Cross-country classes
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- October
- 10
Ever wonder what kids in Missouri think of the current immigration debate? With the aid of videoconferencing, students in Scarsdale Middle School found out today as they discussed the topic with a class at Wydown Middle School in St. Louis.
The hour-long morning program was part of the school district’s expanding use of the technology. With a camera, microphone and telephone connection students can see and talk with an instructor or group of individuals from anywhere in the world.
Scarsdale has been very active in using videoconferencing technology as a teaching aid, exposing students to different viewpoints and cultures.
They are not the only district to employ videoconferencing, but they are likely one of the most active. The district held 27 videoconferences last year and have nine scheduled so far for this year.
“They learn perspectives from other places, where people have different opinions,” said Marci Rothman, the humanities teacher that led the class. “It enriches the topic.”
The technology isn’t perfect – students can be distracted by jittery video or sounds of static – but they are very enthusiastic about it.
“It’s so cool,” Caitlin Hayles, a 13-year-old eighth grader, said after the class. “I want to use it to call my cousin.”
“I thought it was a great opportunity to learn what other people across the country are learning,” said Christopher Phillibert, 13.
The program was moderated by Global Nomads Group, a not-for-profit group that conducts videoconferencing programs around the world. You can visit the group’s website at http://www.gng.org.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, October 10th, 2006 at 5:40 pm by Dwight R. Worley.
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Cross-country education is a great idea, akin to the study abroad programs offered by many colleges. This semester, six Monroe College Culinary Arts students are participating in a three-month, 15-credit program, as are four students from Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York who signed on to participate in Monroe’s Study Abroad Program. Through this special program coordinated by the Marco Polo Institute in Italy, classes are being held at three different locations in Italy, at the Barilla Institute, Parma; University of Ferrara, Ferrara, and University of Lecce, Lecce. Students focus on advanced study in the culinary arts, food service, hospitality services, hotel and restaurant management, Italian language, culture and literature, and Italian product production and execution. The student’s overseas expenses are being underwritten in part through the Chef Craig Rutman Memorial Scholarship Fund. Rutman was the program’s first director until suffering a fatal heart attack in 2005.
And this Friday, October 13th, Monroe officially dedicates its new Culinary Arts Center on its New Rochelle campus. It features two à la carte, one banquet, and one baking and pastry kitchen. Next year, the college plans to open a restaurant on campus, staffed and operated entirely by students under the supervision of a professional general manager. It will be open to the public for their dining pleasure.
I like to learn sme culinary art