Walking a Virtual Mile

A Telecollaboration Lesson
for the 5th Grade
Geography Global
Classroom Project

Designed by Albertha Cahee, David Navis,
Ruth Trimarco, Stephanie Walden

mcse_58@yahoo.com
david_navis@yahoo.com
ruthtrimarco@yahoo.com
swalden65@yahoo.com

Introduction

“Walking A Virtual Mile” was developed as part of the requirements for EDTEC 570, Advanced Teaching with Technology. This lesson allows the students to see outside their own “World” and provide the students an opportunity to study people, places and environments of which they normally would not get a first hand view.

Learners

This project was designed as a fifth grade social studies project. However, it can easily be modified and extended to any grade level. The unit is cross-curricular. It will include using the writing process in language arts, involve data collection and interpretation as well as technology.

Prior to completing this lesson, learners will need to know how to brainstorm, use email, carry on an investigation, and collect data and interpret it. They will need to know how to access the internet and use email to communicate with others.

Curriculum Standards

Social Studies:
This Social Studies unit will include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity, so that the learner can compare, contrast and evaluate the following with their culture and that of another:

1. Students identify famous landmarks or points of interest where they live and the significance of them.
2. Students explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar popular or traditional style of dress.
3. Students identify traditional and popular foods and give examples of how food tastes may be interpreted differently by people from diverse cultural perspectives.
4. Students collaborate as a team and describe a day in the life of an “Average” Student" in their area.
5. Students identify and communicate what the class would you still like to know about the other collaborating class.
6. Students use critical thinking skills to identify and describe the importance of cultural unity and diversity within and across groups from different cultures using examples.

English Language Arts:

1. Students emply a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to commumicate with partner groups for a variety of purposes.
2. Students conduct research on issues and interest by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, and people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
3. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, and video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
4. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
5. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning , enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

The technology foundation standards: (http://cnets.iste.org/students/s_stands.html)
Standards within each category are to be introduced, reinforced, and mastered by students.

1. Basic operations and concepts
• Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
• Students are proficient in the use of technology.
2. Social, ethical, and human issues
• Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
• Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
3. Technology productivity tools
• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
• Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.
4. Technology communications tools
• Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
• Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
5. Technology research tools
• Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
• Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
• Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.
6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
• Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
• Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

Partners

The collaborating class for this exercise, must be made up of students from another environment considered very different from the hosting class. This may include students from another state or country. It is preferable that one set of students have no more than three partner school groups at any one time. To locate a partner school group, log on to www.ePals.com. Sign up and then go to the "Search For Classrooms" link and identify a profile you would like to communicate with. Before entering the project, contact the participating teachers to discuss school calendar, time table and compatibility.

Process

“Walking A Virtual Mile” is based on Judi Harris’ Virtual Architecture on Interpersonal Exchange.

This Telacollaborative Lesson will be performed in the classroom over a five-week period. Each day, the class will spend 40 minutes. Students will brainstorm as a whole class on day one, drafts will be done individually. Peer conferencing will be done in small groups. Final draft and emailing and chatting will be done with a partner from the collaborating class and the final discussion will bedone in a whole class environment. A proposed schedule follows:

As a first step to develop this lesson, the teacher needs to contact other teachers of 5th grade classes in English speaking schools to arrange an exchange. A suggested place to start would be Intercultural E-mail Classroom Connections: www.iecc.org

Once the two teachers get to know each other via email, phone or live chat sessions, they can begin to work together on developing this project.

Teachers should be aware of the dates that each school starts and ends, their school term and what the holidays may disrupt the schedule. It is important to plan activities around school breaks.

It is strongly recommended that the two classes be of equal or similar size (as close as you can). This will allow for maximum participation and interaction by the students. Matching students by age, English writing ability level, and by how outgoing or shy they are will enhance the process. An effective way of matching students would be if each teacher prepare a spreadsheet to exchange listing all the students names, age, gender, email address, and English writing ability.

Once the logistics for meeting havebeen completed, the teachers should post the email topics and due dates on the Global Class website that both groups have access to.

Teacher should give pointers to student about how to access email, use a password, protecting their password, how to write an email, what to say, how to keep it interesting. Email and Internet ettique, also known as nettique, should be taught to the students early in the project. (See the resource section below for further information.) Other technological logistics to think of include the possibility of a live chat session, be aware of time zones. Try to pick a country that is in a timezone that will be compatible with your schedule. Will the school's software and hardware allow for video and/or audio chat. Don't make promises to the students you cannot keep.

Variations: If school is canceled for any reason we will cut out the chat first, followed by the peer conference/revision. If there are more days, we will double a period, and any cancellations beyond three days, we will cancel that week's lesson and move on to the next topic.

There are certain logistical difficulties that can be avoided with careful planning. Students will use time online to reach specific objectives to avoid those projects where students act as mere pen pals.

It is important to remember that teachers must give the students ownership, but still keep them closely monitored.

Teachers should tell all students to carbon copy (cc) BOTH teachers on all emails sent to their ePals. This way there is a record of all ingoing and outgoing emails. I can be used to judge participation, monitor content, and just be a backup in case any emails fail to go through.

Exchanging class photos adds an element of realism so the students get to know each other better. Be sure to obtain parent and administrative permission before doing so.

Resources Needed

To successfully implement this lesson, students will need:

• Computers with high-speed Internet connections
• E-mail accounts for all students
• Collaborative classes
• One teacher per class
• Use of Computer Lab
• Internet
• Digital Camera and photo Software – to Exchange class photos
• Web Design Software & access to space on a server – for Global Classroom Website
  (where the results of the project and the students can check the class website for updates)
  

This activity involves using several websites. We suggest the following:
http://www.iecc.org/ - IECC is a free teaching.com service to help teachers link with partners in other cultures and countries for email classroom pen-pal and other project exchanges.
http://virtual-architecture.wm.edu/Projects%2BResources/locators.html - is a correspondent locator that will help classes find each other. There are six sites linked to this page.
http://virtual-architecture.wm.edu/Projects%2BResources/october-97-LLT.html - This page covers "The Issue of Scale in Netiquette"

Any student's parent can assist with each class that participates in this activity and aid students in accessing the Internet and E-mail account. If possible a computer lab assistant could be assigned to assist with technical related problems or questions.

Evaluation

All emails will be carbon copied to the teacher. A rubric will be designed in collaboration with partner teachers. The rubric will assess the following areas:
Email - spelling and grammer skills
Content - was the topic of the week answered
Technology - is there a way to improve our communication
Participation - was the student a collaborator, lone ranger, did he/she work cooperatively.

Credits & References

Globe art: purchased as a part of ClickArt 200,000 Image Pak by Broderbund

In the Kitchen - Designs for Telecollaboration and Telepresence: by Judi Harris: http://virtual-architecture.wm.edu/Telecollaboration/index.html

Interlink project: http://www.interlink.org.nz/index.html

The Geo-Mystery project: http://kalama.doe.hawaii.edu/hern96/pt053/GEOMYstery/geomys.html

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