The concept of a 'flat classroom' is based on the constructivist principle of a multi-modal learning environment that is student-centered and a level playing field for teacher to student and student to teacher interaction.

Co-founded in 2006 by Vicki Davis (Westwood Schools, USA) and Julie Lindsay (then in Bangladesh, now in Australia) in 2006, Flat Classroom projects uses Web 2.0 tools to support communication and interaction as well as collaboration and creation between students and teachers from classrooms around the world.

The principles of these projects are always the same but the content is varied:

• Core, content objectives united between classrooms,
• Unique, individual, personalized learning experiences for each student,
• the Merging of classrooms from around the world for a period of interaction and work,
• Innovative implementation and uses of multimedia and a wide variety of 21st Learning Skills,
• Customizable components based upon the unique situation of each classroom's curricular objectives, and
• Empowered, engaged teachers with a commitment to build bridges that the society of tomorrow will walk across!

"Through project-based learning opportunities like the Flat Classroom Project and the Flat Classroom Conference, we will raise generations of leaders who understand and embrace diversity…seeing that diversity as a strength that when utilized properly can move mountains and make our world a better place."      
            - Estie Cuellar, Teacher, Spring Woods High School, Houston Texas 

The Flat Classroom® Project is a global collaborative project that joins together middle and high school students (typically grade 9-12, 14-18 years old). The topics studied and discussed are real-world scenarios based on 'The World is Flat' by Thomas Friedman. The Flat Classroom Project 2006 is featured in the 3rd edition of Friedman's book in Chapter 13, 'If it's not happening it's because you're not doing it', page 501-503.

One of the main goals of the project is to 'flatten' or lower the classroom walls so that instead of each class working isolated and alone, 2 or more classes are joined virtually to become one large classroom. The project is designed to develop cultural understanding, skills with Web 2.0 and other software, experience in global collaboration and online learning, awareness of what it means to live and work in a flat world, while researching and discussing the ideas developed in Friedman's book.

More information about this project can be found in:

• ISTE's Learning and Leading magazine article: Davis, V. & Lindsay, J. (2007). Flat Classroom®. Learning & Leading with Technology, 35(1), 28-30. Available for download from this wiki - Flat Classroom®_LL_August07.pdf
• Flat Classroom®Projects -  excellent blog post from Flat Classroom teacher and Board of Advisers member, Anne Mirtschin
• Flat Classroom Participants Speak Up - a multimedia review of Flat Classroom live events including student and teacher reflection comments

Elements of the project for students include:

• A deeper understanding of the effects of technology on our world that leads students to not only study but actually experience the ‘flattener

• An opportunity to be grouped with global partners to explain trends, give personal viewpoints and create a video containing an outsourced video segment from their global partners.

• Access to an educational network, blogging, posting photos, videos etc and a wiki, to plan their topic and build a web page on the topic.

• Being assessed on a common criterion based rubric

• Real-life flavours of deadlines, accountability and interdependence

• Having completed videos reviewed by global judges

• Participating in a virtual student summit, using Elluminate, to complete the project and showcase their learning.

Other Projects to Join

As a sister to the Flat Classroom® Project the Horizon Project, and it's replacement since 2009 the Net Generation Education Project, created in conjunction with Don Tapscott and 'Grown Up Digital', also lowers or 'flattens' the classrooms walls by emphasizing connection, communication, collaboration and creativity as well as higher-order thinking skills and problem solving. This project is based on the Horizon Report released annually by New Media Consortium and the Educause Learning Initiative that outlines 6 trends believed will be impacting college and university campuses within the next five years.

A further imitative this year is the Digiteen Project which currently links classrooms of middle school students from Australia, Canada, USA, Spain and Qatar with the aim of promoting better online citizenship through research and discussion and culminates in each school taking action within their own community to promote this.

In October 2009 a new project, culminating from a student action project at the Flat Classroom Conference in Qatar 2009, called Eracism was launched. This took the form of a global student debate and included a virtual world component. Eracism has now been renamed Global Youth Debates and provides an enhanced opportunity for students across the world to participate in formal debating within a theme using asynchronous methods and emerging technologies.

More recently the elementary level projects, A Week in the Life (Gr 3-5) and K-2 Building Bridges to the Future, are in demand and provide educators at this level a chance to introduce global collaboration and digital citizenship into their curriculum.

Our highly connected world gives educators the global imperative to connect our people. Flat Classroom® Projects have the power to produce world-class students with a world view, based on understanding, and not misinformed bias from the media. It will require many hard-working, well informed, ethical, diligent teachers and visionary administrators to give them the framework to operate. How about you? Will you be an advocate for a Flat Classroom® Project at your school?

Director, Julie Lindsay
Email: [email protected]