Online Educa Berlin
"TELECLASS THE WORLD"
Teleclass International Japan
Yoko Takagi
Living in a monolingual country, surrounded by the sea, we, the Japanese people are poor communicators in English even though we study it in school. This is mainly because students lack opportunities to use what they learn. They study English because of its importance in passng higher education examinations which are all written tests. Students do not learn English as an important communications tool.. .
Therefore, Teleclass International Japan,a non-profit educational organization,in collaboration with Teleclass International,Inc. of Hawaii,an IRS 501(C)3 non-profit educational organization, has provided K-12 schools with real time, face to face telecommunications opportunities for the past ten years. We use videophoneswhich exchange still pictues while the sudents speak. We also use ISDN videoconferencing systems which provide full motion and color. We have recorded 470 videophone exchanges and 46 videoconferences worldwide. There were 4 multi-points videoconferences linking 5 countries at one time. These Teleclass projects are known as "Teleclass The World"
When students face each other on separate screens it is easy to forget that there is an ocean separating them. Once the students relax,they begin to act as if they are sitting around one table and enjoy exciting hours of communication, almost as if they were visiting their partner schools. Not even e-mail brings them together so closely and with true feeling and understanding. These point to point or multi-point "videophone talks" and "videoconferences' gives participating students exciting hours of developing their communicative skills in a natural way. During the planning stages teachers and students use e-mail to learn more about each other and the benefits of working together.
Since this learning style is so different from traditional classroom procedures it challenges both teachers and students. We all learn from each other. Each Teleclass experience brings practical suggestions. Some of the many things the Teleclass Program has learned over the years follow:
* Make good use of this motivational technology.Keep the programs varied. Students always take part in planning. Allow them the freedom to laugh at themselves and each other. They are learning together and will gradually undestand each others ways and values.
* Teachers will also learn to collaborate.
* Teleclass must constantly try to improve the learning environment.
Make sure the audio aspect is clear .
Check positions of microphones.
Allow time for students to practice speaking clearly.
Make everyone as comfortable as possible.
Encourage students to look up as if they were really talking across a table.
Help them to forget the microphones. That is usually taken care of by technicians.
Practice using charts and pictures.
Students practice courtesy in their classrooms. They will avoid
humiliation if they feel secure.
Teach them to praise the other participants and encourage each other.by smiling and applauding.
* Non-native speakers are often unable to proceed . They need clear cues and encouragement. Stress the fact that one word answers (yes or no) are often lost on nervous speakers. Repetition is fine.
* Student (or teachers) may act as a coordinator or an MC to keep the program going. They should be provided with a clear program.
Another student can act as timekeeper(with courtey) and make sure each student moves to a microphone when necessary.
* In order to break the ice and put the students at ease encourage
the use of native language in introductions and greetings.Teachers can act as interpreters when necessary
* Teachers will find themselves working harder but enjoying it more.
Encourage students to write about themselves, whenever possible, by e-mail.It will be difficukt,at first,for teachers to keep this activity from becoming a tedious and boring activity.
Teachers will also have to collaborate on planning and evaluations. While we stress global collaboration we must not lose sight of teacher collaboration within their own schools.
* To make teacher collaboration work there are some very important factors.
Vision for a global classroom.
Collaboration with other sites has to be preceded by collaboration with other teachers within your own school.
Establish a working relationship with the computer teachers and other technical staff.
Encourage discussions with teachers of all disciplines. Students may have to work with teachers of Art or Music. English teachers can be of great help. One teacher can't take all the responsibility.
Better environment for collaboration.
Offer to have teachers of other disciplines share in your videoconferences.
Ask their students to help with charts and maps. Some students can provide music or art work. Find ways to share your talents with others.
Use e-mail within the school as well as with distant sites.It will make collaboration easier by avoiding extra meetings.
Experiment with team teaching. It is an excellent way to learn from each other.
Local collaboration will help to prepare for international collaboration. Collaborative research within your own classroom and school will prepare you and your student for shared reseach between distant sites.
