Name: Liz
Web Site: http://wargoelizabeth.com
Bio: Liz Wargo is currently teaching Physical Education at Shanghai American School. Focused on aquatics she uses lots of technology and considers herself lucky because she hasn't electrocuted herself yet. She hails from the "Inland Northwest" where she received a Masters in Teaching from Whitworth College and studied Business Administration at Seattle University. Currently she maintains two blogs, http://wargoelizabeth.com and http://aquaticscenter.saschinaonline.org/ and conducts action research on ways technology can be used to enhance wellness.
Posts by lwargo:
Choice and Voice Thoughts on Innovation and Collaboration
February 27th, 2009As many of you I’m sure have followed the “who’s information is it debate” where Facebook’s terms of agreement changed to include strong words such as TO BE USED IN ANYWAY THEY DEEM FIT and FOREVER. Overnight pointing out just how instantly on line content can be molded into forms that make users go from excited participants to downright angry. This is a valuable lesson for ourselves as well as students that is worth taking note however, what has come of the situation is a hopeful sign of how collaboration and innovation through voice and choice are leading to way…thus the lessons just keep getting better!
If you haven’t done so yourself check out Governing the Facebook Service in an Open and Transparent by Mark Zuckerberg. Reflecting and presenting a forum and voting place for Facebook users to be part of the word smithing/voting process for Facebooks terms of agreeement through a town hall format.
All too often even if we think of ourselves as progressive and innovative a true understanding of how certina technology applications is just merely thoughts for the future and at times out of our hands. This time however it seems that it may not be the case. Only time will tell.
Are You a Giver or a Taker?
November 17th, 2008Many of use find ourselves as teachers wondering the best ways to utilize Twitter. One place to start is the Big Juicy Twitter Guide.
In a recent episode of EdTech Talk Liz Davis brings up interesting personal learning network questions when asking for help on Twitter:
“Have I given anything today? When was the last time I provided some information? Have I just been asking?”
Is Tweeting out to your PLN or writing an e-mail to a teaching colleague down the hall asking for help, taking? Or is it actually giving because by asking a question and being transparent with your needs you help others appreciate the need exists or better yet, helps others identify a need that they may have never thought of.
So go ahead don’t be shy ask away! But remember that power of social networking is rooted in the give and take.
What do Lizards, Explorers and Tech Have in Common?
May 9th, 2008
Increasingly, 24/7 communication and the flow of information seems inescapable; yet over the past week myself and one other teacher along with thirteen students managed to disconnect from “human created” information and tune into “wild” information, 24/7. Surprisingly, what followed was an inspirational series of events that should give us all hope that it isn’t in the least bit to late to reverse global problems. The ability of our youth to adapt and help has never been higher. Many of the activities that at times are criticized for “disconnecting” students from that natural world just may be allowing them to gain the skills they need to understand and be able to jump head first into reversing global problems.
With no cell phone contact, one solar panel to power three light bulbs and a few battery powered flashlights we had a rare opportunity to truly disconnect. Yet ever apparent where 21st century skills that they had learned as a result of being so connected that allowed them to succeed in a wilderness setting.
As quickly as they could set up a new group on Facebook the students had set simple rope snare traps and caught a 1.5 meter monitor lizard (shown in the video) in an effort to relocate it to a beach free of innocent fragile turtle eggs.
They witnessed green sea turtles come to shore and laying eggs in the moon light just as they had seen on National Geographic. They successfully marked and recaptured over 400 hermit crabs with the dexterity developed through the typing of thousands of text messages sent through their cell phones over the past semester.
Sure we all cannot just relocate ourselves to a pristine tropical beach to engage students (although I’m sure we all wish we could) but we can however bring the adventure education into through technology. For example Go North is an online portal where “over a 5-year period educators, scientists and explorers are dogsledding LIVE to five circumpolar locations 2006-2010.”
Fund-raising 2.0
April 4th, 2008One week ago when I herd the word fund-raising I inadvertently cringed. The thought of tracking down students, hours at the copy machine and counting cash was enough to make me push the idea of a swim team fund-raiser to the bottom of my to do list. But then I found out about fund-raising 2.0. Below is an account of how fast and easy I found fund-raising 2.0 to be this past week.
Three days ago I opened up my inbox and found this email from one of my students who happens to be an athlete that I coach on the swim team as well.
Hi,
I just found out about “World Swim Against Malaria Day.”
This is a fundraiser coordinated by Speedo to raise funds to buy malaria nets. The organization being supported is “Against Malaria Foundation.” You can find out more information on http:llwww.worldswimagainstmalaria.com/AboutUs.aspx
Please let me know what would need to be done to make this possible.
Thank you again for your consideration.
A******
So I clicked, the World Swim Against Malaria site came up.
Organized.
Legitimate.
Easy!
Hmm, now this is my kind of fund-raising. So I clicked again and followed the directions of how to set up our own swim team sponsorship page. I filled out the template, loaded a team picture and clicked submit. A few moment later and the page appeared. Out team photo, a list of names of participants and all the necessary information needed to solicit sponsorship.
I emailed the student back:
Hey A*******,
Great idea lets go for it. I registered the team and our official site is http://www.worldswimagainstmalaria.com/SAS
I created a post on the blog. Can you create a facebook page to spread the word to your teammates?
Again great idea. I like the way you are thinking about helping others from a global perspective!
~Ms. Wargo
Then the really powerful part of fund-raising 2.0 the sponsors (family, friends etc.) came into play. They followed the site link clicked sponsor and instantly donated. After two days our fund-raiser that took me three clicks of a mouse to set up has 40 students (and growing) that have all added themselves as participants, created a Facebook group centered on the event and have thus far collected enough donations to prevent the death of four children from malaria.
After seeing fund-raising 2.0 for me and my students unfurl before my eyes, I was curious about how it could be applied in other circumstances. I found Justgiving a site that has facilitated 4,798,129 people to raise £250,653,249 for4,657 charities.
Next time you think about fund raising forget about tracking down students to collect cash think fund-raising 2.0. By creating an online fund raising page participants point their donors to one site and they donate instantly.
