The Global Classroom: Advancing Cultural Awareness in Special Schools through Collaborative Work Using ICT

Autor/inn/en	Abbott, Lesley; Austin, Roger; Mulkeen, Aidan; Metcalfe, Nigel
Titel	The Global Classroom: Advancing Cultural Awareness in Special Schools through Collaborative Work Using ICT
Quelle	In: European Journal of Special Needs Education, 19 (2004) 2, S.225-240 (16 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0885-6257
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Interpersonal Competence; Learning Problems; Cultural Awareness; Special Schools; Information Technology; Literacy; Teacher Attitudes; Cooperation; Computer Mediated Communication + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Interpersonale Kompetenz; Lernproblem; Cultural identity; Kulturelle Identität; Special school; Sonderschule; Informationstechnologie; Alphabetisierung; Schreib- und Lesefähigkeit; Lehrerverhalten; Co-operation; Kooperation; Computerkonferenz
Abstract	This paper reports research on cross-national collaboration through Information and Communications Technology (ICT) within the statutory curricula of 10 special schools in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Working in north-south paired classes, the pupils carried out joint tasks using asynchronous computer conferencing and videoconferencing. The full spectrum of learning difficulty and disability was represented amongst the participating pupils. Interviews were conducted to elicit the views and experiences of the teachers in the 2002/03 cohort. The main aims were to discover whether cultural awareness developed through joint tasks using the two technologies, if computer conferencing improved literacy and ICT skills, and if videoconferencing enhanced oral communication. The results showed that cultural awareness developed as far as cognition allowed, when pupils in partner schools became aware of similarities as well as differences. Those with sufficient keyboard ability benefited from computer conferencing and ICT competence improved, but the much preferred medium for collaborative, inter-school work was videoconferencing. All but the most dependent pupils could participate, and valuable, transferable social and communication skills were acquired. (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10