Introduction - problem

To successfully organize a project one must maintain good communication with the hosts as well as any people who may be connected to the project in any way ie. family, students, colleagues.

All project plans must be outlined in a shared document accessible to all parties involved.

Prior to making first contact one should read the module "Partners and Networks".

One must determine when, with whom and how contact will be made.

Many things must be taken into account such as the possible time differences, schedules, holidays, and colloquialisms etc... of your host-country.

For a successful exchange you also need excellent PR at your own school as well as with the host school.

Ensure that the people who do not participate directly with the exchange can stay up-to-date with the activities occurring during the exchange.

Websites can be created where one you can post various reports and pictures of the activities that take place during the stay.

Such a site must be edited every day. This task could be assigned to small groups of students supervised by a teacher to guarantee quality of content.

Below you will find a number of questions and notes with links to help you maintain communication and PR throughout your project.

Key points

• Make arrangements about communication, before and after the exchange. Which language will be used to address each other.
• Avoid using colloquialisms which may be misunderstood.
• Find out the customs of the host country, culture, eating habits?

Communication and PR

Beforehand:

• Display posters in the staffroom and throughout the school to inform staff and students of the potential exchange 
• If there is a school newspaper or teacher bulletin, submit an article about the exchange.
• Contact your local newspaper to submit an article about it.
• Make sure that you know what software can be used in the country you are going to visit.
• Decide how you will keep in touch with those who stay behind. For example prepare a wikispace or webpage to post pictures or reports.
• Teach students or teachers how to create a website or how to resize pictures for a website.
• If necessary, obtain a media release form for permission to publish photos on the website.
• Names and addresses of participants should never be posted on a website!
• There are a number of programs that can be used;
  • Most computers have Microsoft Picture Manager, where one can easily resize pictures to be used for the website.
  • When using the program Adobe Photoshop 7.0 and 8.0 one can easily make large numbers of pictures suitable for a website.
• Check the ICT availability in the host-country in advance. Do they have good, fast connections?
• Obtain a laptop to take with you in case it will be needed. 

During:

• Designate a person responsible for the web-based reports of the exchange.
• Decide whether or not each student is going to keep an individual diary?
• Will groups of students maintain daily reports with accompanying pictures?
• Use pictures with reports. Students can also make their own photoalbum online (ie. Picasa)
• Make sure the teacher has editing rights so that he/she can intervene and amend any inappropriate content.
• Make students aware of their responsibility when creating a site. Is all content suitable for everyone?

After:

• To finalize your project it would be appropriate to add a conclusion which would include participants reactions to the exchange and any suggestions for improvements and ideas to be used in a follow-up project. 
• Make posters of the things you have learned and experienced which can be shared with students and teachers.
• Notify the local newspaper for a follow-up report
• A report can be added to a teacher bulletin or student newspaper.
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• a little movie    filmpje Communicatie met titels met muziek.wmv

Tips 

To keep in touch with home it is possible to use Skype, Bridgit or something similar. Make arrangements beforehand.

Try to find out beforehand what the technical possibilities are in the country you are going to visit, this prevents problems or disappointments.

Make sure you have clear pictures, don’t put junk on your site, prevent pictures of students who are continually hugging each other or something similar.