Hello TIGeducators and friends!

Welcome to our first TIGed update, highlighting some of the latest happenings in the TakingITGlobal for Educators community. We’ve added several exciting new tools and features, and we’ve seen tremendous growth, we now have over 1000 registered students!

TIGed virtual classrooms just got better –
-student blogs now support podcasting
-add live chat and mapping tools to your class
-multilingual classrooms available in English, Chinese, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic, and Portuguese – simply select a language of instruction when creating a new classroom
-“teacher toolbar” with bookmarking and Live Support features, no matter where you are in the TakingITGlobal community, check it out at the top of every page when logged in to TIGed

Not yet registered for TIGed?
Since our launch in March, learning communities in 24 countries have joined us. If you haven’t registered your school with TIGed already, what better way to kick off the new school year? Get started here! and use promotional code UPDATE25 to receive 25% off the registration.

New Collaborations Center

Have a great idea for a project? Want to connect with other educators around the world for online collaboration? Check out the new database in TIGed’s Educator Central, where you can post proposals for collaborations and search for projects for your class to join.


Thematic Classrooms

We have launched our first set of thematic classrooms!

In partnership with the University of Toronto’s TeenNet, the Tobacco Control Classroom is an innovative new curriculum on the global issues of the tobacco industry, including a game, teacher toolkit, and four curriculum units. We teamed up again with TeenNet, as well as GAAP, to produce TIGXpress – HIV/AIDS. This thematic classroom, available in late September, brings together elements of visual literacy, health, language arts, social studies, and technology to introduce students to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. Teachers who select this thematic classroom can also use the collaboration tool to partner on creative exchange and dialogue on these important topics.

Coming soon – Ayiti: The Cost of Life, a thematic classroom from partner Global Kids that features an interactive game and workshops exploring issues of poverty, education, and human rights through a case study of Haiti. Bookmark www.tiged.org/ayiti and check back soon for the game and lessons!

New Resources from TakingITGlobal

HIV/AIDS Youth Guide to Action

TIG Magazine: Language as Violence, Violence as Language

Understanding the Issues
In the coming weeks, we will be launching an all new version of Understanding the Issues with updated content, topics, and tools. To receive notification when the new Understanding the Issues launches, e-mail education@takingitglobal.org with the word “Understanding” in the subject.

Upcoming Events

Learn more about TIGed and participate in hands-on training this fall:
Arts Matter (Oct 4), Toronto
Peace and Justice Studies Association Conference (Oct 5-8), New York City
Internet@Schools West
(Oct 23-25), Monterey, CA
NACOL Virtual Schools Symposium
(Nov 5-7), Dallas, TX
T+L Conference (Nov 8-10), Dallas, TX
NYSCATE Annual Conference (Nov 18-21), Rochester, NY
National Council on the Social Studies Conference (Dec 1-3), Washington, DC

We’re pleased to welcome the newest member of the TIGed Team – a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, Amita Desai is the TIGed US Program Intern, working directly on our partnership with the School of the Future in Philadelphia and other initiatives throughout Pennsylvania.

We’d love to hear from you! If you have questions or feedback, or would like more information about TIGed, please contact us: education@takingitglobal.org.