Unity in Diversity

Ada Gökduman’s reflection and experiences:

I was very excited to work in this project from the beginning. I believe it’s important for us as teachers to teach English in the broader context our students exist in. Materials that touch on large societal issues concerning the students encourages them to engage with and critically analyze these issues.

The unit we edited as a group, Unity in Diversity, was an especially interesting one for me. Growing up in the public school system in Turkey, I never learned about the extent of the issues of racial discrimination discussed in the material until I did my own research. If I encountered a material like this in my education, it really would’ve affected me positively. Even if these materials can’t be shown in public schools in Turkey yet, putting them out there for everyone to access could still make a difference.

As for the actual editing part, I personally had little problem. Everyone in the group was great, we covered each other’s shortcomings and worked together nicely. And the material was so excellent that the changes we had to make didn’t challenge us so much. I think the hardest part was looking for the authors and contacting them, but we were able to get a phone number from Yasemin Hoca so it was resolved quickly. I also didn’t know how to check for copyright issues and learning about it may actually be useful for any future projects I might do. I was nervous at first, because it was my first time editing something, but I actually had fun and learned along the way. I really think that these materials can make a difference in the way people view teaching English, so I’m happy to make even the slightest contribution .

Beyza Karakuzu’s reflection and experiences:

Working on this project was a seminal path for me. Although I was aware of critical pedagogy and inclusive education, I did not encounter such materials. I am glad that we managed to upload this unit to a webpage so that other people can reach it. Even though the unit may not be used in public schools in Turkey, people can access these alternative materials through our web page. The whole group was very collaborative throughout the process. We were always in touch and helped each other.

Knowing that there was a chance of achieving a final product and that this product would be unique in terms of its unit contents were the most exciting sides of this project. Then, still, we also encountered some challenging aspects too. Reaching out to the authors was the biggest issue that we had to deal with. We searched for their LinkedIn and social media accounts, as well as their e-mails. After getting permission from the authors, we checked the copyright issues. It was also challenging for us.

This project made me realize that even though there might be challenges on the path, with collaborative work, we can manage to overcome them. My group mates and I did not know anything about creating a website at the beginning of the project, but then, with the guidance of Yasemin Hoca, we managed to do it and now we have general knowledge about the requirements of creating a website. I believe all of us will be able to be a part of such similar projects in the future. From dealing with copyright issues to deciding on the logo of the website, this project offered me different experiences. I am glad that I participated in such an innovative project on our community service course.

Nazan Ebrar Kamcı’s reflection and experiences:

I was very pleased to work on this project because I believe that touching on topics like diversity and minorities in society is really important. Unfortunately, we may not use this in K12 schools. However, with the help of this project, we can make the document we have worked on accessible and create, even if it’s little, a change. This unit was a great example of group work, we all collectively contributed to this unit to prepare it for publishing, I also saw the process of creating a website.

My first editing experience was with this project. First, we reached out to the writers of the unit and asked their permission, later we scammed the whole content to see if there were any mistakes, and then we made the necessary changes. The hardest part was trying to figure out whether the images and the texts were copyrighted, we had to check every single one of them and see if there was any problem with using them. After handling these, we prepared an answer key for better guidance. After arranging the references page according to APA7 style, our editing task was almost done.

Alongside editing, I took part in the creation of the website as well. First, we searched for ways of creating a website, later with the contribution of an experienced friend, the problems were mostly solved, so I could only contribute to brainstorming and idea exchanges.

This project showed me the importance of group work and collaboration. I gained a lot from observing the process of this project and had ideas about editing and creating a website. I am very happy to be a part of publishing such a unique content like our unit and working with great people who made this process easier.

Gadis Afifah Nur Ismah’s reflection and experiences:

Working on the project of publishing a unit to a website was both rewarding and insightful. It’s fulfilling to feel useful and contribute to the team’s success. I am pleased to be involved in this project, as it is a valuable experience for me to publish something and make people’s lives so much easier, as from now on, they can easily access the unit’s content. It was my first time participating in publishing, and because of this project, I gained many insights and learned the steps, rules, and orders to do it. I felt proud to contribute both to the listening section and by assisting in reaching out to the real author. Although we faced challenges in contacting them, it was fulfilling to be part of such a collaborative effort.

One exciting aspect was seeing the magazine come together and knowing that my part played a role in its success. A challenging part was trying to contact the real author. We initially only had their names and no direct numbers. We tried reaching out through LinkedIn and learned how important resourcefulness and persistence are in solving communication challenges.

I learned how teamwork and communication are essential for project success. I also improved my ability to adapt to challenges. I gained insights into publishing content online and I also learned the importance of aligning individual contributions to a cohesive whole. This project demonstrated how everyone’s unique efforts contribute to a final product. In the future, I’d like to explore more roles in a similar project, such as managing communication or contributing to design. This project taught me the value of teamwork and communication. In the future, I’d love to explore other aspects of content creation, like layout design or editing, to gain a broader perspective.