Dianye
Middle School, Beijing, China 
This International Learning Project facilitated
by GKE (Global Knowledge Exchange) provides
for learning collaborations between Hunterdon
Central Regional High School located in Flemington,
New Jersey and Dianye Middle School, a prestigious
high school, in Beijing, China.
This GKE International Learning Project began
as a result of a series of presentations made
at a seminar on technology-assisted learning,
technology infrastructure, and modern innovation
held in Beijing, China.
Through the facilitation of GKE and its President
James Chang, American presenters traveled to
China. Among the presenters were Dr. Roland
Pare, HCRHS Director of Information Systems;
Mrs. Florence McGinn, US Commissioner on the
Congressional Commission on Web-based Education
and an HCRHS English Instructor; and Dr. Joseph
T. McGinn,
a scientist from Sarnoff Corporation, Princeton,
New Jersey.
Extensive, executive level presentations were
made on providing "Electronic Velocity
to Technology-assisted Learning" and on
"Research Policy Recommendations of the
US Congessional Commission on Web-based Education."
Areas of digital culture and current theory
were encompassed inclusive of the role of the
Information Age worker and a case study of a
premiere American research institute, Sarnoff
Corporation in Princeton, New Jersey, and its
history of award-winning research and venture
capital development.
CEO
James Chang offered a full, executive overview
of E-learning through careful analysis of the
development and services of the industry as
well as ComWeb Technology Group and GKE. 
Joining
presenters from America were key officials from
China, industry, educational, as well as government
stakeholders, who provided background and perspectives
on China's initiatives.
In addition to keynote presentations, executive
discussion groups and on-site visits were provided
to add interaction and depth to the conference.
Among
the many, successful interactions from the trip,
an innovative student learning project with
Dianye Middle School located in the Liangxiang
area of Beijing, China, was initiated with the
continued facilitation and support of GKE. Under
the leadership of President Wang Boli, a rich
and mutually beneficial learning collaboration
was envisioned. With the facilitation of President
Wang Boli, Florence McGinn was appointed an
Off-Campus Professor of Poetry at Dianye.
Students
joining GKE Vice President of Research, Florence
McGinn, in the explorative, distance learning
project at Hunterdon Central Regional High School
were experienced ELECTRIC SOUP student editors,
student writers involved in electronic publishing,
and pilot project students involved in distance
learning projects. They include (from left to
right in photo) Sujay Pandit, Christopher George,
Sri Adusumalli, Dani Moore, Douglas Gorton,
Lin Zhao, Dheera Venkatraman, (not in photo)
Jon Rossway, and (seated) pilot projects English
teacher, Dan VanAntwerp.
Meaningful,
Information Age interactions that demonstrate
the 21st century learner's abilitiy to penetrate
past barriers of time and distance are planned.
In-depth and innovative interactions were envisioned.
The designed learning interactions:
a.
supported the enhancement of English language
skills
b. built the creative development of
literary analysis and original poetry writing
to the high accomplishment level of electronic
publishing 
c.
enhanced the insightful exploration of American
and Chinese cultures
d. facilitated the student-focused
development of technology-assisted learning
skills
e. encouraged Digital Age innovation
and educational empowerment
Teaching
strategies included were innovative uses of
technology-assisted learning. Providing additional
depth was the inclusion of the published, full-length
book of poetry BLOOD TRAIL.
The
project resulted in a full semester of writing
workshop study done through exciting, electronic
videoconferencing interactions. Additionally,
it provided an opportunity for international,
collaborative publishing, and students from
China are published in full multimedia on the
Internet by Electric Soup editors.
http://homer.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/china/
Additionally, students from the United States
interviewed and created a feature reflecting
the friendships established while learning through
this exemplary distance learning project.
http://homer.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/esoup/esvol16/interview/dianye.html
The
successful project already has seen extraordinary
growth. It originated as a collaborative study
of poetry, and it already has grown from its
English literature roots to encompass involvement
with the HCRHS Science Department and the
HCRHS Foreign Language Department.
This
project based on the GKE Learning System has
disseminated strongly to support science lessons
as well as collaborative language lessons
designed to assist the enhancement of learning
both Chinese and English are part of this
GKE Learning System project.
Projects utilizing GKE Learning System strategies
have resulted in powerful, learner empowerment.
A further glimpse of the deployment of methodologies
included in this case study have resulted
in other projects such as:
a. American students publishing in Singapore
b. the development of a CD-ROM of technology-assisted
learning strategies for Chinese educators
through the support of Centrix Technology
and GKE
c. the involvement of a professional poet
and University of Beijing professor with writing
students in the United States
d. students from countries such as Singapore,
Italy, France, South Africa, and Germany publishing
in the United States
e. student involvements in international multimedia
publication
f. student involvement in the development
of professional web sites
For further information on the GKE Learning
System projects, you may contact
The innovative involvement of learners powers
international initiatives in technology-assisted
education. Please, view powerful products
of creative achievement at these web sites!
The GKE Learning System is built upon foundations
of visionary applications of innovation, powerful
focus on empowering creative process, building
in-depth reach in academic achievement, and
cutting edge use of the emerging technologies.
You may view project work based upon these
concepts applied to writing and electronic
publishing collaborations assisted by GKE
(Global Knowledge Exchange) at http://homer.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/china/index.html
Further International Initiatives have been
facilitated by GKE and grant-supported by
AT&T. You may view examples of such interactions
in the electronic publication of the award-winning,
student e-zine, Electric Soup, available at
http://homer.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/esoup/
These pilot project initiatives and related
learning projects have received support from
GKE (Global Knowledge Exchange), ComWeb Technology
Group, AT&T, AT&T Learning Network,
Lucent Technologies, SchoolCity, Macromedia
Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Bose Corporation,
Technology and Learning magazine, the Hunterdon
Foundation, and others.
Learn
more about GKE at 
http://www.gke.com/
OR through
the ComWeb Technology Group at
http://comweb.com/
Florence
McGinn is a former US Commissioner, who served
on the Congressional Commission on Web-based
Education; she chaired the K-12 Issues Group.
That Congressional Commission was charged by
legislation to deliver policy recommendations
and a research report to the President and Congress.
That recently delivered research report, THE
POWER OF THE INTERNET FOR LEARNING: MOVING FROM
PROMISE TO PRACTICE, is available on line. To
download the report and its policy recommendations,
go to
http://www.webcommission.org
Learn
more about the GKE Foundation.
