Guest post By Nicole Biscotti, M.Ed.

Luisa moved to the United States from Navolato in Sinaloa, Mexico and began attending the high school in her new neighborhood.  The school promptly identified her as an English Language Learner and began providing her with English language instruction to address language, a very obvious and tangible barrier in intercultural communication. Some of her teachers are fluent in Spanish and can communicate with her parents and the rest of the teachers use the language line to call home.  All written communication that is sent home is dutifully translated to Spanish using Google Translate (which is usually accurate enough for the general message to be understood). Unfortunately, the student and her parents still feel confused and at times unsure of how to navigate many aspects of Luisa’s school.  This new environment seems very different from what they’re used to and they’re not always clear about school procedures, academic expectations, or social norms.

When teachers asks Luisa questions about how she’s feeling at her new school she’s not sure what to say and she doesn’t want to be impolite. She usually smiles and pretends that she doesn’t understand them. She doesn’t understand very much English but by their tone and body language, she has noticed that many other students speak in a very familiar manner to adults and regularly challenge them.  She wonders why they are so disrespectful to adults.  What’s even stranger to her is that no one else seems to be surprised.  

Fortunately, several students in the class also speak Spanish although they are from different states in Mexico and other countries in South and Central America. Several of them use different words than she does in Spanish and have accents she’s never heard before.  The Salvadoran girl that she sits next to is friendly and helped her to log on to the online platform they use at school.  In general, the Hispanic students are much more friendly to her than other students. That is to say, they at least speak to her.  The students who speak English only don’t ever talk to her and only a few have even smiled at her.  Students don’t even speak to each other very much; the students in her class seem to barely acknowledge one another.  At home, she was with the same group each year with different teachers coming to their group’s classroom.  By the time they were in high school, they felt like siblings. She continues to communicate with her former classmates on an application called Whatsapp in a group chat that they made a few years ago.

Luisa was never the type to get into trouble at school and she’s very concerned that she has a detention. She didn’t expect to get into trouble for being 1-2 minutes late to class.  She was assigned detention because apparently someone has been counting and she arrived late three times.  Luisa’s mother also has concerns; she is confused about the communications coming from the school.  She’s surprised that her daughter was placed in a Math class with younger students since she loves Math and has always excelled in that subject.  She doesn’t question the teacher though believing the placement must be intentional and based on her teacher having found Luisa to be behind the other students. She’s also received a letter in Spanish from the school asking parents to be part of a committee but assumed that since she’s not an educated woman she doesn’t qualify to be a part of a school committee.  

An awareness of the intersection of education and culture to reduce the barriers to intercultural communication that Luisa and her mother are facing.  If we’re serious about engaging meaningfully with our English language learners and their parents, we have to understand the ways that culture influences school to gain insight into how their backgrounds, attitudes, and beliefs may differ from our assumptions.  

How Much of School is Based on Culture?

There are basic elements to education that are standard almost globally. In almost all places in the world, across varying cultural contexts, there is a convention for teaching youth academic skills such as reading, writing, and math as basic skills. Factors such as the ages and genders of students, amount of years of instruction, and the setting can vary greatly based on culture.  Teaching methods vary based on culture although principles such as clear instructions, consistent classroom procedures, differentiation for student needs, and assessing learning are universal. Some of the differences in schools are due to practical or logistical concerns like weather, available funds, evidence-based research, and educational technology however culture permeates almost every aspect of school. 

Hofstede’s, and Trompenaars’ frameworks of culture provide us with insight into an overall culture in belief areas that heavily influence human behavior and vary widely across cultures. The graphic below and table at the end show where elements from both frameworks intersect with different aspects of school. Examples are provided for how these intersections could “look” in education along with US schools’ positioning as a reference.  It’s important to remember that these tools are guides, not absolute truths about individuals.  

Personality, personal experiences, as well as demographics can create wide variances of traits within cultures.  According to Hofstede’s framework, in Mexican culture the PDI (power-distance index measures the degree to which the members of a society accept the hierarchy of power and authority) is high at 98. A student whose parents were university professors in a large city would most likely be more comfortable questioning authority than a student who came from a rural town and a working-class background however.  We can deduce this based on larger cities and more educated people placing a higher value on equality vs hierarchy.  It’s important to note that the reverse could also be true; depending on personality or students’ personal experiences, the student from a rural town and working-class background could be more comfortable questioning authority. 

