Many teachers are beginning to engage their classrooms in telecollaborative projects. With technologies such as the Internet, these projects become much easier to plan and implement in the classroom setting. Chapter 3 of Digital Walls highlights many different projects that a teacher in Malaysia planned and tried in her classroom while simultaneously learning how to use communication devices effectively and teaching students what they needed to know for IB exams.
The authors discuss the importance of the Internet and how it has changed conventional classroom discourse. They state, “… it [the Internet] helped students look beyond conventional media to learn about their world, interrogating information, and its sources, while learning how to use a computer as a rhetorical tool instead of a computational device” (p. 33). I definitely agree with this statement and because of the new programs and websites that are constantly coming out, students continue to learn how to become effective Internet users in order to participate in rich discourse and activities. Websites such as E-Pals and other sites sponsored by the United Nations help teachers and students to collaborate with others from different countries and gain authentic experiences about the cultures with which they communicate.
The teacher’s first experience with Project Utopia in 1993 does not seem like it went too well. At this time, all teachers had to be on the same page with regards to which texts to use and when. To me, this raises a huge problem of how to modify and accommodate for students who either need more or less time in order to successfully learn and understand the material at hand. Furthermore, World Literature was based around texts by only American and British authors. This is extremely problematic since there is an abundance of literature written by authors of different countries. In order for a class to be truly worldwide, books used must come from all different countries so that different cultures are highlighted and discussed. In my high school English classes, books we read included mostly American authors and focused on key themes across American history. I do not remember taking any classes, besides Global Civilization, that focused on important aspects of other countries or cultures. Maybe with the rise in Internet use and available collaboration sites for teachers, this can change. I feel that teachers should engage their students in texts and novels that invoke discussions among students about different societies and cultures.
While reading this chapter, I couldn’t help but think how much teaching has changed since the early 90’s. The teacher who experimented with the many projects in which she tried to collaborate with other students in different countries had a very tough time. This was due to the fact that not only was she trying to teach students to open up to different perspectives of the world, but she was also learning how to use discussion boards, e-mail, and other Internet features effectively. Though we have come a long way since the novelty of the Internet, there are still many problems with new technology today. Like the teacher in Malaysia who received no training when a new electronic bulletin board was begun, I find myself in similar situations with different types of technology. In the coming weeks, a SmartBoard will be installed in my classroom. Though I have been told that there will be after school workshops to teach us how to use the interactive whiteboards, I am doubtful that I will be given the chance to learn about available websites and programs that can help me to use the board effectively in the classroom. Thus, while trying to use the SmartBoard, I will also be learning on my own, how to find and utilize resources that can be of great importance to student learning.
Reading about different cultures or events is one way to learn. However, to me, it seems that students learn best when they hear real life accounts of different individuals. Furtehrmore, learning is even more enhanced when they can communicate with someone on their age level about specific things. The author discusses the fact that reciprocity is essential to educational telecollaboration. If students know that they are reading first hand accounts from other students, they realize that the events are true and not just written in textbooks. Though I have never engaged in online discourse with students from another culture or country in my educational career, I can only imagine how much more meaningful my learning could have become if I had done so.
Overall, it seems that there is an overemphasis on testing across all schools. Teachers feel too much pressure to raise standardized testing score and thus do not participate in “fun” activities in which students can engage with others. What is often not realized is the fact that students can both learn and engage in such fun activities with other students. Many teachers, as the authors state, feel torn between opportunities to engage with others and the obligation to prepare students for exams. What teachers need is more training as to how to engage students with others and to meet standards at the same time. However, by finding and sharing websites and programs that promote global collaboration, teachers can be successful in both meeting standards and enhancing the educational experiences of each student simultanesouly.
Annotated Reviews
Global School Net. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.globalschoolnet.org/index.cfm.
This site seems similar to E-Pals, in that teachers can sign up for accounts and collaborate with other teachers from different areas of the world. There is an online registry of collaborative projects that are both current and archived. It is a great site to give teachers ideas of how to collaborate globally.
