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FactFile: International Video Conferencing
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One Giant Leap for Education
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“One small conversation by children – one giant leap for education.” This is how John Bird, Headteacher, St Mary’s Primary School, Kent described the impact of a SchoolNet Global international collaborative project.
As part of the SchoolNet Global My Culture project, children across the globe are using the latest video conferencing technology to talk live to each other about their homes, their lives and their cultures - sharing concerns and finding that there are many similarities between their worlds.
Colette Cotton, St Mary’s Primary School, Kent, UK, reports: “The project is taking pupils and staff outside their normal learning environment and promotes creativity, collaboration and individual learning. The link up is also great fun and any technical challenges are fully outweighed by the advantages that these video conferences bring.”
The My Culture video conferencing project uses Apple iChat audio/visual software and iSight cameras.
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Discovering Common Ground
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Prior to A/V sessions, children prepare questions for each other and decide on artifacts and information to share with their overseas partners. During one online meeting, children from Doncaster Elementary School in Victoria, Canada discovered shared traditions with their English counterparts:
“We did some of our questions in French. In Canada they celebrate Canada Day which is a big party where they have hot dogs and fire works! They have Halloween just like us they celebrate by going trick or treating by dressing up and scaring people!” Jessica S
Canadian children were surprised to discover that Canada Day is also acknowledged in Kent when children place flowers on memorial to Canadian soldiers. Mme Simpson from Doncaster Elementary School reports, “…such a powerful experience for all of our students. C’etait excellent. Bravo!”
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Learning First Hand
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Following another link up to Worcester Preparatory School in Maryland, USA, Celeste Bunting, Head of the Lower School said, “This is wonderful. It gives a whole new meaning to communication online. It won’t be just email any more.”
In their write-ups about the project, children describe the experience as “magical,” “cool,” “a life-time experience.” Eleven year old Tom D said, “I think being able to talk to American Children is REALLY COOL, because it means that we can learn about America first hand from Americans. It also means that in future if we wanted to learn French or German we could learn from a real French or German teacher. It also means that we can make friends with people in other countries, whereas before we couldn’t have even talked to them. This is why I think us being able to talk to Americans is really cool, as it will open up thousands of new ways to learn! “
What the children say:
Tricia S.
Dereck A.
Ellen C.
Stevie M.
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SchoolNet Global 
