One technique that has been tried is to provide video conferencing links between schools in different countries.
This is used to promote the use of foreign languages and understanding different cultures.
This can either be a long running collaboration between two schools or as a one off event.
An example of a long running collaboration can be found at:
Younger students have shared information and family photos, whilst older students have discussed their favourite types of music and issues of common concern. Older students have compiled questionnaires for each other, which have been discussed during video sessions. Other students shared in the experience of the Cologne Carnival, when they found their German friends dressed up for the celebrations.
and an example of a one day event at an American school can be seen here
http://www.pvhs.k12.nj.us/atw/atwindex.asp
the goals of the one day event were as follows
1) to enhance the awareness of the interrelationship of the various cultures of the world
2) to raise tolerance of different value systems and cultures
3) to encourage and foster student-to-student exchange and increase opportunities for both students and teachers to experience activities focused on global awareness
4) to become effective and responsible contributors to problem-solving and to decision-making processes at individual, community, national, and international levels
5) to aid students in exhibiting reflective attitudes toward their personal values, the values of others, and the cultural values evident in their own and other societies
6) to bring youth face-to-face to meet and to discuss world issues that affect and unite us all
7) to develop and apply skills related to acquiring, organizing, evaluating, and using information technology as a communication tool
8) to increase opportunities for both students and teachers to experience activities focused upon national and global awareness
9) to learn about the historical background of all countries involved
10) to access online teaching resources via an interactive website
for more informtion on video conferencing for schools can be found at
and the JANET website offers a service to help schools and other educational and cultural establishments get started with videoconferencing and finding other schools to collaborate with.
http://www.janetcollaborate.ac.uk/
