The Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning uses technology to connect K-12 students worldwide through interactive videoconferencing, streaming video, social networking, and participatory filmmaking. The Global Nomads Group aims to foster dialogue and understanding among youth by bridging cultural boundaries and instilling appreciation for different cultures. Their programs assist teachers with innovative lesson plans using interactive technologies and address educational standards through globally focused learning opportunities.

1. Asia Society: Partnership for Global Learning
Using Technology to Connect Students Worldwide K-12
Christine Robinson, Global Nomads Group

2. MISSION
foster dialogue and understanding among the world's youth. To
serve as a vehicle for awareness, bridging the boundaries of
cultural misconception and instilling in our audience a
heightened appreciation and comprehension of the world in
which we live.

3. STRATEGY
to engage and empower young people worldwide using media
including; live-interactive videoconferencing, streaming video,
social networking, documentaries and participatory filmmaking.
Through the use of these media tools, GNG creates opportunities
for global collaboration and communication.

4. GNG PROGRAMS
 Assist teachers by innovating their civics, geography, global studies, science and
social studies curricula with interactive technologies and project-based learning
lesson plans
 Contribute to the cultural literacy and global awareness of young people, and are
therefore an effective tool for 21st century teaching and learning
 Address national and state educational standards in the teaching of
geography, science and social studies
 Increase students’ active interest in international affairs and empowers youth
with the tools to create movements of change
 Provide an educational framework in which students can become active global
leaders in their own education

5. GNG THEMATIC PROGRAMS
• Arts, Culture and Media
• Conflict and Human Rights
• Earth Science
• Environment and Climate Change
• Faith and Society
• Global Development
• Global Politics
• Health and Well-Being
• HIV/AIDS
• Sustainable Communities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdOp65wML0s

6. • Highlights: Global Economic Crisis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtuI-
OYSEig&feature=channel_page
• CARE Afghanistan Program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFrPW6NQWi4&feature=channel_p
age
• Inauguration Program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRygzhwmNuk&feature=PlayList&p
=9C33588A0C5275D7&index=14
• Antarctica Program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mTYN_j1fj4&feature=PlayList&p=
784AEFDDCC29470F&index=6

7. Christine Robinson
Partnership and Program Development Manager
Email: christine@gng.org
Website: www.gng.org

8. Using
Technology
to Connect
K-12 Students
Worldwide:
ePals
Rita Oates, PhD
VP, Education Markets
ePals Inc.
roates@corp.epals.com

9. Web 0.0-> Web 1.0-> Web 2.0
• Web 0.0: search for
information in a
printed book
• Web 1.0: search for
information online,
webquests
• Web 2.0: contribute
information,
collaborate and
interact

10. Sometimes….things are
mixed!
• 60th Anniversary of
Declaration of Human
Rights
• Student viewpoints shared
on ePals…contribute, rate
work of others…web 2.0
• Selected student entries
published in book by
National Geographic with
some photos…web 0.0

11. What collaborations do you have
now?
• Within school?
• Within district?
• Within state?
• Within U.S.?
• Outside U.S. borders?
• How do you find partners?
• How do you communicate?
• Any ePals users here?

12. • Connecting 700,000
classrooms in 200
countries & territories
• 2,500 new
schools/month
• Policy managed &
Teacher supervised
• Trusted pipeline
to the world’s
classrooms
• TRUSTe certification

13. ePals Brings Next-Generation Solutions to Schools
free – teachers and students locate, connect with
and work collaboratively on projects with another
class down the street and around the world.
free – a secure way for students, parents, teachers
and administrators to communicate online, with
instant translation in 58 languages.
Allows administrators to establish school-safe usage
policies, especially for children younger than age 13.
A virtual workspace supporting collaborative learning
through social media tools, access to high-quality
content, digital storage areas and ePals
SchoolMail™, all with industry-leading safety and
security needed for K-12 schools.

14. Recent Partnerships
National Geographic
Microsoft
One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) (on all desktops,
third world countries)
Intel Classmate PC (designed for K-6 students,
widely used in Portugal and other countries)
STEM eMentoring Platform (14K mentors /
mentees), secondary activity funded by IBM
Foundation
Ministry of Education, Kenya
6,000 classrooms in Thailand
Worldwide IB (starting July 2010)

15. ¿Habla español?
• Eduteka joins ePals, bringing Spanish-
language content and a Spanish-speaking
community of 35,000 educators
– Spanish teachers can have pen pals for their
classes: write emails and postcards, share
podcasts, digital videos, artifacts.
– Do you want high school classes to
collaborate with southern hemisphere
classes? (in school from March-December)
– Many technology and business classes for
high school, also ESL classes are available

16. We'd like you to meet our ePals from Brazil
Mrs. Russell's First Grade
Glenwood Elementary
Vestal, NY

17. Hello From Sao Paolo, Brazil
School: EMEIF "Terezinha do Menino Jesus Porto Wuó"
Town: Santa Branca
State: Sao Paolo
Country: Brazil

18. The School in Brazil

19. Our square is being rebuilt. See how our town
is a hilly place!

20. Collaboration across the Digital Divide:
New York Students and their ePals in
Botswana
A story of global
connections that
transcend socio-
economic
status, culture and

21. Students from the Guangxi School,
China
A story that
embraces shared
language and
cultural awareness.

22. Collaborating with Their California
ePals………
These teachers have worked
together for eight years….some
projects are just a few weeks or
months!

23. Check Projects on ePals

26. Clear Plan for Email Exchanges in the Project

27. Brief Lesson Plans
Examples hyperlinked to show sample outcome desired

28. Digital story from Senegal
http://www.epals.com/media/p/196629.aspx

29. Key Teaching Elements

30. Student Work Posted to Worldwide Audience

31. Great teacher-created projects

32. ePals
Teacher
Ambassador
Contest
Winners

33. ePals Forums (also free)
• Student Forums
– We mediate the forums, so you don’t have to read and approve
postings.
– Your students can collaborate with other students safely, over
the weekend.
– Your students can search and read student postings to see what
others have said, a great way to practice authentic reading and
writing!
• Project Forums make it easier to find matches for ePals
projects
• Teacher Forums for topics you generate
• Parent Forums to help parents learn from other parents
• Adults can post in adult forums; students in Student
Forum

34. Student Forums

35. Student Forum: Social Issues

36. Student viewpoints: Turkey, USA

37. Additional resources on
technology and global learning
• Global Education from ISTE
• The World is Open