Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Enhancing Global Competencies through International Partnerships in Elementary Schools

2015; Emerald Publishing Limited; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1108/s2055-364120150000005008

2055-365X

Cherry Steffen, Stacy Delacruz, Gwen McAlpine,

Service-Learning and Community Engagement

This chapter describes a partnership model in which a university in the United States facilitated cultural exchanges between elementary students in US schools with students in international schools in Central and South America. Through the partnerships, faculty members at the university were able to facilitate opportunities for elementary students to communicate and share experiences through the use of virtual field trips (VFTs) and gardening projects. These exchanges were achieved through the use of multiple Web 2.0 tools that allowed interaction between students. They led to the engagement of students both locally and globally by providing them with a dynamic environment, in which they could explore, discover, experiment, and learn. Descriptions of the challenges faced, lessons learned, and recommendations for educators are also included.