Taking everyone around the world, around the world...
I just wanted to share with all of you a (2.0-3.0) project that I have been working on steadily for over a year together with four friends and colleagues. This network was originally built on Ning 2.0 (accessorized with Bootstrap), just recently I have manually migrated the meat and potatoes over to 3.0 platform-just waiting to migrate members from 2.0. I am sharing this project with my fellow NCs in order to spark some natural curiosity, invite you to join, participate and share this journey with any students or educators you might know who might be inspired or interested. Our followers of today will be leaders tomorrow.
Everyone in the world is invited to participate, contribute and learn about real places which you've always dreamed about and real people you've wanted to meet, but may never get a meaningful chance, otherwise. So without further ado...let's stretch your imagination...
Introducing The Beautiful Nation Project!
6 Continents | 8,760 Expedition days | 30+ Countries | 45 Planned port stops | 1.6 Million+ Student followers
We are a "Lighthouse Keeper" (yours truly) and 4 female sailors/educators/scientists with a mission to change many of the ways geography is taught in middle schools. At all times, we will also have a short-term passenger aboard #Makulu. Every aspect of our journey transmitted back to the Lighthouse where moments will be curated, geo-referenced, and channeled back into classrooms around the world, but more importantly for NC purposes, our social network on the boat. Within the 3.0 we have re-purposed the groups feature as Channels and Classrooms which members can follow based on subject matter and location.
6 Continents | 8,760 Expedition days | 30+ Countries | 45 Planned port stops | 1.6 Million+ Student followers
Beautiful Nation Project in Brief:
Beautiful Nation Project is unlike any other social network ever, as the members are considered as Crew aboard an actual sailboat creating a virtual tour of the planet. Makulu- a 43 foot sailboat/floating classroom. You can track the voyage, engage with the crew, contribute ideas about places to explore and meet people from around the globe in this network. We are launching the voyage in the fall of 2014.
Let's discuss the trip! Use the hashtag #imontheboat on Twitter and facebook!
Journey Map for Beautiful Nation [link]
View Beautiful Nation Project in a larger map
Where does the Name Come From?
The Long Story..
Working in partnership with leading geography education nonprofit Reach the World and world class science education nonprofit Agastya, Beautiful Nation will use 21st Century tools and the timeless art of storytelling to build an online community of global citizens, eager to explore and fall in love with our planet! The crew will report in real-time via media-rich articles and videos
Beautiful Nation will reach an audience of over one million students (ages 6-18) per year through its partnerships . Pre-departure, students in the Reach the World program in New York City will be welcomed to tour the ship and meet the crew. Subsequently, the ship will arrive in Chennai, India to meet Agastya's students half-way through the voyage. Throughout the duration of the voyage, in addition to posting online content, the crew will interact with students via messaging and videoconferencing to field questions in real-time. Webisodes documenting the crew's land explorations, including various UNESCO World Heritage sites, and life at sea, with a focus on marine ecology, will be published monthly to support core learning in the classroom.
It Takes Everyone!
If you believe in this project and would like to support us, we currently have an Indiegogo Campaign to crowdfund our first webisode, which you can contribute to and/or share!
Take a virtual tour of the planet with the Beautiful Nation Project! Designed to foster and sense of wonder and enthusiasm for the planet among youth, the project tracks the voyage of Makulu, a 43 foot sailboat on a circumnavigation. Videos, photos and stories will be broadcast from the ship for classrooms around the world. Students can follow the journey in real-time on the Beautiful Nation Project Social Network (www.beautifulnationproject.org) and interact with the crew directly through private chats and videoconferencing. Come! Let's Explore!
Attached are two printable flyers to hang in classrooms or on bulletin boards.
We appreciate your support ,your shares and your feedback on this project!
Replies
Hey JFarrow,
Your network looks gorgeous! You mentioned this a while back, I think. Nice to see how it's come along.
Thank you Monica! 3.0rd time's the charm, eh!
WOW! JUST wow! i AM WOWED! What a wonderful (huge-impressive) project!
WOW.. thank you Suzie...with all of your help, this could be the most most effective geography course in the world, with your help!" Watch the Video on Indiegogo! Jump aboard! Learn more! Download our Media Kit and Poster.
many many new updates to the network and the Journey Has Begun!
UPDATE: Thank you to all of the Creators who have shared this project on your own networks and through social media. You are truly making a difference! We are almost half way to our present fundraising goals and we appreciate you! Coming soon, you will be able to add a channel for your network to our network and take all of YOUR members around the world... Best Regards!
If you believe that kids need better opportunities for learning geography in school, please tell us why you believe geography to be important on Twitter or Facebook using the hashtag #imontheboat and watch the conversation grow here on Beautiful Nation Social Network following the boat.
JFarrow - I'm about to be leaving Ning (and thus Ning Creators, as I'm told I'm only allowed to stay if I'm a Ning customer... But I'm going to be homeschooling and would love to have this info... Would you please send me a PM with all of the info? Thanks! :)
P.S. This is pretty awesome! :)
Thank you Janette.. we are also adding the ability for Home Schools to add a classroom to the journey as well. Will send the info to you. Thanks!