Our school received a grant about 5 years ago to install distance learning equipment. We now have the ability to talk to people all over the world. Our students now collaborate with others around the state and they have participated in activities around the world. This project is a long-term assignment and allows a greater connection between students than what our students currently experience. The assignment seems to be very involved and requires a lot of preparation from the teacher, like taking a summer course from the Metropolitan Opera Guild. It seems to be as much a collaboration between teachers as it is between students.
Students took on roles to develop an opera, from music, to costumes, to staging. In the end, the students from Sweden flew to the US to rehearse and present the opera to the community. What a great opportunity for all involved.
Mike that is so great that your school has invested in distance learning. Our students live in a 'bubble' so to speak and don't know what the world out there has to offer. I have started a travel group with my students, where we will be traveling to Europe this spring to see various artworks. Not only will we see art though, but rather we will be able to experience another culture. I never realized how important this was until I studied in Italy during college. Now that we have the equipment to make cultural collaboration easy, more schools should be taking advantage of programs like this.
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