iEARN in Action, August 9, 2006

iEARN MOURNS THE LOSS OF TALIS BERCIS, iEARN-LATVIA COUNTRY COORDINATOR!

From Cheryl Morgan (iEARN-UK), Daniel Kakinda (iEARN-Uganda), Bob Carter (iEARN-Australia), iEARN Executive Council (EC): "It is our sad and sombre duty to inform you that Talis Bercis, Coordinator of iEARN Latvia, has passed away. Talis died of a malarial infection he contracted in April. Talis is known to many of us for his long and active service of teachers and students in iEARN. He was a member of the iEARN Secretariat and a major motivator of iEARN in Europe."

"It is a tragedy for his family and friends and a big loss for Latvia. There is nobody around able to substitute him. This is just to explain: last year he agreed to be in charge of eTwinning and organized a lot of events to promote the project in Latvia. When we were together in Austria at eTwinning conference, he as always was a leader of our team, the same as at Microsoft's Forum for Innovative Teachers (his profile was published at http://www.innovativeteachers.org/e-europe.htm ). He also kept together all the people who started working in iEARN years ago and this year contacted each of us in connection with the annual report we made together listing all the activities that are going on in the country in iEARN schools. We were planning to organize a reunion in June to celebrate 10-year anniversary of iEARN in Latvia and we are still stuck to the idea, sadly without him. We called Talis our minister of foreign affairs as he had a special talent to communicate with people, to involve them in different projects and activities and to find the way to everybody's heart. I guess it is impossible to over evaluate what he has done for education, teachers and students and we, his colleagues and friends, can't stop thinking about the terrible accident that took him away from us. I believe that many people in iEARN community not only in Latvia but also in other countries will remember him with love and warm feelings."

- Ligija Kolosovska, iEARN-Latvia

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Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects!
1. Submit your projects to be included in the 2006-2007 iEARN Project Book.
2. Register for next session of iEARN Learning Circles (Sept 25, 2006 - Jan 7, 2007).
3. Teacher in Indonesia seeking partners for August-November project work.
4. Internet Learning Center Manager in Tajikistan seeks partners.
5. Value of Money Project seeking co-facilitators to help in online forum.
6. Project Milaap (an Urdu word, which means love, compassion and sympathy).
7. iEARN participants in Africa launch iEARN-Africa forum.

Resources, Contests, Websites and Announcements!
8. Check out the new Teen Scrapbook Project website.
9. Eye to Eye Project launches website.
10. See website of Teddy Bear Project partnership between Lithuania and Belarus.
11. New free Internet Science Teaching Journal available.
12. YES exchange students arrive in the United States.
13. Visit iEARN-USA's monthly online newsletter.

Upcoming Events!
14. iEARN Training in Palestine.
15. iEARN-Asia and Pacific hold first regional conference.
16. Role of ICT in Bridge-Building and Social Inclusion Conference.
17. Australian Computers in Education Conference.
18. iEARN-Egypt to host 2007 iEARN International Conference and Youth Summit in Cairo.

Upcoming Events!
19. iEARN-Asia Conference a success. See photos!
20. ICT Training iEARN and Learning Circles in Indonesia.
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Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects
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1. ATTENTION iEARN PROJECT FACILITATORS!!! If you are currently facilitating an iEARN project, or are planning a new project, and would like to have it included in the 2006-2007 iEARN Project Description Book, please complete the project template below and send it to projectbook@us.iearn.org as soon as possible, but no later than the FINAL DEADLINE of August 20th. For copies of the 2005-2006 version of the book, see
http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html
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NEW PROJECT TEMPLATE
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1.Name of Project:
2.Brief one-sentence description of project:
3.Full description of project:
4.Age/level of project participants:
5.Timetable/project Schedule:
6.Possible project/classroom activities:
7.Expected outcomes/products:
8.Project contribution to others and the planet:
9.Project language(s):
10.Curriculum/subject area:
11.Names/email of initial participating groups:
12.Name of facilitator(s):
13.Email of facilitator(s):
14.iEARN Forum/Newsgroup where it will take place or is taking place (or leave blank and one will be assigned):
15.WWW page of project (not required):

ONCE COMPLETED, PLEASE RETURN TO projectbook@us.iearn.org.
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2. REGISTER FOR NEXT SESSION OF iEARN STUDENT LEARNING CIRCLES, SESSION 2. September 25, 2006 - January 7, 2007. http://www.iearn.org/circles/ (register by September 15). Learning Circles are highly interactive, project-based partnerships among a small number of classrooms located throughout the world. There are two sessions each year, September-January and January-May.

