Promoting multicultural understanding and positive self-concept through a distance learning community: Cultural connections

We explored the effectiveness of distance learning and multimedia technolog ies in facilitating an expanded learning community among two teachers and t heir students in geographically separated schools. The teachers collaborati vely developed curricular activities and identity-forming multicultural act ivities for their K-12 students to conduct over the distance. Predominantly Hispanic students in a school on the Texas border with Mexico communicated regularly over a school year with diverse students in a partner school hun dreds of miles to the north. They participated in collaborative activities and shared multimedia files via interactive videoconference. Using qualitat ive research methods, we discovered that the participating teachers develop ed empowering multicultural relationships while their students developed mu lticultural understanding and positive self-concept. Examples of empowermen t and positive self-concept included raised levels of academic aspirations and heightened poise during public speaking.