HOT TOPIC: Ask an Expert
Volume 2, Issue 30 - April 16, 2006"It’s always been a coup to have resource people visit your classroom as part of a unit of study. Back in the day I brought in firefighters and law enforcement, doctors and scientists, museum curators and artists, senior citizens and historical re-enactors. I invited visitors from other countries, politicians, reporters, grandparents, storytellers, architects, carpenters and restaurant owners. And the one thing they all had in common was that they were each had some area of expertise which enriched and extended our studies in the classroom.
Eventually my classroom got an Internet connection, albeit to a single computer, and I began to discover and incorporate resources and resource people found online who would augment the work we were doing as a class. In the early days this would include bulletin board services, discussion boards and email: all asynchronous but all breaking down the traditional barriers of time and space traditionally created by the four walls of the classroom. Later with the use of instant messenger, chat and MUVEs, we were able to interview and interact with content experts in real time. It was as effective as actually having local people come to the classroom to visit, but now we could connect with experts from around the world!
This week’s issue of the D12 newsletter offers a look at the possibilities for incorporating ask an expert resources into your classroom. You can do so in a variety of ways, from email to webcasting, depending on the technologies to which you have access. Regardless of the medium, ask an expert services will enrich the good work you are already doing in your classroom."
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