2019-2020 ArtLink Teacher's Guidelines PREVIEW 2019 2020 ArtLink Guidelines PREVIEW | Page 4

I. Program Overview Welcome to 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 six 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 Interactive Video Conferences (IVC). Program Goals ArtLink’s curriculum helps students expand their world view to build both Global Competence and 21 st Century Learning Skills. ArtLink participants will: • Expand their awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the lives of peers living in another country 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 • 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). Back to Table of Contents 2019 -2020 ArtLink Program “Our Environment, My Culture” Page 5