Cultural Frameworks Provide Insight to Cultural Barriers at School

If we return to our example above with Luisa and her mother, the frameworks above provide valuable insights.  Luisa’s uncomfortable with direct communication and disrespect to her elders because she’s from an age-embracing country with a high power-distance index.  Being from a collectivist society where students were in a group for most of their education, the individualistic orientation of the United States strikes her as cold and unfriendly.  Luisa is particularly in tune to the non-verbal communication between her classmates, with the teachers, and with her because as a member of a high-context culture, nonverbal communication is viewed as an integral part of communication. 

In Mexico, time is viewed through a poly-chronic lens which would explain why Luisa was surprised by being punished for being minimally late to her classes.  For her, it seemed much more important to politely greet the elderly neighbor from Sinaloa that she often encounters watering her plants on her way to school.  The neighbor always initiates a conversation and, having noticed that Luisa’s mother comes home late, brought Luisa a plate of tamales with rice for her mother and her to enjoy for dinner.  She never thought she would receive a punishment for being a few minutes late but detention still seemed mild compared to what her mother’s reaction would have been if she had interrupted the neighbor or abruptly ended the conversation.  Luisa’s mother isn’t comfortable questioning the teacher about Luisa’s Math class because she accepts hierarchy and views both the teacher and the committee members she read about in the letter as part of a professional class that she doesn’t belong to. Being from a high-context culture, she also feels that since the letter was sent to a large group rather than addressed to her personally it was sent as a courtesy and is not an actual invitation.

An Asset Mindset Requires an Open Mindset  

There is no single best approach but the difficulty that we have as humans is that cultural absorption and the forming of one’s cultural identity begin at a young age. Most people grow up believing that their attitudes, beliefs, and norms are the “right” ones.  This is deeply ingrained through a myriad of observations and experiences beginning in early childhood and reinforced by expectations from family, peers, and teachers.  

Students need support with intercultural barriers and they also bring cultural assets that enrich the classroom community.  Conversations about highlighting students’ assets are meaningless however until we are able to take a step back and view our culture as one of many rather than being the “default” or “superior” culture.  Only when we are willing to learn about and see value in, attitudes and beliefs that are not our own can we begin to understand the perspectives of students like Luisa and the challenges they face every day. 

Framework for Understanding the Intersection of Education & Cultural

(Adapted from the work of Hofstede and Trompenaar)

Sources

Clifford, B. (2021, February 15). What role does culture play in Shaping children’s school experiences? OUPblog. https://blog.oup.com/2021/02/what-role-does-culture-play-in-shaping-childrens-school-experiences/ 

College, C. (2021, May 1). High and low cultural contexts. Intercultural Business Communication. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/communications/chapter/high-low-contexts/ 

How culture affects learning – and not just for students. Credits for Teachers. (2023, April 25). https://creditsforteachers.com/how-culture-affects-learning/ 

How Hofstede & Trompenaars models of cultural dimensions apply to Global Leadership • EURAC – European Academy for executive education. eurac. (2020, January 22). https://eurac.com/how-the-2-models-of-cultural-dimensions-hofstede-trompenaars-apply-to-global-leadership/ 

Kurka, V. (2012). Recognizing culture in experiential education: An analysis and framework for practitioners. CORE. https://core.ac.uk/reader/32444970 

Parrish, P., & Linder-VanBerschot, J. (n.d.). Cultural dimensions of learning: Addressing the challenges of … – ed. ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ895744.pdf 

Studio, Y. (2022, November 18). How do society and culture influence education?. Yucatán Magazine. https://yucatanmagazine.com/how-do-society-and-culture-influence-education/#:~:text=Culture%20can%20also%20influence%20education,how%20they%20view%20their%20educators.

Learn more about Rachelle

Looking for PD for your school? I provide in-person and virtual training on the following topics. If you want to learn more about and explore AI and ChatGPT, contact me to schedule! Rdene915@gmail.com 

**Interested in writing a guest blog or submitting a sponsored post for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

Guest post by Kathleen Fox- ImaginGO Team 

Often, teachers clump innovation with creativity, but understanding the difference between the two skills is paramount for teachers to successfully teach and measure students for both skills.

Innovation can be measured in outcomes – a new idea that results in a tangible product or idea.

Creativity doesn’t have to result in measurable outcomes.  

