OPINION / Global Learning Blog Videoconferencing: Take Your Students Back to the Future By Anthony Jackson Nov. 16, 2013 Remember in Back to the Future II when Marty McFly goes forward in time?The idea with any project is to go beyond an initial "meet and greet" conversation and engage in deeper project work. Project ideas: For younger students, ask them to bring in objects for show and tell that can allow them to open up and get over their initial shyness. But ask them to bring in something that relates to where they live or something they can use as part of a demonstration--models, food for a cooking demonstration, etc. Writing a book together is another way to collaborate across borders. Clyde Erwin Elementary Magnet School in Jacksonville, North Carolina, connects with its sister school in Puebla, Mexico, through Elluminate, a Web conferencing program that also uses an interactive white board. Staff members won a grant to help Clyde Erwin learners and their counterparts in Puebla collaborate on a book-authoring and -publishing project. They collaboratively published a book about "Canela" and "Erwin," two teddy bears (one from each school) who visited each other's country and had interesting adventures.EdWeek Market Brief Premium Webinar K-12 Investment Hot Spots: Where Venture Capitalists Are Putting Their Money Tune in to this webinar to hear from our expert panel of venture capitalists who will reveal the products and sectors where education-focused VCs are investing their money.The Cultural Correspondents program in North Carolina, connects K-8 classrooms with a local student studying abroad and provides curricular materials for the classroom teacher.For instance, Sugar Creek Elementary School students in Verona, Wisconsin researched Martin Luther King, Jr., as did their peers in Moreland Primary School in England.If that is not possible, students can also listen together to a live concert online and analyze it. The Moscow Symphony Orchestra just announced that it will begin broadcasting virtual concerts.Skype in the classroom can help you make connections to various authors and experts.Friday, Feb. 22, 2019, 2 to 3 p.m. ET Register Now Skype has created a low-cost, easy way to do this through Skype in the Classroom.One of the ways we encourage schools and extended learning organizations to connect with the world is by partnerships with other schools and classes around the world.Google Hangouts, or even Facetime for those with Apple hardware, are other options.Math scholars at Walter Payton high school in Chicago, connected with a mathematician in Switzerland.Students in Roosevelt High School in Portland, OR spoke with Gandhi's grandson as part of their unit on genocide.Online debate is one way to explore culture.