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BRIDGE News, January 2005
The
New Year began with an exciting and fresh start for the BRIDGE III
program. You'll find the beginnings of new internet-based discussion
forums, phyical exchange, and new found friendships between US and
students abroad.
Most importantly, using iEARN's secure Internet-based discussion forums, the BRIDGE III
Program will continue to provide online exchange opportunities for schools and students throughout 2005.
News Flash: Country Udpates
 Egypt - http://www.iearnegypt.org/
In
January, a two-day workshop was held comprising of 10 teachers that
provided educators with opportunities for in-depth discussions on
connectivity issues. iEARN Egypt also participated in several
seminars and conferences examining the role of on-line learning.
During the 10th EFL Skills Conference held at the American University
in Cairo, iEARN Egypt successfully presented a 90-minute presentation
entitled, ìOnline ESL/EFL Teachers' Professional Development.î iEARN
Egypt also held a two-day pre-departure orientation for students
scheduled to arrive in the US this February. Working with Integrated
Care Society [ICS] and Kidz Online, iEARN Egypt planned a one-day shoot
with iEARN students. The video series, produced by Kidz Online,
focuses on the strength and empowerment of Arab women and will be
distributed to schools with a concentration on Jordan, Lebanon and
Egypt. Also in January, iEARN Egypt welcomed a new member this
month, Modern Education School located in Katemaya in
Cairo. Congrats!
 India - http://www.iearn-india.org/
Congratulations
to the two teachers selected to attend the Master Trainer Program in
New York City this coming April. iEARN India met with the Deputy
Director at the American Center in Mumbai on the 19th of January to
inform them of the teachersí trip and complete visa processing. Before
the school year closes in April, iEARN India have been working
diligently with iEARN schools in planning several Global Youth Service
Day activities to be held this April. Look for more news in our
April Newsletters.
 Indonesia - http://www.iearnindonesia.org/
On January 24th iEARN Indonesia held a workshop at SMA Bina Bangsa Sejahtera to introduce teachers and schools to iEARN's projects.
Participants included teachers from this school, but also welcomed
visiting teachers from surrounding areas who had heard of the iEARN
workshop. The workshop provided these teachers with the skills to
enhance their teaching and learning methodology through iEARN projects
and conduct collaborative learning with teachers from all over the
world. This introduction to great benefits of iEARN projects will
provide opportunity for their students to participate and design
projects as well as address global problems with other students across
borders. A second workshop was held on January 29th at the Lab
School, which will act as iEARN Center. This workshop also trained
teachers in iEARN projects and project-based learning which has
corresponded with the schoolís recent shift to a new student-centered
curriculum that encourages students to be active citizens in the world
community. Thirty-five teachers, most from the Senior High School Lab
School Rawamangun, participated in this workshop.
 Jordan - http://www.iearnjordan.org/
Even
with the mid-year vacation from January 14 to February 6, iEARN Jordan
has been working closely with schools to recruit students and teachers
to participate in the YouthCaN Med conference in Lebanon. They have
also been preparing for the Global Youth Service Day with their US
counterpart schools. Congratulations to iEARN Jordan for selecting two
participants to attend the Master Trainer Conference in NYC.
 Lebanon - http://www.iearnlb.org
Youth Can Med and Introduction to iEARN writing projects continued
throughout December into February. Also this January, several
meetings were held with the Ministry of Education and committees in
charge of ICT projects. iEARN Lebanon began preparations for the
coming BRIDGE III Exchange this April through May. The first stop
is US students traveling to Lebanon on April 2nd. Come February,
a new discussion forum will be set up for student to begin their
on-line commmunication and virtual exchange.
Morocco - http://www.mearn.org/
January
filled iEARN Morocco with energy as they welcomed eight new schools in
several countries around Morocco to the iEARN network (Ibn Khaldoun
High School, Group Azaitouna, Líange Bleu School in El Jadida, Bir El
Jedid Public High School, El Amria High Schoo, Beni Mellal, Abou El
Abbas Essebti High School in Marrakech, and University Chouaib
Eddoukali). What a successful month in recruiting! On January
29th to February 1st, a national workshop was held in El Jadida.
Two workshops were conducted in two different sites, one in French with
10 participants and another in English with 25 participants. These
national workshop activities also received national media coverage,
providing a great opportunity to showcase mEARNís work.
This January, iEARN Pakistan with seven
schools and teachers from Pakistan participated in an Autobiographical
Digital Photograph Exchange with iEARN-US teacher, Chris Baer, at
Marthaís Vineyard School in Massachusetts. In addition, BRIDGE teachers
have been conducting follow-up sessions in their schools and promoting
the iEARN programs to other teachers and education officials. The
day-long workshops were held at Fatimiyah School in Karachi, and the
Cardinal School and SOS Hermain Germenier School in Lahore. On January
27th to 29th, iEARN Pakistan held their first BRIDGE III workshop. They
recruited 10 new schools and 22 new educators. The day included
training, information about online collaborative projects, and ways to
develop action plans to integrate projects in their classrooms.
Now
registered as bEARN, bEARN was selected as a member of the Steering
Group of NGOs/Civil Society on the UN MDG's Campaign where only a few
out of hundreds of national NGOs were selected. Setting up connectivity
was the main goal for the quarter as bEARN commenced a 3-project
connectivity program with Linda Ullah, the Teacher in Residence at Foothill
College in California. bEARN has also connected with Ms. Rekha Balu,
Associate Director of the Center for Universal Education and Council on
Foreign Relations in DC to organize a videoconference between
Bangladeshi students and politicians.
iEARN
Nepal selected two teachers for the well anticipated Master Training
held in New York City this coming April. This January much effort
was placed in developing and cultivating relationships with surrounding
schools in order to support and increase iEARN awareness and
activities. Small information sessions were also held to lend
technical support to exchange participants to help them with online
communication and familiarize themselves with the Master Training
Forum. January also brought the completion and printing of iEARN
Nepalís Teacher Training handbook.
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