The
Friendship through Education Teacher Professional Development Project
ìConnecting Classroom Communities in the Worldî (C3 World Project) is a
demonstration project funded by the U.S. Department of Education with
leadership from the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN
http://www.iearn.org). The project has generated a model of how
teachers can integrate International Education into the curricula using
technology to enhance studentsí learning in Social Studies, World
Languages and other curricular areas, support students in meetings
standards of state education goals, and build studentsí understanding
of our world today.
Goals of the C3 World Model of International Education
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For all Teachers:
Integration of international education collaborations throughout the classroom curricula.
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For
all Students:
Opportunities for school learning to include
collaboration with global peers across cultures and continents.
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The
C3 World project was launched with 20 teachers in 11 Washington State
schools in King County. These schools represent diversity of
geographic location, ethnic diversity, economic diversity, and
diversity of curricular programs. Dr. Edwin Gragert, Executive
Director, iEARN-USA provided leadership for this project with Kristi
Rennebohm Franz as C3 World Project Director.
The C3 World project was designed and built upon the successful
education experiences of iEARN teachers and students around the
world. The research and educational theory for the project is
based on Teaching for Understanding with Technology (Martha Stone Wiske
with Kristi Rennebohm Franz and Lisa Breit, Jossey-Bass 2005). An
additional resource is Better Teaching and Learning in the Digital
Classroom (Chapters (pp 51-63 & pp141-158), Edited by David T.
Gordon, Harvard Education Press 2003.
The project was
centered on school-based coaching for implementation of international
education to: 1) advance transformation of classroom practice through
international education collaborations to build better understandings
of todayís world for all students; and 2) build international education
into all curricula through student opportunities to learn with global
peers using Internet technologies in ways that significantly support
successful student achievement of educational standards.
The project was designed to inform education initiatives of
international education at the classroom, school, district, state and
national levels by demonstrating educational gain for students and
evidence of teacherís improving their practice. The design builds
an infrastructure of support for international education through
collaboration and communication on the project with: classroom
teachers, principals and district administrators (including technology
support staff), state education leaders, state legislators, and
international education organizations at local, state, and national
levels.
The overarching goal of the C3 World Model of Professional Development
was to demonstrate how new technologies of the Internet can be used for
ongoing global collaborative education communities that build global
understandings ñ understandings among people in the world that can push
forward processes of peace on the planet.
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