Classrooms around the world can be collaborate easier thanks to ePals, a website devoted to learning through global collaboration. This website has eight projects already designed to promote cross-cultural learning through an exploration of weather, global warming, or habits. What I like most about these projects are the fact that each one is linked to national standards so that I can assure that my students are meeting certain objectives. I would probably use these projects in my ESL classroom because they allow students to explore not only U.S. customs but also their own native traditions and customs as well as other customs and traditions across the globe. The topics for these projects are very relevant to the lives and cultures of my ESL students. There is so much knowledge to be shared when using these projects with classrooms in other parts of the globe.
ePals also offers a forum where teachers can find other classrooms across the globe to work together on a lesson plan of their own design. I really liked reading about different teachers trying to find other classrooms to connect with on a similar topic, such as The Great Gatbsy or current events in the news. This offers me the ability to find other teachers to work with if I ever have a great project that I want to share with the another classroom. I see myself using these forums to connect with teachers from across the globe to share ideas and get feedback.
I also like the fact that this forum also has sub-forums for technology, special education, and other resources. Special education is an area that I have already noticed that my pedagogical knowledge is lacking; therefore, this forum can be very valuable to me as a teacher.
A great synchronous tool to use while completing an ePals project with another classroom would be Skype. Skype provides another manner of communication for both teachers and students. Email is the method of communication while using ePals but students and classrooms can also be connected virtually through this program. Teachers can use Skype to work on the project together in real time, instead of waiting for emails. Skype allows students to see the other students that they are working with and communicate face-to-face. Therefore, when using Skype in my ESL classroom, my students will be using English in authentic and meaningful ways.
Skype and ePals sounds like an excellent combination. However, I would suggest getting quite familiar with one of the programs through using it with students and then adding the other. Each new tool always requires some learning on the part of both teachers and students and, often times, the students use the tools in totally unexpected and, often very good, ways.
ReplyDeleteDr. Burgos