iEARN-USA - The International Education and Resource Network

Tina Habib
tina@us.iearn.org
Tel: 212/870-2693

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

iEARN Continues to Expand the BRIDGE Program,
Enabling More Students and Teachers in the US and Countries with Sizeable Muslim Populations to Build Cultural Understanding in an Educational Context

HTTP://US.IEARN.ORG/COLLABORATE/PROGRAMS/BRIDGE/INDEX.PHP

New York, Sept. 21. - The International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) today announced the expansion of the BRIDGE Program (Building Respect through Internet Dialogue and Global Education) for an additional year through a grant from the US Department of State Bureau for Cultural Affairs, and through matching funds made available from iEARN partners. Focused on building links between students and teachers around the world, the continuing funding will allow iEARN to increase the number of participating countries as well as expand the range of programs offered within each. Building on the success of the last two years, the program will expand support for iEARN programs in Bahrain, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and the United States through collaborative online projects, professional development and international exchange opportunities for students and teachers in these countries.

Through iEARN's secure Internet-based discussion forums, the BRIDGE Program will be expanded to provide online exchange opportunities for an additional 7,500 students and teachers from over 130 schools. The Bridge Project will continue to promote academic, cultural, and community exchange through the iEARN program of continuous training - online professional development courses, student/teacher exchanges to the US, and individualized national workshops.

A highlight of the BRIDGE project will be a three-week physical exchange of students and teachers from Egypt, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, and the United States. During the exchange, participants will stay with teachers and students with whom they have worked during the academic year. Exchangees will also have the opportunity to learn about educational practices and the use of technology in one another’s classrooms. The exchange will provide a foundation for ongoing and increased collaboration between students and teachers within the iEARN network.

Building on successes of the first two years, the grant also provides support for a Mediterranean Regional Conference of educators to be held in Beirut, Lebanon in July 2004. The conference will support 150 participants from 16 countries and likely attract many more. The first Mediterranean Regional Conference was held in June 2003 in Alexandria, Egypt where 150 teachers and coordinators from 10 countries gathered for training, curriculum exchange, and project planning. The second took place in Amman, Jordan and included 160 educators from over 16 countries including fifteen participants from Iraq. The conferences provide an invaluable foundation for ongoing and increased collaboration between teachers within the iEARN network.

IEARN is eager to broaden institutional partnerships with schools, agencies and organizations engaged in similar or complimentary activities. For information on how to participate or to become a partner organization please visit the iEARN web site:
http://us.iearn.org/collaborate/programs/bridge/index.php.