 The VISION of iEARN-USA is that people engage in respectful dialogue and collaborative action to meet challenges of our world.
The MISSION
of iEARN-USA is to enable young people worldwide, working in
collaboration and dialogue, to make a meaningful contribution to the
health and welfare of the planet and its people.
Our STRATEGY is to teach and support educators in using technologies to promote student interaction in global projects.
WHO
- More than 1 million K-12 teachers and students, in the US and 120
other countries, speaking over 28 languages, and working together as part of a new model of international education and
cooperation.
WHAT - iEARN-USA is a member of iEARN
(International Education and Resource Network), the world's largest
non-profit global network that enables young people to use the Internet
and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational
projects that both enhance learning and make a difference in the
world. These have included everything from testing, comparing,
and improving the quality of a stream or river to charting the
migration of birds, researching
the causes and affects of earthquakes, creating global art galleries, creating
joint newspapers, and hosting global video
festivals.
 WHEN -
iEARN has been linking schools internationally since 1988, when Peter
Copen linked 12 schools in Moscow with 12 schools in New York State in
a pioneering demonstration that education could be enhanced and the
quality of life on the planet improved if young people were to use
technology to engage in
collaborative projects. Students worked in both
English and Russian on curriculum-based projects designed by
participating teachers. The network expanded to nine
countries in 1990. Each participating country provided training
and support for its teachers. Based
on the successful project work, iEARN now has programs in over 120 countries, involving 20,000 schools and
youth organizations and about 1-2 million students every day.
 WHERE
- The iEARN-USA office is near Columbia University in New York
City, New York. The countries of the global network can be found
on the "Globe" page of the International iEARN website.
 WHY
- As Founder Peter
Copen emphasized, "This is not only about education - it's
about saving the world, and the role that education can play in it.
" Peter launched the network feeling that
crucial issues facing the planet, from environmental degradation to
cultural misunderstanding, were not being addressed in schools, and
that young people could and should be taught how to deal with the
issues that face humanity as part of their education.
HOW - A key to
success in iEARN is engaging students and educators in interaction with others
around the network. iEARN places a high priority on building these
relationships - both online and during face-to-face events and
trainings for teachers and students.
iEARN Projects: projects within iEARN are designed and facilitated by participants to
fit their particular curriculum and classroom needs and schedules.
iEARN Professional Development:
Over 100,000 educators have been through iEARN's professional
development programs since the network started in 1988. iEARN's online courses and face-to-face workshops and seminars are designed to
cover the technical, collaborative and organizational skills needed to
participate fully in a global, collaborative Internet-based learning
environment.
iEARN Events: iEARN teachers and coordinators also host
local, regional and international gatherings throughout the year. The
largest of these gatherings is the Annual iEARN World Conference each
July, which typically brings together teachers and students from over
70 countries. Open to all, the gathering allows educators, students,
and administrators to identify new partners from other countries, learn
about practical examples of technology and project-based learning in
education in other countries, and deepen their awareness of global
issues.
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