Creating Collaborative Communities
International Environmental
Summit
As the power of connections on a global level became a reality with the advance of internet technologies, schools from around the world formed partnerships with each other around projects. One of these was the 21st Century International Schoolhouse which connected schools from nine different countries around the theme of local and global environmental issues.
Teacher Collaboration
Initiated by two teachers at South Salem High School in Oregon, the 21st Century International Schoolhouse connected teachers from schools in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, Uganda and the U.S. Using the Schoolhouse framework of Local Action, Community Education, and Global Collaboration, these teachers became a virtual team that coached their students in preparation for international environmental summits held every two years with the focus on presenting solutions to local and global environmental issues.
Student Empowerment
Students from each of nine schools spread around the world formed teams to study the background, causes, effects and solutions of locally pressing global environmental issues. Students from the schools worked with their local communities to learn about the issues and investigate solutions. They prepared formal presentations to share with their international peers at biennial International Environmental Summits.
Impact
Students interacted with other students from around the world, learned about their local communities, cultures and challenges. They formed multinational teams to promote solutions that were presented in a Declaration of Environmental Rights and Responsibilities which was taken back to the home countries and promoted to their local governments.
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