Abstract
The focus of this paper is a case study of a Texas-based school that implemented global projects to connect their students with many states and countries as a platform for integrating collaboration and communication skills, technology tools, and cultural diversity into an existing curriculum. The school introduced videoconferencing at every grade level K-8 in a school-wide initiative to bring the world to the classroom through the engagement of global learning projects with distant partners. A rubric is presented that provides a framework for improvement of interaction and engagement in videoconferencing experiences to develop best practices. For the purposes of this paper, the value of global projects in K-4 will be discussed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Abbott, L., Austin, R., Mulkeen, A., & Metcalfe, N., (2004). The global classroom: Advancing cultural awareness in special schools through collaborative work using ICT. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 19(2), 225–240.
AT & T Knowledge Network Explorer, (2007). Retrieved from http://www.kn.pacbell.com/.
Austin, R., Smyth, J., Mallon, M., Mulkeen, A., & Metcalfe, N., (2004). Dissolving boundaries supporting transformation in the classroom? Retrieved April 16, 2012, from http://www.dissolvingboundaries.org/research/sep2004.doc.
Bell, S., (2010). Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future. The Clearing House, 83: 39–43, 2010.
Burke, M., Beach, B., and Isman, A., (1997). Learning community link: Enhancing learning using telecommunication technologies. THE (Technological Horizons in Education) Journal, vol. 25, issue 1.
CILC (2012). Content provider programs. Retrieved from http://www.cilc.org/c/education/content_provider_programs.aspx
Cifuentes, L., & Murphy, K. L., (2000). Promoting multicultural understanding and positive Self-concept through a distance learning community: Cultural connections. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(1), 69-83.
Comber, C., Lawson, T., Gage, J., Cullum-Hanshaw, A., Allen, T., Hingley, P., & Boggon, J., (2004a). Evaluation for the DFES Videoconferencing in the Classroom Project: Final report. London: Department for Education and Skills.
Curtis, D., (2002). The Power of Projects. Educational Leadership, 60(1), 50-53.
Davies, B., (1993). Tools for teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Dewey, J., (1938). Experience and education. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Eales, R.T.J., Neale, D.C. & Carroll, J.M., (1999). Desktop videoconferencing as a basis for computer supported collaborative learning in K-12 classrooms. Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications Conference, at Seattle, WA.
Edutopia (2012). Project-based learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org-project-based-learning.
Fung, L., & Chan, Y., (2009). The interflow of two rivers: An inter-school CSCL project on improving water quality by using videoconferencing. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 10, Issue 2, Article 15, p.1 (Dec., 2009)
Gage, J., (2003). Videoconferencing in the mathematics lesson. Coventry: Beta.
Gerstein, R., (2000). Videoconferencing in the classroom: Special projects toward cultural understanding. Computers in the Schools, vol. 16, issue 3/4, pp. 177-186.
Global Leap, (2012).Videoconferencing in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.globalleap.org/.
Gultekin, M., (2005). The effect of project based learning on learning outcomes in the 5th grade social studies course in primary education. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice 5(2): 548–56.
Hancock, V., & Betts, F., (2002). Back to the future: Preparing learners for academic success in 2004. Learning & Leading with Technology, 29(7), 10-13, 27.
International Education and Resource Network, (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.iearn.org/
Jonassen, D., (2000). Computers as mindtools for schools: Engaging critical thinking. Merrill, Upper River Saddle, NJ.
Kaldi, S., Filippatou, D., & Govaris, C., (2011). Project-based learning in primary schools: effects on pupils’ learning and attitudes. Education 3–13 Vol. 39, No. 1, February 2011, 35–47.
Lawson, T., & Comber, C., (2010). Videoconferencing in English schools: One technology, many pedagogies? Technology, Pedagogy and Education Vol. 19, No. 3, October 2010, 315–326.
McCombs, G. B., Ufnar, J. A., & Shepherd, V. L., (2007). The virtual scientist: Connecting university scientists to the K-12 classroom through videoconferencing. Advances in Physiology Education, 31(1), 62-66.
Merrick, S., (2005). Videoconferencing K-12: The state of the art. Retrieved from http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=24. (February, 2012).
Newman, I., Newman, C., Brown, R., & Mc-Neely, S., (2006). Conceptual statistics for beginners (3rd ed.). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Payne, F., Gooday, M., Coutts, N., Duncan, A., & Wolfe, A., (2006). The use of videoconferencing for learning and teaching: Evaluation of the Global Learning and International Classroom Project. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Scottish Educational Research Association, Perth, Scotland. Retrieved April 16, 2012, from http://www.sera.ac.uk/docs/2006/Programme2006final.pdf.
Pringle, R., Klosterman, M., Milton-Brkich, K., Hayes, L., (2010). Collaborative distance learning. Science and Children. Summer 2010. P. 52-56.
Stafford-Levy, M., & Wilburg, K. M., (2000). Multicultural technology integration: The winds of change amid the sands of time. In D. L. Johnson, C. D. Maddux, & L. Liu (Eds.), Integration of technology into the classroom: Case studies (pp. 121-134). Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press. Stafford-Levy & Wilburg.
Szente, J., (2003). Teleconferencing across borders: Promoting literacy and more in the elementary grades. Childhood Education, 79(5), 299-304.
Tanner L., (1997). Dewey’s laboratory school: Lessons for today. New York: Teachers College Press.
Thomas, J. W., (2000). A review of research on PBL. http://www.bobpearlman.org/BestPractices/PBL_Research.pdf (accessed April 16, 2012).
Thorpe, R., (1998). The use of personal videoconferencing with special needs pupils from three schools serving rural areas: A case of successful adoption of new technology. Journal of Information Technology for Teacher Education, vol.7, issue 3.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.
To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
About this article
Cite this article
Hopper, S.B. Bringing the World to the Classroom through Videoconferencing and Project-based Learning. TECHTRENDS TECH TRENDS 58, 78–89 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-014-0755-4
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-014-0755-4