Internet Communication
in School Partnerships
North-South School Partnerships in the framework of UNESCO –
Collaborating on ESD projects
Berlin, Germany, 22 – 26 November 2009
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
How do we use Internet communication for our partnership?
I.
General notes on internet communication
(advantages & disadvantages)
II.
Introduction of the most common internet
services & tools
III. Practical exercise: Which media/ internet
services/ tools fit your needs?
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
General aspects of
internet communication
(advantages & disadvantages in comparison to
face-to-face communication)
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Why do we not use Internet communication for our partnership?
Objections & Fears
Facilities (school, internet cafe, home)
Technical knowledge (hardware & software)
Communicative & social objections
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
RE: Partnership
Invitation
Objections & Fears
Scam/ Spam
No social control
Win
50.000 $
NOW
No control of personal data
Internet communciation is trivial
I General aspects of internet communication
Letter
From Dr
Amro Alastal
Business
Offer
Re:
Confirm
Prize
won!
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Aspects: Place & Distances
Advantages:
•
Daily meeting without moving is possible!
•
Neutral ground
Disadvantages:
•
distance = less social control/ less personal obstructions.
 People are more direct/ more offending
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Aspects: Time
Advantage:
•
Make it fit your time needs. Appointments
not necessarily needed!
Disadvantage:
•
asynchrony
 communication delay
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Aspects: Language
•
Chat language
•
reduced language
•
Foreign language: Is the language the
mother tongue of one group?
 Contents of communication can be lost
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
A:
B:
A:
B:
A:
B:
A:
B:
A:
B:
A:
A:
B:
A:
Hey whats up? How R U 2day?
good and u?
thx 4 ur mail. read it just now ;-)
did u like the pic?
yes haha ROFLMAO
Where did u take it?
oops phone. Brb
tyt!
oki back. Srry
Btw that was lisa. She sends greets 2u
thx
she has a new bf
lol. Again?
yeah ^_^
srry have 2go now. Ttyl!
sure! CU l8r take care!
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Aspects: non personal
•
Aspects of communication are missing (gesture
etc.)
•
Words & Language play a bigger role
•
Highly dependent on perceptions
•
High rate of misunderstandings
•
social control missing
 Consequences: cyber bullying/ mobbing etc.
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Aspects: Anonymity
Advantages:
•
Can help to establish contacts (e.g. shy
persons)
•
Reduces social inequality
Disadvantages:
•
Leads to more misuse and social
misbehaviour
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Aspects:
Communication Behaviour
Can be affected by local
circumstances or by social
customs (e.g. attention for
the chat partner)
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Cultural Aspects:
Cultures are very complex,
Communication is very complex
Intercultural communication: extremely
complex!
example
individualism vs. collectivism
universalism vs. particularism
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
It is ZEBRA... And so delicious!
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
IT IS ZEBRA ......... AND SO DELICIOUS
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Conclusion
Facilities

clear circumstances of communication (at school? At home?)
Technical knowledge

allow your students to help you, there is always someone willing to
give technical assistance!
Communicative & social objections

Try to reduce social barriers (e.g. create personal atmosphere)

Create awareness about internet communication disadvantages
and possible cultural differences
I General aspects of internet communication
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Internet Services & Tools
Email
Newsletter
Chat/ Messenger
Video Portals
Social Networks
Own Websites/ Forum
 What fits your projectwork best?
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Email
Services:
Possibilities:
MSN
- Send text
Yahoo
- Send files
Google Mail
Local services
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Email
Advantages
• independet of time and place
• little technics and technical knowledge needed
Disadvantages
• Asynchronity
• Limited file size
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Newsletter/ Twitter
Can rather be used to reach publicities/ less
useful for group interaction
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Chat/ Messenger
Services:
Possibilities:
Skype
- Written Chat
VOIP
- Voice Talk
MSN Messenger
- Video Chat
ICQ
Chat Systems
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Chat/ Messenger
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Chat/ Messenger
Advantages
• no continous maintenance needed
• less time consuming
• direct/ personal communication is possible
• students are forced to deal with another
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Chat/ Messenger
Disadvantages
• technical equipment needed: webcam, headset
• fast internet connection needed
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Chat/ Messenger
Recommodation
• build pairs of 2 or 3 students
• give students time to introduce themselves/ talk about own
topic
• at the same time: give a specific topic to discuss
• think about the use of moderators/ mediators (can be the
teacher)
• analyse the chat/ problems with the students afterwards
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Video portals
Services:
Possibilities:
YouTube
-Watch video streamings (flash)
Myvideo
-Publish videos
Clipfish
-Create your own TV Channel
Sevenload
-Interact with other members
(comment, rate, private
messages..)
Youku
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Video portals
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Video portals
Advantages:
• raise attention/ reach huge publicities
• can easily be implemented/ linked
• possibility to earn money (if videos are very popular)
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Video portals
Disadvantages:
• everyone can see
• less social control (comments etc.)
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Networks
Services:
Possibilities:
• Facebook
Various services and
applications available
(Private Messages,
Forum, calender, event
manager, group manager,
walls, chats)
• Myspace
• Local Social Networks:
• SchülerVZ (Germany)
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Networks
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Networks
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Networks
Advantages:
• Meets the communication behaviour of your students
• Combination of private interests and project
• little efforts needed in administration
• enables students to stay in contact
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Social Networks
Disadvantages:
• No own label/ less beneficial for external project
presentation
• Many possibilities of distraction given
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Own Website and/or Forum
Services
Possibilities:
Various free software
available to generate own
websites (no html skills
needed)
Almost everything is
possible
Various free forum/ board
systems available
(Bulletin Boards)
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Own Website and/or Forum
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Own Website and/or Forum
Advantages:
• You can fit everything your needs
• You can control all contents and contacts
• perfect for external presentation & project
documentation
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Own Website and/or Forum
Disadvantages:
• High technical knowledge needed
• Administration and maintenace is very time
consuming
• might not meet the interests & regular
communication behaviour of your students  website
can easily get unattractive for students (especially
after the project)
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Own Website and/or Forum
Recommodation:
• Calculate cost-value ration very well
• Don‘t put high efforts in something that no one is
using/ watching
• If students are willing and able: let them participate
in a responsible manner
II Internet Services and Tools
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
Practical level
Which media & internet services fit your needs?
III Practical Level
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
criteria of choice:
•
Which technical possibilities do we have/ can we have?
•
Which services/ tools apply our needs?
•
Whom do we want to adress too? (exchange groups,
schools, other students, everyone?)
•
How much time are we willing to invest?
•
How many people do we have willing to support?
•
Do we want continuity within the project or is it a onetime project?
•
How effective are the used media? (cost-benefit ratio)
Internet Communication in School Partnerships
criteria of success:
•
Do your students identify with the project contents?
Does the project meet the private interests of your
students?
•
Does the way of communication in the project meet the
regular communication behaviour of your students?
•
Do the students have a possiblity to receive a positive
feedback on their media products?
Optimal way  students participate and volunteer for the
project in their free time!