Project Overview

The Connect Program gives students the opportunity to engage in facilitated and substantive dialogue, and build meaningful relationships across national, cultural, religious, and ideological boundaries.

Through a web-conferencing application, students speak face-to-face in groups of 8-10 global peers, with no more than two students from a physical classroom assigned to the same online group so as to ensure a deeply multilateral learning experience. Each group is led by one or two facilitators, to sustain dialogue and support an environment where students can comfortably explore perspectives, uncover biases, and arrive at a better understanding of cultures, with the goal of developing the global competence essential to thriving in an interconnected world.

OIL Outcomes

Establish a deeper understanding for the perspectives of others around the world on important socio-political issues.
Develop 21st Century skills such as critical thinking, cross-cultural communication, and media literacy.

OIL Activities

•Before the program, students participate in a brief online orientation.
•During the program, students participate for an average of three hours per week in online conversations
•Students complete a final media production project.
•Students complete pre- and post-evaluations about their experience.

Type of interactions: Debate and critical reflection exercises

 

 

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