World Wide Workshop Foundation

Infobox Organization
name = World Wide Workshop Foundation


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formation = 2004
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type = 501(c)3
headquarters = New York City
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leader_title = Founder and President
leader_name = Idit Harel Caperton
key_people = Board of Advisor Members: Seymour Papert, Gaston Caperton
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website = [http://www.worldwideworkshop.org/ www.WorldWideWorkshop.org]

The World Wide Workshop Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that develops open-source applications of social media technology and game production, to enhance learning, innovation, entrepreneurship, and an understanding of the world in economically-disadvantaged and technologically-underserved communities. [World Wide Workshop(2008). http://www.worldwideworkshop.org Retrieved 1 October 2008]

The foundation collaborates with forward-thinking leaders, corporations, school systems, universities, foundations and research centers worldwide to enrich existing formal and non-formal education with the latest technology and innovative learning opportunities.

Led and founded by Idit Harel Caperton, the foundation’s mission is to help close the new digital divide that exists between those who have the abilities, skills, and knowledge needed to actively participate in the power and potential of the “New Internet” with its social media technology—and those who do not. The foundation’s goal is to provide the people it serves with an opportunity to work together and individually, using Web 2.0 tools and methods, to master and be empowered by technology as they use it to achieve productivity, personal learning, leadership, communal success, and a deeper understanding of the world.

History

In the 1980s, while working at the MIT Media Lab, Idit Harel (now Idit Harel Caperton) conducted breakthrough research on Constructionist learning in digital media production. [MIT Media Lab Alumni/Former Research Staff [http://www.media.mit.edu/?page_id=78] ] [ Situating Constructionism [http://www.incae.edu/ES/clacds/nuestros-proyectos/naciones-digitales/construyendo-escenarios-para-el-desarrollo/pdfs/situar-el-construccionismo-ingles.pdf] ] This research showed that educational software development and game design foster the development of knowledge and ideas in symbolic form through computer programming. She published her design research in a book called Children Designers that received the Outstanding Book Award by American Education Research Association (AERA). [Harel, I. (1991). "Children Designers: Interdisciplinary Constructions for Learning and Knowing Mathematics in a Computer-Rich School".Knopf. (Paperback Edition, Ablex Publishing, ISBN 0-893-91788-5)] [cite web| last =GirlGeeks.org | url =http://www.girlgeeks.org/innergeek/inspiringwomen/harel.shtml | title =Women who inspire us, internet: Idit Harel | accessdate =March 30 | accessyear =2006]

In the mid 1990s, Harel Caperton took her research and vision to the internet in launching [http://www.Mamamedia.com/ MaMaMedia] , a dynamic, award-winning website for children, which in the early Web 1.0 era pioneered many of the principles applicable to the new social internet (Web 2.0). In response to the need for children to develop 21st century learning skills, Dr. Harel associated the three Rs of traditional education (Reading, wRiting, and aRithmetic), with what she named The 3Xs: eXploring, eXpressing and eXchanging ideas through digital media making. In three years, MaMaMedia reached more than 50 million children and teachers from 36 countries and stretched the Web 1.0 technology of the first internet era and the minds of young children of the 90s.

In 2004, Dr. Caperton founded the World Wide Workshop to leverage academic and commercial experience to help disadvantaged youth become successful participants in the global knowledge economy. The Foundation’s flagship program, Globaloria, proposed to help close the digital opportunity divide by providing traditionally underserved young people in developing communities around the world with learning opportunities to acquire Web 2.0 digital skills and new learning abilities for the millennium.

Programs

The World Wide Workshop Foundation has implemented two programs since its inception: (1) Globaloria and (2) The Next Billion Learners

Globaloria

Globaloria, World Wide Workshop’s flagship program, is an online social network where learners engage in social and collaborative game construction using open source Web 2.0 platforms. It was established in the spring of 2006 to create technology-based educational opportunities through a virtual learning network for students in developing nations and other technologically undeserved communities [The Exponent Telegram(2008)http://www.globaloria.org/wiki/images/TheExponentJuly182008.pdf Retrieved 2 October 2008] . With a network of educational, Web 2.0 platforms, students develop 21st century skills and digital literacy, master social media technology tools, and gain a deeper understanding of curricular areas, such as science, mathematics and health.Its activities is designed to help students sharpen their communication and critical-thinking skills for leadership online and offline, bringing them closer to the participatory and collaborative nature of work in the 21st century. [West Virginia Department of Education (2008). [http://wvde.state.wv.us/tt/2008/21stChronicle082008.pdf/ A Chronicle of West Virginia's 21st Century Learning Initiative ] ]

