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

Win 50.000 $
NOW

Business
Offer

No social control
No control of personal data

Letter
Internet communciation is trivial From Dr
Amro Alastal
I General aspects of internet communication

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.
I General aspects of internet communication

People are more direct/ more offending

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
I General aspects of internet communication

Consequences: cyber bullying/ mobbing etc.

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
CanBehaviour
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
Myvideo

-Watch video streamings

(flash)

Clipfish

-Publish videos

Sevenload

-Create your own TV

Channel

Youku
II Internet Services and Tools

-Interact with other

members (comment, rate,
private messages..)

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:
SchlerVZ
(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

Dont 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

one-time 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!