Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 8, 2008

Micronesia left quite an impression on me. Apparently, typhoons are a big deal in Micronesia. Micronesia is hard to sum up in a few words. I saw aspects of American and Japanese society overlaid on a societies trying to preserve their traditions and languages. Waste disposal is hard on these tiny islands.

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Micronesia Reflection Guam Marshall Islands 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 20, 2008

The main goal of visiting Micronesia is for me to gain a real-world perspective on schools and books for students with disabilities. For the most part, the English language textbooks were as modern as textbooks you'd see in mainland U.S. The books in the local languages were not in as great a shape.

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Micronesia Classroom Language Student 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 5, 2008

The final stop for my Micronesia trip was Guam, a U.S. The native people of Guam are called Chamorros, and the language is resurgent. I picked one children's book, Grandma's Love , which is in both English and Chamorro. Arriving on Guam felt like coming back to the United States, although it's more like Hawaii than the mainland!

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Guam Micronesia South Korea Marshall Islands 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 22, 2008

In addition to meeting with key leaders and visiting schools, Donna McNear really wanted me to see blind children in their homes. But, she's a teacher with a national reputation and a fierce dedication to improving and reforming the system for educating blind children. She has also made Micronesia her professional mission focus.

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Micronesia Guam Children Minnesota 100