Technology In Action: The Best And Most Innovative Approaches To Learning Online

Here is a wonderful selection of online educational projects that showcase wit, intelligence, uniqueness and lots of good brains behind them.

Each one of the projects showcased in this list, some new some already established, is an excellent example of how these technologies are being utilized "to implement new and more innovative approaches to learning".

"Common elements include authenticity, collaboration, the use of critical thinking skills, global implications, in-depth investigations, and a very high student motivation and engagement factor.

All in all...exciting examples of ways 21st century technologies are reinventing the concept of "school."

1 -- Wartime Documentary: Japanese Americans
Combining historical footage and contemporary interviews, four middle school students used digital video to document the Japanese American experience during World War II.

"The Gaman Warriors: The Japanese American Responsibility During World War II," available at the //www.glef.org">George Lucas Educational Foundation site.
//www.schoolhousevideo.org">Lessons in student video making

2 -- Virtual Marine Biology
Using a new technology for videoconferencing over the Internet, students are helping a local aquarium conduct marine research.
//www.briarcliffschools.org">Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District
//www.maritimeaquarium.org">The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
//www.wave3software.com">Wave Three Software

3 -- ThinkQuest
Seven years old and still evolving, the international ThinkQuest project continues to encourage students to conduct motivating, in-depth investigations.
//www.thinkquest.org">ThinkQuest and Library links
//www.thinkquest.org/library/winners.html">Past winners of ThinkQuest USA

4 -- The Education Arcade
Learning simulations come of age with 3-D gaming technology.
//www.educationarcade.org">The Education Arcade

5 -- Life on the Streets
What does it mean to be homeless? A Web competition gave teenagers who live it every day an opportunity to learn, communicate, and inspire.
//www.globalschoolnet.org/programs/lifeonthestreets/index.htm">Life on the Streets site

6 -- Road Rules
The Dell-Winston Solar Challenge is more than a race-it's an all-around "brain sport" for teachers and students.
//www.winstonsolar.org/race">Dell-Winston Solar Challenge official site
//www.winstonsolar.org/info">How to build a solar car

7 -- Keeping the Peace
What the world needs now: a grassroots publishing venture that brings together the voices of children from many nations.
//www.peacediaries.org">Peace Diaries official site

Other cross-cultural projects: //www.iearn.org">International Education and Resource Network; //thebridgeproject.org">The Bridge Project

8 -- Building 3-D Worlds
Three-dimensional modeling offers an open-ended tool for visualization and exploration.
//tinyurl.com/d1c3">Wass's student project gallery (//www.adobe.com/products/atmosphere/main.html">download Atmosphere Player from the Adobe site to view projects)

3-D animation products: //www.newtek.com">LightWave; //www.alias.com">Maya; //www.adobe.com/products/atmosphere">Atmosphere

9 Virtual Skies
Authenticity is the key to motivating students through the challenging world of the air traffic controller.
//firstflight.open.ac.uk">First Flight: The Wright Brothers
//www.faa.gov/education/wright/wright.htm">The Federal Aviation Administration

10 -- Andes Adventure
"Day after day they came out of their tents, no matter how hard it was blowing or what was coming out of the sky, strapped crampons on and tied onto a rope..."
//www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/enviro/ssm/gcp.htm">Global classroom projects

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Source: November 15, 2003
//www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16000694">Top 10 Innovative Projects
//www.techlearning.com/">TechLearning