Connecting Classrooms Globally

In order to successfully connect to a classroom in a global manner, lots of preparation and planning is needed.  

Students benefit from being connected to others from around the world.  It allows them to learn about the similarities and differences found in their lives.  Understanding and accepting these similarities and differences gives students and all people or more open minded view of the world.  We live in a society that seems to be homogenized, especially in the US.  It’s too easy to think that it actually is the same everywhere or worse to be egocentric enough to think that “our” way is the best/correct way to be.  We need to be able to appreciate how we are different and the perspective of different people to fully understand ourselves.  Conversely, understanding the similarities, especially in what is perceived as very different people helps us realize that we are all the same in many ways too.

Teachers play an important role in this challenge. Many of our schools consist of students with similar backgrounds.  Reaching out to other schools to collaborate together can help our students have a broader perspective on our world.  Teachers can do this in various ways including using examples from a broad range, not just familiar to the teacher and students.  This helps students gain a broader knowledge across subject areas.  Another way teachers can helps students become global citizens is to introduce them to students from across the world.  

 

Projects that connect classrooms using wikis, Skype or other methods are a way to help our students learn about the many aspects of our world.  Davis and Lindsay are the creators of the Flat Classroom Project.  What a great way to link classes together.  Collaboration, communication and problem solving are all important aspects of the CCSS.  Teachers who strategically plan activities and lessons for their students to work on together are giving their students a wonderful opportunity to expand their abilities in these important areas.

It’s important to carefully plan not only the collaborating activities, but also how students will communicate with each other.  These steps are important and will depend on the age of the students and also whether there is a language barrier.

Here are some Web 2.0 tools for successfully designing and participating in a global project.

Ning

Google Apps

Flipboard

Twitter

Google Earth

Skype

Flat Connections

Global Youth Debates

Edmodo

Snagit

Google Translate

Google Hangouts