Go ENC. (2009). Retrieved from ENC Learning Inc. website: http://goenc.com/
The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (ENC) website, formally run through the government, features a multitude of online math and science activities. There is a searchable catalog of curriculum resources for both Math and Science. In order to use all of the features on the site, one must register and create a membership. The subscription price varies based on the type of school (elementary vs. middle or high) and needs to be subscribed to by an entire school or district.
Journey North. (2009). Retrieved from Annenberg Media website: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/
This website helps students to become involved in a global study of wildlife including Monarch Butterflies, Whooping Cranes, Hummingbirds and other. Students across North America share their experiences with these animals and they are able to track the migration patterns of these animals together. I think this website is excellent in helping students to understand the migration patterns of different animals and to communicate with other students in different areas of the continent about the observations that they have made.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Brave New Schools - Chapter 5 Reflection
The three orientations of pedagogy discussed in chapter five of Brave New Schools brought me back to my experiences as undergraduate student. To me, it seems that authors always present traditional pedagogy as boring and focused on lecturing. This chapter continues to describe this orientation of pedagogy as instructional based and straightforward. When looking back on my educational experiences as a student, I feel that once I reached a certain age (probably somewhere in middle school), teachers began using a traditional approach more often. My elementary school experiences focused more on hands-on, interactive lessons that I still remember to this day. This type of instruction seems to fit into the progressive approach, where student inquiry was central to student growth. The transformative approach to pedagogy seems to be above and beyond the type of learning that I experienced. However, when looking back at my experiences overall, I feel that I may have experienced a bit of each of these pedagogical approaches at one point or another.
When reading about the traditional approach, I couldn’t help but think about my geometry class in high school. My teacher required students to memorize all of the theorems of geometry and recite them in front of the class. To further make this experience worse, he would ask that all students stand up and recite theorems that he asked us to state. If we stated the theorem correctly, we were able to sit down. If we were wrong, we continued to stand. The last student standing was not only embarrassed, but also was assigned the task of writing the theorem twenty-five times. As I look back on this traditional approach to teaching, and the central importance of memorization, I do not recall the information that I learned. However, an experience that I do remember was back in elementary school when I participated in an Invention Convention and learned the Scientific Method by asking a question and trying to answer/solve the problem by inventing an item to help. The Scientific Method seems forever embedded in my mind because of the way I was allowed to explore a topic of my choice, while following guidelines that were provided. This progressive, and maybe even transformative, learning focused on problem solving and cooperative learning. The learning became meaningful, and therefore is better remembered by students.
When considering such approaches relation to teaching students about cultures and the world, it seems only best to do so in a transformative approach. Instead of simply teaching students about other cultures of the world and telling them about the traditions and values of such countries, teachers should allow students to explore and learn in a guided environment. Internet tools such as E-Pals can help students to connect with classrooms in other countries and learn about personal experiences of students in other areas of the state, country, or even world. By providing students with a personal connection to the different culture, they can better understand and grasp the content about which they are learning.
It is very confusing to me that in this country, we continue to have Black History Month during February. Instead of black history being incorporated into the curriculum throughout the year, it is still necessary to teach this subject in a separate way. To me, black history is not separated from the rest of our history, yet it adds to what made U.S. history what it is. By incorporating black history with the rest of the curriculum, students can begin to cross cultural boundaries and develop a sense of appreciation for cultures of others.
The author states, “Intercultural learning must start with teachers themselves. By encouraging students to talk and write about their experiences, teachers will begin to appreciate the cultural knowledge into the curriculum with provide students with opportunities to learn from each other and to develop a critical appreciation of their own culture and that of their peers” (p. 159). This statement encompasses exactly what I do with my students in my classroom. One of my students is Orthodox Jewish and because he is the only one, his family volunteers to come in and teach about the traditions and the celebrations that they do for their holidays. I think that by learning from an individual who celebrates the holidays, my students are genuinely interested and develop an understanding of a culture that differs from their own.
