General Information Project Overview Goals Curriculum Connections Resource Connections Evaluation

  General Information

  Project Overview

The main aim of this project is to explore the different cultures of the world. Students will realize that the world is a global community where people have different lifestyles and yet are linked by common needs.

The project will focus on the needs of people that are common to all cultures and ways of expressing their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. It will ask students to look at lifestyles in various parts of the world and encourage them to find relationships between their way of life and those of others. Finally, the project will show how learning about culture systems and cultural values will help prepare students to work and live in a global community.

  Goals

 To understand what the term "culture" embraces.

 To realize the importance of material and non-material elements in the definition of a culture.

 To appreciate how our culture borrows elements from other cultures.

 To value the need for cooperation and understanding among the different cultures.

 To gain knowledge of the similarities and differences among different cultures.

 To appreciate that people have similar needs regardless of different cultural backgrounds.

  Curriculum Connections

Social Studies

As students do the different instructional activities related to culture, they will acquire skills, attitudes, and develop personal qualities such as knowing, inquiring, reflecting, and valuing.

Language Arts

Students will be required to present findings through written and oral form.

Technology

The project will help students understand how to use the Internet, and it will heighten/broaden computer literacy skills.

Technology Education Learning Outcomes

• Communicate with distant students and teachers on control projects and problems.
• Use communication technology to research ideas and information.
• To help students communicate findings and solutions effectively.
• To help students to attain those skills essential for retrieving information on culture from the Internet.
• To help students to attain a working knowledge of the Internet and how it may be utilized for research.

  Resource Connections

Information on cultures and cultural groups may be acquired from print and non-print resources. However, in most cases this information is not current or only written from one point of view. Textbooks, even before being printed, are almost always out of date, and after only a few years of being in circulation will certainly be outdated. By having access to the Internet, students will be able to broaden and supplement content in the textbook, see other points of view, and attain current information. The project will be useful in helping students acquire the skills needed in using technology, ie: the Internet, computers, and those skills needed in communication.

  Evaluation

In grade seven students are required to examine another culture and compare this culture to their own. In their examination students are required to present their findings either by an exam or by completing a project.

Through the use of the Internet, students will:

 be required to examine information on other cultures.

 demonstrate that they are capable of establishing links with sites having information on
   various cultures.

 demonstrate their literacy skills and their computer skills.

 summarize information attained about cultures.

 present their information both orally and in written form.

 communicate with others using email, newsgroups, bulletin boards and use websites to
   gather information.

We hope that by doing this project teachers and students will become more aware of the potential of the Internet as a teaching/learning tool.

  Project Overview

Overview

The Stellar Schools Project for grade 7 was a study on Mexico. It included some aspects of history, economy (including emerging sector), social fife, government, vocabulary, food and map work. The students then wrote a report on their findings and then presented them to the class.

Software Used

• Netscape - Searching the Internet

• Encarter - Searching for more information

• Word Perfect - Writing report

Progress

Students were given 3 - 4 periods to search the Internet. They were given specific locations to search, plus they were encouraged to find other locations. Most students were able to find useful information. Three classes were involved.

Problems

• Speed of communication on the Internet. Many of the students were frustrated by the long waiting period.

• Very often there was no response.

Skills learned

• How to search the Internet.

• How to search more accurately. (Eg) Putting words in quotation marks and other techniques.

• How to summarize information.

• How to use Encarter.

• Prepare a good report based on their research.

Summary

To complete the assignment, students were given a choice of the Internet, Encarter , or books from the library. Students really enjoyed the project and the opportunity to learn on the Internet.

The biggest problem with the project was the very slow speed of the search. This problem needs to be resolved if the Internet is to be a practical resource for students.