A class may find that students who were once reluctant to speak up in class have specialized language skills or knowledge of their community that make their active participation valuable. Teachers interested in bringing all students into participation in their class can use global learning networks to help reverse patterns of discrimination at their school. For example, in a partnership between schools in Connecticut and Puerto Rico, the teachers designed a newspaper publishing project that valued Spanish language skills in the Connecticut school. Other teachers have created databases of oral histories or community research exchanges, validating the knowledge of parents and families. This involves drawing inferences and making generalizations.
Distant partnerships add valuable information to a student's understanding of complex social issues.
I n a global networking project, teachers can help students raise questions by encouraging them to notice both similarities as well as differences and discontinuities between their local realities and the distant realities of their partners. In a cultural package exchange, for example, asking students to reflect on what they learned, what they found most interesting or surprising, and what questions they still have are questions that students of any age can respond to. The kinds of questions that emerge don't necessarily lead to answers that they or their partners can provide but they do lead to an awareness of the complexity of many social and equity issues and then become the basis for further exchanges and investigations. In these networks students often take on the role of detectives. Investigating and making comparisons help them see patterns and think in terms of broader social issues.