Module 4: Internet communication

Communication between schools

Language
Country-specific background knowledge
Cultural sensitivity
M4 Task 2 - Recognising hidden asssumptions
Personal contacts and teacher collaboration
Non-Internet communication
Curriculum priorities
Time zones and school calendars
Access to technology and infrastructure
M4 Task 3 - Dealing with some communication issues
Acceptable use policies

Many issues must be considered before attempting to communicate internationally with other teachers and students. Some are cross-cultural issues and some are more practical, such as time zones, but all can affect the outcomes of your communications. Some of these issues are discussed below. These issues are relevant to both basic communication (Module 4) and collaborative projects (Module 5). Some are also relevant to national or local communication between schools.

Language

Although English is predominantly the language of the Internet, it may not be the first language of educators and students with whom you establish contact. In non-English speaking countries, English may be taught as a second language, but it will not usually be the medium of instruction.

Messages sent in English may need to be translated on arrival. As you can imagine, this can be quite a time-consuming task and may cause delays in response.

It is best to avoid colloquialisms and slang as they are not likely to be understood. Nor should you refer to people or things that might not be universally recognised, such as local television identities or programs, without explaining who or what they are.

Be careful of the way the significance of some words can change when they are translated into other languages.

Here is some additional advice about sending email messages to those whose first language is not English (M4 Language).

Country-specific background knowledge

Students in Australia, and the international students with whom they will be communicating, may initially know little of one another's countries and cultures. They should have some basic knowledge before communication begins.

This could involve research using print sources, such as the Access Asia series (http://www.curriculum.edu.au/catalogue/results.php?keywords=access+asia&action=search), maps, speakers, films and Internet sources such as Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com) or National Geographic (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/tw/index.html) or The Virtual Library: Regional Studies (http://vlib.org/Regional.html).

Cultural sensitivity

Take a look at the Culture Shock section at Soegondo.com (http://www.soegondo.com/).

You might be able to ask local community members of particular national groups to help with cultural information, but many Australian schools will probably need to learn about cultural aspects for themselves. This is also a reasonable expectation you could have of international schools wishing to communicate effectively with you.

If in doubt, err towards formality rather than informality in communications. In many countries, status (measured by such things as age, job, marital status, having children) is very important and those considered to be of a higher status expect to be treated more formally by someone of lower status. That said, foreigners are usually not expected to know much about status issues and so are often given a great deal of leeway.

Here are some examples of emails and letters exchanged between Korean teachers and an Australian teacher (M4 Cultural sensitivity). (All personal details have been changed.)

There are many ways in which your communication may be distorted because of attitudes you hold and assumptions you make.

Personal contacts and teacher collaboration

A personal contact is often essential in the success of a collaborative project. You may make personal contacts through a sister-school (or sister-city) relationship, through travel opportunities and study tours or through mailing lists.

If teachers at both ends of the collaborative link are committed and enthusiastic, this is likely to spread to the students as well. You will need to collaborate with the other teachers to make sure that project guidelines are followed and that participants adhere to timelines. Collaborative projects are covered more extensively in Module 5.

Non-Internet communication

The Internet can be a great medium for communication, but it is not the only one and it is not always the best one. Sometimes, a phone call or a fax message is more appropriate. Choose the best method of communication for a particular purpose. Obviously, things such as soft toys or pieces of craft work can only be sent by ordinary mail.

Curriculum priorities

Some centralised education systems require schools to follow a national curriculum that is geared towards an examination system. They leave little leeway for alternative classroom activities. This may mean that teachers and students will be doing communication projects in their own time or in very limited class time, leading to delays in responding.

Time zones and school calendars

Don't forget to take into account different time zones. Schools in other countries may also have different times of student attendance during the day and different calendars for term time and holiday time.

Note the different religious and national holidays observed in other countries. Good diaries often provide a listing of these or you will find practical country-specific information at Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com).

Access to technology and infrastructure

Not all countries have the same access to computer technology. Computers may be in classrooms or in laboratories. Student access may be very restricted. There may be computer incompatibilities or email links can fail or addresses change.

Some governments are concerned about issues of acceptable content, particularly for young people, and therefore may limit access to the Internet.

(Much of the above material is derived from the AEF/I#EARN Handbook (1995) and other documents arising from AEF/I#EARN projects.)

Acceptable use policies

Acceptable use policies (AUPs) are written guidelines for the appropriate use of computer networks in schools. They are generally signed by students and their parents or guardians to signify their acceptance of these conditions of use. Your school will probably already have an acceptable use policy for student use of the Internet. To see some guidelines for acceptable use policies go to SOFWeb (http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/) Click on Teachers > Using the Internet > Taking Care > SafetyNet: Internet Usage Guidelines for Schools.