaborating on online projects. Examples include open source software, blogs, and [|Wikipedia].
 * (Harnessing the Power of Communities)**
 * Overview of topic**
 * More people authoring more content and collaborating on that content; more people uploading files and globalizing that content
 * Power to individuals and self-forming communities to send up and out their own products and ideas-often for free
 * "Uploading is....becoming one of the most revolutionary forms of collaboration in the flat world" //pg 95//
 * Ordinary people can now be producers as well as consumers
 * Three forms of uploading:
 * community developed software
 * Wikipedia
 * blogging/podcasting
 * Ideas related to this topic**
 * Students as producers as well as consumers of content
 * Enhanced communication now possible between individuals and groups
 * The impact of using uploading tools on everyday activities in education and business
 * Authenticity, privacy, security, globalization and cultural awareness issues
 * Group 4 Topic: 'The Changing Shape of Information'**
 * Provide an historical account of the availability of information. Refer to developments in participating countries and make global comparisons
 * Discuss the impact of the Internet and how uploading has changed the way we find, use and transfer information
 * Provide specific current examples related to business and education of consumers also being producers of content that is "uploaded."
 * Group 5 Topic: 'Why we should be promoting Web 2.0 Tools for Sharing Information'**
 * Provide an outline of essential Web 2.0 tools (Blogs, podcasts, wikis) and discuss developments and trends in the participating countries
 * Discuss essential social and ethical issues to do with using Web 2.0 tools in both education and business.
 * Provide current scenarios and examples of using Web 2.0 as an effective collaboration and communication tool

//Flattener #5, p 126-136// Outsourcing has allowed companies to split service and manufacturing activities into components, with each component performed in most efficient, cost-effective way. The terms "outsourcing", "offshoring", or “nearshoring” are often used to refer to the movement of jobs from regions with high labor costs, such as the U.S., Western Europe, and Japan, to countries with relatively low labor costs, such as India, China, and the Philippines. Already commonplace in the manufacturing sector, outsourcing has recently spread to the service and high-tech industries, affecting workers who are traditionally among the most highly-paid and highly-skilled in their home countries. In fact, U.S. market research firm Forrester Research, predicts that by 2015, 3.3 million U.S. service jobs, totalling $136 billion in wages, will move offshore, fuelled by advances in digitization, the Internet, and high-speed networks.
 * (Y2K)**
 * Overview of topic**
 * Definition of outsourcing: Taking a specific, but limited, function that was being done in-house (research, call centers, accounts receivable etc) and having another company perform the exact function then reintegrating their work back into the overall operation
 * Drawing on 'brain power' from India, setting up companies outside of the USA/west
 * Using fibre optic cable and Internet to communicate with home bases
 * A global perspective on types of businesses outsourced to South Asia
 * The Y2K story: India benefited from supplying workers for menial programming tasks
 * Call center development
 * Group 6 Topic: '****Globalization and Outsourcing'**
 * Discuss ways technology has changed the way people do business with each other and give specific examples from around the world
 * Provide evidence of how the development of outsourcing has changed job opportunities and created new areas of expertise and opportunity in both areas. Discuss this in relation to both sides of the world (eg offshore tutoring)
 * Discuss what job skills are necessary for the 21st Century and how this impacts on plans and trends in education for your country and the rest of the world

