iEARN: International Education and Resource Network administers the Global Connections and Exchange Program in the countries of Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Lebanon Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and the United States. The Global Connection and Exchange Program [GCEP] provides the opportunity to connect using virtual discussion forums and online projects that encourage meaningful dialogue and collaboration.  Linkages between countries help enhance civil society, foster innovative educational practices and provide countries with the necessary tools and knowledge that help build school communities.  Through EARN’s 200 online projects teachers are able to select projects that fit with their existing curriculums and lesson plans.  Projects are subject based in the Creative and Language Arts, Science/Technology/Math, Culture and Society, and Learning Circles.   Students are empowered by online work and provided a chance to interact, collaborate and engage in meaningful dialogue with students from other countries.  Projects cover themes in culture, civil society, globalization, language learning and more.  A sample of projects include:

Regional Meeting of Country Coordinators: In order to develop a plan for continued activity that will build upon program achievements, Coordinators will gather in Rabat, Morocco November 13- 17, 2006 for a Regional Meeting. Among the topics of discussion will be: fiscal responsibility, in-country education projects, and best practices for collaborating with the ministry of education and other government entities regarding education priorities, program activities and sustainability plans.  Specifically, iEARN coordinators will examine:

• How to collaborate with national education authorities to provide training incentives and support (e.g. certificates, increase in salary, public acknowledgement, etc.);
• Innovative partnerships with pedagogical institutes to provide pre-service teachers with hands-on training at networked schools in order to increase their capacity to incorporate Internet resources into daily lesson plans;
• Strategies to disseminate information regarding international training opportunities and other ECA programs offered to students and teachers;
• Models of expanding U.S. school-community partnerships as a vehicle for community mobilization around issues that pertain to sustainability of the project;
• Ways to develop an alumni program for involve students, school faculty and community members; and
• Methods to promote program activities and benefits to private sector entrepreneurs and businesses to encourage their participation, both programmatically and financially.

For more information, contact: Tina Habib, tina@us.iearn.org

Global Connections & Exchange Program (GCE) is made possible through support and funding from the US State Department's (DOS) Bureau of Educational 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

  

July 12-18, 2008 Bukhara, Uzbekistan 15th Annual iEARN International Conference and 12th Youth Summit  All are welcome to attend.