Date of Award

1-1-2010

Document Type

Campus Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Leadership and Policies

Sub-Department

Early Childhood Education

First Advisor

Kevin Swick

Second Advisor

Beth Powers-Costello

Abstract

This study used qualitative methodology to document what happened when two groups of children - a second grade class in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.A. and a third grade class in Amman, Jordan - collaborated on a technology enhanced cultural exchange. Key aspects of this project included dialogic collaboration based upon Short's (2003) model of cultural self-reflection and cross-cultural exchange. In addition, literature and language arts engagements were used as tools for sparking interest and sharing. Findings suggest that such collaborations not only increase student skills in content areas such as reading, writing, social studies, and technology but also help to foster children's understandings of the their own cultures and spark interests in other cultures.

Rights

© 2010, Brenda Eklund Richards

Share

COinS