Basically, creativity “contributes” to innovation. Without creativity, you won’t have innovation. 

Need a more concrete example?

Innovation is quantifiable, action-driven, and involves risk. Say a student created a new sneaker that allowed a wearer to jump higher and run faster. The innovative part of the sneaker could be measured to show improved height and speed for the sneaker wearer. 

Creativity is intangible, subjective, involves less risk, and typically results in a “concept” only. Using that same sneaker example for creativity, a student might have the creative idea to use bird-like wings to jump higher or a micro rocket booster to make a wearer run faster. Creativity allows students the freedom to explore beyond boundaries before they apply more critical thinking. Innovation happens at that “what if” moment where unlimited creativity collides with logic.

A little bit more… 

Here’s the kicker, not all innovation is what we think of as being “creative.”  But it is. Much of our innovation stems from solving a problem, filling a gap, or improving on something that already exists. A person who is creative or has learned to be creative (yes, it can be learned!) is typically more apt to twist, bend, or stretch an idea in order to create fresh, new ideas.

If you look at the last few decades of innovation, much has been in technology, medicine, and communication. Those industries realize it’s essential to have creative thinkers on their teams to grow and produce new ideas, before the ideas are handed off to be developed and then measured for their innovative outcomes. Basically, they need each other to succeed. Like Ernie and Bert, peanut butter and jelly, or cut and paste.

Creativity in education…

As teachers, we are constantly measuring our students, and to some degree, ourselves. Every standard, every lesson, every moment seems to need a measurable outcome—from spelling quizzes to STEM lab exploration, to state-wide testing, to choir performances—we give a score, equate a grade, and figure the percentile of success in comparison to others.

There is an absolute need for measurable outcomes in education, but there is also ample room to weave creativity into the daily curriculum. When you do, learning becomes balanced. 

Both innovation and creativity require new ideas and concepts, as well as a willingness to take risks. Both drive change. And both will help your students succeed now and well into the future. We should all remember that without creativity and creative thinkers, there will be no innovation. 

Kathleen Fox is the co-creator of ImaginGO. A former public school teacher, school librarian, and director of her own school. Kathleen authored two children’s books, dozens of educational games, and professional development books for teachers. You can reach her at Kathleen@ImaginGO.com 

About Rdene915

Rachelle Dené Poth is a Foreign Language and STEAM Educator at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. She is also an Attorney, Edtech Consultant, Speaker, and the Author of seven books about education and edtech. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @Rdene915

I am available for PD sessions in-person and virtually on a variety of topics. Key focus areas are AI, ChatGPT, AR and VR, SEL, and STEM.

**Interested in writing a guest blog for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

Adapted from a prior post for Getting Smart

In April we recognize National Poetry Month, which has become an annual celebration of poetry in the United States, which was first established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. The goal is to raise awareness of the importance and power of poetry in our lives and in the world. Poetry has the power to evoke emotions, boost imagination, and even challenge perspectives, which makes it a great medium for exploring new ideas, developing social awareness, and building literacy skills.

We can celebrate poetry throughout the year, not just during April. It is important to encourage students to read and write more and a great way to do that is to explore and write poetry. Whether teachers find content-related poems to read to students or have students boost writing and creativity skills and write their own poems, there are many resources to explore and ideas for sparking interest in the beauty of poetry.

Some Ideas to Explore

When I was in the seventh grade, we had to create a book of poetry that included a variety of poems we found and a few that we wrote. We also had to memorize two poems to recite in our class. I still have my yellow binder with the poems that I hand-wrote and pictures that I drew to illustrate the poem’s theme. I wrote two poems similar to some of the styles we learned about such as acrostic poems and haikus. I really enjoyed doing that project because it gave us a choice, I felt creative and it led me to love poetry!

More than just a month

To celebrate poetry all year long, encourage your students to write their own poems. Offer different prompts or themes or provide examples to guide students as they develop their critical thinking skills by analyzing and interpreting poems. In elementary or middle school, reading poems to students is also a beneficial way to explore language and creativity. Depending on the grade level you teach, you could also read poetry aloud together and engage in discussions about what you like about each poem or compare poetry styles. We can help students to build confidence and communication skills. In language classes, we can build cultural and social awareness skills by learning about different poets and styles of poetry.

