Argentinian Radio News Highlights Local IVECA Project

IVECA was featured in a local Argentinian newspaper this week during an interview by InfoPico Radio. The radio interviewed our IVECA teacher Ms. Gisel Crespo, whose students are partnered with a school in South Korea for IVECA intercultural exchange activities. The Argentinian teacher explains how the IVECA activities have provided an incredible life experience for her students, communicating beyond the borders of the classroom and the country.

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< Comunicar sin fronteras”: Alumnos del Colegio Santa Inés participan de un intercambio virtual de culturas con estudiantes de Corea del Sur>

By InfoPico Radio

En diálogo con “La Redacción” por INFOPICO RADIO 99.9, Gisselle Crespo, docente de la materia Inglés en el colegio Santa Inés, se refirió al intercambio cultural que están llevando a cabo los estudiantes de primero, quinto y sexto año del colegio con estudiantes de Corea del Sur.

Desde la institución local destacan que se trata de “una alternativa pensada y trabajada para que los alumnos despierten a su aprendiz, desarrollen competencias y pensamiento crítico, y que, por sobre todas las cosas, disfruten del proceso de aprendizaje”.

Por su parte, Giselle manifestó que en este intercambio se están llevando a cabo dos actividades en paralelo, por un lado está la actividad individual, donde cada alumno tiene un compañero o compañera de Corea asignado y deben conocerse e intercambiar información durante las próximas cuatro semanas, tanto dentro como fuera del horario escolar.

Por otro lado, tienen actividades grupales donde se nos dan temáticas que se trabajan en ONU ya que “todo tiene una finalidad de fondo y es que los chicos aprendan disfrutando, que conozcan otras culturas pero también se concienticen en distintos temas que son importantes como la igualdad y problemas climáticos“.

En ese sentido, dijo que si bien todo se hace en inglés “esa es la excusa, queríamos compartirlo más que nada porque lo que se está generando en los grupos de trabajo y es que los chicos están aprendiendo por sí solos, ellos mismos están siendo protagonistas, investigando, viendo documentales“.

En cuanto al surgimiento del intercambio, la profesora Giselle Crespo sostuvo que comenzó junto a una colega “queríamos generar un cambio en la materia porque nuestra carga horaria no era mucha en el colegio y darle a los chicos la posibilidad de practicar más la comunicación y la oralidad“.

A partir de eso comenzaron con la búsqueda online para intentar contactar a programas y colegios de otros lugares para que los chicos y chicas pudiera mantener una experiencia con nativos o con personas que hablaran inglés y para que no fuese algo que ocurriera sólo en el aula.

“En una de las páginas que nos registramos nos llamó la fundadora, que se encuentra en Estados Unidos y es con quien estuvimos en contacto. Fue muy minuciosa la búsqueda porque es muy serio el programa, nos preguntaron sobre nuestro sistema educativo y sobre la tecnología, estaban preocupados por como íbamos a comunicarnos“, enfatizó.

En tanto, se mostró sorprendida por la reacción de los y las alumnas, “es increíble esta situación de los chicos y como están activos en la búsqueda constante de todo, no todos tienen el mismo nivel de inglés en el aula y eso ha trascendido el tema de la materia, ahora quieren comunicarse entonces están en el aprendizaje de la lengua pero es como que el inglés ya paso a un costado”.

“Son propuestas enriquecedoras, ellos tienen experiencias de vida, no solo queda para el aprendizaje del conocimiento, sino que abarca mucho más. No se van a olvidar de que estaban en cuarentena pasando por un montón de cosas y están con esto de conocer a sus amigos”.

Además, explicó que los alumnos de 5to y 6to año tienen una tarea muy desafiante ya que deben preparar un discurso en forma de monólogo basándose en artículos periodísticos regionales sobre la crisis climática que afecta a nuestra region.

Por lo que anticipó que durante junio participarán de un concurso regional entre Asia y América, “vamos a estar con escuelas de otros lados, habra jueces internacionales y los chicos tendrán que exponer ese discurso para concientizar positivamente sobre la temática en nuestra región”.

Sobre el final, dijo que lo mejor de toda la situación es permitieron la participación de cuatro cursos del secundario y aseguró que si todo sale bien “lo más probable es que en el segundo trimestre nos habiliten más cursos para poder hacer un intercambio con otro colegio“, concluyó

from InfoPico Radio at https://www.infopico.com/.../comunicar-sin-fronteras.../...

#IVECA, #TeacherTraining, #Education, #InterculturalCompetence, #GlobalCitizenship, #21stCenturySkills, #DigitalCitizenship, #GlobalEd, #GlobalEdChat, #SmartPlanet, #VirtualExchange

IVECA Welcomes New Teachers from Around the World

IVECA warmly welcomes new teachers from across the world to the Spring Semester. We are joined for the first time by teachers from Argentina. Also this semester, teachers from China, Korea, and Guatemala will be participating in the international classroom activities. Each country brings a unique and special contribution to the shared classroom exchange.

