I found a lesson that was called East/West Culture Exchange where a fourth grade class from Taipei, Taiwan was wanting to interact with students from another part of the world. The Taiwanese students spoke both Mandarin and English and were hoping to discuss language, holidays, and class assignments over Skype so that they could learn more about each other's cultures. I use this in a lesson to teach my students about geography and other cultures.
The Student NET's that this project would fulfill are:
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
The Teacher NET's that this project would fulfill are:
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate
experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
d. Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices.
d. Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital age communication and collaboration tools
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources.
a. Participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning
I found a similar lesson. I remember when I was in first grade, my class was PenPals with my teacher's friend who taught in Australia. It was so exciting to send and receive letters, but I can imagine it would be even cooler to Skype with them.
ReplyDeleteThe communication and collaboration that Skype offers is a great way to educate students on the difference in cultures and customs of people across the world. this seems like an effective and reliable tool for classroom use and could prove beneficial for both parties.
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