cultural literacy !

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Teaching and Learning in the Global Village: Connect, Create, Collaborate, and Communicate

When Marshall McLuhan (1962) wrote about the global village, he could hardly envi-sion a 21st- century world so interconnected through technology. Take, for example, Claire (all names are pseudonyms), a young professional in Ireland, working for an international technology com- pany, whose daily work routine involves networking on initiatives and projects through SharePoint screen systems and daily meetings via videoconferencing and e- mail. Claire works across geographical bound- aries, time zones, and diverse cultures with other professionals in Manila (Philippines), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and New York (United States). Claire’s daily workflow exemplifies how the world has flat- tened (Friedman, 2007) and illustrates that we are indeed the connected generation (Ito et al., 2013). Claire’s experiences are by no means unique, and regardless of profession, we have all become more globally connected. Membership in a global village conjures up images of community and neighbor- hood, and although the world is both interconnect- ed and interdependent, there is a f lip side as well. In reality, global citizens face challenges regarding inequality of opportunity, the changing demands of the workplace, unprecedented global migration, and climate instability.

Defining Global Literacy The International Literacy Association (n.d.) defined literacy as “the ability to identify, understand, inter- pret, create, compute, and communicate using visual, audible, and digital materials across disciplines and in any context” (para. 1). As a global organization, it recognizes that literacy both connects and empowers people to reach their potential, live together and in- teract with the world, and participate fully in society.

Today’s students live in an information age and increasingly connect and interact with di- verse cultures and traditions around the world. Therefore, they need to develop global literacy. Global literacy encompasses a multiplicity of over- lapping concepts:

n An advocacy dimension viewing literacy for all as an inalienable human right (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2015)

n Global perspectives to analyze contemporary and historical issues (King & Thorpe, 2012)

n Citizenship responsibility as both local and global citizens (Rae, Baker, & McNicol, 2008)

n Cultural and linguistic awareness and respect for diversity (Farmer, 2015)

n Literacy as a multiple construct, grounded in social, cultural, political, and historical prac- tices and encompassing critical, media, visual, digital, and information literacies (Gutiérrez, 2013; Lankshear & Knobel, 2003; Larson & Marsh, 2005; Street, 2003)

To be globally literate, our students need to ac- quire a repertoire of capabilities, a “dynamic learning about, with, in, and for a complex and interconnected world” (Mansilla & Jackson, 2011, p. 2). They need the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and social practices to live and work in this global village.

First, they require the knowledge to investi- gate the world, to become informed, open- minded, empathetic, creative, imaginative, and innovative individuals with a knowledge of and an ability to analyze the complexity of global issues. In addi- tion, they need to be knowledgeable advocates and committed to the belief of literacy for all as

Bernadette Dwyer, Editor

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a human rights and social justice issue (UNESCO, 2015).

Second, they require the skills to be critical con- sumers of media, to think critically, reflect, form judgements, and ask questions from multiple per- spectives. They need the skills to collaborate effec- tively and conduct intercultural dialogue across a range of multimodal and print- based platforms.

Finally, our students require the “cosmopolitan dispositions and habits of mind” (Hull & Stornaiuolo, 2010, p. 89) to honor human diversity, languages, and cultures. They need to embrace an ethical ori- entation of active participation as curators of the planet and a sense of awareness and responsibility as both local and global citizens.

Given these overlapping dimensions, teaching students to become globally literate is indeed a tall order. Fortunately, digital tools and technolo- gies like social media platforms, videoconferenc- ing software, and collaborative reading and writing spaces enable educators and their students to con- nect across time, space, and cultures. However, if our goal as educators is to enable our students to be truly globally literate, we need to ensure that we engage them in authentic literacy events. Further, we need to employ instructional practices to teach them to use technology effectively to become more skillful in accessing, analyzing, critiquing, and synthesizing information and communicating with a diverse audience.

In this column, I will discuss ways educators can amplify their curriculum (Tolisano, 2014) and reach outside the walls of their classroom to connect in meaningful ways with educators around the globe.

Connecting Communities of Readers and Writers Engaging in peer- to- peer collaboration through on- line literature circles—across time, space, and cul- tures—allows students to deepen engagement with literature and helps to create communities of readers and writers.

