International Project -based Learning Opportunities List

International Project-Based Learning Opportunities List

Teachers at Beverly Hills High School can participate in international project-based learning opportunities through academic classes and through clubs. 

Interdisciplinary and cross-curricular projects could deepen student connections across content areas and help them to see the relevance of what they are learning and how it relates to their own lives.  Beverly Hills High School could achieve this through teams in departments and then again through cross-curricular classes.  A natural marriage might be English and History classes or English and Art History classes.  We were looking at doing this in the 2014 year by collaborating between AP English Literature and AP Art History.  We will do this informally for 2014-2015 and will culminate in a class for 2015-2016. 

Culminating unit projects can be “internationalized” by:

Including materials (poems, history, art, current events, etc.) that enable students to learn about other countries or regions. 

Asking students to research and present on an aspect of country as it relates to the curricular topic.

Connecting students with students in another country using resources such as Global Youth Video Project: http://www.globalyouthvideoproject.com/resources/

Asking students to create a podcast, newsletter, video or public service announcement that includes a connection with another country.

Having students write letters to students in another country using a program like Epals on Epals.com and classroom matching, whereby a high school class studying Mandarin can connect with a class studying English in China, and classes can work on a special project together. Enrichment classes are ideal for international project-based learning, as they could be cross-curricular and provided an opportunity for students to make connections across subject matters.  In enrichment classes, students could:

·      Watch the news and create their own international news segments.  They could submit news and videos to CNN Student News. 

·      Design posters to portray a global theme and how that theme impacts people worldwide.  One example of this might be “empathy” or “perspective”.

·      Take action towards a certain worldwide cause, such as child labor, and work to help aid the cause in a project that might raise awareness, mobilize people to action, or communicate across countries.  Projects could include videos, newsletters, letters, etc.

Connect all Schools brings the world into our classrooms by providing instruction on global issues, language, online collaboration, student and teacher exchanges, professional development and more.  This a powerful interactive website.  (connectallschools.com)

Epals gives students and teachers a safe way to communicate world wide among teachers, students, parents and administrators.  They provide quality digital content and allow collaboration. (epals.com)

Omprakash Foundation facilitates communication, collaboration, and mutual learning within a diverse international network of social actors. (http://www.omprakash.org/classroomportal) 


Peace Corps Speaker Match provides a forum for  teachers to invite in returned Peace Corps Volunteers to speak with studetns about their experiences around the world.  This extends learning beyond the textbook, films and other media to a true first hand perspective.  (http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/classroom/speakers)

Primary Source connects educators with other cultures and peoples to promote the incorporation of global content into schools and curriculum. Programs include seminars, institutes, and study tours for educators. Primary Source also produces resources and curricula available for use by educators. (www.primarysource.org) 


The Global SchoolNet aims to improve academic performance through content driven collaboration. Global School Net links teachers and K‐12 students in meaningful project worldwide learning exchanges. (http://www.globalschoolnet.org/)