Globaloria in West Virginia

In August 2007, the World Wide Workshop Foundation sought to contribute to West Virginia’s economic and social development, foster job creation, and position the state as a leader in 21st Century education by implementing the Globaloria Program statewide. In its first pilot year, 89 students and 18 educators from seven learning institutions became the first participants to use the Globaloria-WV Program’s MyGlobalLife.org network for learning to design educational web-games. In the second pilot year, which started in August 2008, Globaloria-WV more than doubled in size to over 250 participants. [cite press release
title = West Virginia Center for Professional Development Partners with World Wide Workshop to Help Educators and Students Gain 21st Century Learning, Life and Technology Skills
publisher = West Virginia Center for Professional Development
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language = English
url = http://www.globaloria.org/wiki/images/Globaloria_july_2008_-_CPD_Press_Release_-_Final.pdf
accessdate = 2 October 2008
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quote = ] With the support of the State of West Virginia, Benedum Foundation, and Verizon West Virginia, the World Wide Workshop plans to continue its growth and impact throughout West Virginia.

Next Billion Learners

Next Billion Learners program focuses on the development of creative learning software for low cost laptops in order to support one to one computing worldwide. The goal is to give educational opportunities to the next billion learners so that they will become creative thinkers, learners and leaders with technology. The first project in this initiative is the MaMaMedia Creative Center for OLPC. The MaMaMedia Creative Center is made up of a set of original Constructionist learning activities for young children based on award-winning, kid-tested, "hard-fun" puzzles, digital toys, and creativity tools from MaMaMedia.com.These activities highlight the edu-design principles of the "3Xs" (eXplore, eXchange, eXpress) and leverage the operating system and technological features of the XO Laptop. These features include the laptop's built-in camera, drawing and writing tools, and its mesh network. Children learn to invent, make, and share their own puzzles, stories, cartoons, polls, quizzes, and more. Lesson plans and tutorials are also offered for teachers and parents who have little or no previous experiences with computers, the internet, and programmable media technology.

Geographical Reach

Globaloria’s geographical impact has grown since its inception. It is now active in the following communities and nations across the globe:

*West Virginia
*New Orleans
*New York
*Colorado
*Washington D.C.

*China
*Mexico
*Brazil
*Russia
*Malaysia
*Trinidad
*Saudi Arabia
*Israel

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As part of its ongoing expansion plans, World Wide Workshop Foundation is seeking to expand Globaloria to other states and countries for 2009. As of September 2008, over 250 youth and educators globally are learning through the Globaloria Program

Photo gallery

Partners

tate of West Virginia

In March 2007, the West Virginia Office of the Governor was seeking an innovative program to help WV students learn 21st-century skills and game production. They connected with the World Wide Workshop and brought Globaloria to West Virginia to fulfill this vision by using the [http://www.MyGLife.org/ My Global Life] network for learning game-making. The Governor’s Office provided initial seed funding to plan and recruit other funders, and train the initial group of pilot educators. First Lady Gayle Manchin of West Virginia co-chairs the Globaloria-WV Advisory Board, and provides support and strategic advice to the project. In Pilot Year-2, Globaloria is being administered through the Department of Education and the Arts, led by Cabinet Secretary Kay Goodwin. This department provides statewide leadership and innovation, enhancing arts and minds throughout the state, and seeks to reinforce the rich heritage of culture, education and artistic creation in West Virginia.

Benedum Foundation

Benedum provided the seed funding for Globaloria in West Virginia in 2007. [ Intermountain(2008) http://theintermountain.com/page/content.detail/id/503387.html?nav=5014 ] They have renewed funding for our Year-2 pilot, which will expand from 8 to 20 sites statewide. Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, is an independent foundation established in 1944 by Michael and Sarah Benedum, natives respectively of Bridgeport and Blacksville, West Virginia. They named the Foundation in memory of their only child, Claude Worthington Benedum, who died in 1918 at age 20.

Verizon West Virginia

Verizon West Virginia became a supporter of the first Globaloria-WV pilot in January 2008, allowing the foundation to add several new schools and expand research partnerships with West Virginia University and Marshall University Graduate School of Education. In May 2008, Verizon renewed its support for 2008-09.

Other Partners

Other Partners include HBO, West Virginia’s Center for Professional Development, 21st Century Foundation, ReThink Camp, Schlumberger-SEED, Cisco, and OLPC. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7189694.stm/ BBC: Teach Yourself Game Design Site] ]

ee Also

* [http://www.Mamamedia.com/ MaMaMedia]
* [http://www.laptop.org/ OLPC Main Page]

External Links

* [http://www.WorldWideWorkshop.org/World Wide Workshop Foundation Home Page]
* [http://www.Globaloria.org/ Globaloria Main Page]
* [http://www.MySLife.org/ MySLife]
* [http://www.MyHLife.org/ MyHLife]
* [http://www.MyGLife.org/ MyGLife]

References