United Beyound Our Diversity

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United Beyond Our Diversity A Global
Panorama Tiles of Unity
Dr. Cheryl Morgan, iEARN-UK Eliane Metni,
iEARN-Lebanon
University of Ulster September 10 13,
2006The Role of ICT in Bridge-Building and
Social Inclusion
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Who Are You?

• Online Project-Based Learning
• How many have taken part in online PBL?
• How successful was your online PBL?
• a) Very successful
• b) Somewhat successful
• c) Not successful
• d) No experience

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Welcome and Introductions

• Welcome, Bienvenue, ???? ?????
• Who are we?
• Cheryl Morgan, iEARN-UK, EC
• Eliane Metni, iEARN-Lebanon

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What is iEARN? The International Education And
Resource Network
16 Years 115 Countries 38 Languages 150 Pr
ojects 25,000 Schools 1,000,000 Participants
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Year One Process Based on LCLearning Circles,
Concept Overview

• Learning Circles proven educational concept
  where learners shape their learning with their
  online partners, facilitators set the theme and
  each group of students formulates their own
  question. http//learningcircles.kennisnet.nl/int
  ernationaal0607/phases
• Six Phases Preparation, Introduction, Questions,
  Research, Summary, Closing
• Four Steps The underlying information learning
  line consists of a structure where learners take
  4 steps with their online partners
• Finding information
• Validating information
• Processing information
• Presenting information

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Have a look at a few questions formulated by
students
The Netherlands, What kind of prejudice do people
in your country have about the Netherlands? What
kind of prejudice do you think other countries
have about your country? Lebanon, Does
technology bridge the gap between people who come
from different parts of the world, does it
eliminate bias, in other words, is technology
there to unite us beyond our diversity. What role
do we play in that? Canada, Within your
culture is there a distinction made between
social classes? How are each of these classes
treated? Do these social classes exist in your
school and how do they differ in society? Are any
of your social classes segregated from others in
society? Would social classes be obvious to
everyone or more discrete? Who is the minority
and who is the majority? Does media play a role
in distinguishing classes? Romania, What are the
similarities and differences in the spring
celebrations in our cultures.
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Have a look at a few questions formulated by
students
Ukraine, What is the attitude to the immigrants
in your country? Are they accepted through
certain stereotypes? What nation stereotypes
exist in your country? Tunisia, To what extent
are we tolerant? What is "tolerance" for
you? Macedonia, We would like to know
How much are human rights respected in you
country? Have all people equal rights
(considering nationalities, gender, race etc)?
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Questions For You
Ukraine, What is the attitude to the immigrants
in your country? Are they accepted through
certain stereotypes? What nation stereotypes
exist in your country? What is the attitude
toward immigrants in your country? a) Welcomed b)
Tolerated c) Discriminated against d) Treated as
criminals
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Questions For You
Questions For You

• Macedonia, We would like to know How much are
  human rights respected in your country? Have all
  people equal rights (considering nationalities,
  gender, race etc)?
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

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Overview of United Beyond Diversity Year One
Components
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United Beyond Our Diversity 4 Learning Circles
2 English, 1 Arabic, 1 French

• Project sites
• http//learningcircles.kennisnet.nl/internationaal
  /ubd
• http//www.iearnlb.org/s_prog/ubod/06/ubod.php

18 countries 44 classes Students no less than
880 3 languages
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Overview United Beyond Our DiversityMurals
Production

• The Lebanese components of the murals
• Planning http//www.iearnlb.org/s_prog/ubod/06/
  ubod.php
• Making half the murals
• The International components of the murals
• http//learningcircles.kennisnet.nl/internationaal
  /ubd/muralsnl

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Implications of being involved in a Learning
Circle

• Learners have ownership of the learning process
• LC reinforce the social aspect of learning as
  there is a high interdependence amongst learners.
  Each member must respond to all questions asked
  by the LC partners so that learning is weaved and
  processed in partnership with the other and can
  not continue without the partners.
• LC broadens learners global perspectives
  especially if the LC groups 12 classes from
  around the world
• Learners see their own situation through the eyes
  and perspective of their fellow learners

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Implications of being involved in a Learning
Circle

• Time and classroom management are enhanced
  through collaboration amongst students to
  formulate questions, research, summarize and
  present. So though the LC activities schedule is
  strict, teachers have ample flexibility on how
  best to manage the activities in their classrooms
  
• Tasks, requirements and phases are clear in
  advance, published online and progress is updated
  on the web on a weekly basis
• The technology is equally accessible across the
  haves/have not as involvement does not require
  cutting-edge technology tools or high speed
  bandwidth

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United Beyond Our Diversity Outcomes and
Observation

• Students research and summaries reflect that
  though diverse and very different we are all
  united.
• Students develop a strong sense of ownership and
  are inquiring about ways to proceed in year two
• The activities and events related to the
  project
• mural production,
• communication online,
• meeting at the iEARN international conference
• helped to create a sense of community and
  consolidated the online relationship and work

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Where Are We Today?

