The BEPSUS project is yet another global exchange between Brunswick East Primary School (Melbourne, Australia) and Nathaniel Alexander Elementary School (Charlotte, North Carolina, USA). It follows earlier successful projects:A Tale of Two Cities (2003), International Fantasy Football (2004) and A Tale of Three Cities (2005).

This project is an extension of the work done at BEPS in the area of Philosophy for Children (P4C) and is part of an ongoing relationship between the two schools. Philosophy is a process that allows students to explore "big ideas" in a highly structured and safe environment (check the link to find out more).

What's involved...? Who's involved...?

The students at both NAES and BEPS will explore common themes, through Philosophy, and share their ideas through a secure discussion area (online). These ideas will drive the inquiry-learning process which will allow students to create a project surrounding the "big question". This will be shared through a digital bulletin board, allowing the students from either country to analyse the similarities and differences between each others' culture and lifestyle.

The teachers involved in the project are:

• Phill Cristofaro: Project Manager (BEPS) and grade 3/4 teacher
• Julie Maclure: grade 3/4 teacher (BEPS)
• Tess Haycox: grade 3/4 teacher (BEPS)
• Karen Hitchen: Teacher Librarian / Information Specialist (BEPS)
• Tony Iannone: Project Manager (NAES) and grade 4 teacher
• Marcie Beard: grade 4 teacher (NAES)

The learning aims behind the project:

• that the students understand that they are part of a global community;
• the development of collaboration skills;
• the development of independent learning skills through the information literacy skills, and
• the development of higher order thinking skills

Information for BEPS parents can be found here.

Notices for Parents and Students...

Lyrics sheet for "I am Australian"
Update for BEPS Parents (May 4th)

The BEPSUS Podcast

• Visit the BEPSUS podcast site and listen in...

In the tradition of P4C, we are exploring the answers to an over-arching question that will guide the learning activities available to the students...

What does it mean to be an Australian / American?

The BEPSUS Vision and Rationale...

Vision:
To develop a sense of what it is to be part of a global community by facilitating higher order thinking and information literacy skills through a collaborative, international exchange project that's built upon Philosophical inquiry.

Rationale:
Children (and adults) need to see themselves as part of a global knowledge economy. ICT supports knowledge building among teams and enables team members to collaborate, enquire, interact and integrate prior and newly discovered ideas with new understandings.
Philosophy develops deep levels of thinking and inquiry and establishes a strong sense of community. It provides a structure for questioning, the testing of ideas and reflection. By building on the knowledge of others there is a scaffolding of thinking and this develops higher order thinking skills. The students will share and exchange their cultural understandings and this will help develop a broader understanding of their place in the world and the concept of a global community.

The BEPSUS Video Conference

On Wednesday 6th June (Tuesday 5th in Charlotte) we had our BEPSUS video conference that brought together students from both schools. IBM Australia and IBM Charlotte hosted the event which saw students explore their thoughts, feelings and reflections of the BEPSUS learning experience. Students were encouraged to ask questions about popular culture and lifestyle and there was even a virtual "handshake".

The NAES kids prepared a special poster for the event, while BEPS kids performed "I am Ameralian": a re-worked version of the Bruce Woodley and Dobe Newton song, "I am Australian".

Check out the podcast site to hear the reflections of the kids and listen to the BEPS kids sing the song.

Click here to enter the engine room (work area) of the BEPSUS Project (please note, this is not the podcast. The link for the BEPSUS podcast is at the bottom of this page).