Abstract:

Purpose:
As the world has become more polarized and US-China relations in particular have become less stable, people in both nations are subject to misunderstanding, isolation, and attributions of “otherness” regarding one another. The attitudes that young people of each nation are now forming will ultimately shape the future of US-China relations. The purpose of the present project is to afford US and Chinese teens an opportunity for direct communication with one another about significant issues. The longer-term objective is that they deepen awareness and understanding of each other, thereby decreasing a sense of “otherness” and increasing the realization of their common humanity in an interconnected world.

Method:
With the aid of technology, a total of 50 teens in China and the US participated. They had had negligible prior contact with or knowledge of one another and their respective cultures. Participants engaged in two 30-minute one-to-one electronic dialogs each day with rotating between-nation partners over five consecutive days. They discussed significant issues, beginning with one of personal concerns – achieving success in school. Participants were able to access factual information provided to them related to the topic to draw on in their discussions if they wished. At the end of the week, participants responded to a reflective open-ended assessment about their experience.

Results:
After participating in the program, students in both countries reported that they enjoyed the activity and hoped to participate again, and their families similarly expressed enthusiasm about the workshop. As one American teen wrote, “The fact that I was able to communicate with and have real-time conversations with people halfway across the world really stood out to me, and is an experience I'll never forget.” The Chinese teens echoed similar sentiments: “It was unbelievable that I communicated with my American partner without barriers.”

Conclusions:
A program such as this is worthwhile both to these participants and to the world. Even at this small scale, it planted a seed in younger generations of both countries and could potentially have a far-reaching and long-term influence on US-China relations. We are looking forward to securing funding to continue this undertaking on a larger scale.

Keywords:

US-China relations, electronic dialogs, argumentative skills, technology, active student-centered learning.