Global Education

As I near the end of my formal education after 21 years in the classroom as a student, I find myself reflecting more and more on things my teachers did right, attempted to do right, or things that did not go so well throughout my education. On my return flight from the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association conference in Columbus, Ohio this week, somewhere over Kentucky, I found myself reflecting on the use of video conferencing with a class in Russia that my eighth grade social studies teacher attempted on a regular basis. I began to laugh. The teacher, Mr. Bonedise, attempted almost weekly to get the conferencing device to work. Throughout the entire year, I think we were only able to conference one time, but I do admire is persistence! Keep in mind the year was 1995 and technology in the classroom was a very new concept in most schools.

Looking back on Mr. Bonedise's class, I realized it was the beginning of my desire to learn about other cultures around the world. Sure it was not the best attempt at learning about other cultures, since this was also pre-NCLB (No Child Left Behind), so we spent the majority of the class period simply watching him struggle with the video equipment and attempt to remain calm. Nonetheless, this class sparked my interest in attempting to learn about diverse cultures.

Today, feats such as classroom video conferencing through the use of programs such as Skype have made communication with other classrooms halfway around the world more accessible and less frustrating. However, I am not sure teachers are taking advantage of this global learning experience. 

Some teachers might ask a few of the following questions when contemplating video conferencing in their classrooms:

• Why would my students want to talk to other classes or people around the world?
• What does video conferencing have to do with my standards?
• What benefit would conferencing with others around the world have for my students (especially their test scores)?
• Is there any real-world application to video conferencing or is it a waste of time?

All of the questions are things I have contemplated throughout the use of video conferencing in my classroom, even when Skyping with a military pilot in California. No matter what the reasoning is students become more motivated and engaged in a global conversation when video conferencing is utilized in the classroom. The world is no longer separated by oceans. In fact, many businesses rely on video conferencing in order to hold meetings, make decisions, and even hire employees. 

Isn't it about time classrooms in America start inspiring students to become global participants in the world we live in?