Brave New Schools: Challenging Cultural Illiteracy Through Global Learning Networks

Technology abounds in school settings and will be the major force in curriculum change in the next century. The theme of this book relates to the connections that students have presently, and will be achieving through the guided use of the Internet. Cummins and Sayers cite studies conducted on communications between learners across the globe and the salience these connections have to the students' cognitive and communicative development. Electronic communities of learning are student-centered, and use computer technology in a similar way that others have used the postal system to create intercultural learning networks. The authors address peer instruction and cross-age tutoring emphasizing the importance of collaborating and fostering cultural, functional, and critical literacies. Functional literacy related to the world of work and encompasses all those reading and writing skills that a worker needs to function in the industrial/informational world. Cummins & Sayers explain that educational reform must move away from functional literacy and traditional pedagogy while striving to educate all children. They sharply criticize the opinions of E.D. Hirsch and his list of monocultural facts that in his judgement should be the knowledge that is imparted to the next generation in order to perpetuate traditional collective knowledge of US culture. This cognitive isolationism has a limiting effect on the need of children to draw from a more global well of knowledge and the text accuse people like Hirsch, William Bennet, Arthur Schlesinger, et al of intellectualizing xenophobia. The many case studies in this book indicate that collaboration across borders, both political and intellectual, is enriching and empowering to students. It is very helpful that the last part of the book lists and summarizes a substantial number of multicultural web sources, categorized by subject area. I do have a concern that the URLs may not be remain current due to the fluid nature of the World Wide Web. For the time being, however, I have found several that the authors have recommended being both accessible and informative for teachers and students. I recommend this book to all teachers who endeavor to introduce their students to collaborative and multicultural strategies across the traditional subject areas. To demand that computers be placed in every classroom is a good start to upgrading and incorporating technology in the classroom, but many teachers are not prepared to use it as a teaching tool. Cummins and Sayres offer teachers suggestions and models of instruction through several case studies that followed successful programs.

If you as an educator are brave enough to empower your students with a critical voice in our society today,then this book will be a valuable tool in linking you with technological resources. Cummins & Sayers emphasize the importance of collaborating and fostering cultural and critical literacy. Educational reform must move away from functional literacy and traditional pedagogy while striving to educate ALL children.Technology combined with collaborative critical inquiry can act as a catalyst to empower students of today for the problems they will face tommorrow

Cummins & Sayers bring up very important points regarding ed reform and its relationship to multiculturalism and technology in the classroom. The idea of global learning networks is powerful and timely. Without a global perspective, our students will not only suffer morally, but also economically. Certainly, business, industry, and polity all have something to gain from a more global, cultural approach to learning. To see my own perspective, visit http://leahi.kcc.hawaii.edu/org/tcc-conf/pres/menchaca.html --Mike Menchaca