• Current Activities
• Work with students of de Breul School in Zeist,
  The Netherlands, to complete the two art murals
• Invite students to reflect on the LC process and
  outcomes and how they relate to the fact their
  fellow students are in a conflict situation. We
  ask the students to share their feelings about
  this situation.
• When the violence ends and, hopefully, when
  things are calm in Lebanon, hold a
  videoconference between the students from the
  Netherlands and Lebanon.

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This Academic Year
Based on students interests, observations, and
questions, we will focus on one theme to
discuss How are we similar/different in our
attitudes towards the challenges we face?
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Year Two Overview
The aims of the project in year 2 to build a
virtual and physical United beyond our
Diversity Panorama to be presented on-line and
at the 2007 iEARN World Conference in Cairo,
Egypt. to expand the project to include
additional classes of students from countries all
over the world
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Year Two Overview

• Timeline
• September 2006 Planning create guide on-line
• October 2006 Invitations to join
• November 2006 till May 2007 Project opens for
  registration and contributions
• July 2007 Present the United beyond our
  Diversity Panorama in Cairo

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Year Two Structure

• Program structure
• School/teacher/class study the project guide
  on-line
• Class registers for the project
• Tag on Google Earth
• Where are we?
• Who are we?
• Pictures and text of classes in one webpage

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Year Two Structure

• Program structure
• Lesson plan applied
• Introduction of concept
• Class reflection / activity
• Decide on your United beyond our Diversity focus
• Create a United beyond our Diversity Panorama
  tile and text. Text can be free style, could be
  poetry, prose, reflections etc not more than 250
  words
• Tile 50x50 cm. size to be mounted in a circle
  Panorama which is accessible online as well as
  physically assembled in Cairo, Egypt.
• Submit your contribution and enjoy the global
  contributions

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Year Two Outcomes

• Virtual and real panoramic exhibition of text and
  tiles reflecting unity beyond diversity
• A web site with all participants contributions
• Participation of students and teachers in the
  2007 iEARN World conference and Youth Summit in
  Cairo.
• A printed publication with tiles and text
  contributions.

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Interactive Activity It is your turn to think
about Unity/Diversity

• In pairs, formulate a question related to Unity
  /Diversity starting from the idea that we are
  similar yet we are diverse. What brings us
  together? (Think about the questions posed by
  year 1 countries)
• Your question has to apply to all the
  participants in this conference workshop

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Vote!

• The most important thing teachers need in order
  to be successful in collaborative project based
  learning is (vote for one only)
• To be liberated from state driven exams
• To model learning themselves
• To teach collaborative learning strategies
• To use collaborative teaching techniques

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Tell Us - Ask Questions
Tell Us/Ask

• Are you interested in joining year two?
• Do you know a teachers/class who would be
  interested in joining?
• What do you think may help/prevent teachers from
  joining this project
• You are welcome to ask questions?

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Diversity in UK News

• According to a recent article in UK called for a
  'new and honest' debate on diversity stating, 'We
  need to look at building ways for people to get
  to know their neighbours and to stop people
  feeling a sense of "separateness"... The very
  issue of 'multi-culturalism' is under study.
• ("UK Must Tackle Ethnic Tensions", 24 August
  2006, BBC News)

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Diversity in UK News

• What is the most important impact that projects
  such as United Beyond Our Diversity can have on
  improving race, ethnic and religious tensions?
• a) build friendships 
• b) reduce a feeling of separateness between
  groups
• c) reduce tensions by 'talking things over'
• d) achieve forgiveness for past grievances 

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Join US
To Join Send us an E-mail cmorgan_at_iearnuk.com By
October 2006 http//www.iearn.org http//ict-edu.n
l http//www.iearn.org.uk http//www.iearn.org.lb