* International collaboration is always a learning experience.
This type of planning involves setting wider goals and overcoming obstacles of a different kind.
Students and teachers learn cultural differences and similarities in real life situations which are more exciting than reading about them in text books.
Some new challenges present themselves.
* Time differences have to be solved.
* Compatibility of equipment must be tested.
* Flexibility of class schedules differ.
In some countries students frequently work after school. In other areas the students attend classes and programs after school.
* Different curricula and teaching styles.
* Different attitues toward classroom discipline
* Different expectations of Administrators, teachers and students.
*Use of telecommunications technology varies from site to site.
*A greater knowledge of English is required in many areas, even within locations where English is the native language.
*To make e-mail work effectively, it must be opened daily. Greater skill in typing is needed.
*Teachers and administrators have to keep up with latest information on technology and international programs. Many international education programs issue newsletters and provide conferences.
*It is difficult to participate in every program but it is important to share whenever possible.
There is an endless list of things to learn and research but thebenefits that ensue far outweigh the difficulties.
Teleclass The World 1998 has a new theme: "Touch The World, Touch The Future".We expect it to be as successful as our previous theme, "Teleclass and Local Societies". If you would like to join us we are very happy to have you. When we think of students' excitment and smiling faces filled with with understanding, we are sure that this direct way of using telecommunications technology is worth all the work. It is strong way to lead our young people to collaborate for world peace and understanding.
A proud path to the next century!
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"TELECLASS THE WORLD"
Teleclass International Japan
Yoko Takagi
As the country surrounded by sea and kept one language, we, Japanese are poor communicators in English even we learn it at school. That is mainly because students have lack of opportunities to use what they learn at school.
They learn English because it is a big element to pass examinations of higher education and those examinations are all written test. They do not learn English as an important communication tool.
In such situation, Teleclass International Japan, a none profit educational organization, has provided k-12 schools with real time, face to face, telecommunication opportunities for last ten years. We use video phones which exchange still pictures while students talk, and we use video conference system by ISDN lines which is with full motion and colors. We record 470 times of videophone exchanges and 46 times of video conferences worldwide up to now. There were four multi-points videoconferences linking five countries at one time. We call all Teleclass projects as "Teleclass The World" .
When both students face to face on each screen, which is very similar setting of being at one table, this Teleclass gives both side students exciting hours as if they visit the partner school classrooms. Not only understand different culture , but also they sense and feel each other. This is not something that electronic mail exchanges can reach. Naturally these point to point or multi-point "video phone talks" and "video conferences" help learners' communicative skills developed. Good motivation for students to learn more. During the planning stage, teachers of both sides need to work together and naturally they learn how to collaborate to benefit both students. They may realize how Teleclass works wonderfully with electronic mails (e-mail) too.
Since this communication style or learning style is so difference from the traditional learning ways, successful Teleclass is not very easy. Each Teleclass was challenging for students, teachers, and Teleclass Office. We learn something new every time. Through its experience, we have got Some practical suggestions for a better Teleclass. I tell them followed by other topics as well:
*Helping establish teachers collaboration
*Last check list before leaving Teleclass office to schools
* Characteristics of videoconference using ISDN line service
*Teleclass The World 1998 "Touch The World, Touch The Future"
TELECLASS Problems
Some practical suggestions for a better Teleclass ConferenceBoth teachers have to work to erase children's boring faces during the session.And in order to see bright excited faces of both sides, I list basic key points as follows:
1. audio environment:
clear enough to hear
microphone in right position to get speaker's voice
microphone in right position to erase echoing
speaker on right volume
student adjust the right position toward microphone
students clear voice and pronunciation
2. visual environment:
clear enough to watch
monitors watched by all the audience
position of the camera
smooth switching from still camera to video camera, to OHP, to video tape
video tape lowers the quality of the image than the real figure in front of the camera
Students face up, try not to read student' paper
Find the best way to show charts, pictures, etc
Particularly when holding things up Try not to move
Avoid hallucination
Particularly to non English speakers
3. Clear cues to proceed the program forward :
start with "Hello" and switch to the next student with "Thank you" etc.