For example, in a series of studies (Dwyer & Larson, 2014; Larson & Dwyer, 2015) conducted in Dublin, Ireland, and Manhattan, Kansas, United States, sixth- grade students engaged in online literature circles. The students read a range of titles, such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, and Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, on Amazon Kindle e- book readers over a number of weeks. They engaged in personal response and created digital annotations

as they read. Next, they met in face- to- face literature circles in their respective classrooms, where they re- sponded to the texts, created discussion points, and crafted questions and responses to post on an asyn- chronous message board. Kidblog (kidblog.org/home), a secure blogging tool, was one of the messaging plat- forms used in the studies. The message board func- tioned as the host of a larger global literature circle in which all students collaborated and engaged in discussion. Results from these studies suggested that virtual literature discussions promoted deep engage- ment with texts in tandem with new levels of global literacy. Students established a community of inquiry and were inspired by multiple diverse perspectives across cultures and geographical boundaries. As John, a student in Kansas, explained,

It is a great experience to see how people in other coun- tries think, and this is a good cultural task. I like hear- ing about other opinions because it really makes you think that they can make sense, too. I like it because you are talking with kids millions of miles away and it’s so fun and interesting.

Students moved between affirming one another’s responses, valuing opinions, and contesting points of view. However, while the students were respond- ing to texts, they were concurrently and seamlessly constructing a community culture, identity, and af- finity space (Alvermann et  al., 2012; Jenkins, 2006). For example, they explored issues related to the ed- ucation systems in their respective countries, their cultures, their religions, and personal topics. Peer collaboration in an online global literature circle en- couraged a sociocultural situated response.

You and your students could participate in on- line literature circles through the Global Read Aloud project (theglobalreadaloud.com). The project, with the motto of “One Book to Connect the World,” was established in 2010 by Pernille Ripp, a seventh- grade teacher from Oregon, United States. The project has grown exponentially during the past six years and has connected over 500,000 students in more than 60 countries. Spin- off projects of Global Read Aloud are also available in New Zealand (https://new zealandreadaloud.wordpress.com) and in France (ecouterlirelemonde.net). The books are chosen on a yearly basis across a range of flexible age group- ings (see Figure  1 for the Global Read Aloud titles and author study for 2015). Teachers and students commit to read each book over a six- week pe- riod. Global connections are forged using digital tools such as Skype, Twitter, Edmodo, Kidblog, and Google Hangouts. Grand conversations are held

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with authors of the chosen books through Google Hangouts and YouTube videos.

Creating Cultural Understanding Through Literature and Folklore Introducing your students to literature and folklore from around the world is an effective way to engage them in learning about global cultures and traditions and helps develop their conceptualizations and per- ceptions of the wider world.

The Global Book Hour (globalbookproject.buf falostate.edu/global-book-hour), as shown in the website screenshot in Figure  2, is an example of a program designed to foster cultural understanding and empathy (Truesdell & del Prado Hill, 2015). The program has been running successfully at Buffalo State University since 2010 and involves teacher educators and their students reaching out into the community in a well- structured program.

The program aims to engage families, mostly recent immigrants and refugees, in a global read- aloud that explores the participants’ cultures and experiences. The program is differentiated to the participants’ unique requirements and is held on a weekly basis in the local community. The program enables participants to “travel” to different parts of the world and incorporates children’s literature, ge- ography, art, music, and nutrition, allowing the par- ticipants to forge deep and meaningful connections between cultures.

Since 1996, ePals (www.epals.com/#/connec tions) has provided a moderated, safe, secure so- cial learning platform to connect educators and their students with a global community network of classrooms in more than 200 countries through well- designed project- based learning opportuni- ties. The projects, as detailed on the ePals website, are designed to nurture the key 21st- century skills of creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration.

The Global Folklorist Challenge (challenges.ep als.com/folklife2015/the-challenge) is a collabora- tion between ePals and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The purpose of the challenge is to engage students in cross- cultural exchanges across diverse neighborhoods, commu- nities, and nations. The students research, inter- view local experts and tradespeople, document, and present their unique cultures and traditions by cre- ating short videos on areas such as local crafts, folk- lore, traditions, customs, music, dance, and food.

In2Books (in2books.epals.com) is another ePals program. Students and carefully screened adult eMentors read a selected range of children’s litera- ture titles. Through e- mail exchanges, the students and adult eMentors engage in ongoing structured online conversations about important issues and themes in the books. Teachers also engage in in- class literature discussions, provide genre- specific instruction, and teach specific skills and strategies related to the chosen texts.

