iEARN-USA - The International Education and Resource Network

In this Issue: (PDF download)

(1) Nepal: The Importance of ICT in Classrooms - presentation at NELTA Conference

(2) India: Host American Students from Charleston, West Virginia

Plus: iEARN makes headlines in Chennai, India

(3) Morocco: Teacher takes online course, develops a website and wins award

(4) Indonesia: Teachers receive online connectivity training in West Java, Ngawi, and Jakarta

(5) Oman: Collaborates with Ministry of Education to Launch first official iEARN Oman website

(6) Egypt: Delivers Teacher Training Program in United Arab Emirates

(7) Bangladesh: Partners with Japan School

(8) Pakistan: Reflections from BRIDGE exchange students

Plus: Pakistan trains 113 teachers with their BRIDGE Curriculum Enrichment Workshop
Plus: Pakistan Receives award from US Embassy

(9) United Arab Emirates: Team Leader Program Begins

http://www.iearn.org.np/

February 24-26: At the NELTA Conference (Nepal English Language Teachers' Association), iEARN Nepal participated in the day's events promoting the importance of ICT in the classrooms. During the conference, representatives shared information about iEARN's global network and professional development opportunities to nearly 400 attendees. The growing popularity and importance for technology in the classrooms has placed iEARN Nepal as a leader in providing online collaborative opportunities for teachers and youth.

Also this month, students from New Summit School, in Kathmandu, celebrated Education Day with iEARN Nepal. 35 students gathered to work online using project forums and participated in a logo competition. iEARN Nepal also joined the Hindu Vidyapith School Training for teachers. Approximately 40 teachers were introduced to the iEARN network who had never before experienced iEARN forums, projects or participated in online discussions or debates. Although the school is a current member of iEARN, this training introduction offered teachers with the first steps to get involved iEARN projects.

http://www.iearn-india.org/

January 6-26: iEARN India was host to four American students and one teacher participating on the Global Connections BRIDGE Exchange Program. Students come from Sissonville High School located in Charleston, West Virginia and spent three weeks with host families and attending typical Indian public schools in Pune. After the exchange, BRIDGE student Rohit Phatak reflected on his hosting experience, "At first we had a totally different idea about who we were going to host...worries about whether he [the US student] would be able to adjust to the food, the crowds and pollution, the language and the living space of Pune...But these worries and perceptions totally changed as our guest student soon became part of our family."

Rickie Moss, BRIDGE student at Sissonville High School shared, "A week or so before we left we met with a nurse who prepared a long speech of things to tell us, or warn us about India...it was hard to see how India was the second most populated country in the world... So needless to say, we [and our parents] were a little afraid of what to [expect] while [in India].. I prepared my suitcases and bags along with the only information I had about the land of India, from the nurse...

When I arrived, I was looking out for all the bad things that I had [been] cautioned about, but soon I realized that the nurse herself had a misconception of India. I realized India [is] a thriving, very wonderful place filled with wonderful people. Many I told about the trip prior to leaving, were amazed at why I would even want to go to a country like India. After returning, I made a special effort to tell them how wonderful a place it was. Having the opportunity really changed my views of that side of the world, and hopefully [changed views] of the people I've talked to since."

iEARN India Makes Headlines: On February 30, Dr. Sunita Bhagwat and Shobha Murthy conducted an introduction to iEARN training for 26 teachers from three different schools in Chennai. Earlier this year, Indian Express, a leading national daily newspaper, released a report highlighting iEARN's work in education. Christopher Wurst, Vice Consul for Public Affairs at the American Consultate shared that the iEARN network enables students to "get outside information and relate it to themselves...it takes them outside the confines of a classroom, enlarging the scope of education."

http://www.mearn.org/

Moroccan Teacher Wins Award: This month, Abdelali Abderabbi enrolled in an iEARN online professional development course, Learning Circles. As part of the coursework, teachers work online to discuss issues surrounding project based learning, benchmark practices for class integration and also share related project work. Global Connections BRIDGE Program encourages teachers to participate in online courses as it provides opportunity to strengthen and bridge gaps between educators in the USA and their peers in internationally. For his final project, Abderabbi designed a website that

explores the issues surrounding school failure. His creation was awarded as part of the ALEF Project, US AID. To preview Abderabbi's award winning site, click HERE (website is in Arabic). For more information about online professional develompent courses, please click HERE or contact Losira Okelo.

http://www.iearnindonesia.org

In January and February, iEARN Indonesia conducted two separate training workshops for teachers. The first, held at Al-Azhar School, included 32 English teachers representing five Islamic Schools from Jakarta and West Java. The second training involved 36 teachers from SMA 2 Ngawi School and other surrounding high schools, including six public schools in Ngawi. Both workshops focused on introductions to iEARN, the iEARN website, how to join online, how to add or join a discussion forum and what type of projects are offered in the network. With this, the first workshop also incorprated training on how to use online collaborative projects to teach langauge, specifically English.

