Posted on June 5, 2007

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iEARN (International Education and Resource Network)

Founded: 1988

Contact: Ed Gragert, Executive Director

Address:
iEARN - USA
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 450
New York, NY 10115

Phone: (212) 870-2693
Fax: (212) 870-2672
E-mail: iearn@us.iearn.org
URL: http://www.iearn.org/

Mission:
To empower teachers and young people to work together online using the Internet and other new communications technologies.

About the Organization:
In 1988, the Copen Family Foundation linked twelve schools in Moscow with twelve schools in New York state in a demonstration that education could be enhanced and the quality of life around the world improved if young people had the opportunity to use telecommunications technologies to engage in collaborative projects. The iEARN initiative expanded to nine countries in 1990 and then, based on the successful project work completed between 1990 and 1994, opened its network to schools worldwide. It currently works with schools in more than 120 nations, with approximately two million students involved daily in collaborative projects. In 1994, iEARN teachers held the first iEARN International Conference in Argentina, and since 1998 the organization has held an International Youth Summit in conjunction with the conference.

Current Programs:
All iEARN projects are initiated and designed by teachers and students. Projects enable students to develop language, literacy, research, and critical thinking skills. They also allow students to gain experience with new technologies, build cultural awareness, and get involved in their communities. Projects are designed for creative/language arts, science and technology, social studies and society, and learning circles — highly interactive, project-based partnerships among a small number of schools located around the world. To achieve its goals, iEARN offers both in-person and online teacher training workshops and courses for educators seeking to integrate online global project work into their classrooms.

Web Site:
The iEARN globe index enables visitors to learn about other iEARN offices around the world and see what they are doing. The site also features an extensive language resources area, a tutorial on the technology behind the network's Web-based forums, a workshop toolkit, and a handbook designed to introduce iEARN members to the network.

Funding:
iEARN receives support from corporations, foundations, individual donors, and state and federal agencies.