Video Conferencing Connects Omani and American Students

December 1, 2008

Muscat -- This semester, Omani and American college students ‘attended’ class together through digital video technology at the U.S. Embassy.  Students from Muscat’s Modern  College of Business and Science and American University in Washington, DC worked together live over a series of digital video conferences as a part of a collaborative course, Cross Cultural Communications.  Professors from MCBS and American University jointly designed the curriculum for the course, which required students in the two countries to ‘meet’ live over video conferencing several times during the semester.  The students used these sessions to explore aspects of each others’ culture including marriage, religion, and the role of women in society.  American and Omani students teamed up to develop presentations on their topics, which explored commonalities and exposed common misperceptions.  In addition to learning about each others’ cultures, the students analyzed, through practical application, the ability to communicate with foreign audiences through different technologies, including video conferencing, blogging, and e-mailing.