Tele-what?

Weekly Question-
Search and share 1-3 telecommunication-based projects that you or the teachers you support could do.


     So, our readings lately have been about communication and e-learning... In my last blog, I discussed the importance of good communication and face-to-face interaction when one of the goals of public education is proper socialization.  E-learning provides some challenges, especially in terms of effectively communicating and imparting the everyday nuances of face-to-face communication over a broadband connection.  
     If we ask teachers and students to embrace e-learning, we have to start examining forms of telecommunication and how we can learn through telecommunication projects.  Although I am not sure if this site is what our instructor envisioned when she asked us to find projects, I was drawn to this one-
http://www.ani.org/programs/our-history/narod-armenian-childrens-cultural-institute/narod-network-project/ , and I'll share why.
     From their website- a brief description, "The Narod Network Project provided students and educators in Armenia with the means to share their rich cultural heritage and gain the perspective of their peers in other parts of the world."  And, "With the training and assistance of the Narod Network Project staff, students and teachers across the globe logged on to the Project once a week through the bilingual Narod Institute website at www.narod.org. Once logged on, a series of programmatic activities with varied educational themes would link them to a wealth of information and resources. The flow of activities naturally immersed the students in a collaborative learning environment where they developed communication, teamwork, and problem solving skills."
     I think this is an awesome example of telecommunication projects and how they can involve children and teachers in projects/experiences that would otherwise prove impossible.
     Kennesaw State University places an emphasis on international relationships- last year was the year of Romania.  Many of our faculty and students traveled to Romania and participated in a variety of exchange programs with their counterparts at universities over there.  This year, we are doing the year of Peru.  We will be engaging in similar projects with students and faculty at institutions of higher learning in that country this year.  If someone were to create a telecommunication project like the one I linked above (the Narod project focuses on Armenia), the international experience wouldn't be limited to those who could participate in the exchange.  More of our students and faculty and theirs could get to know each other in meaningful ways through a telecommunication project.  It would be pretty awesome... With technology offering so many programs like Google+ Hangouts and FaceTime, there is no reason why speaking face to face through a webcam couldn't be just as valuable as meeting in person. 
     I do think that the actual experience is lost (of traveling)... But in today's world (with our economic and political situations) teleconferencing seems to be a viable solution to learning about each other without taking the risks of actually going somewhere.... Think about how these types of projects could influence the thinking of our children when it comes to the Middle East?  How valuable would a project like this be if we were able to connect our children with those in Palestine or Libya?  Oh, the possibilities....