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 * PLC group: ** Improve cultural awareness and language skills through intercultural communication using technology


 * Participants: ** Brian Brennan / Bob Jones / Serge Wessels / Mike Willie


 * __ Presentation __**

1) __**Overview:**__

 * What is our project?** E-mail communication with students and educators from other countries


 * What was our Goal?** Improve communication with and understanding of other cultures

Anecdote about Senior who didn’t know they have cars in Egypt

**__New NJ Standards__** - Social Studies and World Languages – global communication

** SOC.9-12.6.3.12 ** - [//Standard//] - __All students will acquire the skills needed to be active, informed citizens who value diversity and promote cultural understanding by **working collaboratively** to address the challenges that are inherent in living in an **interconnected world**__.

** SOC.9-12.6.2.12 ** - [//Standard//] - All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically and systematically about how past interactions of people, cultures, and the environment affect issues across time and cultures. Such knowledge and skills enable students to __make informed decisions as socially and ethically responsible world citizens in the 21st century__.

Adresses various modes of communication (interpretive ->listening, reading letters or texts/ interpersonal ->communication with texts or oral with skype / presentational -> writing, talking )

2) **__How did we do it:__**
[|**Epals**] is an electronic platform that enables students, teachers, and classrooms in the global community to communicate about issues and topics, to collaborate on a variety of projects, and to engage in problem solving that incorporates multiple perspectives. From the ACTFL

**__Show Epals Site__** – explain why we picked it over other sites (www.students of the world.info - etc) [|Go to ePals] [|Go to SOTW]

[] - rejected because....all ages - not student-centered [] - all ages - not student centered [] - hook-up site - not exactly what we had in mind [] - hook-up site - Serge was interested (oh, those French!)
 * __Other sites investigated included:__**

**__Why Wikis__** – explain – Show Serge’s Wiki

**__Key Issues/Complications__** – coordinate calendars

**3)** __What worked and what did not:__
A work in Progress - want to improve upon it as we move forward Experiment – many ways to do it – different degrees of control – too controlled, lose interest – too loose, don’t know what they are talking about

**What worked....**
__Some Milestones__ a) Get in Contact with Teachers in Other Countries / first contact over ePals / Possible direct communication with Skype b) Create accounts and put Sparta students in touch with students from other countries c) Get other colleagues to use e-pals (How-To Guide)

**__Things We Learned__** – to improve the project – more topic-centered – Wikis worked – more communication with teachers – grades attached - Skype is appealing

**__Comparison Chart__**
 * **Type of Tech** || **Control Level** || **Interest Level** || **Ease of Communication** || Speed of Communication ||
 * Epals || High || Moderate || Easy || Slow ||
 * Facebok || Very Low || High || Very Easy || Very Fast ||
 * Skype || Moderate || Very High || Very Easy || Very Fast ||
 * Wiki || High || Moderate || Very Easy || Moderately Fast ||

**What did NOT work...**
__Major weaknesses__ a) Can't expect kids to do work on their own - at home - not going to happen b) Can't expect kids to automatically become curious about other cultures on their own c) Can't expect kids to talk about academic issues and move beyond just cultural topics d) Lack of continuity and regularity of exchanges. Exchanges were too sporadic

**__Future Ideas__** - a) iEARN as an option - more project focused - b) Facebook - a site/account for each class - allows for easier communication between groups - more instantaneous - but risk is loss of control c) Face-to-Face - set up meeting over summer or early in year - make personal connection - use communication as follow-up d) Skype - start with Teacher-to-Teacher over summer - then during year have class-to-class Skyping newest thing [|skype for educators] e) Change Focus - more on global issues/current events - go beyond just cultural awareness - create projects

What could work
Want to involve more teachers


 * __ Epals Project – Creating an Epals Account __**

Goal: To facilitate contacts between our students and students of other countries.

Improve communication and understanding between US students and other cultures

1. Log onto the epals website: [|www.epals.com] 2. Click on “Join Now” in upper right hand corner.

3. Enter your school email address.

4. Go to your e-mail account and look for the e-mail from ePals. Open e-mail and click on link.

5. Fill in account information form. Provide your name, birth date, password, etc.

You will need to enter your classroom roster.