Helping students to learn about different cultures requires that the teachers approach teaching in progressive or transformative ways. Students should become engaged in their learning and contribute their own experiences and background knowledge to discussions in the classroom. Teachers can act as facilitators and integrate different disciplines in order to effectively teach students about different cultures of the world.
Annotated Reviews
PBS Teachers. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/teachers/
A website that allows teachers from all over the world to exchange ideas regarding digital technology use in the classroom. In order to access all of the materials on the website, one must register and create a membership. I really like the site and think that the way it is organized—by grade level and subject area—is very user friendly.
Global Virtual Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.virtualclassroom.org/
This site is a collection of free resources for both students and teachers to use. The purpose of the Global Virtual Classroom is to promote the connection of students from different countries through the use of the Internet. The site is very useful and provides teachers with helpful tips in order to effectively collaborate with other teachers.
OneWorld Classrooms. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.ccph.com/
This is a website that provides Internet users with a wide array of different programs that are available to help promote global communication between classrooms. The list of available programs links to a site where you can sign up and register in order to become a part of the specific program. The programs listed are very useful and can help teachers find a program that promotes global communication within classrooms.
When reading about the traditional approach, I couldn’t help but think about my geometry class in high school. My teacher required students to memorize all of the theorems of geometry and recite them in front of the class. To further make this experience worse, he would ask that all students stand up and recite theorems that he asked us to state. If we stated the theorem correctly, we were able to sit down. If we were wrong, we continued to stand. The last student standing was not only embarrassed, but also was assigned the task of writing the theorem twenty-five times. As I look back on this traditional approach to teaching, and the central importance of memorization, I do not recall the information that I learned. However, an experience that I do remember was back in elementary school when I participated in an Invention Convention and learned the Scientific Method by asking a question and trying to answer/solve the problem by inventing an item to help. The Scientific Method seems forever embedded in my mind because of the way I was allowed to explore a topic of my choice, while following guidelines that were provided. This progressive, and maybe even transformative, learning focused on problem solving and cooperative learning. The learning became meaningful, and therefore is better remembered by students.
When considering such approaches relation to teaching students about cultures and the world, it seems only best to do so in a transformative approach. Instead of simply teaching students about other cultures of the world and telling them about the traditions and values of such countries, teachers should allow students to explore and learn in a guided environment. Internet tools such as E-Pals can help students to connect with classrooms in other countries and learn about personal experiences of students in other areas of the state, country, or even world. By providing students with a personal connection to the different culture, they can better understand and grasp the content about which they are learning.
It is very confusing to me that in this country, we continue to have Black History Month during February. Instead of black history being incorporated into the curriculum throughout the year, it is still necessary to teach this subject in a separate way. To me, black history is not separated from the rest of our history, yet it adds to what made U.S. history what it is. By incorporating black history with the rest of the curriculum, students can begin to cross cultural boundaries and develop a sense of appreciation for cultures of others.
The author states, “Intercultural learning must start with teachers themselves. By encouraging students to talk and write about their experiences, teachers will begin to appreciate the cultural knowledge into the curriculum with provide students with opportunities to learn from each other and to develop a critical appreciation of their own culture and that of their peers” (p. 159). This statement encompasses exactly what I do with my students in my classroom. One of my students is Orthodox Jewish and because he is the only one, his family volunteers to come in and teach about the traditions and the celebrations that they do for their holidays. I think that by learning from an individual who celebrates the holidays, my students are genuinely interested and develop an understanding of a culture that differs from their own.
Helping students to learn about different cultures requires that the teachers approach teaching in progressive or transformative ways. Students should become engaged in their learning and contribute their own experiences and background knowledge to discussions in the classroom. Teachers can act as facilitators and integrate different disciplines in order to effectively teach students about different cultures of the world.
Annotated Reviews
PBS Teachers. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/teachers/
A website that allows teachers from all over the world to exchange ideas regarding digital technology use in the classroom. In order to access all of the materials on the website, one must register and create a membership. I really like the site and think that the way it is organized—by grade level and subject area—is very user friendly.
