What is CultureQuest

Sheila Offman Gersh, Ed.D.

City College of New York    sogcc@cunyvm.cuny.edu   http://www.culturequest.us http://www.schoollink.org/twin 

What is a CultureQuest Project

• inquiry-based projects

• rooted in student questions

• exploration of student interests

What is a CultureQuest Project

• Examination of diverse cultures

• Understanding of diverse cultures

• Appreciation of diverse cultures

WHAT IS A CULTUREQUEST PROJECT?
A focused, intensive study of other cultures:

Who can do a CultureQuest?

• Entire class working together

• Small groups of students

• Individual student

How does a CultureQuest Project fit into the Curriculum?

• Linked to the geographic focus of the social studies curriculum

• Integrated into the work students do in most subjects

 

Mile Wide-inch Deep Curriculum

1"

1 mile

Training Teachers to do a CultureQuest Project

• study of culture--what culture is -- how it is studied,

• how culture helps us to understand and appreciate the art, music, religion and customs of other peoples

• how technology supports the study of specific cultures (e-mail, Web sites, etc.)

• using technology in the teaching of humanities and literacy.

Technology Skills

• Access Internet resources for the study of culture

• Internet Basics --Searching, evaluating Web sites, use proper citation, develop appropriate and ethical use policies, etc.

• Teach with the Internet and align with standards

• Inspiration for graphical mapping of project

• Use the Internet for access to experts

• Identify and work with classrooms around the world using ePals

• Create Web sites and publish teacher/student work

• Assist students in using multimedia to support CultureQuest projects (digital photography, video, graphics and other applications)

• Undertake desktop videoconferencing

CultureQuest Pedagogy

The CultureQuest Process

• Decide on target culture
• Brainstorm what students know about the culture
• Brainstorm what students want to know about the culture
• Use ePals.com to find a classroom
• Divide students into small groups by interest area
• Students communicate with counterparts using   e-mail on ePals.com
• Students prepare and send "Welcome Packages"—videos, artifacts, postal cards, coins, etc.

Gather Information about the Culture

Use Internet resources

Explore resources in own city//community

Museums

People (oral history)

Visit neighborhoods (shops, restaurants, etc.)

Cultural Centers

E-mail to student informants

Contact the experts

Teach Students Technology Skills

• Inspiration
• Internet Basics
• Web Page creation
• Web Editing

Final Products

• Class creates Web site with general information and links to group projects
• Other multimedia products:

PowerPoint

HyperStudio

Digital stories with stills and videos

Culture Resources

Culture --  www.peacecorps.gov/wws/bridges/index.html

World Cultures

http://www.linkspider.us.com/index.cgi/Kids_and_Teens/School_Time/Social_Studies/World_Cultures/

Alaska Native Knowledge Network Culturally-Based Curriculum – http://www.ankn.uaf.edu:591

Multicultural Pavilion – http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/multicultural

The Civil Rights Movement – http://www.fred.net/nhhs/project/civrts.htm

The Internet African American History Challenge http://www.brightmoments.com/blackhistory/superindex.html

CultureQuest - Exploring Hispanic Cultures –http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/6676

The Cradle Board Teaching Project - Native American Curriculum – http://www.cradleboard.org

Global Learning On-Line – http://giraffe.rmplc.co.uk/eduweb/sites/rmext05/glo

Anne Frank in the World -1929-1944- http://www.uen.org/utahlink/p_res/AnneFrank.html

K-12 Electronic Guide to African American Resources on the Internet – http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Home_Page/AFR_GIDE.html

Teaching Tolerance – http://www.splcenter.org/teachingtolerance.html

AskAsia –http://www.askasia.org