What is telecollaboration?
Telecollaboration refers to the use of technology for purposes of engagement and communication. Generally, telecollaboration takes place through an online network that allows people of diverse origins to interact in a digital or virtual environment. Telecollaboration is commonly used to encourage communication among professionals, leaders, and, more recently, students. Online communication and collaboration has the power to engage young learners while introducing classrooms to a global community. Telecollaboration offers students an opportunity to communicate with others in an authentic learning experience, while providing them a purposeful application of learning objectives. The telecollaborative project described on this website involves virtual communication, through the use of blogs, for the purpose of enriching the curriculum with diverse perspectives.
Our Vision
This project is titled, "Sharing Traditions." Over the course of three months, elementary aged students will communicate with other students of a similar age using telecollaborative practices. Using a class blog, students will develop personal narratives describing their cultural traditions. Each month, teachers will guide students as they respond to prompts that encourage creative, descriptive responses. Through a collaborative network, established by the program's coordinators, students from other classrooms will have the ability to comment and respond to the blog posts. This project will be scaffolded, providing time for improvement, beginning with a limited pilot project between two HCPSS classrooms. In its second session, the project will be released to elementary teachers in the Howard County Public School System. Ultimately, our goal is for this project to be released online in an international collaborative network, enabling classes from around the world the opportunity to communicate with one another and develop a stronger sense of global community.