Some middle school students may enjoy exploring different poetic forms and techniques. Encourage students to choose a type of poem to write such as haikus, sonnets, or maybe free verse. Something fun to do is a poetry slam. Poetry slams are a fun and exciting way to celebrate National Poetry Month. They give students the opportunity to perform their own poems in front of an audience (classmates) and can help build confidence and public speaking skills. Consider organizing a poetry slam at your school or even using tools like Flip for students to record a poetry slam. Depending on your students, you might break them into small groups so that they can collaborate and challenge each other and have fun in the process! Or divide students into groups and have them write a collaborative poem to share with classmates. Writing poetry together can be a fun and engaging way to encourage creativity and teamwork.

For older students, depending on the content area, choosing to learn about and explore the works of famous poets from different time periods and cultures can be very beneficial. In my Spanish class, we read poems throughout the year and learn about the culture and history connected to the poet and the content of the poem. Students could even participate in writing workshops or attend virtual lectures by poets.

In addition to ideas for the classroom, here are five resources to explore that offer activities, lesson plans, and many ideas for teachers and students.

• Academy of American Poets is full of great resources for educators and families. Explore the site to find a variety of resources and a list of 30 ways to celebrate Poetry Month! On the site, explore Teach this poem to find ideas for students in grades K-12. It has lesson plans and shares 1 poem per week. You can also listen to the poems available on the site.
• Listenwise offers a variety of activities for students to listen to podcasts and then engage in a variety of activities to share their learning. There are some great ideas to celebrate poetry this month!
• Nearpod provides activities and content that can be used to create an interactive lesson or explore ready-to-run lessons to teach about poetry. Use the drag-and-drop feature to create magnetic poetry right in Nearpod. Also with Flocabulary, there are poetry lessons to get students up and moving. Students can use Lyric Lab to write their own poems!
• Read, Write, Think for K-12 has lesson plans and libraries with resources for each grade band. One idea is to select students to be “Poets for a Day” and share their favorite poems or maybe they can write their own poems to share.
• Verse By Verse uses AI to write a poem. You select up to 3 poets and the style, and a number of syllables and provide some input. It then generates a poem for you based on your selections.

Teachers can find a lot of resources from these sites and also look at the Poets.org website for more resources and activities. There are also some fun activities via the Bored Teachers site to engage students in movement and excitement for poetry.

Beyond just reading the poems, students can compare poems and debate about the styles or the meaning. Students can also read poems and then design art to reflect the poem’s message. There are so many ways to celebrate National Poetry Month throughout the year and develop a true appreciation for the beauty of poetry.

About the Author

Rachelle Dené Poth is a Foreign Language and STEAM Educator at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. She is also an Attorney, Edtech Consultant, Speaker, and the Author of seven books about education and edtech. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @Rdene915

I am available for PD sessions in-person and virtual on a variety of topics. Key focus areas are AI, ChatGPT, AR and VR, SEL and STEM.

**Interested in writing a guest blog for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

Join my weekly show on Mondays and Fridays at 6pm or 6:30 pm ET THRIVEinEDU on Facebook. Join the group here

In collaboration with Robotix, all opinions expressed are my own.

In my eighth-grade STEAM class, we have been exploring artificial intelligence, coding, and other emerging technologies for a few years. I am always interested in finding new resources for students to explore that give them a chance to become curious and also invest in creating and innovating. We started to use the courses available from AI World School two years ago and my students really enjoyed them. The courses provide engaging learning experiences about artificial intelligence and machine learning for students. Within each course, the modules included definitions, challenges, and quizzes to spark interest in students that would lead them to think about becoming creators with AI.

Why learn about AI?

Many people wonder about the benefits of learning about AI and why bring it into our classrooms? We interact with AI every day and students need to understand what it is, how it works, the impact it has, and what it might mean for the future of work and education. We have seen an increase in AI over the past couple of months and it will continue to grow.

With a prediction that there will be 33 million self-driving cars on the road by 2040, it is important that students understand how this type of technology is created and how it functions. However, as we know, self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles are no longer a thing of the future. They are rapidly becoming a reality, and the technology that drives them is advancing at an unbelievable pace.

By providing students with opportunities to learn about this field today, and to make an impact with what they create, they will have a significant advantage in the future job market. By learning about self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles, students can develop essential “21st century” and “future-ready” skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. We will shift students from consumers to creators, to innovators.

