GigaPan Conversations: Diversity and Inclusion in the Community

GigaPan Conversations is jointly organized by the UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE) and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in collaboration with the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet). The objective of this project is to promote empathy and understanding between cultures. Through inquiry-based and participatory practices in the curriculum, this project aims to promote dialogue and exchanges between school-age students on selected topics such as inclusion, Learning to Live Together, equity, cross-cultural inclusion and environment. This is with a view to foster a more in-depth approach to cultural and social issues, as well as enhanced inter-cultural understanding across different geographical regions and cultures. A major focus of the project is to use GigaPan technology and integrate it within a curricular framework to establish a robust Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Education project capable of delivering tangible improvements in both classroom experience and learning results. This report details the motivation behind this work and initial experiences based on the first pilots conducted between Soweto township (South Africa) and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.