Global Virtual Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.virtualclassroom.org/
This site is a collection of free resources for both students and teachers to use. The purpose of the Global Virtual Classroom is to promote the connection of students from different countries through the use of the Internet. The site is very useful and provides teachers with helpful tips in order to effectively collaborate with other teachers.
OneWorld Classrooms. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.ccph.com/
This is a website that provides Internet users with a wide array of different programs that are available to help promote global communication between classrooms. The list of available programs links to a site where you can sign up and register in order to become a part of the specific program. The programs listed are very useful and can help teachers find a program that promotes global communication within classrooms.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Educating Citizens..Introduction Critical Reflection
When thinking about global citizenship, the first thing that comes to my mind is the idea of promoting peace and the best interest of all humans throughout the world. In order to help students become global citizens, I thought that encouraging students to understand the differences between us, as Americans, and others in different countries of the world, in addition to encouraging students to contribute to the well-being of others throughout the world would be sufficient. However, the introduction to Educating Citizens for Global Awareness has led me to believe that educating students in order to make them global citizens is a much more difficult task than I had originally thought.
The question that was asked at the beginning of the reading, “Is there a global way of life?” left me with the answer that yes, the global way of life is to contribute to the good of all countries by helping. Helping others across the world could include making monetary donations to those in need, visiting countries and helping to build up areas in order to give others homes, and to provide people with the care that they may not receive otherwise. Students can get involved with helping people in other countries by first learning about the situations of others and then participating in some sort of learning activity that follows up. The activities that were discussed in last weeks readings are prime examples of how students can connect with students in other countries and make a difference in the lives of others. The book, Brave New Schools discusses the idea that prejudices can be reduced when students participate in cooperative learning with students of different racial backgrounds in order to achieve a common goal. I believe this to be true and I think that when students work together, they forget about the differences between them and look only at the ways in which they are similar. Though I still think that such methods of educating students to be global citizens is effective, I now believe that it is a more complicated process.
When we look at global citizenship, people often think of peace and equality among all people. Nel Noddings, in her introduction to Educating Citizens for Global Awareness, raises an important question that relates to this idea of equality. If a culture or religious group believes that certain groups of people (i.e.—women) are unequal, should we, as Americans who believe otherwise, try to change these beliefs? How do we justify promoting equality among all people to people who think otherwise? Is global citizenship based on the idea that all people should think the same way or that all people should be treated equally? This is a question that has come to my mind.
Another interesting issue raised in the introduction is the difference between national and global citizenship. If we are national citizens who are patriotic and look towards the best interest of our own countries, are we not good global citizens? In a situation such as the war in Iraq, Americans are considered to be good Americans when we support our troops and have a sense of American pride. However, isn’t the promotion of war against the idea of peace and global citizenship? Nel Noddings states, “If it is national unity that concerns us, there is a solution that has almost always worked—war” (p.15). I find myself asking how we can educate students to be good citizens in our own country in addition to good global citizens, when topics such as war arise.
Diversity stretches beyond the differences in racial and ethnic ideals. It also encompasses differences among students in talents and interests. The message within all schools to students seems to center around the idea of lots of schooling, in to college, and beyond. Though I completely agree with the fact that students should be encouraged to stay in school and to reach for high goals, I also think it is important to encourage students to pursue their own interests and talents. By telling students that the best jobs require lots of education, are we indeed telling the truth? Noddings states, “The occupations that will employ the most workers in the next decade are almost all jobs that require little education” (p. 6). As an individual who has completed many years of school beyond high school, I have always been taught that all jobs require education. However, this is not the truth of the matter. Careers in the industries of plumbing, carpentry, and other trades will be in large demand and students who do not necessarily love school should be encouraged to pursue careers in such fields. Though encouraging students to stay in school and continue on through college is an excellent way of beginning one’s life, teacher should recognize that not all students need to complete college in order to gain their own successes. In President Barack Obama’s recent speech to students across America, he stated that most of you (referring to the students) will not be rich; however, all of you can be successful in your own ways. I think that this statement directly relates to the ideas of Nel Noddings and the encouragement of all students to pursue their own interests and become successful in their own ways.
