We are officially on our way to China. This morning at 6 am we left for Newark. Unfortunately/Fortunately we have a six hour layover. I found myself a nice chair close to an electric outlet and am catching up on reading Bloglines and sending the first posts to my China Travel Blog.

I am very excited about the possibilities an interactive travel experience will bring to our elementary school students. It will be interesting to finally see how the student react and how involved they will get with Jose, the travel mascot, China Trekkers and an Amazing Race. After months of preparing and planning what technology tools to use and having several backups in case we end up behind the “Great Firewall” of China.

Upon our return in 2 weeks I will have a better picture on what worked, what was a waste of time and what reached the students the most. For now here is a list of tools and pieces of equipment I am dragging along on this trip.

1. Laptop
2. Webcam
3. Digital Camera
4. Digital Camcorder
5. External Microphone
6. iPod with iTalk recorder
7. iRiver with built-in-recorder
8. Converter plugs for electronic outlets in Hong Kong and China
9. Skype installed on laptop and in school’s media center in order to conduct video conference.
10. WordPress used as blogging platform
11. Flickr account
1. Upload photos and stream to Photo Gallery on blog.
2. Blog a photo directly into post on blog.
3. Place notes individually on pictures.
4. Geotag individual pictures and place on map for students to visualize and follow along through photos.

I was excited to find a travel blog to China from another elementary school teacher, Claudia Novak, who was trying to accomplish something similar with her students: Share her travel and cultural experience and get her students involved…

Posted: 30. November, 2006 at 12:43 pm. Filed under: Uncategorized.
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