International conversations
May 28, 2010
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In a week where cultural diversity is being celebrated at Nudgee College, students in Year 6 broadened their horizons internationally by speaking with students in India and Pakistan.
In a first for the College, Year 6 students also spoke with students at Sydney’s Ankara Islamic School via a Face to Faith Video Conference last week.
“Year 6 students have been studying in class concepts of who we are as a school (mission statement, religious influences, family involvement) and concepts of wealth, poverty and charitable giving. The culminating activity for this unit was the video conferences,” teacher Mr Dom Maher said.
The Tony Blair Foundation's Face to Faith program is an educational program that engages school students of different faiths across the world in learning directly with, from and about each other through video conferencing and an online community.
“The aim is for students to talk and share their views on global issues from Nudgee College’s faith perspectives. Hopefully, learning something by improving their religious literacy and understanding others viewpoints,” Mr Maher said.
The video conference with Sri Venkateshwar International School (SVIS) in India allowed the students from both schools to share what a typical school day is like for them, the subjects they study, the sports they play and why they like attending their school.
With the conferences having a focus on faith, the students also shared their religious experiences, values and the fundraising each school does.
Each school was then given an opportunity to ask questions which included what SVIS students consider the greatest global concern to be and who the ‘freedom fighters’ or leaders are that are affecting change in Australia.
The experience was best summed up by a SVIS student who farewelled the Nudgee College students by encouraging "everyone to have respect for each other and others faith" and "hoping to continue the conversations in the online community".