The idea of global citizenship is much more complicated than I had originally believed it to be. Teaching students to become global citizens involves more than simply discussing the situations and problems on other countries. Students need to understand the differences between our own society and the societies of other countries in order to understand what is best for people around the world. In order to help our students to understand and become global citizens, teachers need to have appropriate training and educational experiences, which help them to understand what global citizenship means. By educating teachers, they can have a true understanding of what this means, and therefore help our students, as a result.
The question that was asked at the beginning of the reading, “Is there a global way of life?” left me with the answer that yes, the global way of life is to contribute to the good of all countries by helping. Helping others across the world could include making monetary donations to those in need, visiting countries and helping to build up areas in order to give others homes, and to provide people with the care that they may not receive otherwise. Students can get involved with helping people in other countries by first learning about the situations of others and then participating in some sort of learning activity that follows up. The activities that were discussed in last weeks readings are prime examples of how students can connect with students in other countries and make a difference in the lives of others. The book, Brave New Schools discusses the idea that prejudices can be reduced when students participate in cooperative learning with students of different racial backgrounds in order to achieve a common goal. I believe this to be true and I think that when students work together, they forget about the differences between them and look only at the ways in which they are similar. Though I still think that such methods of educating students to be global citizens is effective, I now believe that it is a more complicated process.
When we look at global citizenship, people often think of peace and equality among all people. Nel Noddings, in her introduction to Educating Citizens for Global Awareness, raises an important question that relates to this idea of equality. If a culture or religious group believes that certain groups of people (i.e.—women) are unequal, should we, as Americans who believe otherwise, try to change these beliefs? How do we justify promoting equality among all people to people who think otherwise? Is global citizenship based on the idea that all people should think the same way or that all people should be treated equally? This is a question that has come to my mind.
Another interesting issue raised in the introduction is the difference between national and global citizenship. If we are national citizens who are patriotic and look towards the best interest of our own countries, are we not good global citizens? In a situation such as the war in Iraq, Americans are considered to be good Americans when we support our troops and have a sense of American pride. However, isn’t the promotion of war against the idea of peace and global citizenship? Nel Noddings states, “If it is national unity that concerns us, there is a solution that has almost always worked—war” (p.15). I find myself asking how we can educate students to be good citizens in our own country in addition to good global citizens, when topics such as war arise.
Diversity stretches beyond the differences in racial and ethnic ideals. It also encompasses differences among students in talents and interests. The message within all schools to students seems to center around the idea of lots of schooling, in to college, and beyond. Though I completely agree with the fact that students should be encouraged to stay in school and to reach for high goals, I also think it is important to encourage students to pursue their own interests and talents. By telling students that the best jobs require lots of education, are we indeed telling the truth? Noddings states, “The occupations that will employ the most workers in the next decade are almost all jobs that require little education” (p. 6). As an individual who has completed many years of school beyond high school, I have always been taught that all jobs require education. However, this is not the truth of the matter. Careers in the industries of plumbing, carpentry, and other trades will be in large demand and students who do not necessarily love school should be encouraged to pursue careers in such fields. Though encouraging students to stay in school and continue on through college is an excellent way of beginning one’s life, teacher should recognize that not all students need to complete college in order to gain their own successes. In President Barack Obama’s recent speech to students across America, he stated that most of you (referring to the students) will not be rich; however, all of you can be successful in your own ways. I think that this statement directly relates to the ideas of Nel Noddings and the encouragement of all students to pursue their own interests and become successful in their own ways.
