Part I: Project Description
Racism and bigotry are two of largest problems that society in Kuwait faces today. Misunderstandings exist from the young to the old, and it is nearly daily that you will hear or see this racism. My students range from 15 to 18 years old. Most are Kuwaiti, and almost all are very wealthy. As a result of the wealth in Kuwait, a society with a reliance on help has been created. My students have, therefore, been brought up with nannies, maids, cooks, and drivers. These servants are typically Indian, Bangladeshi, and Filipino. My students have been raised to see themselves as better than their servants, both socially and economically. They only see them as the help, and thus, have developed misunderstandings of their cultures. This leads many to be racist and bigoted in everyday life. I would like to make a dent in this racism and bigotry. I say dent, because I know that I cannot fix the problem of race in Kuwait by myself. However, I can have an impact on my students, and hopefully, others as well.
Using the TPACK model, I have crafted a semester long lesson for my photography class, that focuses on cultural understandings, by utilizing social constructivism and select technologies. This lesson will require use of new technologies, not used in my school before: Flickr and Skype. Therefore, it is necessary to have wifi internet access, a webcam, and speaker system in my classroom. My students will be connected to a collaborating class from South/Southeast Asia. The two classes will work together to capture their cultures with photography, and then share them with one another. After sharing, students will videoconference, utilizing Mystery Skype, to discuss the photography and their cultures. Finally, students will reflect on the knowledge they have gained. This new knowledge will be assimilated into their prior knowledge, having them challenge their misunderstandings with what they have learned. In the end, I plan to see progress in terms of acceptance and understanding of other cultures in my students.
Using the TPACK model, I have crafted a semester long lesson for my photography class, that focuses on cultural understandings, by utilizing social constructivism and select technologies. This lesson will require use of new technologies, not used in my school before: Flickr and Skype. Therefore, it is necessary to have wifi internet access, a webcam, and speaker system in my classroom. My students will be connected to a collaborating class from South/Southeast Asia. The two classes will work together to capture their cultures with photography, and then share them with one another. After sharing, students will videoconference, utilizing Mystery Skype, to discuss the photography and their cultures. Finally, students will reflect on the knowledge they have gained. This new knowledge will be assimilated into their prior knowledge, having them challenge their misunderstandings with what they have learned. In the end, I plan to see progress in terms of acceptance and understanding of other cultures in my students.