 For a PDF version click HERE, or for BRIDGE News Archive, click HERE.
Egypt Schools Submit 26 Projects For iEARN:
This June, iEARN Egypt evaluated 26 projects for possible inclusion as
iEARN projects. After successful implementation of the Global
Connections Exchange Project - BRIDGE - Egypt schools feel empowered
and enthusiastic about the positive benefits of project based
learning. Project submissions arrived in various forms including
print, art work in the form of murals, video footage, CD and more.
iEARN Egypt Prepares for iEARN Annual International Conference:
Also in June, the American Embassy in Cairo awarded iEARN Egypt a grant
to support five female students and one female teacher to attend the
iEARN International Conference in Enschede, Netherlands July 3-7.
Committees were formed to oversee and facilitate the selection of
students and teacher. Representatives from iEARN Egypt's Youth Alumni
Committee, The Ministry of Education and the Integrated Care Society
worked collaboratively to conduct interviews with 66 nominees that
included 49 students, nine youth and nine teachers. Three
students from the Delta International School, a new member in iEARN
Egypt, were also chosen to participate in the conference. Funding
for the youths travel was made possible through cost-sharing between
the Delta International School and iEARN Egypt.
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BRIDGE Summer ISSUE:
Global Connections Exchange Program
[GCEP] is made possible through support and funding from the US State
Department's Bureau of Educational [DOS] and Cultural Affairs [ECA]. It
is a part of iEARN-USA's BRIDGE project which is committed to
connecting students and teachers in the US to those in countries with
significant Muslim populations.
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 Global Connection Coordinators in Netherlands:
At the International iEARN Conference this year in Enscede,
Netherlands, Global Connections Coordinators had the opportunity to
meet and discuss past successes, as well as plan for the coming
year. On the agenda was the Coordinators Meeting in Rabat,
Morocco this coming November. Coordinators shared workshop topics
and ideas for potential speakers. Plans for the International
Conference in Cairo this July 2007 were also discussed. (Pictured Top Left to Right: Golam Hiru of Bangladesh, Issa Al Unqoodi of Oman and Saleem Ibrahim of Pakistan. Seated left to right: Tina Habib of the United States, Eliane Metni of Lebanon, Hasnah Gasim of Indonesia, and Dalia Khalil of Egypt.)
 USA iEARN Teacher Visit to Nepal:
In June and July, six USA teachers visited Nepal to meet educators and
discuss project-based learning and collaboration. Four of the six
teachers are iEARN members including Karoline White, the current
President of the Wisconsin Friends of International Education
(http://www.friendsofinternationaled.org/), Brenda Betz-Stoltz, a past
recipient of an IEARN video grant, Jason Mucino and Judy Freund.
Teachers visited two iEARN schools in Kathmandu interacting with
Nepalese teachers and students. The schools, Don Bosco and Ankur, received iEARN training during the
first and second years of the BRIDGE - with support and funding
from the US Department of State's Global Connections Program. A
group of students shared their
excitement over the LEWIN project. US teachers also presented a
workshop on teaching strategies to teachers at Bhanubhakta Memorial
School. Teachers had the opportunity to travel through the Global
Educators Program. Contact Judy Freund for more information about Global Educators
Program. (Judy Freund, 2006)
iEARN Country Coordinator, Binita Parajuli, shared "[I share with
schools] how important it is to connect our youth to a global family
like iEARN, and help them to be empowered with the effective use of
telecommunication technologies and others. As a result, many schools
[are aware of] iEARN and Bhanubhakta is one of the schools. US
teachers... emphasis on iEARN has now made the school really feel that
a program like iEARN has [relevance] in Nepal and we are happy to be a
part of it."
Mr. Durga Gautam, a teacher at Kathmandu Don Bosco High School shared:
An American teacher, Judith Freund, visited Kathmandu Don Bosco Higher
Secondary School and interacted with the iEARN students. During the
interaction program, she shared her long experiences of working with
iEARN and highlighted on the importance and advantages of working with
iEARN. The program was really fruitful and effective for beginners like
our students. They were glad to have the opportunity to talk to someone
who had come such a long way from a foreign land. The students were
really impressed with the ideas she shared with them. [Students] also
shared their experiences working with iEARN and Judy was impressed with
them and the way [spoke]. During the program, Judy talked about the
possibility of making her students work together with our students
under the same [iEARN online] project so that they can exchange their
ideas and views regarding a particular subject matter.
Bahrain Works Towards Integrating Online Projects:
In June, iEARN Bahrain Country Coordinator - Amani Amer - met with the
General Coordinator of the Unified Tracks System for Secondary
Education to discuss project-based learning; and how such projects can
be implemented in Bahrain secondary schools. Amani shared the
success of the Global Connections Exchange Project, BRIDGE that
took place in January 2005, and the benefits of iEARN projects and
resources. Since BRIDGE, students continue to utilize iEARN
online projects to collaborate with youth worldwide. In addition,
teachers have shown greater interest in integrating online technology
into their curriculums. The General Coordinator expressed his
interest in iEARN asking Amani to prepare a presentation about iEARN
and collaborative learning.
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