“Wait, they have never talked with a class from another state before?”
“I bet they are going to be nervous, I remember my first time I was nervous too.”
“They are going to be so excited! I was really excited when we did this for the first time”
As my first grade class were preparing to learn about suburban Maryland by talking to a group of third grade students in my sister-in-law’s class, they were already building empathy for people they had yet to meet. Soon they would be face to face, talking in real time with a group of kids in another state.
“I bet they are going to be nervous, I remember my first time I was nervous too.”
“They are going to be so excited! I was really excited when we did this for the first time”
As my first grade class were preparing to learn about suburban Maryland by talking to a group of third grade students in my sister-in-law’s class, they were already building empathy for people they had yet to meet. Soon they would be face to face, talking in real time with a group of kids in another state.
There is incredible value in learning from different people. Providing our kids with opportunities to connect and learn with people from all over the world allows them build a greater understanding of our differences and become more well rounded people. It is a uniquely special experience being able to see someone’s face and hear their voice as their words spark your imagination. The opportunity to communicate with people anywhere and at any time changes things. For over a decade I had done pen pal projects with different schools in different areas, each bringing unique value and learning experience to my students. Allowing them an opportunity to bring the pen pal experience to life through real time video connections with real people, changed the depth of learning for my classes.
 | In seeing and hearing students who were different than themselves, and learning about their experiences first hand, my classes not only learned the lessons in social studies, science, speaking and writing, but more importantly, they developed an incredible understanding of how kids around the world were similar to themselves. They also grew to appreciate the differences and learn from them. While the value of pre-thought, written, communication cannot be discounted, the ability to embrace the natural flow of conversation with someone in real time brings learning and connecting to a new level. We did this using several simple tools. Our main method of video connections was using Appear.in. Appear is a web based platform. We were able to connect with many groups, quickly, and clearly from all over North America using Appear.in. In some schools programs like Skype and Google Hangouts may be blocked, but Appear is still open because it is less widely known. This was the easiest and most “kid friendly” way to do video calls with various classes. There are enough challenges when connecting with people from all over the world without limiting methods of communication. |
There are several more significant challenges to connecting in real time through video software. One of the greatest challenges is time zones. Time zones tend to limit who and where you can contact in real time. This does however, provide an opportunity to teach students about geography and the science behind why time zones exist. Some of our best science conversations stemmed from a discussion about why our connection with students in South Africa and Mozambique was done through sending videos and slides presentations rather than in real time.
Another major challenge is schedule flexibility. While teachers at the elementary level do have some more flexibility in their schedule, many more are bound by their availability. The more flexible you can be with time, the easier it will be to connect with others. While the scheduling problem has presented itself many times while working to connect with other classes, one of the things I have found, is that connecting doesn’t take long. Once you are comfortable with the tools and your students with the process, you can easily connect with and discuss something with another class in less than fifteen minutes.
Another major challenge is schedule flexibility. While teachers at the elementary level do have some more flexibility in their schedule, many more are bound by their availability. The more flexible you can be with time, the easier it will be to connect with others. While the scheduling problem has presented itself many times while working to connect with other classes, one of the things I have found, is that connecting doesn’t take long. Once you are comfortable with the tools and your students with the process, you can easily connect with and discuss something with another class in less than fifteen minutes.
One other issue is excitement. Yes, your kids will be excited. They will also be nervous. Depending on their age and experience with video, they will almost certainly behave differently when the camera is on. Some are more reserved and try to hide, while others are more brash and look to find their way onto the camera. Either way, think through the process and discuss it with your students. How do we want to present ourselves to this other class? If we were trying to hear them share, what would we hope the rest of their classmates were doing? How can we make sure this is the best experience for everyone involved? All of these are important to consider and will allow your students to have a positive experience in making connections with live video.
 | In the end, despite the challenges, the reward is remarkable. Remember that your students will not only have the opportunity to seek out feedback from a live, authentic audience, but they will also have the opportunity to gain greater understanding and build empathy for others. Technology has presented us with the incredible benefits found in connecting and learning with one another, with real people, in real time.. |
| About the Author Brian Costello, owner of BTC2Learn LLC, is a Google Certified Innovator & Trainer in his 8th year of teaching in Southern New Jersey. His career started as an instructional aide before going on to teach Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades for the past seven years. He now works as a middle school technology integration specialist. He is an avid writer, blogger, and Twitter user and has published his first children’s novel: Will McGill and the Magic Hat. He has also published for CUE Blog: Connected Educators, Class World Tour, and The Global Audience Project. Brian was a spotlight speaker at Tech Rodeo and presents on topics including educational technology, leadership, communication, and professional development. He recently launched The Global Audience Project to help classes find, and be, authentic audiences for projects. Follow him on Twitter at @btcostello05 |  |
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PenPal Schools or any of our affiliates.
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