Tech+Tool+3

= Tech Tool 3: ePALS = = = = =


= = = = = = = = = = = = ePALS is a global interactive learning community. I was moved to be instantly in touch with people on the other side of the earth. This is an amazing resource for students and teachers to connect with classes from different cultures, to share classroom projects, study language, or to become pen pals. One school I happened to find is [|Bar-Lev Junior High school in Israel.] There are excellent lesson plans addressing issues that affect the world such as habitat, water, global warming and biodiversity. There are project focus areas on human rights, Black history, and elections. A teacher can connect with other classrooms searching by projects, classrooms or a world map. Classrooms are matched up in an instant. National Geographic partners with ePALS to provide excellent photography, lessons plans, and research. Safe and secure email through ePALS allows teachers, students and family to post questions and discussion through forums. Recent issues have varied from the weather in Romania, what Barack Obama will do for the economy, to women's rights in Canada. Protected email allows teachers to set up mail accounts for the classroom and begin a global conversation immediately with classrooms connected through ePALS. Over 200 countries are connected through ePALS.

As a teacher, I would use ePALS to engage and connect my students with other classrooms studying similar issues. This kind of communication has the potential to build understanding between cultures by collaborating on projects, sharing stories about culture, and discovering the similarities and differences of life for children around the world. ePALS brings collaborative learning to a whole new level.