Educational Communities

As I've talked about before, technology is a big deal in the world of education.  One company that took this idea and ran with it is ePals.  You can find their website here: www.epals.com.  It's dedicated to creating educational communities and promoting collaborative learning.  They offer a whole slew of resources for teachers and students, including my personal favorite: Global Community, which allows teachers to join forces from across the world, bringing their students together to work on shared projects in an enriching experience for both groups.  American students learning Mandarin could connect with students learning English in China, for example.  Teachers who sign up simply need to enter their class's age group and languages, which other teachers looking for collaborative opportunities can search by, as well as information regarding the nature of the desired interaction.



Global Community is a wonderful opportunity for teachers to create authentic experiences for their students.  In this regard, it is unmatched by other resources.  Students will also get practice using technology and participating in the global community, which is an end unto itself.  As mentioned earlier, this would be an excellent tool in a language learning classroom, and is one I would definitely consider for my own.