Technology as a common thread
With tools such as UberConference free conference call service, it becomes possible for people to have face to face interactions in the classrooms, even if they are in two different parts of the world. It can allow students from one part of the world to provide their perspective on a topic so that others can see a different viewpoint of the same topic. This will expand the knowledge of the people that are in the classroom. It will allow them to open up their minds more and it may help them understand things in a different way.
Imagine a classroom learning a foreign language. An English class may be able to conduct a conference call with a class in Japan. It provides many different opportunities. The students will get to hear the foreign language being spoken and used in normal conversations. They may learn not only about the language they are hearing, but what people in that culture are like and what their lives are like. This visual aspect is a much better learning tool than memorizing things that are read in a book.
Many people think that technology will reduce the ability of people to communicate in the future. They worry that texting and emails are impersonal and people are losing the ability to talk with others face to face. The use of video conferencing in the classroom will have the opposite effect. It will teach people how to communicate with others despite any language or cultural barriers that may exist.
It is not perfect
Technology is not perfect for every classroom when it comes to communicating globally. There are several barriers that make it difficult for some educational institutions to take advantage of what technology can offer.
Time is the biggest barrier. It is often difficult to schedule the meeting of two or more classrooms in different parts of the world because of the time differences in the countries. This can be overcome with planning and scheduling.
The access to technology is a much bigger barrier. Not every country can afford the technology that is needed to share education with other countries. It is very important that the countries that do not have the technology are given the access to it in some way. It will not only benefit the countries that are receiving the technology, it will also benefit the people that will now be able to interact with the whole world.
Technology is going to allow students of all ages the ability to get a much different education. They will be taught that the world is a big place, but with a little help from technology, it can actually become much smaller. Students will have the chance to be more open minded about the events that have shaped the world and they will be able to use this knowledge to help them build businesses and to solve problems around the world in the future.
Students are the future of the world and they deserve the best education that they can get. Having access to a global education is one way to make that happen.
John Reiley is a senior business analyst currently residing in NYC. He has been helping business owners plan their strategy for success since 2005. He can be reached on GooglePlus.
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