Figure 1 Screenshot of the Global Read Aloud Website

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Communicating Across Time, Space, and Cultures Using Videoconferencing Tools A powerful way to raise global awareness in a “just like us” par t icipator y culture ( Jenkins, 20 06) is through the use of videoconferencing tools. Skype in the Classroom (https://education.microsoft.com/sky peintheclassroom) is one example of how to reach beyond your classroom’s four walls to connect to classrooms across the world.

You can create a Skype in the Classroom account by logging on to the Microsoft Education website via your existing Skype account or other social media platform and providing your location and time zone, the grade level you teach, details of the interests of your students, and your curricular goals related to language arts, geography, or history. You will then be matched through a directory with similar and like- minded educators and guest speakers across the world.

Conducting an effective Skype in the Classroom session involves three stages, as shown in Figure  3.

In the Before stage, students access their prior knowl- edge, brainstorm, and research information to famil- iarize themselves with information required for the session. For example, students could explore Google Earth (https://earth.google.com) to find information

Figure 2 Screenshot of the Global Book Hour Website

Figure 3 Conducting an Effective Skype in the Classroom Session

Note. For further information, visit langwitches.org/blog/wp- content/uploads/2010/11/Skype-call-learning-call.pdf.

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related to the geographical location of the connect- ing classroom. In addition, students could plan key questions and acquire vocabulary related to the topic at hand. In the During stage, students will develop media skills, such as uploading images and video files, and communication and interpersonal skills, such as hosting sessions, performing introductions, and fielding questions. Finally, in the After stage, hold a debrief session where students can reflect on what they have learned, post critical and reflective pieces on the class blog, and evaluate, collate, trans- form, and synthesize information from the process.

Collaborating With Learning Partners A number of organizations help educators to find learning partners to conduct project- based learning opportunities that are innovative by design, collab- orative by nature, and challenging for students while fostering civic responsibility and creating multicul- tural understanding.

The Global SchoolNet (GSN) mission “is to support 21st century, brain-friendly learning, and improve academic performance through content-driven

collaboration” (para. 1). The organization provides a directory of e- learning projects worldwide designed to promote science, math, literacy, and commu- nication skills. In addition, the online expeditions section (www.globalschoolnet.org/gsnexpeditions/) features live content programs from, for example, the Australian rainforest, the coral reefs of the Caribbean, the wetlands of Mexico, and the forests of Costa Rica. Students can pose questions and add comments during these programs.

The motto of the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN; www.iearn.org) is “Learn with the world, not just about it.” iEARN operates through a well- structured professional develop- ment network and focuses on operating purposeful, collaborative, project- based learning circles world- wide. Resources are available on the website for planning the circle: preplanning, opening the circle to an authentic audience, exchanging student work, and showcasing outcomes. The circle’s publication phase allows for the all- important review and con- solidation of what has been learned and evaluation and reflection on the project. As evidenced on the website (see Figure 4), current themes include places

Figure 4 Screenshot of the iEARN Website

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and perspectives (encouraging students to explore world geographies, investigate historical perspec- tives, and share cultures), global issues (investigat- ing environmental issues and issues related to ac- cess to education as a human right), mind works (creative and expository writing exchanges), and computer chronicles (producing an online news- paper where students contribute to sections of the paper).

Conclusion In an age of accountability in education (Coburn, Pearson, & Woulfin, 2011) and with an already over- loaded cur r iculum, you may be wonder ing why you would adopt global perspectives and incorpo- rate global literacy initiatives into your classroom. However, given the wealth of opportunities, projects, and platforms available to you and your students as discussed in this column, the effort is well worth the reward. Further, not doing so hampers students’ abilities to view the world through an array of lenses (Peters, 2009), to communicate effectively with those who hold diverse perspectives, and ultimately to live and work in the global village.

Through connecting, creating, collaborating, and communicating across a global network, we can scaffold our students’ acquisition of the habits of mind and the ways of knowing, thinking, and acting that lead them toward developing global literacy in the 21st century.

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Author.

The department editor welcomes reader comments.

Bernadette Dwyer is a lecturer in literacy studies at the Institute of Education, St. Patrick’s Campus, Dublin City University, Ireland; e-mail [email protected].

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