The world is flat.
That is a statement that some would disagree with, until we look at it
from a technological point of view.
Thanks to the advancement in technology, you may have a coworker who is
in Germany, another in Mexico and another in Switzerland, yet you can
collaborate on projects and attend meetings together as if you were all located
in the same building. We have many
applications today that bring us together and connect us globally. Skype, Facetime, Instant Messaging, Wikis,
blogs, Google Apps…and the list goes on and on.
There was a commercial many years ago for shampoo where the
actress says the shampoo is so good that you’ll tell two friends about it, and
they’ll tell two friends…and so on and so on…
Our network of connections today is very much like that, and can expand exponentially
within minutes. As we connect with
someone locally through a blog, for example, we may then be connected with
someone across the world who comments on something we have written. That connection can further expand if we find
we have something in common and something to share. A teacher may respond to a blog about a
particular lesson, and through that comment, connect with another teacher in
another country. The two may decide to
bring their classrooms together through a project such as the Flat Classroom
project. Now the connections have
expanded to include others in the Flat Classroom project. That project may lead to another connection …and
so on…and so on.
As evidenced by the success of the Flat Classroom and Digiteen/Digitween
projects, global connections can be made that relate to the standard
curriculum. Students today have the advantage
of being able to learn about different cultures first hand by communicating
with other students who live in that culture.
There is not a more authentic experience than learning directly from
others what it is like to live in a particular country except living there
yourself. The Flat Classroom project is
a perfect example of authentic learning experiences. The students communicate and ask questions
about everyday living in other countries as one of the projects.
Lessons about the global economy and understanding
international business and trade can be made more authentic by collaborating
with students as well as businesses around the world. Some businesses may be willing to collaborate
with students and be a mentor to answer their questions or guide them through
projects such as “a day in the life of”….
Technology has provided us with instant access to the
world. The potential connections and
opportunities are limitless. We are no
longer hampered by geographical location.
We can attend classes online. We
can telecommute to our jobs. Businesses
can advertise to millions by the click of a mouse.
As educators, we are always learning. It’s important that we keep up on the
technology advancements that are so beneficial to us and our students. Students can engage in real time
communication all over the globe. With
this ability comes a great deal of responsibility as well. Digital citizenship and safety are more
critical now than ever before. We need
to encourage our students to be curious and ask questions and reach out to
others, but we also must teach them to be safe and respectful.
I’ll end with this quote, which sums up how important it is
to continually learn and adapt to the ever changing world.
“What we learn today in school will be outdated
by tomorrow, and therefore, the most successful people in the 'flat world' will
be those who can adapt and learn quickly. The greater our curiosity and passion
for learning, the greater chances we will have for success later in life"
(O'Neal, 2006)
Lindsay, J, Davis, V. (n.d.). Flat Clasroom Project.
Retrieved from http://www.flatclassroomproject.org/
O'Neal, C. (2006, October 17). What Does "The
World Is Flat" Mean for Education?: A Closer Look at Our Educational Globe.
Retrieved from Edutopia:
http://www.edutopia.org/what-does-world-flat-mean-education
Great Post Debbie and great resources. I completely agree with you in that technology has made the connections and resources to student learning and communication limitless which also brings a lot of responsibility. In my field experience for EDU 642 what is always coming up in trying to incorporate Web 2.0 resources into the classroom are student rights and safety issues. One of the concerns is that some parents might view students being forced to make accounts on web resources such as Epals as an invasion of privacy and that sharing full names with classrooms through the Internet might affect them in a bad way later on.
ReplyDeleteHowever, by keeping students from such resources, we are limiting their access to knowledge and possibly their future success. As you have said, the answer to these concerns is by adapting to change. Although the Internet has made it so that whatever is shared cannot be undone completely, by adapting to these changes through proper research and planning schools can help protect students' identities while conversing and learning in the global community.