ANNOUNCING! Flat Classroom Certified Teacher - Group discount for schools and organizations (2013-14)
The next Flat Classroom Certified Teacher cohort will start in August  2013 with a per teacher cost of $495. 
However, smart schools that want to go flat can purchase a group discount NOW:

• $2000 - 5 certified teachers
• $3500 - 10 certified teachers

Contact Flat Classroom now to tailor your professional development needs. [email protected]

_Aims of the course
The Flat Classroom® Certified Teacher course aims to provide educators at all levels (e.g. K-12, Tertiary/Pre-service, Teacher educators) with resources and skills to join and complete and/or design, implement and manage a global collaborative project. It is based on the work of Flat Classroom co-founders, Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis. The text for this course is their book, ‘Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds: Move to Global Collaboration One Step at a Time’, published in 2012 Pearson Education.

Those who earn the designation Flat Classroom® Certified Teacher will have proven their competence through this rigorous course. Graduates will in turn be invited to apply for recognition as a Flat Classroom® Global Educator.

Guiding Questions

• What does it mean to flatten the classroom walls?
• What is a global collaborative project?
• How do educators best prepare for introducing global interactions into everyday learning?

• What strategies do we need to foster and manage better learning using digital tools?
• What does collaborative learning and digital citizenship look like in a global context?
• How can we effectively embed social media and collaborative learning using emerging technologies?

• What is a good design for a global collaborative project?
• How does challenge-based professional development support Flat Classroom pedagogy?

Enduring Understandings
By completing the Flat Classroom® Global Educator course participants will:

• Understand how the sociability of online community learning can support collaborative pedagogy
• Develop an understanding of the Seven Steps needed to Flatten the Classroom and be prepared for global collaboration: Connection, Communication, Citizenship, Contribution & Collaboration, Choice, Creation, Celebration
• Explore global project design and management and learn how to support this in their learning context

• Develop an understanding of how collaborative and differentiated instruction approaches are supported by Web 2.0 tools
• Understand the importance of implementing digital citizenship ideals through project-based learning methods
• Know where to find global collaborative partners and how to build sustained relationships for curriculum development

• Become leaders in global collaboration within their schools and internationally and will be sought as partners by those planning global collaboration because of their proven competencies in the technology, technopersonal skills, and best practices of effective global collaborative projects.

Course Structure
The Flat Classroom® Certified Teacher course will be delivered in two, consecutive parts. Both parts need to be completed to gain the Flat Classroom® Certified Teacher Certificate. Part 1 is 8 weeks in length, Part 2 is 4 weeks. There are 9 modules to complete in total, and fifteen Flat Classroom Challenges.

Where possible participants will be involved with one or more of the Flat Classroom® series of projects. All participants will complete the “Flat Classroom® Fifteen”, a series of challenges or learning opportunities. The course also provides opportunity for participants to connect with other Flat Classroom teachers and collaborate on an actual project while exploring project design and implementation. Professional development for project-based learning and preparing to introduce others to global collaborative learning is also a part of the course.

Individual and team structures will provide variety in working modes to complete the course material and opportunities for teachers to connect with future global partners.

Credit for the Flat Classroom® Certified Teacher course is now available from the University of Northern Iowa. Students wishing to earn two hours of graduate credit should register through Continuing & Distance Education. Then, select the first option, "Courses, workshops, practicums and internships".

FEE: $150 for two hours of graduate credit
COURSE NUMBER: INST 6286
COURSE TITLE: Studies in Flat Classroom® Teacher Certification
CREDIT HOURS: 2
INSTRUCTOR: Zeitz

The Flat Classroom® Certified Teacher course content comes from the book written by co-founders of Flat Classroom®, Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis. It supports educators in the development of a PLN (personal learning network), learning how to use social media effectively for collaboration and creation, and global project design and management. It provides a systematic approach to embedding collaboration into the curriculum as well as strategies for challenge-based professional development.

Part 1 aims to set teachers up with tools and connections and knowledge of how a global collaborative educator and classroom functions.

Part 2 aims to support global project design, implementation and management.

Final Teacher Presentations are an integral part of completing this course, and extra time is given after the 8-week and 4-week sessions to prepare and deliver material.

This is what past graduates of the FCCT course have said:

Catalina Valenzuela - 12-1 cohort:
“I will highly recommend this course. The world is flat and the classroom needs to become flat too. I also think that this course offers a great opportunity for teachers to exchange ideas and to learn new skills to be applied in the classroom straight away.
Moreover, this course comes with the added bonus of a GREAT and CARING learning community with lots of creative ideas.”

Julie Balen - 12-1 cohort:
Would you recommend this course to other educators?
“Yes, because the course prepares teachers for what global projects could be, even if they don't start with Flat Classroom projects. If they don't take the course they are likely to think that global projects is simply about one class skyping with another.”

Aaron Maurer - 11-1 cohort:
"Wow! Where do I begin? The one thing I learned is that I have so much to learn. I came into this course thinking I was quite tech savvy and with current trends. I quickly learned that this whole notion of global connectedness is massive and very, very cool. I learned that there is this whole entire online community of amazing people who are trying their hardest every single day to become better educators and to empower their students and themselves. I continued my notion that learning how to work with people from all over the world is a very important element to education right now. We must learn how to work with others both in person and online. We may not know what type of jobs are going to exist in the future, but it is a guarantee that working with others and global collaboration will be part of the mix."

Amy Jambor - 11-1 cohort
"I would recommend it to anyone and everyone who had a true passion for global collaboration. I would recommend this course because it teaches you everything you need to build a global project. What is even more important is the relationships that you develop - they are amazing!"

Cynthia Sandler - 11-3 cohort
“I learned pretty much everything I know about global collaboration as this was my first real experience with creating such projects. I learned what to consider as important goals and objectives, how to structure a working framework for a project, how to manage the project by learning 21st century tools like pull technologies. I learned how I can reach out to others to find partners. I gained friends and a supportive network.” and “Yes [recommend the course to others]. I think it provides the framework and scaffolding one might want to feel comfortable creating and participating in a global collaborative project. It's a great way to network and find supportive and like minded people from around the world”.

Workflow/Calendar
August 2013 entry:
Application deadline August 14
 - Part 1: August 19 - October 18 (8 week course, with 1 week break)
 - Part 2: October 21 - November 15 (4 week course)
 - Presentations/F.L.A.T.s - before December 1
 - Graduation: December 2013

Future courses 2013-14
FCCT14-1: October 2013 entry
- Application deadline October 1
- Part 1: October 7 - December 6 (8 week course, with 1 week break)
- Part 2: January 6 (2013) - February 1 (4 week course)
- Presentations/F.L.A.T.s - before February 15
- Graduation: February 2014

FCCT14-2: February 2014 entry
 - Application deadline February 1
 - Part 1: February 10 - April 11 (8 week course, with 1 week break)
 - Part 2: April 14 - May 9 (4 week course)
 - Presentations/F.L.A.T.s - before May 24
 - Graduation: May/June 2014

Cost
The cost for the Flat Classroom® Certified Teacher course is $495 USD. This includes access to online resources, recordings of meetings and all course notes and interactions.

Application Process
Educators and education leaders are invited to apply for a course according to the deadlines and starting dates as listed above.
Full details about course aims, structure and content: http://tinyurl.com/flatclassteachercert
Application Form: http://tinyurl.com/flatclassteachercertapply
Wiki: http://fcpteacher.flatclassroomproject.org/