About Us | TeachUNICEF TeachUNICEF is a portfolio of free global education resources. Resources cover grades PK-12, are interdisciplinary (social studies, science, math, English/language arts, foreign/world languages), and align with standards. The lesson plans, stories, and multimedia cover topics ranging from the Millennium Development Goals to Water and Sanitation. Our mission is to support and create well-informed global citizens who understand interconnectedness, respect and value diversity, have the ability to challenge injustice and inequities and take action in personally meaningful ways. We hope that in providing engaging and academically rich materials that offer multiple voices, we can encourage the exploration of critical global issues while presenting opportunities to take action. What is UNICEF?
afs The following post was written by our fellow AFSer, Suyin Chia. Find out who she is and enjoy her post: I am the current ICL Responsible and Training Coordinator for AFS Malaysia who is happily tucked away in her mini cubicle dreaming up methods for social change and increased cultural awareness within the AFS network. I have been involved with AFS for 9 years now since my student exchange year to Japan. I am also an Intercultural Link Learning Program International Qualified Trainer candidate. Nothing delights me more than the sight of tail wagging puppies, a good read, the sound of ocean waves and interesting conversations. When meeting a new person, often my first instinct is to show them a smile. Coming back recently from the US to Malaysia, and being thoroughly exposed to the cheerful and friendly smiles of Americans with their pleasant “how are you?” So naturally I put on my intercultural curious cap, and researched online smiles in cross cultural communication.
ICL Online Resources Today’s post is by Dr. Milton Bennett and has been reposted from the IDRInstitute blog with his permission. Visit www.idrinstitute.org for more information on Dr. Milton Bennett’s current projects. Following Dr. Bennett’s post are some ideas from the AFS perspective. With all due respect to theoreticians who continue to use the iceberg metaphor to describe culture, I think it’s time to retire the image altogether. Most people with any background in intercultural communication theory agree that culture is not a “thing”; it is the process whereby groups of people coordinate meaning and action, yielding both institutional artifacts and patterns of behavior. Comparing culture to an iceberg floating in the sea implies that culture is an actual thing. The metaphor does not in any way imply that culture is a process of coordinating meaning and action – rather, it implies that culture is an entity with mysterious unknown qualities. This situation is a great example of paradigmatic confusion.
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning: 8 Excellent Augmented Reality Apps for iPad In this post Educational Technology and Mobile Learning is providing you with a list of some awesome augmented reality apps for your iPad but before that let us first see what the concept of augmented reality is all about . Augmented reality is a relatively new digital phenomenon that is brought about by the recent development in the field of technology and particularly mobile technology. In augmented reality the line between the virtual world and the real one is blurred. Though it is still relatively early to talk about the impact of augmented reality on education and learning in particular, some educators have already started foreseeing its integration into the classroom, and according to Paul Hamilton there are several reasons for this : Augmented Reality links knowledge/content with relevant visual imagery. Check out the augmented reality apps below "Science AR is the Augmented Reality App for schools. "You can now have a virtual star chart in your pocket.
intercultural Seven Habits of Highly Effective Intercultural Communicators | Sherwood Fleming's Intercultural Communication Insights In an increasingly interconnected world, intercultural communication skills are more important than ever. Many of us are finding ourselves conducting business with people from a variety of cultures. Such contexts require the creation of new communication practices that go beyond simply the mastery of whatever language we are using. I’ve identified seven communication habits of highly effective intercultural communicators, drawn from my training and consulting work with clients operating within intercultural business environments. 1. Taking risks of any kind is uncomfortable for many people. 2. They do not keep a who-should-adapt-to-who-first score card. 3. By listening with intercultural ears I mean that effective intercultural communicators have an ability to listen impartially. By seeing with intercultural eyes I mean that despite received wisdom on this point, they also ignore body language when dealing with someone from another culture. 4. 5. 6. 7. How Do You Measure Up?
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