During teacher training, teachers shared their experiences and perspectives on Global Citizenship Education and Intercultural Communicative Competence during lively discussion between each other and the IVECA Team. “I love the idea to foster intercultural competence and give students the possibility to discover new tools for a better future,” said one teacher from Argentina.

Teachers were also trained how to use the Virtual Classroom and how to best guide their students in the exchange activities. Teachers shared their enthusiasm and excitement for the diverse partnerships and opportunity to connect across countries and cultural boundaries. A teacher reflected, “I love the idea of using technology, ... and working collaboratively with students and teachers from other countries.”

#IVECA, #TeacherTraining, #Education, #InterculturalCompetence, #GlobalCitizenship, #21stCenturySkills, #DigitalCitizenship, #GlobalEd, #GlobalEdChat, #SmartPlanet, #VirtualExchange

Founder of IVECA Guides Educators to Intercultural Leadership

Dr. Eunhee Jung, the founder of IVECA, was recently invited to lead an interactive conversation with educational leaders from 18 school districts in the New York States. Principals, superintendents, and department chairs attended the workshop titled “Intercultural Leadership for the 21st Century Education.” The participants in the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) program were guided by Dr. Jung to deepen their knowledge of intercultural teaching and learning. The article below is more about the program featured on the Putnam-Northern Westchester (PNW) BOCES website.

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Leading with Empathy and Understanding Across Cultures

April 19, 2021

What does it mean to be an intercultural leader? Can educators nurture global understanding and leadership? Can students gain cultural awareness and increase their compassion for cultures beyond their own? These were some of the questions posed by Dr. Eunhee Jung, founder and president of IVECA International Virtual Schooling and CEO of IVECA-KOREA during a recent virtual presentation on intercultural leadership.

The presentation was sponsored by Clarkson University, represented by Dr. Catherine Snyder, chair of Clarkson’s Department of Education and Associate Director of the Institute for STEM Education. Putnam | Northern Westchester BOCES and Clarkson offer a partnership Master of Arts in Teaching, Chinese Secondary Language.

As he welcomed participants to the workshop, District Superintendent Dr. James Ryan said that “providing an opportunity for students to develop and grow with a level of cultural awareness is so critical at this time. How do we develop an appreciation for other cultures? This workshop provides exactly the kind of dialogue and connection we need.”

Dr. Jung explained that intercultural global leaders are aware of themselves and identify themselves in relation to the larger society. “The pandemic has shown us how one action can impact all of us globally,” she said.

According to Dr. Jung, the 21st century is characterized by greater technology, cross-cultural human interactions and globalized business. This, combined with societal concerns such as inequality, climate change, and crises in health and wellbeing means that future leaders will need the key attributes of emotional intelligence and intercultural communicative competence.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to use one’s emotions to communicate effectively, empathize with others, and overcome challenges. Intercultural communication competence is the ability to express oneself effectively and appropriately in various cultural contexts.

Dr. Jung explained how, through a “curriculum transformation,” emotional intelligence, intercultural communication competence and global citizenship can all be integrated into existing curriculum.

She cited examples where students from different countries have worked together to solve problems within their communities. “We want students to think about other people’s situations and how they can find ways to be helpful to them,” she said.

Dr. Snyder felt that the presentation was particularly timely and relevant to the work of educators right now. “Dr. Jung provides a framework and a language for us to use as we all look toward interrogating our own practices through the lenses of equity, sustainability and peace,” she said. “Her attention to detail and use of common experiences helps us to understand the importance of attending to issues of intercultural awareness and also makes it more accessible to us as education leaders.”

“Dr. Jung shared a personal story about the awkwardness that can arise when we are unaware of cultural nuances,” said Dr. Frances Wills, New York State Regent. “By personalizing her experience with stereotypes and lack of cultural awareness, Eunhee Jung connected with all of the participants and emphasized the misunderstandings that can occur from lack of curiosity and knowledge about members of our community.”

By offering high quality, innovative programs and services such as Dr. Jung’s recent workshop, BOCES continues to lead the charge on global leadership in the immediate region and beyond.

--- Leading with Empathy and Understanding Across Cultures. (2021, April 19). PNW BOCES. https://www.pnwboces.org/site/News/Leading-with-Empathy-and-Understanding-Across-Cult.aspx?fbclid=IwAR1-No3dctusVgd1xbISm1FCSK9vohGq3McjfyQtYHP6VrLJ5i1AeA0JkE0