Winston-Salem, NC-- Students in Winston-Salem, NC are communicating with students in another country, all thanks to technology.
Wake Forest University Education Professor Ann Cunningham, along with Wake Forest student teachers and classroom teachers, linked first, second and third graders in Winston-Salem to an elementary school in New Zealand.
The link was possible through an online tool called "Edmodo". It connected students and teachers at Pt. England Primary School located in Auckland to students at Meadowlark Elementary.
The two schools are 8,000 miles apart, and have an 18-hour time difference.
Tuesday, Meadowlark Elementary students presented their parents posters showing what they've learned from their counterparts down under. Students have created videos and blog posts and have been sharing information about topics such as animals, transportation, holidays, weather and government in the U.S. and N.Z.
The project, which has been underway for the past several weeks, explores how young elementary school students can learn to use the technology and benefit from the interaction with children from another culture. In today's global society, Cunningham says it is critical to teach even the youngest students how technology tools work and how they can connect with children in other countries.
Cunningham led Wake Forest education majors during a study abroad trip last summer to New Zealand to learn more about that country's innovative use of technology in the early grades. She is building on those ties to foster global learning for North Carolina elementary school students.
Wake Forest University