The idea of global citizenship is much more complicated than I had originally believed it to be. Teaching students to become global citizens involves more than simply discussing the situations and problems on other countries. Students need to understand the differences between our own society and the societies of other countries in order to understand what is best for people around the world. In order to help our students to understand and become global citizens, teachers need to have appropriate training and educational experiences, which help them to understand what global citizenship means. By educating teachers, they can have a true understanding of what this means, and therefore help our students, as a result.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Chapters 1 & 2 Critical Reflection
Before reading the assigned chapters, I first read the inside flap of the book to get an idea of what the book would be about. I was happy to find out that the book would feature real cases of teachers, classroom, and students from around the world who have engaged in global learning networks. Because I have never been involved in such a network, either in my graduate studies or in my teaching career, I was very excited to learn about ways that others have found success in doing so.
While reading the first chapter and the paragraphs about Columbus Day and the importance of getting students to think critically, it reminded me of a book that I read in my undergraduate work, called Lies My Teacher Told Me. This book discussed the ways that we were educated in schools and how these ways often did not allow for discussion or critical thinking of our own. Rather, students were simply given information from textbooks that we either regurgitated on a test, or simply learned without further discussion. We were never given opportunities for further inquiry or to discuss reasons that such historical events occurred. In the case of Christopher Columbus, we never looked at him with the perspective of his right to claim Indian land in the name of another land’s crown. This sort of discussion can cause students to challenge the “official” (as stated from Brave New Worlds) versions of history, which is often looked at as a negative effect. However, in my opinion, I feel that critical questions and discussions that arise from looking at situations from multiple perspectives in extremely important in developing student opinions. Furthermore, it gives students a better understanding of history and how it truly happened. The implementation of top-down control is something that should be changed in today’s school systems, so that children can develop a voice of their own after viewing all perspectives of a given situation.
When discussing the importance of teachers and students participating in learning networks that are global, Cummins and Sayers state, “In fact, these students have become more aware of their own culture as a result of the contract they have experienced with another” (p. 13). I completely agree with this idea—students become more aware of themselves when they see others as different. Currently, my sister is completing a semester abroad in Barcelona, Spain. This abroad opportunity is an excellent learning experience in multiple ways, but after being there for only a week, she has told me that she has already learned so much—not necessarily about the Spanish culture, but about the American culture. Because she often notices differences in the Spanish citizens’ customs and appearances, she then begins reflecting on her own differences and what makes her American. I think that by engaging students in online global learning networks, they can better understand themselves first, which will then help them to understand other cultures, as well. This will also help students to become critical learners and to question not only the traditions and ideals of another culture, but also those of their own culture, as well.
The case studies presented in chapter two further the importance of global learning and the effects that it can have worldwide. Important to the idea of creating global networks is access to technology, such as computers with Internet or e-mail. The authors discuss the fact that funding is often dependent on property taxes, which thus affects the availability of resources in various areas. I find it upsetting and confusing how a city such as Bridgeport, CT has such high property taxes, yet funding for education does not seem high. There have been various initiatives throughout the city to help improve education and there have been improvements in various schools on available technology, yet there are still schools within the city that do not have available resources. How do we account for such problems? When, if ever, will such discrepancies be resolved?
The case study of the students who worked together to focus on bringing relief to children in refugee camps in Yugoslavia gave students real stories of the way students and families were treated. If the same group of students had simply read about the war in a textbook, I do not think that they would have been encouraged to think as critically about the situation. Furthermore, I don’t think that the students would have been affected to the extent that they were if they had simply read about it. Reading first-hand accounts of children’s experiences in Yugoslavia brought a sense of feeling and realness to the situation, therefore impacting students and their desires to help.
All of the case studies that were presented had profound impacts on the students involved. Students were able to relate to others and through cooperative learning and discussion, prejudices and other biases were reduced. Through the case study that featured classrooms from San Francisco and New York City, students realized that they had common interests and could become friends, after all. The students were intrigued by the stories of each others’ families, and wanted to learn about the traditions and customs that they shared. I think that this is extremely important and I believe that students learn better when they have desire to learn about the material at hand. When looking back on my own educational experiences, I have clear memories of the information that I learned as a result of my genuine interest in the subject matter—the material that was simply lectured to me did not have significant relevance to my own life and therefore, it was easily forgotten.