4. Ways to continue conversation:
To avoid only "Yes" and "No" reply and dead silence
Repeat the same question to the counter part
Explain your own case first, and ask question to the partner
5. Both MC keep time schedule and program procedure
6. In order to break the ice and relax your partner from the tightness, use the language of the partner sometimes in the conversation
7. Exchange the outline of each presentation beforehand through e-mail or fax:
Students can get the rough idea through the outline and it helps them understand presentations. They prepare good questions related to the presentation too.
Next, teacher Collaboration is essential for any global projects.
Helping establish teachers collaboration
Let me begin with a simple e-mail exchange.
When e-mail exchange starts between two classes, teachers often complain that it does not last long. This is not students fault, but teachers. First students excitedly start writing about family, hobbies, pets, school, after self-introduction. Then they stop and wait because they do not know what to write next. Further exchange is not expected if they do not have teacher's well planned guide.
Both teachers need to work together before the program and set the period, theme, goals and evaluation etc. Then it works. In other words, even this simple e-mail exchange program needs teachers' collaboration. It is not difficult to image that Teacher Collaboration is essential for global classroom collaboration.
In order to make Teacher Collaboration work, I list four main factors.
1. Collaborative Team Teaching
2. E-mail as collaboration tool
3. Better environment for collaboration
4. Vision for global classroom
First, Collaborative Team Teaching locally and internationally:
Case A : only one teacher involved
the teacher often prepares with too much expectation,
too much work to cover soft and hard,
when not successful- lose interest or worn out -
no more energy to continue, it is the end of the program
Case B 3 to 4 teachers work at school:
to lighten one teacher's task
to add each profession like teachers of English language,
Computer Engineering, information research, social science,math, etc. work as a group
powerful to develop the project
Case C collaborating with partner school teachers:
planning stage..set goals
discuss ways to proceed/which works students do during class hours/ which works students do on real communication time
student products to expect how to evaluate them
overcome following obstacles:
time difference
different curriculum
different holiday
different school roles
different device of videophone or videoconference
different attitude of principal
different language skill.. etc.
Second, e-mail as collaboration tool:
E-mail is a powerful tool especially for international collaboration.
e.g.: Teleclass STUDENT APEC video conference linked 5 countries with 24 high schools. If with telephone and fax...Teleclass office would have been required an awful cost, time, and effort. But with e-mail...less cost, less time, less effort
e.g.: often school teacher complains: no extra lines nor ISDN lines to access internet, no money, no co-workers, no permission by school master, no technical support, etc. but if one has only one mail address, not hopeless. You can join many international projects.
Now to make the e-mail work effectively: it needs the teachers skill to communicate in English
1. open daily
2. try not print out
3. not afraid to write in English
type speedy
4. use it for project discussion with partner school teachers
best working case now: teachers between Hawaii- Kobe Teleclass Projects: Teleclass office has group lists like ML for each project
Third, Better Environment for collaboration:
1. students skill to type
if teacher has to type students' paper for them, it wastes teachers time.
student needs to practice operating key board
student needs each mail account
2. Language support
For example, high school students or local community people help translating mails written by children from English to Japanese or vice versa
3. E-mail is powerful, but not 100 % dependable.
E-mail does not have facial expression nor real voice.
It often fails to convey real feelings and breaks good relationship.
In case of group mailing list, if one member criticizes another in a sharp tone, it affects all the discussion moods. Others are afraid posting to the ML and discouraged to use e-mail as a tool.
4. So occasional offline meeting is necessary to establish basic human relationship and friendship.
e.g.: I*EARN (International Education and Resource Network) annual international offline conference teachers live together for a week discuss projects, listen to reports, create new projects, sing, dance, feel global tie as an educator, feel support each other, understanding each educational environment. It looks like Global School Faculty Meeting. When they go back to school with confidence to work with oversea friendly teachers, projects go smoothly with comfortable e-mail conversation.
