Carla Arena and I met almost three years ago, when we were both enrolled in a class as part of TESOL's Principles and Practices of Online Teaching certificate program. At that time, Carla was teaching EFL at the Brazilian-U.S. binational Center Casa Thomas Jefferson in Brasília and I was teaching ESL and Developmental English at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, Arizona. During our time together in the PPOT class, Carla and I discovered that although we were different in many ways, we also shared many common interests and had similar attitudes toward online learning. Accordingly, when Carla suggested starting an international, intercultural collaborative blog between some of her classes and some of mine, I gladly and enthusiastically agreed.

Our posts began in September, 2005 and continued actively through November 2006. During our first semester, only Carla and I were involved in the project, but we were joined by another EMCC teacher, Dr. Carlotta Abrams, and her students during Spring Semester, 2006 and during EMCC's 2006 Summer Session (when I was not teaching) by Pearl Williams (who was not only my colleague, but also, as Department Chair for Developmental Education, my boss). Both Carlotta and Pearl are keenly interested in international ventures and are also proponents of participative online learning.





See examples of blogging with Carlotta's class HERE.

And see examples of blogging with Pearl's class HERE.

"An International Exchange" was, effectively, put on hold in November, 2006, when Carla learned that her husband had received a two-year job assignment in Key West, Florida. At about the same time, I developed some serious health problems that led first to an extended medical leave and then resignation from the best job I have ever had—teaching at EMCC. During late 2007, however, I was fortunate to collaborate (though individually, not with students) in Carla's first online class, "Listening Plus," which was conducted with students in Brazil but administered from Key West; it was a wonderful engaging experience.

I think I can speak for Carla as well as myself in saying that we are both open to starting another incarnation of "An International Exchange" with classes from locations other than Brasília and Phoenix, but, for the time being, are content to keep the "International Exchange" pages online as a set of wonderful memories and also as examples of how international collaborative blogging can be successfully implemented.

My favorite sections are HERE and HERE.

Dennis in Phoenix

This will be my shortest post ever to this blog.

Although it has been a number of months since anyone posted here, I have very fond memories of the time when "An International Exchange" was active, and I miss the time we spent together online!

Very best wishes to those who come back here!

Dennis in Phoenix

Season's Greetings from Phoenix!

The last time that my English 061 class met during the past semester, most of the students wrote messages for the blog. I've posted them one by one as comments to this message.

My own reaction to this blog is that I've greatly enjoyed being part of it and can't begin to tell all of you how much I've personally benefitted from my involvement in the project. Thank you for enriching my life and for greatly expanding my knowledge of Brazil!

I also think the blog has been very valuable for my students. For most of them, the blog was their first experience in using English for international communication—and to gain personal knowledge of another culture. Through the blog, I think my students gained quite a bit of knowledge about Brazil and, more importantly, learned that while Brazilians are in some ways different from people in the U.S., there are actually many more similarities than differences. This is a very important lesson, I think.

I hope Chanukah or Christmas will be very special for all of you, and I also hope that 2007 will be filled with opportunities, challenges, success, prosperity, and all that is good, true, and beautiful!

Dennis

Two New Questions

For EMCC Students:

When you see or hear the word Brazil, what's the first thing that comes to your mind? Why?

Type your response in the Comments section, and don't forget to give your name! Also, you might want to respond to comments CTJ students have made about Arizona.

You might find this link interesting.

Two New Questions

For CTJ Students:

When you see or hear the word Arizona, what's the first thing that comes to your mind? Why?

Type your response in the Comments section, and don't forget to give your name! Also, you might want to respond to comments EMCC students have made about Brazil.

You might find this link interesting.

Dear all,

Great to notice that most of you go for the humanistic and humanitarian aspect of adoption, which is a serious problem throughout the world. There are so many little ones in need, need of affection, food, education...I agree with you that Madonna has the right to adopt any kid, just like any ordinary person, and this should be her own business, but people make a big deal out of it just because she's famous. If she's saving someone's life, isn't it positive? And how about the kid's father? Do you think he did the right thing in letting his own kid be adopted? Would you adopt a child? Why/Why not?

Hoping to read more on the subject and get to know your opinions.

Carla

Hi, Carla—and everyone.

I find the comments on Madonna's adoption of David Banda to be very interesting. I hope they will open the door to similar discussions on other topics.

Dennis

Dear all,


Madonna is trying to adopt an African Kid, David Banda. However, A Malawian child rights group has said it wants to stop Madonna adopting a child from the African country.

• Why is that so?
• Do you think that the Pop Singer has had some privileges during the adoption process just because of her wealth and fame?
• Why would she want to adopt an African child if there are so many British kids waiting for adoption and London is where she lives?
• What's your personal opinion on the issue?

Get some extra information about the adoption story here.

I'm anxiously waiting for your views on the topic!

Teacher Carla

Brasilia, Brazil