The Oracle Education Foundation (OEF) announced the opening of the ThinkQuest International 2007 competition, inviting students and teachers from around the world to take part in this unique collaborative learning experience.
The educational contest is open to students between the ages of 9 and 19 and their teacher-coaches. The program promotes collaboration and cross-cultural learning by encouraging students to team with peers in other regions to develop web sites on educational topics. In the process of creating their site, students learn and practice their skills in research, writing, technology, and teamwork. Additionally, the competing teams have the opportunity to create web sites that can be used as educational resources by students worldwide, as part of the popular ThinkQuest Library, available online at http://www.thinkquest.org/library.
Teachers find that ThinkQuest fits in well with learning standards, particularly by providing ways for students to research and present their findings to an authentic audience.
“ThinkQuest, and its sister OEF program, Think.com, are unique educational programs designed to bring together students and technology in ways that positively impact their lives and the communities in which they live,” said Jim Ballard, Vice President, Oracle Education Foundation Programs. “To date, more than 686,241 students have benefited from the Foundation’s Think programs, building vital 21st century technology and collaboration skills, skills that transcend geographies and cultures.”
All submitted Web sites for ThinkQuest International 2007 will be judged by professional educators. Entries are due in April 2007, allowing teams up to eight months to build their web sites. Qualifying entries will be published in the popular ThinkQuest Library, created by students for students, available online at http://www.thinkquest.org/library. Winners will receive prizes from the Oracle Education Foundation, including laptops and $1,000 school grants for the top 10 teams in each age division, travel to the annual ThinkQuest Live event for the top 3 teams in each division, and digital cameras for the team that receives the Global Perspectives Award.
Students and educators interested in participating can find out more details at: http://www.thinkquest.org.
