Weaving Technologies into Empathetic 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 Language Distance Cultural background Economic 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. Copy It is easy to share digital materials online.

Issues: Demerit of ICT Safety Anonymous communication Spoofing: behaving as a different person Flaming Information loss by digital discreteness Difficult to transmit warmth in communication e.g.: Easier to flame in communication from misunderstanding Anti-diversity tendency e.g.: language death / English-centered knowledge Requiring Imagination of others 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 wont work. Pangaea combines ICT solution and social solution. e.g. Participants gather in real Pangaea center and they cannot access to PangaeaNet at home. e.g. Pangaea Activity Contents are designed to be fun, less-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 Safety Require one-time password / No access from home No anonymous and spoofing login Deterrence: Facilitator and other local participants Issue of Information loss by digital Art work by pen & paper is utilized richly and delivers warmth. Issue of others imagination Showing photo, voice, and work Sharing 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 tongue There are no inferior or superior languages. Willingness to communicate Heart-to-heart communication The 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 digital Much richer expression than text Facilitating cultural diversity Inventing own message style Personal dictionary function to be released Issues of others imagination in digital Showing 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 digital Paper materials are prepared by staff and made by participants effectively. Issues of others imagination in digital Simultaneous visual communication is one of the most powerful ways to imagine the other side of the line. Social aspect Participants 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 Pangaeas 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.