CV Pro

Finding the right resources is key. With CV Pro from Robotix, educators can provide powerful learning experiences for students in their classrooms. Students need opportunities to learn how to code and to do so at their own pace or while collaborating with classmates. One critical area of learning about self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles is coding. As the technology behind these vehicles becomes more sophisticated, the programming required to operate them becomes more complex. Students who learn to code will have a significant advantage in the job market, as the demand for skilled coders in this field is growing rapidly, with a prediction of 58 million STEM-related jobs available by 2025.

What is the CV Pro?

CV Pro is a hands-on solutions platform for students to use as they discover and explore platooning, self-driving cars & autonomous vehicles. It has smart computer vision technology that utilizes the extensive sensor suites, powerful computational abilities and state-of-the-art communication channels of smartphones as the operating brain power. Students can learn about advanced AI technologies like machine learning, applied deep learning and neural networks.

By diving into learning with the CV Pro, students will learn the operational techniques of advanced computer vision technologies such as how vehicles stay in the lane, lane detection, lane changing, vehicle or person-following. Students also look at how to program it so they prevent collisions by using object identification for example.

The features of CV Pro

Being able to interact with and write programs for these self-driving cars gives students an edge with the technology. It is important for students to understand how these vehicles function. These tools can include sensors, cameras, and other advanced technologies that allow the vehicles to perceive their surroundings and react accordingly. Students will be better equipped to troubleshoot problems that arise after they spend time writing programs, facing challenges and continuing to improve their coding skills. During this process, it will foster discussions about ethics and how decisions are made that impact the programming for these tools.

Students should also learn about the ethical and social implications of self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles. These vehicles have the potential to revolutionize transportation and make our roads safer. However, they also raise important questions about privacy, liability, and the role of human drivers. Students who understand the ethical and social implications of these vehicles will be better equipped to make informed decisions about their use and development.

Robotix is a valuable resource for students who are interested in learning about self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles. Robotix offers a range of courses that teach students about coding, robotics, and other related fields. For example, the course “Artificial Intelligence & Robotics” provides an introduction to the principles of AI and robotics and teaches students how to program robots using Python.

VDC is an autonomous car simulator just like a flight simulator. Get a VDC course for free by subscribing to the CV Pro kickstarter campaign landing page.

Learning about self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles is a valuable investment in a student’s future. Students who learn about coding, hardware, ethics, and social implications in this field will be better equipped to navigate the future job market and will be better prepared for a world in which self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles are a significant part of everyday life. With resources such as Robotix and AI World School available, there has never been a better time to start learning about this exciting and rapidly advancing field.

I love sharing about these awesome tools at conferences!

CV Pro at FETC

In January, I had the chance to share the CV Pro during a few of my sessions at the FETC (Future of Education Technology Conference). It was exciting to hear from classroom teachers, tech coaches, and administrators about their interests in the types of tools available for students to learn about these technologies. Being able to see the CV Pro and understand all the ways that students can use it to learn about autonomous driving was a great experience for attendees. Knowing that there are options available that place learning in the students’ hands is powerful!

CV Pro at BETT 2023:

Recently, CV Pro was showcased at the BETT Show 2023 which was held in ExCEL London from the 29th to the 31st of March 2023. The Robotix team demonstrated various autonomous driving programs carried out by CV Pro to an audience consisting of educators [K12, college & university level], researchers & professors in Computer Science, Robotics & AI enthusiasts, delegates from education ministries, and distributors & providers of EdTech solutions to name a few.

The CV Pro robots demonstrated how they carried out lane identification, lane tracking & following as they drove around a track. Another feature demonstrated was how CV Pro carried out object recognition by responding to objects such as traffic signs, as it was moving along the track.

Most visitors expressed their keen interest in CV Pro as an educational aid for exploring the topic of self-driving cars. Some of them suggested that CV Pro can also be used in Robotics competitions for students. Industry experts also provided a few helpful & critical suggestions & modifications which shall be implemented before the launch on Kickstarter.

Overall, the feedback that CV Pro received at BETT 2023 has been positive, productive, and promising.

Link: https://youtu.be/NGk5xk7mHUk

About the Author

Rachelle Dené Poth is a Foreign Language and STEAM Educator at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. She is also an Attorney, Edtech Consultant, Speaker and Author of seven books about education and edtech. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @Rdene915

**Interested in writing a guest blog for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

Join my weekly show on Mondays and Fridays at 6pm or 6:30 pm ET THRIVEinEDU on Facebook. Join the group here