//Flattener #9, p 176-185// Google and other search engines are the prime example. "Never before in the history of the planet have so many people-on their own-had the ability to find so much information about so many things and about so many other people", writes Friedman. //**Group 4 & 8 Topic:**// //Combined in 2006 – The Changing Shape of Information - PLE's and Social Networking.//
 * (Google, Yahoo!, MSN Web Search)**
 * Overview of topic**
 * Google: a great flattener
 * Searching, information, knowledge
 * How does searching fit into the concept of collaboration? (Friedman calls it In-forming)
 * In-forming: The ability to build and deploy your own personal supply chain - a supply chain of information, knowledge and entertainment, without having to go to the library or the movie theatre or through network TV. It is searching for knowledge It is about seeking like-minded people and communities
 * Ideas related to this topic**
 * Personal and Professional Learning Environments (PLE, VLE)
 * Search engines: comparative study
 * Social networking and Web 2.0
 * Information has become a business: eg Google
 * Group 7 Topic: 'Google Takes Over the World'**
 * Explore and discuss the development and impact of Google and other search engines on the concept of In-forming
 * Compare global perspectives on using a search engine such as Google: developments and trends
 * Provide current scenarios and examples of the impact of Google on education
 * Discuss the business aspect of Google as an example of the impact of Internet connectivity and the potential for business development and possible monopolization
 * Group 8 Topic: 'Personal Learning Environments and Social Networking'**
 * Provide an historical account of the development of social networking and PLE's
 * Discuss the approaches taken in Bangladesh and the USA and others to the use of social networking tools for education
 * Provide current examples of how business and education use Web 2.0 tools to connect and deliver/find information
 * //Provide a historical account of the changing shape of information particularly highlighting social networking and PLE’s as well as the overall availability of information.//
 * //Discuss the impact of social networking, personal learning environments, and the fact that people can now upload information into these environments. How does it change the way we find, use, and transfer information.//
 * //Provide specific examples of how business and education use personal learning networks and social networking and how they use it with information that is uploaded.//

//Flattener #10, p 185-199// Personal digital devices like mobile phones, iPods, personal digital assistants, instant messaging, and voice over IP
 * (Digital, Mobile, Personal and Virtual)**
 * Emerging and new technologies
 * Digitized content (connections, protocols and standards)
 * Mobile: anywhere, any time, through a variety of devices (wireless connectivity)
 * Personal: By the individual, for the individual, on their own device
 * What does the flat world look like taking into account all of these new forms of collaboration?
 * The first steroid: Computing power
 * The second steroid: Breakthroughs in instant messaging, peer-to-peer networks
 * The third steroid: Breakthroughs in making phone calls over the Internet (VOIP)
 * The fourth steroid: Videoconferencing
 * The fifth steroid: Advances in computer graphics
 * The sixth steroid: Wireless technologies and devices
 * Group 9 Topic: 'Mobile and Ubiquitous'**
 * Explore and discuss the development of mobile and ubiquitous computing from a global perspective, giving specific examples from personal use and from other areas of the world
 * Provide evidence of how mobile and ubiquitous computing has impacted on education and business
 * Provide current examples of the emerging new tools (devices and methods of connectivity) that we should all be taking notice of now
 * Group 10 Topic: 'Virtual Communication'**
 * Explore and discuss the use of online and virtual communication tools such as VOIP, peer-to-peer networks and video-conferencing
 * Find current evidence of how these being used in education and business in your respective countries
 * Discuss social and ethical issues to do with the digital divide, security and privacy with the use of virtual communication in each country
 * Group 11 Topic: 'Wireless Connectivity'**
 * Outline the development of wireless connectivity for your countries (Internet and mobile devices)
 * Explore and discuss how mobile and ubiquitous computing has impacted on education and business
 * Provide examples of current use and trends in this area

**Then read the following and pick which topic you like best for the video.**
There are five types of videos based on Daniel Pink's 5 senses of the conceptual age:
 * **Group A Video -** [| The Story] (Group A)- These videos explain the topic. They may be distinct or a multi-part series, but must explain the topic at hand, including the latest research and findings from the wiki.
 * **Group B Video** -[|Innovation, Invention, and Prediction] (Group B)- These videos should include an innovation, invention, or prediction based upon the trend that is shown. Some questions that //may// be covered: where will this trend take us? How do you envision the future? Do you think this trend will be replaced with another? What inventions are needed because of this trend?
 * **Group C Video** -  [|Social Entrepreneurship] (Group C) - A social entrepreneur [|is defined] as: "someone who recognizes a social problem and uses [|entrepreneurial principles] to organize, create, and manage a venture to make [|social change]." [1] In these videos you will select the social cause of your choice, and using the information learned about your trend create a video about how the trend you analyzed can be used to spark change in that area. If you find current organizations involved that you wish to share as part of your video, please discuss this with your teacher before writing it into your script.
 * **Group D Video -** [|First Person Narrative] (Empathy) (Group D) - In this video, you will tell a [|story of a person] involved in the trend.
 * **Group E Video** - [|Group Stories (Symphony)] (Group E) - In this video, you will tell a [|story of a group or groups of people] as they are impacted by this trend.
 * **Group F Video** - How we Live (Play) - In this video, you will show how "....play is becoming an important part of work, business and personal well-being, it's importance manifesting itself in three ways: games, humor and joyfulness." pg 188 Pink


