International Comparative Study of Teaching in Global Education with Student Communications among Classes Internationally Linked by Computer Network

本研究依先前研究计画，以日、韩、美三国学生透过电脑网路互动为研究对象。除了首尔的一所小学外，大多数学校都可以上网。美国的一些学校能够使用万维网（WWW），它可以发送文本和图片。其他学校不得不从当地大学获得“主页”的复制品，这些大学与主办大学（HUTE）合作。这次没有韩国的中学参加。兵库师范大学附属小学和附属中学在互联网上建立了自己的“主页”，鼓励韩国和美国的其他学生参加。此外，该中学生还向美国学校的学生发送了电子邮件。有两所学校发来了消息。这些互动增加了双方学生对跨文化意识的兴趣，日本学生开始致力于使用他们的英语能力。然而，在研究过程中出现了三个问题。1)由于语言障碍，小学与对方沟通有困难。这就要求老师们把大量的日语翻译成英语。2)当有人提议在万维网上使用图片进行人与人之间的交流时，美国父母反对，因为个人资料可能被用于犯罪行为，如绑架。3)利用学生自己的兴趣并没有导致良好的组织文化之间的互动，因为其中一些缺乏解释。为了鼓励积极的互动和文化间的理解，需要建立关于彼此文化的可检索的信息数据库。

Following the plan of prior research, this research focuses on students' interaction among Japan, Korea, and U.S.A.via computer network. Instead of using letters and videotapes, Internet was used for their communication to insure more frequent interactions as well as usage of multimedia.Most of schools in this study had access to Internet except an elementary school in Seoul. A few shools in U.S.A.were capable of using World Wide Web (WWW), which can send both texts and pictures.Others had to get transferred copy of "home pages" from the local universities, who are collaborating with the host university (HUTE). There are no participating middle schools from Korea this time.The Attached Elementary School and Middle School to Hyogo University of Teacher Education had constructed their own "home pages" on Internet, and encouraged other participating students in Korea and U.S.A.Besides, the middle school student had sent e-mail messages to students in the U.S.schools. There were messages back from two schools. These interactions increased interests in intercultural awareness among students in both sides, and Japanese students became committed to use their English ability. However, three problems arose in the process of this study. 1) Because of the language barrier, elementary schools had difficulties with communicating with the other side. It required teachers a heavy load of translating Japanese into English. 2) When was proposed person-to-person communication using pictures on WWW,American parents objected because of the possible use of personal data for criminal action, such as kidnapping. 3) Using students' own interests did not result in well-organized interaction between cultures because some of them lack explanations. Accessible information databases about each other's culture are needed to encourage vigorous interaction and intercultural understandings.