Using the Internet to involve American children in a bigger, global community is extremely important in learning and developing their morals, values, and beliefs in our country. When introduced to other students from around the world at a young age, students can better understand both themselves and the world in which they live.
While reading the first chapter and the paragraphs about Columbus Day and the importance of getting students to think critically, it reminded me of a book that I read in my undergraduate work, called Lies My Teacher Told Me. This book discussed the ways that we were educated in schools and how these ways often did not allow for discussion or critical thinking of our own. Rather, students were simply given information from textbooks that we either regurgitated on a test, or simply learned without further discussion. We were never given opportunities for further inquiry or to discuss reasons that such historical events occurred. In the case of Christopher Columbus, we never looked at him with the perspective of his right to claim Indian land in the name of another land’s crown. This sort of discussion can cause students to challenge the “official” (as stated from Brave New Worlds) versions of history, which is often looked at as a negative effect. However, in my opinion, I feel that critical questions and discussions that arise from looking at situations from multiple perspectives in extremely important in developing student opinions. Furthermore, it gives students a better understanding of history and how it truly happened. The implementation of top-down control is something that should be changed in today’s school systems, so that children can develop a voice of their own after viewing all perspectives of a given situation.
When discussing the importance of teachers and students participating in learning networks that are global, Cummins and Sayers state, “In fact, these students have become more aware of their own culture as a result of the contract they have experienced with another” (p. 13). I completely agree with this idea—students become more aware of themselves when they see others as different. Currently, my sister is completing a semester abroad in Barcelona, Spain. This abroad opportunity is an excellent learning experience in multiple ways, but after being there for only a week, she has told me that she has already learned so much—not necessarily about the Spanish culture, but about the American culture. Because she often notices differences in the Spanish citizens’ customs and appearances, she then begins reflecting on her own differences and what makes her American. I think that by engaging students in online global learning networks, they can better understand themselves first, which will then help them to understand other cultures, as well. This will also help students to become critical learners and to question not only the traditions and ideals of another culture, but also those of their own culture, as well.
The case studies presented in chapter two further the importance of global learning and the effects that it can have worldwide. Important to the idea of creating global networks is access to technology, such as computers with Internet or e-mail. The authors discuss the fact that funding is often dependent on property taxes, which thus affects the availability of resources in various areas. I find it upsetting and confusing how a city such as Bridgeport, CT has such high property taxes, yet funding for education does not seem high. There have been various initiatives throughout the city to help improve education and there have been improvements in various schools on available technology, yet there are still schools within the city that do not have available resources. How do we account for such problems? When, if ever, will such discrepancies be resolved?
The case study of the students who worked together to focus on bringing relief to children in refugee camps in Yugoslavia gave students real stories of the way students and families were treated. If the same group of students had simply read about the war in a textbook, I do not think that they would have been encouraged to think as critically about the situation. Furthermore, I don’t think that the students would have been affected to the extent that they were if they had simply read about it. Reading first-hand accounts of children’s experiences in Yugoslavia brought a sense of feeling and realness to the situation, therefore impacting students and their desires to help.
All of the case studies that were presented had profound impacts on the students involved. Students were able to relate to others and through cooperative learning and discussion, prejudices and other biases were reduced. Through the case study that featured classrooms from San Francisco and New York City, students realized that they had common interests and could become friends, after all. The students were intrigued by the stories of each others’ families, and wanted to learn about the traditions and customs that they shared. I think that this is extremely important and I believe that students learn better when they have desire to learn about the material at hand. When looking back on my own educational experiences, I have clear memories of the information that I learned as a result of my genuine interest in the subject matter—the material that was simply lectured to me did not have significant relevance to my own life and therefore, it was easily forgotten.
Using the Internet to involve American children in a bigger, global community is extremely important in learning and developing their morals, values, and beliefs in our country. When introduced to other students from around the world at a young age, students can better understand both themselves and the world in which they live.
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