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Chapter 8 |
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On the Web! Activities |
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How can electronic pals create global learning communities for your students?
Once popular “pen pal” activities have given way to the Information Age. The digital version, called “keypals” or “e-pals” has taken the place of this ever-popular approach to building a far-reaching learning community. Whether you are teaching 3rd grade or high school science, you will find colleagues around the world interested in sharing a virtual classroom with you through the Internet.
Many websites offer ways for you to locate and communicate with other teachers worldwide who are interested in creating a community of learners via the Internet. These sites typically match teachers up with others in similar content areas and/or grade levels. The sites facilitate interaction between teachers interested in becoming keypal partners.
Activity:
Explore the websites below to see the variety of services offered. Then email two of the teachers on their list of participants, explain you are a student in an educational technology course, and ask them about their keypal experience. Plan three or four brief but probing questions for these email interviews that will help you to decide if you want to create a virtual learning community when you teach. Summarize the interview responses and your views on keypal activities to share with your class.
Want to know more? Check out these sites:
http://www.purplepjs.com/epals
http://www.kidlink.org/english/general/overview.html
http://www.bconnex.net/~kidworld/keypals4.htm
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