3. TEACHER IN INDONESIA SEEKING PARTNERS FOR AUGUST-NOVEMBER PROJECT WORK. "My name is Nur Arifah Drajati. I am an English teacher in Labschool senior high in Jakarta, Indonesia. I have a project with my students in reusing of recycled material, such as plastics and paper. They should make something from that kind of material and sell their products to other people. The result will be donated to the victims of Pangandaran tsunami in West Java, Indonesia." Email: Nur Arifah. See discussions on the Teachers Forum.

4. INTERNET LEARNING CENTER MANAGER IN TAJIKISTAN LOOKING FOR PARTNERS IN iEARN. Ibrahim Rustamov writes, "Salom from Tajikistan! Hello dear colleagues! My name is Ibrahim. My last name is Rustamov. I am a EFL teacher from Isfara, northern part of Tajikistan. I also work as a manager of ILC(Internet Learning Center) with students who are involved in different educational Internet based projects in the framework of Global Connections and Exchange Program(GCEP) - Relief International Schools Online. I hope to meet new friends here at iEARN and look forward to get your welcoming messages." Post your greeting in the Teachers Forum.

5. VALUE OF MONEY PROJECT. A project aimed at helping young people to develop a personal understanding of the role of money in our lives, by writing essays,playing virtual games, and having real life experience with handling money and using it in a proper way. This will be the project's last year, and activities will focus primarily on sharing essays, poems and stories on money that will be published in a final Value of Money magazine. For more information, or to volunteer your time as a co-facilitator of the project, contact Maitreyi Doshi.

6. PROJECT MILAAP. (Milaap - an Urdu word, which means love, compassion and sympathy). This word is famous all over Pakistan, India and Kashmir. A project to bring together students in Kashmir with peers around India and Pakistan, and worldwide, for discussions and dialogue. Contact Mohammad Yahya Farid in Pakistan.

7. iEARN PARTICIPANTS AND COORDINATORS IN AFRICA INVITED TO JOIN iEARN-AFRICA DISCUSSION FORUM. iEARN-Africa regional discussion will take place in http://foro.iearn.org/iearnforums/africa/.

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Check it Out! Resources, Contests, Websites, Announcements.
(This includes resources that are not part of iEARN)
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8. TEEN SCRAPBOOK PROJECT LAUNCHES WEBSITE! For more about the project, see http://www.iearn.org/projects/teenscrapbook.html

9. EYE TO EYE PROJECT LAUNCHES WEBSITE. See youth-created artwork, photography, and videos. from young people worldwide. For more about the project, see http://www.iearn.org/projects/eyetoeye.html

10. TEDDY BEAR EXCHANGE BETWEEN LITHUANIA AND BELARUS RESULTS IN WEBSITE AND PHYSICAL TRIP. http://teddybear.iatp.by/eindex.html. The exchange culminated in a physical meeting - http://teddybear.iatp.by/ekonf.html. Sign up for a Teddy Bear partner class! http://www.iearn.org/projects/teddybear.html

11. NEW FREE INTERNET SCIENCE TEACHING JOURNAL AVAILABLE ON INTERNET. Launched by EIROforum, a partnership between Europe's seven largest intergovernmental research organizations, the journal will appear quarterly online and in print. Although aimed at a European audience, the material in the journal can be adapted for use in other countries. To be success, we need the involvement of enthusiastic science teachers to submit their own articles, join our panel of reviewers, tell us about education projects you are involved in, write reviews of books or other resources, translate articles, etc. See guidelines for authors, the reviewer panel, book reviewers or translators. http://www.scienceinschool.org/

