whooo.

Reflection

A) Introduction
With the Flatclassroom Project, students from different high schools all over the world were assigned a topic centered on the digital age. The students were required to research their assigned topic, and post their findings on the Wiki. I was assigned a topic involving Google and its wide variety of uses on the web, as well as how it is such a predominant force in the virtual world now. I worked in nearly all sections, but my main focus was on the arts and entertainment.
Using the Ning was very simple; it was almost the same as using a Facebook or Myspace; you could communicate with other students and teachers on the Ning. However, Wiki editing was something that was new to me, and it was hard to understand at first, but for the most part the key to editing the pages was learning how to hyperlink and alter text.

B) Strengths
Being able to communicate with people all around the world is a very interesting experience. With this project, everyone is able to communicate with each other and plan out what they need to do.

C) Challenges
There are a lot of issues that come with collaborating with others around the world however, such as issues with reliability and the lack of immediate communication because of differing time zones. But overall, it was still a very fun project and I’m thankful to have had the chance to participate in this worldwide collaborative project.
D) Recommendations for Improvement
Since all the participants live in different regions of the world, immediate communication is difficult. However, if there were more chances where students can communicate through live chat, like the Student Summit, that would be great and would further liven up the experience.
E) Conclusion
I thought this was overall a wonderful experience. I learned even more than I had known before about Google and its programs, as well as how to edit a Wiki. I was also able to communicate with people, who, I think, would have never encountered under normal circumstances.