Weaving Technologies into
Empathetic Intercultural Collaboration
among International Children
Toshiyuki Takasaki
Vice-president, CTO
NPO Pangaea
Agenda
1. Background
2. Issues of intercultural collaboration via ICT
3. Case1: PangaeaNet
4. Case2: Communicator
5. Case3: Webcam
6. Conclusion
Background: Pangaea
 Pangaea provides “Universal Playground,” where
children across the world can come and enjoy to
foster bonds each other through experiences of fun
activities.
 No F-t-F meeting, only online communication
 Target age: 9-15
© NPO Pangaea
Obstacles of Intercultural Communication
Language
Distance
Cultural background
Economic circumstances
…etc
> ICT has a great possibility to overcome
these obstacles if it is designed and utilized
in a ‘right’ way.
Merit of introducing ICT to intercultural collaboration
Borderless
 The Internet is connected around the world.
Low cost
 You can communicate almost free of charge
as long as you have Internet infrastructure.
Copy
It is easy to share digital materials online.
Issues: Demerit of ICT
Safety
Anonymous communication
Spoofing: behaving as a different person
Flaming
Information loss by digital discreteness
Difficult to transmit “warmth” in communication
e.g.: Easier to flame in email communication from
misunderstanding
Anti-diversity tendency
e.g.: language death / English-centered knowledge
Requiring Imagination of other’s existence
Weaving technologies into field
Technologies in Pangaea is regarded as a tool for
scaffolding empathetic intercultural collaboration.
If all activities are done digitally, it won’t work.
 Pangaea combines ICT solution and social solution.
e.g. Participants gather in real Pangaea center and they
cannot access to PangaeaNet at home.
e.g. Pangaea Activity Contents are designed to be fun,
less-verbal, and giving empathetic experiences through
digital work and pen&paper work.
Case1: PangaeaNet
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Communication Platform in Local Activity
Sharing creation work
Personal info as bonding catalyst
4 clicks to the earth
 House > Village > Country > Earth
© NPO Pangaea
Issues and solutions in PangaeaNet
 Issue of Safety
Require one-time password / No access from home
No anonymous and spoofing login
・Deterrence: Facilitator and other local participants
 Issue of Information loss by digital
Art work by pen & paper is utilized richly and delivers
‘warmth.’
 Issue of other’s imagination
Showing photo, voice, and work
Sharing personal information
Case2: Communicator
 Pictogram messaging web application
 Rich expression
Allowing layout pictograms vertically & horizontally,
and overlapping.
© NPO Pangaea
Case2: Motivation of Communicator Dev.
Flat communication platform: mother tongue
There are no inferior or superior languages.
Willingness to communicate
Heart-to-heart communication
The purpose is not to transmit precise information.
Fostering bonds
Allows uniqueness of each culture
 Facilitating cultural diversity
Issues and solutions in Communicator
Issues of Information loss by digital
Much richer expression than text
Facilitating cultural diversity
 Inventing own message style
 Personal dictionary function to be released
Issues of other’s imagination in digital
Showing photos and ‘thank you’ voice.
Delivering emotional & empathetic messages
Case3: Playful Webcam Platform
 Web application for Webcam activity
 Accommodating Webcam activity menus
© NPO Pangaea
Issues and solutions in Webcam platform
 Issues of Information loss by digital
 Paper materials are prepared by staff and made by
participants effectively.
 Issues of other’s imagination in digital
 Simultaneous visual communication is one of the most
powerful ways to imagine the other side of the line.
 Social aspect
Participants had experienced Local Activity at least once.
Less-verbal activity menus are designed and provided.
Staff (MC, Facilitator, Tech staff) supports the
communication from time to time.
Conclusion
ICT is applied to Pangaea’s intercultural
collaboration.
Before applying technologies into the actual
field, merit and demerit of the technologies
should be considered.
In Pangaea, technologies are weaved into the
actual field with social support and ‘analog’
element.