5. Another alternative ways
ISDN video conference
Teleclass provides another 15 or 20 min. for both teachers to discuss things after students video conference.
Lastly, vision for global classroom collaboration:
What is the goal?
Why this type of classroom collaboration is important?
Is it because schools are asked to use internet?
Vision for global classroom collaboration should be clear to both or multi schools teachers.
Through it, teachers identify their tasks as an educator not only for their own students but also for the partner school students .
Next, the following is the checking list before leaving our office for a video conference.
Last check list before leaving Teleclass office to schools
check
1. KV6200 video conference equipment
2. key pad microphone camera
3. view com
4. Digital camera
5. Wireless mike set
6. DSU
7. Guide books
8. Teleclass signboard
9. wireless phone
10. questionnaires for students and teachers
11. ISDN numbers of both locations
12. Regular phone numbers of the room of both locations
13. Snack and drink for students
Characteristics of videoconference using ISDN line service 128kbps ISDN videoconference provides students to do:
EXAMPALS
* paper folding / Japanese carrigraphy / cooking
Send material to partner school beforehand
* music lessen: musical instrument playing/chorus/jazz chant etc.
* create Commercial Advertisements and perform
which one you really want to buy
* Teleclass shopping :selling and buying goods
change to dollar, yen, peseta, franc, won etc.
* drawing one's inspiration on some given words
draw for three minutes and explain the meaning of the drawing
* story & story
tell stories created through e-mail exchanges or prompt one
* drama
use well known play scenario or create their own drama through e-mail exchange, practice and perform
* interview people
invite local people, and partner school students interview him/her
* learn something together
invite people and learn how to make traditional things
* learn how to dance of each other
think about the costume
* presentation with chart, graph, pictures, or video tapes followed by questions and comments of partner students
* discussion/speech contest
Teleclass The World 1998 "Touch The World, Touch The Future"
The following is the main theme for Teleclass The World 1998. If you are interested in joining us, we are very happy to have you.
"Touch The World, Touch The Future"
1998 projects: 15 times video conferences, 10 times Luma phone (a kind of videophone) exchanges and Asia Forum.
Until July 1998, TIJ basic theme was "Teleclass and Local Societies."
TIJ new theme this year is "Touch The World, Touch The Future."
After close look on each local society, TIJ wants students to pay attention to the world issues, understand situations, feel compassion to the people who have been suffered, and try to find some ways to help them. I mean to share the pain, not to stay away as indifferent watchers or cool observers.
Topics are up to your students. Through Internet and Newspapers, find hot issues which grabs students attention, research them, exchange mails between both students, prepare powerful presentation, prepare questions, and on the day of video conference. or Lumaphone exchange, they will discuss what they can do with those people whom they have already known with compassion as their neighbors.
This process among students may create a new concept of peace for the coming century.
And this is what Teleclass is for.
TELECLASS Problems
Teleclass has some problems. One of the difficult parts for Teleclass is to find partner schools which have the videoconference equipment at school. Most of the case, the partner school students move to KDD local office nearby or local telephone companies which have videoconference system. KDD offices in the world allow Teleclass participants in that country to use their equipment and conference room for free. But Local telephone company asks rental fee to Teleclass. This causes our headache. I expect to find schools with system among this audience to link much easier. It is a great opportunities for Teleclass to get more schools to be involved in Teleclass The World.
Other problem stays in Japan. We carry our KV6200 video conference equipment to the schools by car, by train, by even airplane. It is no problem, but the schools often do not have ISDN lines yet. So what we do is to ask local telephone company to set temporary ISDN lines for the conference and take it away after the conference because schools do not have extra money to keep it. Also schools do not have money to cover the cost of videoconferencing. What TIJ can do is to write papers to some foundations to get funds to cover telephone fee expense of all Teleclass projects. And as you know, recent Japanese economic recession scares our source of funds. These telecommunication environments at school is frustrating.
But when we think of students excitement and both smiling faces on the screen, we believe this direct way of telecommunication using technology is a strong way to lead young students to collaborate for the world peace.