Building
Learners
Project

TeachersFirst is pleased to announce a special, creative opportunity for 100 TeachersFirst teacher-members to be part of the Building Learners Project. These 100 participants will receive free, premium pilot accounts to use TRintuition’s workBench and our support to help them build learners in their classrooms. These accounts allow teachers and students to create online collaborative projects using the workBench’s visually-rich and user-friendly tools, possibly even collaborating with classes from other schools.

Both teachers and students can build online or downloadable projectsusing the workBench. Each free premium pilot teacher account will include up to 45 student user accounts for access throughout 2008. Teachers who take this opportunity are part of the pilot project and will be asked to complete at least one classroom-related, student- or teacher-created project (or as many classroom-related projects as you wish!) before November 30, 2008.

TRintuition and TeachersFirst will support you in your efforts through the project blog for teacher-participants by providing accessible help (real human beings!), sharing sample projects, and facilitating collaboration to learn from each other’s experiences. You are welcome to have your classes collaborate with other members of the Building Learners Project, as well. We will do everything we can to facilitate connections within your school or around the world.
Building Learners Project in brief:

Who: 100 teacher-members of TeachersFirst (a free membership!). We welcome creative people!
What: FREE premium pilot accounts to a fabulous, user-friendly tool that will WOW your students and motivate them to create amazing projects.
When: Now through the end of 2008
Where: classrooms all over the world
Why: Because YOU like trying new ways to engage your students in real-world learning and because TeachersFirst and TRintuition want to share this exciting way to build learners—for FREE—and document the process.
How: Read the details in the FAQ below or click here to sign up now.

I’m ready! I want to sign up.
Not sure? Read the FAQ to learn more.

Building Learners Project FAQ:

What do I get?
A free TRintuition’s workBench account for you and up to 45 student users to collaborate, using a powerful tool for FREE through 2008 — and then keep your completed projects online or in offline copies indefinitely. You may use your 45 student accounts with as many classes as you wish. You also become part of the Building Learners Project blog where participants can share, ask questions, and get ideas and support from each other, from TeachersFrst, and from TRIntuition.

What is the workBenchprojects using like? See the TeacherFirst review and some sample projects from a variety of settings

How do I get started?
First, make sure you are LOGGED IN to your free TeachersFirst membership so we know who you are. (Not a member yet? Join here). Then complete this quick request to be one of the 100 teachers participating in the project. You will receive a confirming email with the details within a day or two.

What do I have to do?
Between now and November 30, 2008, use your free Building Learners account for students to create their own curriculum-related projects, collaborative projects, or classroom “space” for curriculum projects. You also have the option to create teacher-generated project(s) that your students can access and use online or locally. If you are not sure what kind of project(s) to create, TeachersFirst and TRintuition can offer dozens of ideas to get you and your students started. For starters, check out some of the ideas in the TeachersFirst review of the workBench. Once the projects are started, you must “share” the project(s) with the Building Learners organizers so we can assist with your project(s), as needed.

Why do I have to “share” our projects?
As a pilot project, Building Learners wants to assure the success of your collaborative project. Only TeachersFirst and TRintuition’s educational staff will take an occasional look, and we will only “visit” if you have invited us. We will never share your projects with others without your permission or alter them in any way. We will simply use your permission to be aware of possible improvements we should make to the project tools and to highlight successes (with your permission). Your projects are YOURS and will always be yours.

Is this really free?
Yes. Your account will remain free throughout 2008, and any completed online projects you create (no limit to the number) will remain online indefinitely for students, parents, and others to see and interact with at no cost. You can also download an unlimited number of offline copies to use on your local network or on individual computers. None of your work or your students work will ever be “lost.”

Does every TeachersFirst member qualify?
We are trying to generate a representative sampling of grade levels and subjects, so we will award the 100 free accounts with that goal in mind. The sooner you request to join the project, the better your chances. If you feel you have a special need or circumstance, feel free to tell us. We listen (we’re teachers, remember!). The only real qualifications are that you are an enthusiastic teacher in a public or private school anywhere in the world and that you will use this opportunity for you and your students to collaborate. We want to see what you and your students create.

What happens after I sign up?
You will receive a log-in and password for your teacher’s workBench account and access to enter as many as 45 student accounts. You will also have access as a member of the this blog to post questions and comments about what is happening as you build learners in your classroom. Both TeachersFirst and TRintuition staff will follow the blog and respond to your questions. We encourage you to share with other teachers involved in the project using this blog. You might even request to collaborate with some other schools and classrooms who are Building Learners.

This sounds complicated. Can younger students use these tools?
Absolutely. Even limited readers can understand the simple icons and visual cues in the workBench. If you supply some raw materials in your Resource Library, even very young ones can create their own projects in using this safe tool.

Is this another online space with non-education people creating inappropriate content?
No. TRintuition and TeachersFirst are dedicated to education and protect our online space carefully to keep it “school-appropriate.” Every TeachersFirst member who participates in the Building Learners Project will be responsible for maintaining appropriateness of content and working in accordance with the workBench Terms and Conditions (TAC).

I have never done an online project before. Do I need to be really technical?
No. You should be willing to “play” with the tools a bit and read or watch short Help clips when and if you need it. Silence is your worst enemy. Don’t be afraid to ask for help via the project blog and to learn the tools alongside your students. No question is silly or “stupid.”

My tech department cannot help me much. Do I need special computers or programs?
You need very little: a computer with connection to the Internet (you HAVE that already, if you are reading this page!) Other requirements:

• Flash plug-in (free), version 8 or higher. You have Flash if you can see the TeachersFirst menus. If you need an upgrade, get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
• computer screen settings at 1024 by 768 (a very “average” setting). You can find your setting by RIGHT-clicking in the middle of your desktop and going to Properties. There is a Settings tab that shows/changes how your screen is set.
• a high speed connection, such as DSL, cable modem, or school network. We do not recommend using TRintuition’s workBench on a dial-up connection.
• either Mac and Windows machines
• If you have any trouble or questions, just ask for help!

Can my students work on their projects at home, too?
Yes. Once they have an account and a computer connected to the Internet, they can log in and work from home or any other computer, including a friend’s house, the public library, another classroom, or an Internet café. Please note that TRintuition’s workBench does not function on a dial-up connection. Students who have only dial-up at home may need an alternate location or after-school time to use a faster connection. DSL, cable modem, or school network connections work best.

My question does not show here!
We would be happy to answer your questions. Click here and submit a BUILDING LEARNERS question to our webmaster account. We’ll get back to you within a day or two.