UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER
Bridgeworks [Vol.1], 01/95

Bridgeworks [Vol.1], 01/95

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                         BRIDGEWORKS:
   An Electronic Journal for the Bridges  To Democracy Project
                        Volume 1
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To subscribe to Bridgeworks please send an email message which includes your name and email address to:

John Thompson
or
Patrick Beddy

To contribute news or information to Bridgeworks please send your article or news piece, your name, and your affiliation or organization to:

John Thompson
or
Patrick Beddy

Previously published issues reside on the Bridges Board at the Milwaukee Omnifest Community Computer Network. To login as a guest TELNET to IP address: omnifest.uwm.edu and type when you see the prompt. The Bridges Board is located in the #6 Learning Center.

Editorial Staff:

Rebecca Thamaga - SOS Children's Village sthareb@sos.pta.school.za
Joyce Fisher - Fritsche Middle School jfisher@omnifest.uwm.edu
Stanley McWilliams - Fritsche Middle School stanleym@omnifest.uwm.edu
Phyllis Bankier - Pulaski High School pbankier@omnifest.uwm.edu

Highlights in this issue:

* Frequently Asked Questions: Bridges To Democracy
* 4th Annual NMSA Urban Middle Level Initiatives Conference

............................. * Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What is the Bridges To Democracy Project? Bridges To Democracy is a global studies project for K-12 educators and their students. Bridges To Democracy is currently being developed as a curriculum by teachers in Milwaukee Public Schools and teachers in Mamelodi, South Africa. The curriculum addresses the need for K-12 global studies education which incorporates 21st century computer telecommunications technology.

2. Who is developing Bridges To Democracy? Currently there are two sites which are involved in on-going project dialogue and development. Fritsche Middle School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin hosts the US center and SOS Children's Village in Mamelodi, South Africa hosts the SA center as part of their community Outreach Programme in technology. Teachers in Milwaukee attend regular planning meetings that are attended by project participants who wish to develop their individual school computer sites. Milwaukee teachers and students share project information on a computer bulletin board created specifically for the project on the Milwaukee Omnifest community computing service (IP: omnifest.uwm.edu). Omnifest is directed by Neil Trilling of the University of Wisconsin Center for Community Computing. For more information contact Neil at neil@omnifest.uwm.edu.

The following Milwaukee Public School participants can be contacted at the email address listed:

John Thompson - thompson@omnifest.uwm.edu
Phyllis Bankier - pbankier@omnifest.uwm.edu
Joyce Fisher -   jfisher@omnifest.uwm.edu
Stanley McWilliams - stanleym@omnifest.uwm.edu
Kathy Onarheim - onarheim@omnifest.uwm.edu
Ralph Helgren - rhelgren@omnifest.uwm.edu
Marge Skare - mskare@omnifest.uwm.edu
Sheila King - sking@omnifest.uwm.edu

Contact Patrick Beddy in South Africa at: sbedpat@sos.pta.school.za for information on South African teachers and students who are participants in the pilot project.

3. What are the goals of Bridges To Democracy? Bridges is collaborative and meant to serve the needs of each individual site which desires to participate. Goals for the project are broad and intended to provide vision and direction for schools which work within the framework of the Bridges To Democracy Project. The following is a list of these primary goals:

Broad goals:

* To serve the 21st century educational needs of young people in their unique cultural setting through the teaching of technical computer/communication skills and global studies education.

* To study and promote the concept of democracy and development in the context of a highly technical global community of learning.

* To increase student awareness and tolerance for global cultural diversity.

* To expand curriculum development and better prepare educators for the classroom demands of teaching in a globally networked learning environment.

* To provide a model for future global studies projects involving other schools from other cultures.

* To promote access to learning technology for all students.

Specific objectives:

* Students and teachers will engage in dialogue with people from diverse cultures using the best and most effective communications technology available to them.

* Students and teachers will develop and participate in meaningful learning activities which focus on their emerging roles in a globally interconnected community.

* Teachers will create a database of activities and lessons which will be published in the form of a curriculum guide for internatioanl schools.

* Teachers and students will actively learn through cultural exchanges of literature, art, news and information, as well through the exchange of human resources.

4. How is Bridges To Democracy funded?

Bridges To Democracy is currently seeking funding from a variety of sources, including the US Department of Education International Research and Studies Program, the Herb Kohl Education Trust, General Electric Corp., Milwaukee Public Schools, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Greater Milwaukee Education Trust, Abt Associates (Washington DC), Denel Informatics, Microsoft, MCI Telecommunitions, Lotus Trust and other funding sources which share an interest in expanding research in international education.

5. Which schools are participating in Bridges To Democracy?

The pilot phase of the project includes schools from Milwaukee Public Schools and schools from Mamelodi, South Africa. The Milwaukee Public Schools which are actively involved include the following:

Pulaski High School
Fritsche Middle School
Grand Avenue Middle School
Granville Elementary
Bryant Elementary School
Anna F. Doerfler School
Manitoba School
Garden Homes Elementary School
Albert Kagel Elementary School
Lloyd Street Global Education
James Fenimore Cooper School
US Grant Elementary School
Clarke Street School
 

Note: More active participation from high schools is currently being sought. There has been interest demonstrated from area suburban schools which would like to participate.

The Mamelodi Schools, which are part of the SOS Children's Village Technology Outreach Programme, include:

Mamelodi High
Tsako Thabo High
Tsimilo Primary
Moretele Primary
Mmangolwane Primary
Koos Matli Primary
Irene Farm School (not in Mamelodi as such)

6. Will participants receive technical support for their participation? One of the goals of the Bridges To Democracy Project is to help schools find and install the necessary computer equipment they will need to create a dial-up on-line computer connection with an information service provider. There are currently plans to seek computer donations from sponsoring agencies and organizations like General Electric Corporation and the Digital Equipment Corporation. Plans are also being implemented to provide teachers and students with the necessary training that will help each school to utilize their equipment effectively. Technical support will also be given through assistance by SOS Children's Village - Mamelodi and the Milwaukee Omnifest Community Computing Center at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

7. How do I learn more?

Please contact the Bridges To Democracy bulletin board on Omnifest - IP: omnifest.uwm.edu. You may login as .

Or send email to Patrick Beddy or John Thompson at the email addresses listed below

 
Bridges To Democracy
2969 South Howell Avenue
Milwaukee, WI   53207
414/481-6720
United States of America
 
or
 
Bridges To Democracy
SOS Computer Centre
PO Box 79017
RETHABILE
0122
Republic of South Africa
 
 
Project coodirectors:
John Thompson (Milwaukee Center) - thompson@omnifest.uwm.edu
Patrick Beddy (Mamelodi Center) - sbedpat@sos.pta.school.za
 
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* Catch The Wave of the Future

The 4th Annual NMSA Urban Middle Level Initiatives Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Milwaukee, WI on January 27-29, 1995. Bridges To Democracy will be the topic of a session presented in Room 401 from 8:00 am - 9:15 am on Saturday, January 28.

John Thompson will present a videotape and multimedia demonstration of how students are incorporating telecommunications into their classroom learning experiences.

For more information contact:
National Middle School Association
2600 Corporate Drive, Suite 370
Columbus, Ohio  43231
Phone: 800-528-NMSA  Fax:614-895-4750
 
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 ----------------------------------------
Message-Id: ]25012717401312@vms2.macc.wisc.edu]
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 95 17:40 CDT
From: patricia s kuntz ]KUNTZ@macc.wisc.edu]
Subject: FYI - Milwaukee-Mamlodi Connections
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Editor: Ali B. Ali-Dinar
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