12. YES EXCHANGE STUDENTS ARRIVE IN THE UNITED STATES. During the week of August 7th, iEARN and its partners in the YES Program, AYUSA International and AMIDEAST, will welcome to the US approximately 315 students from Algeria, Bangladesh, Iraq, Arab-Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Tunisia, and Yemen. Students will engage in a week-long arrival orientation, including entrance interviews and cultural sensitivity workshops. At the week's conclusion, students will travel to their host communities to attend high school and live the life of a U.S. teen. The program has been invaluable in dispelling stereotypes and teaching both U.S. students and in-bound students that what they learn about one another in the media is not always the case. U.S. residents interested in hosting a student for the next school year, contact Mary Karam at AYUSA. http://us.iearn.org/collaborate/programs/yes/index.php

13. SEE iEARN-USA'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.

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Upcoming Events
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14. WORKSHOP FOR PALESTINIAN TEACHERS AND SUPERVISORS, AUGUST 8-9 (ADDITIONAL MEETINGS WEEK OF AUGUST 13-19). Send greetings to the iEARN Teachers Forum.

15. FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF ICT IN BRIDGE-BUILDING AND SOCIAL INCLUSION CONFERENCE, NORTHERN IRELAND, SEPTEMBER 10-16. For further details click here.

16. AUSTRALIAN COMPUTERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (ACEC), CAIRNS, FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND, OCTOBER 2-4. iEARN Australia and the Asia Education Foundation are Partners with ACEC in this major conference. If any iEARN members are interested in attending or presenting, contact iEARN-Australia. For details, see http://www.acec2006.info

17. YouthCaN 2007 EVENT TO BE HELD IN NEW YORK CITY ON APRIL 23, 2007. Watch http://www.youthcanworld.org for details of this and other YouthCaN events happening around the world. YouthCaN is a year-round network within iEARN of students using telecommunications technologies to undertake and/or share environmental work locally and around the world.

18. iEARN-EGYPT TO HOST 14TH ANNUAL iEARN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND 11TH YOUTH SUMMIT, JULY 7-12, 2007 IN CAIRO. Connecting Cultures...Respecting Differences. A global dialogue for development and sustainability. Stay tuned for details. http://www.iearnegypt.org/

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Recent Events

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19. JEARN (iEARN-Japan) HOSTED THE 2006 iEARN-ASIA AND PACIFIC CONFERENCE IN TOKYO, AUGUST 1-2 AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF EMERGING SCIENCE AND INNOVATION. http://asia.jearn.jp/english/. iEARN-Asia/Pacific 2006 has been ended with great success in warm friendships and exciting atmosphere thanks to all of your support and encouragement. iEARN-Asia/Pacific under iEARN International has been launched and created "Learning Circle Asia/Pacific" and "Teddy Bear Asia/Pacific" as practical activities. Here is the photo site where you will enjoy and feel the newly born iEARN Asia/Pacific.

20. iEARN TRAINING AT PPPG BAHASA, INDONESIA. July 9-22, 2006. Training on iEARN and Learning Circles for Language teachers (English, Indonesian, French, Japanese, Deutsch, and Arabic) at PPPG Bahasa (Centre for Development and Training for Language Teacher) in Srengseng, South Jakarta. 40 teachers from 40 different schools from all over Indonesia attended. See greetings on the Teachers Forum.

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For Reference
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TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE NEWSFLASH: Send your announcement (2-3 lines) to newsflash@us.iearn.org.
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iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) is a global non-profit network that empowers teachers and students to undertake projects designed to make a meaningful contribution to the health and welfare of the planet and its people. Started in 1988, iEARN is currently active in over 120 countries, with 1,000,000 students participating as part of their education. iEARN-International: http://www.iearn.org

Download the 2005-2006 iEARN Project Book: http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html (available in Arabic, English, French, and Japanese) or for a full listing of iEARN projects, see: http://www.iearn.org/projects/
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