In late February, another training took place for teachers at SMA in Malang, East Java. Approximately 28 teachers were introducted to iEARN and registered as members. Hasnah Gasim - iEARN Indonesia Country coordiator - conducted most introductions to iEARN, while other iEARN trainers - including Abdul Latif, BRIDGE Master Trainer 2005, discussed how to use the network and how organize and effectively implement projects into curriculums.

http://www.moe.gov.om/iearn/about

Oman Launches Official Website: iEARN Oman has worked closely with the Ministry of Education to conduct various workshops and conferences about iEARN online projects and teacher resources. Throughout December 2005 and February, iEARN Oman has received strong support from teachers with growing interest to expand their curriculums to include online projects. Teachers are recognizing the benefits of connecting Omani youth to other parts of the world. In response, Issa Khalfan - Oman's Country Coordinator - has designed iEARN Oman's very first website under the Ministry of Education. The site now provides educators with immediate online information about projects, membership, teacher resources and more. Visit the website HERE.

iEARN Oman is a small office consisting of volunteers and a country coordinator. Khalfan shared, "...although I work alone in Oman as an educator and iEARN Coordinator, I feel happy with the achievements of iEARN Oman and being a member of this global connection." (Pictured: teachers at iEARN Oman workshop)

http://www.iearnegypt.org/

February 25-27: Dalia Khalil, iEARN Egypt Country Coordinator, facilitated a teacher training program for 25 teachers in UAE. The program focused on professional development of leaders who will eventually support the growth of iEARN projects and overall technology use in UAE classrooms. Coined as the "Team Leader Program", workshops are made possible with support of UAE's Ministry of Education, Middle East Peace Initiative [MEPI], Egyptian Association for Educational Resources [E-era], the US Embassy in Abou Dhabi, iEARN Egypt and iEARN UAE. Nahed Lotfy, iEARN Egypt Trainer, conducted the training workshop while Dalia Khalil (iEARN Egypt Country Coordinator) facilitated another workshop for 10 teachers at Zayed University in Dubai on February 28 and March 1.

In order to maintain Global Connections success in Egypt, with programs like BRIDGE, iEARN Egypt helps sustain their development by working with partner organizations in coordinating and sponsoring conferences, teacher workshops and youth run activities. Such collaborations increase awareness of iEARN and the benefits on connecting youth worldwide. The Team Leader Program is one example, and another is "Dialogue between Cultures". Recently, iEARN Egypt Program Specialist - Aliaa Khalil - and a representative from E-era attended a meeting for the "Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures." Participants discussed future collaboration projects among the Euro-Mediterranean countries.

Bangladesh and Japan Collaborate: This February the Birshrestah Munshi Abdur Rouf Rifles College partnered with the Shiroyamadai Elementary School in Japan on iEARN's Teddy Bear Project. Due to great success and reach of Global Connections BRIDGE program in Bangladesh, both secondary and elementary schools are benefiting from online collaborations. Bangladesh connects not only to the United States, but has opened classrooms to another countries as well.

http://www.iearnpk.org/

Pakistan Students Reflect on US Exchange: At the end of January, the Pakistan BRIDGE delegation - consisting of four high school students and one teacher - returned home after a three-week exchange to Sissonville High School in Charleston, West Virginia. Fizzah Ahmed shared, "...I have learned so much and have come

to the conclusion that whatever the media and TV shows is false... Parents and children [in Pakistan] have the same issues as parents and children here [in the U.S.]... I believe [Sissonville] also learned about my culture, my traditions and my religion. I am happy that all of us [have] stepped forward in removing misconceptions these two countries have against each other." The exchange was a great success and included a visit to the US State Department to speak and meet with Global Connections officials. Click HERE to read an article about their visit.

Another exchange student, Mariam Ali shared, "... I was a fool to judge a whole nation by what I saw on television and what their leaders go around doing! There are after all good and bad people everywhere in the world! Such hospitality and love that I received [here] made me feel like I was at home from day one...[In the United States], they are desperate to know about what is outside America and about the people..."

February Workshops: iEARN Pakistan used their BRIDGE Curriculum Enrichment Program to train 113 teachers from 12 different schools. Training sessions were separated into six workshops held at the iEARN Center in Karachi and the SLS School in Rawaplpindi. Sessions focused on providing an introduction to iEARN, best practices for project implementation, and how to use online forums and discussions.

Also this month, iEARN Pakistan was recognized by the US Embassy's Public Affairs section for its contributions to youth volunteerism and community service learning. The award will enable schools in Peshawar and Rawalpindi to participate in Global Youth Service Day activities from March and throughout April.

UAE's Team Leader Progam Begins: This month, iEARN UAE met with Ministry of Education and US Embassy officials to build support for technology in the classrooms using iEARN collaborative projects. iEARN Egypt's Dalia Khalil visited UAE to facilitate discussions to establish stronger UAE ties with the US Embassy, improve understanding of iEARN's role in education, identify teachers to train and implement iEARN projects in their schools, and identify candidates for an official iEARN UAE country coordinator. As a result, the "Team Leader Program" [TLP] took shape and will focus on the building capacity for government schools to partner with iEARN. TLP will provide 25 Emirati teachers with iEARN training and materials, and consist of a three-day introductory and hands-on workshop. After, trained teachers will participate in a two-day train the trainer program in order to prepare selected teachers as UAE future iEARN trainers.