Global Collaboration has more benefits then just extending ones knowledge and understanding in educational subjects, it can also help students better understand their peers, their emotions, social interactions, and the whole world outside of their community. Introducing students to a wider world can inspire them to explore, to create, or to make changes happen where needed. While technological advances can be intimidating, having the tools to connect with people in different countries can expand the younger generations mind and create new ideas to better our society and planet. Gosia Jaros-White discusses in their article titled “Four Amazing Benefits of Global Collaboration,” the gains of global collaboration that touch on subjects outside of classroom knowledge.
Inquiry-Based Learning
Inquiry-based learning focuses on letting the student guide what they want to know, bringing attention to their questions or ideas. Global Collaboration is a great way to trigger this kind of curiosity that engages students in their own learning, making them more excited to come to class. In their article, Gosia Jaros-White writes, “in global collaboration projects students ask questions and make observations about their peers” (Jaros-White, 2023). Allowing students to explore their curiosity cannot only expand their knowledge on certain subjects, leading them to inquire for more answers, but also keep them engaged in the classroom.
Diversity/Common Ground
When communicating virtually with students all over the world means they will naturally notice differences from where others live including different accents, ethnicities, clothes, and more. This allows them to have a deeper appreciation for diversity and learning more about different cultures around the world. It also allows them to find a common ground with others that allow the differences and distance to not seem so large. Finding this common ground leads the students to not only be talking to someone across the globe, but a new friend as well. As the author states in their article, “discovering that their global partners listen to the same K-pop artists or read the same manga books leads to rich discussions and deeper connections with people they wouldn’t normally interact with before” (Jaros-White, 2023).
Students becoming Teachers/Empathy
One thing that comes along with talking to students from countries across the globe, is the sharing of knowledge. Having the students interact with one another can allow them to help others in different subjects or projects and answer questions. That is not the only way students can become teachers as seen by the example given by Gosia Jaros-White, who states that sharing phrases or words in languages that others are trying to learn can aid in the process (Jaros-White, 2023).
Every person has a different life and face different challenges, and giving students the opportunity to comprehend the challenges those from around the world may face can allow their empathy to grow and inspire them to create change. There are examples all over the world of children stepping up; raising money, hosting fundraisers, and more for different causes. Global Collaboration can only expand on this, providing them with the chance to help others and with virtual meetings, they won’t just be helping a group of kids their age, but their own friends or peers (Jaros-White, 2023).
Closing
There are many benefits to global collaboration and as it is used in more classrooms, they will only grow. The article used today only discusses merely a few that I believe are important for educators to know as they decide whether or not to implement global collaboration into their classroom. There are so many ways technology can be used in the classroom to help students and expand their knowledge, and not just on school subjects, and it can all be done in quick, simple steps with more educators building a community online everyday.
Citations
Jaros-White, Gosia. “Four Amazing Benefits of Global Collaboration.” Level Up Village, 10 July 2023. https://levelupvillage.com/four-amazing-benefits-of-global-collaboration/