Yesterday students from Polson Middle School and Ryerson Elementary participated in the first ever “cyber-lesson” taught in the Madison Public Schools under the direction of teachers Dawn Perrotti, Stacey Collins, and Christine Ackermann.  A small group of 7th graders read the children’s literature classics The Three Little Bears and The Three Billy Goats Gruff to a classroom of 2nd graders and followed each story with some basic comprehension and critical thinking questions.  Students on both ends marveled at being able to hear and see each other in real time on the big screen.

I can’t tell you how glad I was to be a part of making this happen, and I could not have done it without the help of MPS network specialist Mike Amatrudo.  The clarity of the images and sound was better than either of us expected, and it was made possible through the use of free Skype software, and two web cams and usb-powered microphones the district purchased earlier this fall.

Now the question is, Who’s next?  Let me know when you and another teacher (in or out-of-district) are ready to take part in the next wave of collaborative learning.