Graduation time is here, BaW12ers!!!
BaW12
Becoming a Webhead 2012, better known as BaW12, was the ninth very successful round of this exclusively online workshop. Fernanda (Portugal), Larissa (Russia/USA) and I (Teresa in Portugal) coordinated a fabulous Team of Moderators, all of them former BaW participants: Anisoara (Romania), Ayat (Egypt), Hala (Saudi Arabia), Helen (France), Jose Antonio/JA (Brazil), Maria (Argentina), Marijana (Croatia), Mbarek (Morocco), Sharon (USA) and Svetlana (Czech Republic). Four of these mods were newbies at moderating and did a fabulous job. A very heartfelt "Thank you!" to all for a fantastic job, great enthusiasm and constant commitment to the last minute! And our symbolic token of appreciation. :-)
This team was backed up by an equally fantastic group of Guest Speakers, most of them Webheads, "longtime friends" and faithful collaborators: BJ Berquist, Michael Coghlan, Graham Stanley and Rita Zeinstejer. Arjana Blazic was a newcomer and, hopefully, will stay with us. Claudio Azevedo did his second appearance. We had a "surprise" joint presentation by four of our mods (Sharon, Ayat, Maria, Marijana) and Claudia, a participant, who did an excellent job talking about their blended learning projects soon after finishing BaW11, which goes to show how much these 5 weeks can change our participants' life at the professional and personal levels, not to mention their students' experiences while learning English. All the presentations were a huge success and extremely enlightening. Thank you to all our speakers! And our symbolic token of appreciation. :-)
Last but not least, a special word to our Participants, a group of very active, enthusiastic, committed and adventurous colleagues, eager to explore and absorb as much as possible in the shortest possible time, without whom BaW12 wouldn't have happened. They're a wonderful group of people from all corners of the globe, who gave life to a very active, hardworking, energetic, non-stoppable and wonderfully stressful 5 weeks. Kudos to you all!!! Hopefully, many of you will continue with us the rest of the year since all the resources will remain online and the mods will stay around to give timely help. Our symbolic token of appreciation. :-)
A "mini UN"
Baw 2012, with its 226 members from 55 countries spanning the 5 continents, is truly a global community or, as I have always defined it, a mini UN.
This year we had participants from Argentina (11), Australia (2), Bahrain, a first timer (1), Benin, a first timer (1), Brazil (9), Bulgaria (1), Canada (10), Colombia (3), Croatia (8) - great PR work, Marijana!! -, Czech Republic (4), Ecuador (3), Egypt (7), England (2), France (1), Germany (2), Greece (3), Honduras, a first timer (1), India (3), Indonesia (3), Iran (1), Israel (1), Italy (3), Japan (4), Kazakhstan (1), Macedonia (1), Malaysia (1), Mexico (3), Morocco (9) - great PR work once again, Mbarek!! -, Nicaragua, a first timer (1), Pakistan (1), Peru (4), Poland (2), Portugal (2), Qatar (1), Romania (1), Russia (3), Saudi Arabia (2), Scotland (1), Serbia (1), South Korea (4), Spain (3), Sri Lanka (1), Sudan (1), Suriname, a first timer (1), Togo (1), Trinidad and Tobago (1), Tunisia (2), Turkey (5), UAE (1), Uganda, a first timer (1), Ukraine (4), Uruguay (1), USA (21), Venezuela (3) and Vietnam (2). (Several participants never introduced themselves, so we have no concrete info about them to include here.) After such a great performance during these 5 weeks, I can only say that I just wish the authentic UN could work as well and as collaboratively as we do! We would definitely be living in a better world! :-)
After 9 rounds of BaW, we have reached approximately 2,750 colleagues in 104 countries! This is something very special, above all when we know that BaW has changed some people's careers for the better. Not to mention the influence in all the students involved. How rewarding that is! :-)
(Clickable map)
Kudos??!!
Kudos is a word often used by veteran BaWers. What does "kudos" mean? What better explanation can I give you but a poem, written for us "from the heart" by a very dear BaW06 participant, Analía Dobboletta, from Argentina, who gives us a very sensitive and heartfelt poetic definition.
Kudos is one of those words
that heightens the spirit.
Kudos means "you've done it"
It brings pleasure to the 'kuder'
because they're with you.
It's a compliment for the 'kuddee'
because they've overcome the hurdle.
Kudos brings joy to Bawers.
It's the password for 'way to go'!
It's the username for high achievers.
It's the thread for admiration.
It's the subscription to lol.
Kudos is Bawers' jargon,
a catchy jingle,
a tribute paid for courage,
and for perseverance,
and for bravery!
Kudos implies I'm so glad that you could,
so proud that you did,
so sure that you will!
Kudos to YOU!
