NECC 2004
Crossing Borders: Digital Cultural
Exchange for Preservice Teachers
Presenters
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Karen Jogan


Michele Mislevy


Albright College, Reading PA
Ana Heredia


Albright College, Reading PA
Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica Chile
Gladys Aguilera

Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica Chile
Overview
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What?
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Why?
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To advance proficiency in target language and
culture
How?
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Cultural and bilingual exchange (Spanish –
English)
Through collaboration and technology
For whom?
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Preservice teachers
Outline
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Digital exchange as “best practice”
Establishing institutional collaboration
Addressing standards
Examining contexts of instruction
Defining project objectives – four models
for cross-cultural exchange
Challenges and possible solutions
Discussion
Defining a “best practice” in
preservice teacher education
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Provide authentic context for learning
target language and target culture
Allow for collaborative learning
Incorporate technology in the instructional
model
Defining culture
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What is culture?

…some definitions
Defining culture
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“Culture is…believing that man is an animal
suspended in webs of significance he
himself has spun, I take culture to be those
webs…and the analysis of [culture] to be …
an interpretive one in search of meaning.”

Clifford Geertz
Defining culture
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How can we engage students in interactive
discussion of culture?
How can students view another cultural
perspective?
How can we help students interpret the
“web” of another culture?
Defining culture
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Establish cross cultural connections
Connect with a colleague abroad…
Connect students with peers abroad
Locate a colleague abroad through
http://www.iecc.org
Addressing standards
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National and international organizations
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ISTE
ACTFL
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TESOL
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American Council on the Teaching of
Foreign Languages
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
Languages
Ministry of Education abroad
Selecting appropriate technology
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Consider lowest common denominators
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E-mail
PowerPoint
sound
 digital images
 streaming video
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Blogs
Selecting appropriate technology
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Advantages of asynchronous dialogue
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Learner centered
Self-paced
No time zone problems
Requires limited tech skill
Examining contexts of instruction:
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in Arica, Chile
in Reading, Pennsylvania
Examining contexts of instruction
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Preservice teachers
Similar age
Similar educational background
Similar interests
Similar motivational level
Examining contexts of instruction
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Roles of coordinators in US and in Chile
Defining project objectives
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Cross-cultural competence
Communicative competence
Interactive strategies
Critical thinking and analysis of authentic
texts
Collaborative strategies to support peer
correction
Defining project objectives:
cross-cultural e-mail
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Advantages of e-mail
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Promotes active collaboration
Authentic, meaningful context
Immediate and efficient
“culture is dialogically created through language
in discourse”
Defining project objectives:
cross-cultural e-mail
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Project design
Time frame
Topics
Process
Coaching in dialog journal strategies
Assessment
Defining project objectives:
cross-cultural PowerPoint
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Collaborative research projects
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On site team research
Dialog and discussion
Comparison and contrast
Creative final project
Defining project objectives:
cross-cultural PowerPoint
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Possible topics:
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Compare Independence Day activities
Compare daily activities in school
Compare a supermarket
Interview an individual in a specific career
Describe a local monument and its significance
Cross cultural PowerPoint -examples
Cross cultural PowerPoint -examples
Cross cultural PowerPoint -examples
[Click on picture to view project]
Cross cultural PowerPoint -examples
[Click on picture to view project]
Culture Modules
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Designing materials for teachers of English
as a Foreign Language abroad
Culture Modules
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Topic selection
Design process
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storyboarding
identifying and capturing digital artifacts
Creating cultural module
Culture Modules – some examples
[Click on picture to view project]
Culture Modules – some examples
[Click on picture to view project]
Developing cultural insights
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Post-questions:
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What did you learn about this topic in your own
culture?
What did you learn about cultural perspectives
from your peers abroad?
Collaborative research projects
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Topic choice
Digital exchange for research project
Collaborative research projects
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Sample topics:
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How can feedback on EFL essays improve writing
skills?
What strategies can be used to measure
improvement in EFL listening?
Compare education systems in USA and in Chile
Collaborative Research Projects –
some examples
Collaborative Research Projects –
some examples
Suggestions for Future
Implementation
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Establish alternate lines of communication
Assign peer/partner after training period
Promote flexibility in topic choice
Teach for improved coherence
Drawing conclusions
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Cross cultural collaboration…
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Promotes interactive dialog
Builds empathy and critical thinking skills
Employs a constructivist, learner-centered
approach
Empowers through technology
Your turn…
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Questions?
Comments?
Ideas for exchange?
Contact Information

Karen Jogan


Michele Mislevy


[email protected]
Ana Heredia


[email protected]
[email protected]
Gladys Aguilera

[email protected]