GEMS Program in Year One - A REPORT
Project Year
# of Countries
# of Schools
# of Students
$ Value
Year 1
7
43
25,000
$1,376,000
iEARN & Schools Online Launch the GEMS Program
Since 1988, iEARN teachers have demonstrated how on-line Project-based Learning can enhance learning and enable students to engage in educational projects that improve the quality of life on the planet. Many of these pioneer educators, working in over 90 countries, have brought interactive learning to their classes with minimal computer equipment and Internet connections.

Schools Online has shown how targeted Internet technology equipment donations can enable thousands of schools to share in the educational benefits that the Internet has to offer.

These two non-profit organizations are now teaming up to dramatically increase on-line collaborative project work at schools throughout the 92 country iEARN network. At the 2000 iEARN International Conference in Beijing, China, the two organizations announced the GEMS Program. GEMS will provide state-of-art "Internet Learning Centers" (computer labs) and connectivity to schools which have demonstrated success in on-line project work as a means of rapidly expanding the number of students and teachers engaged in collaborative projects.

"This is one of the largest educational technology initiatives to impact international school networking and demonstrates the power of working collaboratively," noted Touraj Rahimi, President of Schools Online.

Schools Online is working with Silicon Valley hardware and software companies, as well as Internet start-up companies, to provide the capital for the GEMS Program.

The pilot countries include Argentina, China, India, Russia, Macedonia, Spain and South Africa. Each country has created a National Gems Team to work with educational institutions, hardware vendors and Internet providers. Each participating school is creating a GEMS Team to assist in project work, professional development and local outreach. Each recipient school is required to provide training to a neighboring school in subsequent years.

"The GEMS Program will enable project-based learning to extend to all curriculum areas in iEARN schools and enable millions of students to work together on meaningful educational projects that also make a difference in their world," pointed out Dr. Edwin Gragert, Director of iEARN-USA.

Country selection for Year 2 will be made in July 2001 after an assement of the Pilot Phase. Results and future plans will be announced at the July 2001 iEARN International Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. For Information on GEMS, contact: gemsinfo@us.iearn.org

 
Click here for an update on GEMS schools around the world in the first half of this pilot phase