Maria Teresa Ciaffaroni suggested that it be "used as BAW06 anthem". Dafne (my co-coordinator until last year) and I agreed and decided that it would become our anthem.
Hope you like the Becoming a Webhead (BaW) anthem! :-))
Time to party
A relevant part of our Graduation party is food, drinks and gifts that participants share with one another. Here's this year's Graduation Party page where you will find very nice messages and photos from all over the world as a token of BaW12ers' appreciation for these fabulous 5 weeks together, learning in a fun, F.U.N. (Frivolous Unanticipated Nonsense, an acronym coined by Vance Stevens, our Webheads in Action coordinator) and very collaborative way.
(Click the image to see the page)
BaW12 cake
There's no party without a cake and no virtual BaW Graduation party would be complete without a virtual cake to celebrate "not the end of a workshop, but the beginning of a new era... life after BaW 2012"! João, my husband, baked this BaW 2012 cake, this year with a different touch: nine candles for each year of BaW's existence, each one with its own very special meaning (instead of twelve candles for the year 2012)! Have a taste! Enjoy it!! :-)
Certificates
Finally, no BaW workshop is ever complete without additional and symbolic Certificates of Appreciation to the neglected family members. Yes, neglected husbands, wives and children weren't forgotten! Here's our token of appreciation for your patience and understanding! It was definitely worth it! :-)
Last but not least, for the first time ever, and especially dedicated to CatherineB and Marijana, a well-deserved token of appreciation also goes to...
Join the Webheads in Action (WiA)
No, it's not over yet! There's still one final step for those of you who wish to do so.
Five weeks ago many of you probably didn't have a clue about what you were getting into. Five weeks later you have come of age and are "full-fledged Webheads", ready to join the Webheads in Action (WiA) community of practice. On behalf of Vance Stevens, our Webheads coordinator, Fernanda, Larissa and I now invite you to join our "mother group", the Webheads in Action.
Welcome! We hope you'll feel part of a big cyberfamily and as fulfilled and challenged as Fernanda, Larissa and I have been for several years!
As Webheads, you are now entitled to the "Proud to be a Webhead" badge that Ibrahim Rustamov, a participant-turned-friend from Tajikistan, created for us: his special gift to BaW08. It's very cute! You can embed it in your Web Web pages, blogs or wikis.
(You can copy it from http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f178/i_rus/bawbadge08.gif )
A BaW classic
Before we call it "a Graduation ceremony and party", maybe you'd like to reflect a little about the meaning of BaW through the lenses of this presentation-turned-BaW classic.
Geese is a presentation about togetherness, collaboration and community spirit - some of the basic ingredients that are a big part of any "Becoming a Webhead" workshop and family!
(Click the image below and enjoy!)
And BaW12 continues...
We all know that "Rome wasn't built in a day" and we know even better what a teacher's life is like. The BaW12 team doesn't strive for the impossible, but.... almost. ;-)
Naturally, we know that it isn't possible to cover everything we have to offer in the 5 weeks, but it's all there because we like to give participants flexibility and freedom of choice each week. And because we know it's not humanly possible to explore and experiment all the tools, all the materials remain online ad eternum (or as long as the platforms exist!). And the BaW12 Team stays around for the rest of the year to help, collaborate and... continue learning with everyone. After all, we are a group of lifelong learners.
By the time BaW13 comes along, I hope you'll all feel like Natasa Bozic:
"I'll probably keep returning to BaW to lurk. This place is home" (17Feb10).
Stay with us, return as lurkers, as active participants... whichever way you choose, but do return. It means that you enjoyed the ride as much as we did and that learning happened, and strong bonds and friendships were built. :-)
Thank you!
Before we turn the BaW12 page today and face "the first day of life after BaW" tomorrow, Fernanda, Larissa and I would like to heartily say a last "Thank you" to all our fabulous guest speakers, moderators, and participants for a fantastic job and perseverance to the last day, and for having made this 9th round of the Becoming a Webhead workshop the success and life-changing event it was for several of you, no doubt. Without you all, none of this would have happened.
Here's to you all!!
Peace, Health, Happiness and... many tech successes in your classrooms! :-)
Teresa, Fernanda and Larissa on behalf of the BaW 2012 Team!
See you in life after BaW12!
Graduation Party
Coordinators: Teresa (Portugal), Fernanda (Portugal and Larissa (Russia/USA)
Moderators: Anisoara (Romania), Ayat (Egypt), Hala (Saudi Arabia), Helen (France), JA/Jose Antionio (Brazil), Maria (Argentina), Marijana (Croatia), Mbarek (Morocco), Sharon (USA) and Svetlana (Czech Republic)
Participants:
Recording
Session recording
Chatlog
Screenshots
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