2018 Rainforest ArtLink Guias del Maestro Guidelines RFArtLink 2018 English | Page 4

I. Program Overview
Welcome to the Rainforest ArtLink
You and your students are about to embark on an adventure
of cross-cultural discovery. Since 1996, Creative Connections
has facilitated ArtLink exchanges among students in the USA
and sixty countries on five different continents.
Guided by dedicated teachers, thousands of young students
have had the opportunity to share their culture and way of
life through the creation and exchange of artwork. Many
partner classes also take advantage of the opportunity to
meet through live videoconferences and on
www.culturexchangeonline.org, a site where partners can
post videos or exchange questions and answers.
Program Goals
Rainforest ArtLink’s curriculum helps students expand their
world view to build both Global Competence and 21 st Century
Learning Skills. Rainforest ArtLink participants will:
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Promote the understanding and appreciation
of their peers living in the rainforest
Gain a new perspective into their own culture
Learn cross-cultural communication skills through
written and video exchanges
Discover the power of art to convey cultural norms
and values
Interact with partners, practicing Spanish
language skills
Expand awareness and appreciation of their
natural environment
What is Global Competence?
Global Competence is the capacity and disposition to
understand and act on issues of global significance
(“Educating for Global Competence,” Asia Society, 2011:
http://asiasociety.org/files/book-globalcompetence.pdf).
What are 21st Century Learning Skills?
21 st Century Learning Skills are the essential capabilities for
students to succeed in today’s world. These skills, often
referred to as the four C’s – Communication, Collaboration,
Creativity and Critical Thinking – provide the foundation for
mastery of core academic subjects as well as success in work
and life (“Framework for 21 st Century Learning,” Partnership
for 21 st Century Skills, 2011: http://www.p21.org/storage/
documents/1.__p21_framework_2-pager.pdf ).
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2018 Rainforest ArtLink Program “Highlight”
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