PeaceRooms

Overview: PeaceRooms is a digital media and peace education initiative of UPEACE/US that seeks to develop responsible global citizens and transform the ways that high school and middle school students from around the world deal with conflict. Students participate in secure long-term virtual partnerships with classrooms in other countries though online social networking platforms using the latest in translation functionality and technological innovation. Through correspondence and collaborative lesson planning with their international counterparts, students enter into life-changing relationships and gain invaluable technological skills for the 21st century. Most importantly however, they develop new approaches to analyze the root causes of conflict and cultivate powerful tools to build peace in their communities.

The Need: The advent of social networking technologies has dramatically reshaped the way people around the world relate to one another in the 21st century. While this phenomenon has been widespread on a social level, it has yet to be effectively utilized in the educational arena to promote peace education, mutual respect and conflict transformation. What if there was a way to use this new technology to bring classrooms and communities of youth from different countries together for yearlong collaborations in a safe, controlled and participatory manner for the purposes of creating a culture of empathy? What if we were to use this platform to provide students with the opportunity to develop a core set of digital literacy skills while exploring these concepts of conflict and peacebulding in ways never before possible?

Countries: Thus far PeaceRooms has been piloted in Costa Rica and the United States with plans to soon expand to Sudan and Ethiopia because these are countries where the University for Peace has significant networks, educational resources and operational infrastructure. We have worked in 8 classrooms with students ages 10-15. While these countries are not in direct conflict with each other, we have chosen to work in schools where issues of violence and community conflict were widespread. The preliminary results have been very encouraging and we would like to expand this model to create virtual partnerships (1) among countries in different regions that are specifically in conflict or emerging from conflict (2) between countries directly engaged in some form of conflict with each other.

How the Technology Works: PeaceRooms uses a safe and secure customized ning.com social network to facilitate collaborations. We have also integrated of the latest Google translation widgets and APIs, making our platform one of most advanced in terms of language flexibility. The site has a number of features, which allow for rich multimedia sharing (photos, videos, messaging, etc), making it fun and engaging for students. Meanwhile, parents and supervisors can monitor the dissemination and flow of content to ensure the safety and appropriateness of exchanges. Through this platform we are also able to integrate a number of additional technologies such as (1) video games for social change, (2) Smartphone technology, and (3) HD handheld video recorders.

How the Partnerships Work: PeaceRooms staff members serve as coordinators for classroom partnerships and are based in each country where the program operates. The coordinators (1) work directly with the teachers to collaboratively develop curriculum, (2) train them in digital literacy and conflict transformation skills necessary for the project, (3) help to monitor content on the site, and (4) lead dialogues and activities on the website for students. The team of coordinators is supported by an advisory board of peace education and technology experts who collaboratively use the latest in video conferencing technology to ensure that all partnerships are adequately supported in terms of resources, quality and scope.

The Curriculum: UPEACE/US has a basic framework for curriculum developed by peace education experts from the University and the United Nations community that serves as the basis for the yearlong collaboration. However, within that overarching structure there is sufficient flexibility to tailor the program to individual classroom and partnership needs. We also conduct group trainings for teachers in person through our offices or in partnership with universities or organizations on peace education content, pedagogy, and the responsible use of technology in the classroom. As the project unfolds through these many relationships and support functions, PeaceRooms achieves its objectives of improving digital literacy skills for at-risk young people, teaching tangible skills in conflict transformation, and cultivating a sense of global citizenship in students who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to engage with the world outside their immediate community.

The UPEACE/US Advantage: As part of the United Nations system, UPEACE/US is uniquely suited with the relevant set of expertise, resources, and relationships necessary to carry out PeaceRooms. UPEACE/US staff members facilitate innovative lessons and trainings and provide teachers and community leaders with curriculum developed by peace education experts from the University for Peace and the United Nations community. UPEACE/US is currently looking to expand program in Sudan and Ethiopia and has relationships all over the world with a number of educators and communities.