School District of Mystery Lake

Published purpose

This project twins Riverside Elementary School in Thompson, Manitoba, Canada, with St. Elizabeth Technical High School in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Students explore the differences and similarities in their cultures with a focus on food security, health, and economics. The technologies used to facilitate these school projects include mobile learning technology such as iPod touch. Through the use of blogs as a shared space, students post photographs, student-created videos, and audio interviews and then comment on and discuss these postings. This project is part of a two-year pilot initiative designed to engage Canadian and developing-country teachers and students in joint learning projects. The International School Twinning Initiative (ISTI) aims to provide an enriched interactive learning environment to benefit both Canadian and developing-country classrooms. Through the ISTI, Canadian students and teachers gain greater insight into international development, a greater appreciation of their role as global citizens, and an enhanced ability to communicate international development issues. The ISTI is part of the Global Citizens Program, which seeks to raise awareness and increase knowledge of international development and provide opportunities for youth to participate in international development.