Weaving Technologies intoEmpathetic Intercultural Collaboration

among International Children

Toshiyuki Takasaki

Vice-president, CTO

NPO Pangaea

Agenda

1. Background

2. Issues of intercultural collaboration via ICT

3. Case1: PangaeaNet

4. Case2: Communicator

5. Case3: Webcam

6. Conclusion

Background: Pangaea

Pangaea provides “Universal Playground,” where children across the world can come and enjoy to foster bonds each other through experiences of fun activities.

No F-t-F meeting, only online communication

Target age: 9-15

© NPO Pangaea

Obstacles of Intercultural Communication

LanguageDistanceCultural backgroundEconomic circumstances…etc

　 > ICT has a great possibility to overcome these obstacles if it is designed and utilized in a ‘right’ way.

Merit of introducing ICT to intercultural collaboration

Borderless The Internet is connected around the world.

Low cost You can communicate almost free of charge

as long as you have Internet infrastructure.

CopyIt is easy to share digital materials online.

Issues: Demerit of ICTSafety

Anonymous communicationSpoofing: behaving as a different personFlaming

Information loss by digital discretenessDifficult to transmit “warmth” in communication

e.g.: Easier to flame in email communication from misunderstanding

Anti-diversity tendencye.g.: language death / English-centered knowledge

Requiring Imagination of other’s existence

Weaving technologies into field

Technologies in Pangaea is regarded as a tool for scaffolding empathetic intercultural collaboration.

If all activities are done digitally, it won’t work.

Pangaea combines ICT solution and social solution.e.g. Participants gather in real Pangaea center and they c

annot access to PangaeaNet at home.e.g. Pangaea Activity Contents are designed to be fun, les

s-verbal, and giving empathetic experiences through digital work and pen&paper work.

Case1: PangaeaNet

Communication Platform in Local Activity Sharing creation work Personal info as bonding catalyst 4 clicks to the earth

House > Village > Country > Earth

© NPO Pangaea

Issues and solutions in PangaeaNet

Issue of SafetyRequire one-time password / No access from homeNo anonymous and spoofing login

・ Deterrence: Facilitator and other local participants

Issue of Information loss by digitalArt work by pen & paper is utilized richly and delivers

‘warmth.’Issue of other’s imaginationShowing photo, voice, and workSharing personal information

© NPO Pangaea

Case2: Communicator

Pictogram messaging web application Rich expression

Allowing layout pictograms vertically & horizontally, and overlapping.

© NPO Pangaea

Case2: Motivation of Communicator Dev.

Flat communication platform: mother tongueThere are no inferior or superior languages.

Willingness to communicate

Heart-to-heart communicationThe purpose is not to transmit precise information.

Fostering bonds

Allows uniqueness of each culture Facilitating cultural diversity

Issues and solutions in Communicator

Issues of Information loss by digitalMuch richer expression than textFacilitating cultural diversity

Inventing own message style Personal dictionary function to be released

Issues of other’s imagination in digitalShowing photos and ‘thank you’ voice.Delivering emotional & empathetic messages

Case3: Playful Webcam Platform

Web application for Webcam activity Accommodating Webcam activity menus

© NPO Pangaea

Issues and solutions in Webcam platform Issues of Information loss by digitalPaper materials are prepared by staff and made by participants

effectively.

Issues of other’s imagination in digitalSimultaneous visual communication is one of the most powerful

ways to imagine the other side of the line.

Social aspectParticipants had experienced Local Activity at least once.Less-verbal activity menus are designed and provided.Staff (MC, Facilitator, Tech staff) supports the communication

from time to time.

Conclusion

ICT is applied to Pangaea’s intercultural collaboration.

Before applying technologies into the actual field, merit and demerit of the technologies should be considered.

In Pangaea, technologies are weaved into the actual field with social support and ‘analog’ element.