Global Learn Day X
October 8, 2006

Global Learn Day

I. BACKGROUND

The Mission

The Mission of Global Learn Day is three fold:

To cause, worldwide, a celebration of learning - The "Earth Day" of Education
To increase and accelerate affordable access to education, worldwide
To serve as a stage and large audience builder for the Socrates Academy and the awards of the Socrates Prize

The Stages: Mercury, Gemini, Apollo

The conceptual design of Global Learn Day incorporated into it three "stages", these modeled after NASA's goal to put a man on the moon in the 60's. Our goal is to build an audience of 100 million by the end of the 2000 decade. The three stages are:

The Mercury Stage: GLD I, GLD II
Launch and very early technology and organizational experimentation
The Gemini Stage: GLD III, GLD IV, GLD V, GLD VI
Building the partnership and organizational network
The Apollo Stage: GLD VII and onward
Reaching the goal of an audience of 100 million for purposes of giving worldwide recognition to those who significantly increase access to education

Chief Lessons Learned during Mercury and Gemini

Technology is not a big hurdle.
Organizational issues are more difficult than technology.
Funding remains the biggest problem.
Radio and television are essential for building audiences.
Large physical conventions, held locally, in a minimum of eight cities in eight regions of the world are crucial to reaching all our goals.

II. The First Launch of The Apollo Stage

Celebrations

Global Learn Day VII, October 12, 2003, was the first GLD event held in the Apollo Stage. Its primary mission will be to hold eight physical events, "Celebrations," in eight regions in the world, each with radio, newspaper and television participation. The regions and likely cities are: South Pacific (Suva or Melbourne); East Asia (Bangkok); South and Central Asia (New Delhi); Africa (Kampala); Gulf and Middle East (Abu Dhabi); Europe (Moscow); Latin America (Sao Paulo); North America (Washington D.C.).

Other stops in remote places

Other important Celebrations will be held in Tampere, Finland; Harborough, England; and Honolulu, Hawaii. Other "stops," à la previous GLD events, will include virtual visits to very remote places including "stops" in the Arctic and Antarctic as well as in outback areas of Mali, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Siberia. All remote "stops" are designed to illustrate that delivery of affordable education is now possible in all parts of the globe.

A Warm Up for Socrates

"Celebrations" during Global Learn Day are designed as a "warm up" for GLD IX, where nominees of the Socrates Prize will be showcased. The purpose of the Socrates Prize is to give worldwide recognition to those who significantly increase access to education. Nominees for the first Socrates Prizes will be invited to attend GLD IX Celebrations in 2005, with the winners announced subsequently.

III. GLD VII CELEBRATIONS

Bangkok, GLD VI, as the Model

Thanks to Prof. Dr. Srisakdi Charmonman, Dr. BK Passi and the celebration master Lukas Ritzel, our stop at Assumption University, Bangkok, during GLD VI, was a spectacular success. This link provides full details about that stop or by contact with Lukas.

The key ingredients which made "Bangkok" successful

Exceptionally dedicated organizers
Thorough planning months in advance
Exceptional speakers with exceptional html slides
Radio and local newspaper coverage
Advance testing of the webcasting and technology platforms
Financial assistance from participating sponsors
Affordable physical facilities

GLD X Celebrations: The details for Celebration Site Organizers

Leadership: John Hibbs shall provide Celebrants leadership assistance in all areas of the undertaking.

Celebrant Facility

Each Celebration shall be held in a facility sufficient to allow:

appropriate space for members of the local media, radio, television and print
a general audience of at least 100 persons
appropriate space for all speakers
necessary audio and visual hardware for the audience
necessary hardware for virtual presentations
regular telephone access, including international calling capability

Topics and Speakers

While access to education is always the main theme, each Celebrant will select a Celebration Theme consistent with the goals of that particular Celebrant. They will then select speakers who will physically participate. Generally, each speaker, or lead panelists, will prepare electronic slides which shall be augmented by real time voice discussions.

Pre-recorded and real time deliveries and audience participation

There are many advantages that portions of the presentations should be pre-recorded, especially for the virtual audience. However, there is also no substitute for real time discussions by panelists who are thoroughly prepared and knowledgeable about the subject. Also, and extremely important, ample time should be allocated for questions and comments from both the physical audience and the virtual audience.

Due to extensive radio broadcasting and local language considerations, there will be very careful mixing of pre-recorded and real time deliveries, both in English and in other languages. These complexities add a new dimension to GLD but must be over come if we are to reach our end-of-decade goals.

Planning and close communication is the key

Previous GLD events demonstrate that serious planning well in advance of the event and close coordination with the team leaders results in a more successful and enjoyable event.

There has never been an exception to this fact.

NiceNet Bulletin Board
Provided by University of Hawaii

Part of the reason participants and volunteers work so hard to be part of Global Learn Day is they learn the benefits of new tools, many of which are either free or very affordable. Thanks to the work of John Southworth and the generosity of the University of Hawaii, GLD VII participants may use a wonderful bulletin board. Password details (and more information about this) will be provided by contacting either John Hibbs or John Southworth.

Voice Alert
Provided by E-Oasis.com

Thanks to Blaine Berger, President of E-Oasis.com, we will continue to use Voice Alert. After online submission of an Oasis Form, Voice Alert allows presenters to make an ordinary telephone call, record a (voice) message of any length, which message is instantly and automatically uploaded to the Net. The Oasis Form is also the primary form used to initiate the presentation process. For details about this form please either contact John Hibbs or simply submit the GLD VII Voice Alert Form. Such submission will automatically "alert" an organzier who will then contact you.

Real time technology for the event

As always - KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid, will be the Prime Rule. Here are some particulars:

Attendees:

Browser Requirement: The event shall be available on line, free, to anyone with a late version Internet Explorer or Netscape browser.
Telephone: The audience may elect to listen to the audio in real time over the telephone. The only cost they will incur is their normal long distance charge to the Franklin Telephone Room, located in San Diego, California.
Streaming Audio: Attendees may listen over the Net either by the Primary Audio Platform (Telephony) or by "conventional" webcasting methods provided with use of Real Audio and/or Windows Media Technology. Details about the platforms chosen will be provided by August 2003.

Celebrants, Presenters, Panelists and Speakers

Presenters will submit a satisfactory Oasis Speaker Form and a voice recording by way of the Oasis platform.
Presenters will provide an abstract in accordance with the Call for Papers . Contact Dr. Redding.
Presenterswill be available in real time in accordance with their scheduled appearance.
Presenters will make appropriate arrangements to place a long distance call to the Franklin Telephone Room at the time of their real time presentation.

Celebrants and Celebrations

Celebrant leaders shall commit themselves to the following:

Strict adherence to all timetables agreed to between them and the Team Leaders.
Dilligent efforts to ensure print and broadcast media participation
Dilligent efforts to assist in sponsorship participation, both locally and internationally
Pre-testing of all technology, both physical and virtual a minimum of 45 days prior to the event
Use of the NiceNet Bulletin Board
Appropriate GLD X newsgroup/listserv involvement

Last update:
September 2005