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I. Introduce Teachers to
Possibilities for Integrating Global Education into Our Schools:
What
can be done to bring classrooms to the world and the world to the
classrooms?
A. Presenting Possibilities:
Present whatís possible through participation in iEARN to teachers and
principals. Presentations include classroom examples of curricular
projects and student learning achievement so that they can begin to
understand how internationalizing their classrooms supports their
existing subject area content and student learning goals. Presentations
introduce them to iEARN curricular projects and how to connect online
to teachers around the world.
Rationale: Many teachers and principals arenít aware how it is possible
to use technology to connect with teachers around the world to
implement curricular projects for their students and that those
collaborations dramatically improve student learning engagement and
success. They often arenít aware of how schools in countries
around the world are already using new technologies to connect with
schools worldwide. Teachers need to know whatís possible and see
evidence of what works. It is as simple as having them realize there
are teachers around the world who: 1) are teaching what they teach with
many of the same challenges, hopes and visions; and 2) are eager to
collaborate with them. With a virtual introductory tour of the iEARN
website, teachers see opportunities for interactive global curricular
collaborations. They see a meaningful purpose for the Internet as
an environment for dynamic, international classroom teaching and
learning.
Examples:
1. C3 World Teachers Are Introduced to the iEARN Global Community
 
iEARN home
page
iEARN Project Page
http://iearn.org
http://iearn.org/projects/index.html
2. C3 World Teachers Are Introduced to iEARN Global Curricular Projects:
Making a Difference in Education - Education Making a Difference in the World
iEARN Comfort Quilt Project: Social Studies, Visual Arts, Service Learning
3. C3 World Teachers Are Introduced to
IEARN Communities Around the World through online email messages,
iEARN fourum, videoconferencing and video
Examples of iEARN Country Websites:
iEARN India website
iEARN Japan
website
iEARN Mongolia website
  
iEARN Sierra Leone
iEARN Mexico iEARN Netherland
B. Building Collaborative Community: It Takes Many Villages to Build a World
Build ongoing ìreflective collaborative communityî (Wiske, Rennebohm
Franz & Breit, 2005) among the participating teachers
locally. Use group seminars to collaboratively identify goals,
plan and implement iEARN Project-based curricula, develop classroom
cultures for international collaborations, share experiences as well as
inspire and support one another toward success. Build a global
collaborative community with iEARN teachers around the world through
email, websites, iEARN online forums, iEARN online courses, video from
iEARN Country Coordinators, videoconferencing, and face-to-face visits
from iEARN teachers.
Rationale: All too often teachers work in isolation in their
classrooms. When embarking on new teaching directions that focus
on international collaborations online, it is critically important for
teachers to have a local and global community of colleagues.
Having a strong local community of colleagues from multiple
schools in combination with global school connections is
essential to success.
Examples:
 
C. Building Pedagogy for Global Education in Todayís World Using the Teaching for
Understanding with Technology Framework
Mentor teachers in using Teaching for Understanding with
Technology (Wiske, Rennebohm Franz, Breit, Jossey-Bass, 2005) as
a research-based framework for designing international education
classroom project-based curricula.
Mentor teachers in building global education classrooms with technology
using the book, Better Teaching and Learning in the Digital Classroom,
Edited by David Gordon, Harvard Education Press, 2003 (Specifically
ìBuilding Better School-Home Connections with Technologyî by K.
Rennebohm Franz and ìGlobal Education for Todayís World:
Creating Hope with Online Learning Communitiesî by K. Rennebohm Franz
and E. Gragert).
Mentor teachers in using iEARN WRITE to Care (Writing and Reading
Integrating Technology intoEducation) and Bird Print Writing Process
curricular design by Kristi Rennebohm Franz.
Rationale: Teachers need to know how to design curriculum with
technology for global experiences that are generated through
connections and collaborations among teachers and students around the
world. Their curricular collaborations designs need to support
students as they work on important real world topics in collaboration
with global peers. Teaching for Understanding with Technology framework
meets needs for teachers to design curricula in alignment with
standards and assessments as students meet overarching goals of
understanding their world today and their opportunities for active
local, national and global citizenship. The WRITE to Care and Bird
Print Writing Process are designed literacy learning as a
critically important component of students iEARN global collaboration
projects.
Examples:
 
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