Karl Fisch's Keynote to Horizon Kids

OK, I know that some of you may be just sick of hearing about horizon. It is a great project and it is my life right now! (Along with efolios, senior movies, and 5th grade bloggers).

Thank you Karl Fisch!

Karl Fisch so kindly delivered the keynote address to our horizon project over the weekend and it is embedded in the wiki.

Really, it is a keynote to all students, because what he says is applicable to you in your classroom as well:

With the Horizon Project, you now have the chance to improve on my vision. In some ways, your task is easier than mine was, because you have the Horizon Report to use as your basis. But in other ways, your task is much harder. While I could make up the future, your vision has to be much more grounded in current reality. And your vision has much more potential to impact people around the world, because what you guys create will be seen by students, teachers and schools around the world. They really want to know what you think the future of education looks like – your ideas really matter. While that might be a little bit daunting in some respects, I hope you also find it exciting. Because just like I was trying to do, you can help all those students, teachers and schools - you can help change the world.


It is exciting that so many are helping with the Horizon project.

Remember, horizon is not the only game in town!


Remember, though, there are many other great projects out there who are part of this grassroots educational movement to connect classrooms for better cultural understanding: flatplanet, Global Virtual Classroom projects, Technospud projects, ePals, Youth Bridges, Susan Silverman's projects, and so many others (this last site lists a lot of great places!)

Yes, our dual purpose of horizon by nature is to document best practices in such open projects and thus has involved many great people. We are blessed with their presence.

But lets remember that this about connecting students for their better good. It is part of a good education to know that you are part of a world with differing cultures, people, and even languages. It is important to see yourself as part of that world where techno-personal skills matter.

It is important for teachers to model connecting.

Yes, Horizon is a great project, but there are many others who are also doing great projects. I blog a lot about this project, well, because I'm a part of it.

I invite you to share about your project and how you are connecting students globally either here in the comments on your blog.

I have so much to learn and hope to never have the "not invented here" syndrome, we all need to work together to formalize and share the best practices of teaching in a collaborative world.

And if you believe you have an expertise to share, please join us in the horizon project, send me an e-mail about how you want to help and join in and share! coolcatteacher at gmail.com.

We hope to expand to more classrooms in the fall, join in!

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