Chapter 15: Video Connections: Media Education and Global Citizenship a New Form of Alliance

Global citizenship requires a new commitment from the education community. Though media systems provide opportunities to communicate quickly, not everyone has free access to media or adequate media literacy. “Video connection” is a media education research project realized between a group of Italian and Kenyan youth. For the Kenyan youngsters, the “video connections project” was a tool to analyze and share their personal perspectives of life in their country. The Italian component of the project was used as an instrument to raise awareness of authentic life in Kenya. An inductive learning approach was used to assist the students in developing an awareness of the importance of global active citizenship. Video production (digital storytelling and cartooning) was implemented because it represented a space for sharing and growth among all study participants. These activities were based on a peer-to-peer approach. The boys and girls in Kenya directly presented their daily life, providing not only a new awareness of and a common response to cultural mobilization.