Journal 6 - "Educators are Going Global"

I already did a Journal on the article "Threat of Security" (see Journal #2), so here is a different one to substitute for Journal #6.

Journal 6 – “Educators are Going Global” by Anita McAnear

Source: Learning and Leading with Technology. November 2007. Vol. 35 No. 3

McAnear discusses how the internet is becoming a place for people to collaborate on ways to address and solve global issues such as climate change and hunger. First, she talks about Web 2.0 tools, such as blogs, wikis, nings, Twitter, Skype, text messaging, and chats, and how students and teachers collaborate using these tools. Then she lists sites on which teachers connect – Global Schoolnet, GLOBE – and projects that connect students – ThinkQuest and Global Challenge.

Her point is that teachers and students alike are discovering ways they can “do good for the world” by using technology. For example, a person can contribute money to buy a goat for a poor herder in a foreign country, making a huge difference in that person’s life. Kiva.org helps people in Third World countries to help themselves by routing money to the appropriate places. She also mentions social entrepreneurship (but does not explain what that is in detail) and directs readers to the Skoll Foundation and Social Edge. An example of a classroom doing their “part” is Wendy Drexel’s third grade class in Florida, which helped raise funds through UNICEF for kids in war-torn Darfur.

McAnear’s article is a good place to start if one is interested in becoming involved with the online community for global change. I think it is a great way to address global problems because there are so many people online. Get one dollar from a million web surfers and you have a million dollars that could mean the difference between starving and eating well for countless poor families. It is also an easy way to get kids started on community service and global thinking.

Questions:

1. How can you be sure the online charity is legitimate?

I would make sure that the website had .org at the end of it, but I would also consult trusted websites to verify if a charity is legitimate (ie. Google it to find feedback, or go on a website like kiva.org to see if they have a list of notable charities). I would also probably trust the charities listed in articles such as this one, because it is a journal that does research on such topics.

2. What kind of charities would you want to work with in your classroom?

I definitely think that charities that focus on children and education will resonate with school-age children. For example, charities that provide Third World schools with computers, or even just the basics, like a backpack with notebooks, paper, pencils, and a Dictionary, or shoes for children who go to school without them. Or a program that provides poor children with lunches at school.