 * 3. Sign up for one of the topics on the [|google doc] you received an invite to through gmail, following the guidelines below:**
 * 1) No more than 1 student per classroom per square.
 * 2) Split yourselves evenly between the 11 trends and the 5 senses of the conceptual age! This is important.
 * 3) Student first names and last initials ONLY and school code after it as well. (Tanya S. - GHS)
 * 4) **First come first serve** - but project organizers may have to move some students to keep balance. We do our best to give first choice but do not guarantee it!


 * 4. Join the following Ning Groups:**
 * 1) Join the [|GHS21C group] (You received an invite at your gmail address.): []
 * 2) Join the [|FC 2010-1 Group]: []

== **Also, your posts must be grammatical correct, with punctuation and no abbreviations. Some students in the project are just learning English! Fix your profile to reflect proper grammar, spelling, capitalization, and no abbreviations.** ==

**If you haven't posted to the Google Doc for your topic, DO IT NOW! Or I'll choose your topic for you.**

 * Go back to the Ning and work on your page. Make it your own, but remember to follow the rules. Be sure to do the following:**
 * 1) Upload a picture of you.
 * 2) Add a post about who you are and what you enjoy. Talk about school activities. Talk about things that make you different as a student from Goodland, KS. Tell about our community and state. See if anyone else in the project is on the Ning yet. If so, say hello to them by posting a note on their page.
 * 3) Add some pictures, video and/or music.
 * 4) Change the background on your Ning page to something that you like.
 * 5) Make contact with 4 or more students from other schools. Add a comment on their walls.

**Thursday -** Bookmark all sites and organize bookmarks. Continue working on your Ning Profile. KSTL Competition.
Open a new window. Open all these links in tabs. You should have one window with 6 tabs open. Go to Bookmarks. Click on Bookmark all Tabs. Add a new folder. Name it: Flat Classroom 2010 and save all the tabs to that folder. The FCP 10-1 Wiki - http://flatclassroom10-1.flatclassroomproject.org/ The FCP Ning - http://flatclassroomproject.ning.com/ The FCP 10-1 Ning Group - http://flatclassroomproject.ning.com/group/fcp101 The GHS Ning Group - http://flatclassroomproject.ning.com/group/ghs21c The GHS Google Doc for your group project: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AjOHSQ--vpO1dDZtaHpqU3B4QkFTVFc5REJGc0VyT0E&hl=en Your own Ning page.

****Friday****
**Flat Classroom Project** Do – at least - the following: 1. Contact 5 more students who are in the FCP 10-1 project and write on their walls. 2. Check to see if other students have contacted you and respond back. 3. Friend everyone in our class. (Including Mrs. Stoffel and Mrs. Szanto.) 4. Make sure you have a picture of you on your page. 5. Change your background. 6. Add a song, a video, or a slideshow. It could be something that we did in class the first semester. Maybe a comic you did, or some cool photo that you created. Or one of the videos you made. 7. Write a blog post explaining what you might be doing this week-end or what your week has been like. Talk about the school activities you enjoy. Or what your college plans include. 8. Learn how to use chat on the Ning. Is there anyone from any other schools on the ning at this time? If so, see if you can chat with them. 9. Add a badge to your page. (Look on the left side of your page for “Add a badge.” 10. Respond to this question on the ning located in the “Forum” posted by Or-Tal Kiriati: “What do you know about Pearl Harbor? Please Help.”  http://flatclassroomproject.ning.com/forum/topics/what-do-you-know-about-pearl

Check out the topics. Discuss the topics and decide what area you want to enter. Develop an idea and create your project. You may work with a partner if you choose.
 * Monday - [|KSTL Competition]**