MAKING CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS IN AN INTERCONNECTED WORLD:

Online Collaborative Learning in Central Asia

Ryder CobeanJuly 8, 2011

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH & EXCHANGES BOARD (IREX)

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS& EXCHANGE PROGRAM(GCE)

US DEPARTMENT OF STATEBUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL & CULTURAL AFFAIRS (ECA)

GCE GOAL:Promote mutual understanding in youth of US and

Kyrgyzstan

Online Projects

Skype Video Conferences

collaborative educational activities linked to a theme, based around multimedia posts in a forum for 3-5 weeks (users post one or two times a week)

45 mins-1 hr, either stand-alone or part of a project

Uzbekistan2003-2007

Turkmenistan2006-2008

Kyrgyzstan2009-present

Eight years of GCE in Central Asia

GCE is in 22 schools

and 3 libraries

In Kyrgyzstan:

GCE has connected 21 schools

with Kyrgyzstan

In the United States:

gcekyrgyzstan.ning.com

GCE Kyrgyzstan has hosted 50+ online projects at its community site

Project: Mapping My Community

Students map assets of their neighborhoods, share changes they’d make as mayor

“If I would have been mayor I would build a [museum], shop, supermarket and a park near our house, would put up the lamp near the roads so that it light us on the way.”

Project: Cold War Experiences

Students prepare questions together, interview community members who lived during the Cold War, compare responses

Project: Global Grocery Baskets

Students discuss typical food purchases in their families, compare food sources/preparation, and share recipes

Online Projects Promote Student-driven Learning

“I made Pelmeni – I think the recipe may have been put up in 4th period’s group. Mine didn’t come out very pretty, but the filling inside the dumplings was pretty good :)”

-- Arizona student, making dumplings at home from a recipe she found during a project

Lesson from Experience: Plan, Train, Rehearse, and PARTICIPATE

Plan project with an outcome, train students in the tech, rehearse in class

before you do it live, and do the project with them

Lesson: Clear Communication is Key

Simple English, no slang, consider potential sensitivities of any project topic

(Привет you go to рынок?

You may see

from their class,)(oMg tH4t hAt

uR wEaRiN iZ oFf dA h00k

and

from your own)

Lesson: Backup Plans and Flexibility Separate Successful Projects from Disappointments

School closures, power outages, miscommunications – be ready to extend, postpone, and adjust… OR encourage an unexpected discussion if valuable

Questions? Interested in a Project?

Email us! GCEKG@IREX.ORG

GCE US Teacher Manuals Available