iEARN in Action, January 5, 2007

"I couldn't imagine it would be possible to communicate with all the World and to know how teachers are teaching in other countries, which are faraway from us. The culture is different, habits, customs, we have known about it, but about these problems of disasters, we had never heard before. To get more information and to be educated more -- let me say again that's GREAT!!!"

- Daria Dudova, Slovakia, about the Natural Disaster Youth Summit Project

Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects!
1. Sign up now for the next session of Learning Circles.
2. Junior Urgent Action Network.
3. Join an international literary magazine.
4. Classes seeking partners for Transatlantic Slave Trade Project.

Resources, Contests, Websites and Announcements!
5. iEARN Project Book available in Spanish.
6. Enroll in an iEARN Online Professional Development Course.
7. New PEARL Online Journalism Course.
8. Be part of the 2007 Our World Survey.

Upcoming Events!
9. YouthCaN Environmental Conference, April 23 at the American Museum of Natural History, NYC, USA.
10. 14th Annual iEARN International Conference and Youth Summit, July 21-26 Cairo, Egypt.  

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Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects
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1. SIGN UP NOW FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF LEARNING CIRCLES. It is time to register for the Learning Circles 2007: January 29 to May 20 Session (16 weeks with a 1-week break in the April). In addition to our traditional project themes of Computer Chronicles, Mindworks, and Places and Perspectives, this year the Learning Circles project is sponsoring a new writing theme that is a collaboration between Learning Circles and the My Hero project. Learning Circles My Hero will bring together students and teachers who are interested in collaborating on the topic of My Hero through writing, photography, and digital video. Learning Circle Placement forms are due by Jan 15. To register, go to http://www.iearn.org/circles and select and complete the placement form at http://www.iearn.org/circles/lc-placement.html. If you have any questions or need more information please contact Barry Kramer.

2. JUNIOR URGENT ACTION NETWORK. Junior urgent actions are monthly appeals which have been specially designed for young people. The network gives the opportunity to save lives of other young people, who are victims of human rights violations, by taking part in a global letter-writing campaign. This is a global effort involving thousands of children in a life-saving network. The students send letters to ambassadors of countries where abuse and violations take place and thus become active human rights defenders! Languages: Hebrew, Arabic and English. Contact Daria Porath and Danit Shaham in Israel.

3. JOIN AN INTERNATIONAL LITERARY MAGAZINE! "A Vision" is an international literary magazine that publishes art, poetry, and prose created by secondary school students. Its purpose is to use art and the medium of creative writing to demonstrate that despite linguistic, cultural, ethnic and racial differences, teenagers around the world share the same hopes, fears, interests and concerns. Facilitated by teacher Ma. Luisa H. Larcena, and students at Makati Science High School in the Philippines. Join them in the Vision Forum! http://www.iearn.org/projects/avision.html.

4. CLASSES IN THE USA SEEKING PARTNERS FOR THE 'BREAKING THE SILENCE: TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE PROJECT.' Charles Washington from Chicago Public Schools is looking for classes to collaborate on the "Breaking The Silence: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Project". If you are interested in a partnership, respond to him on the Traditions and Culture forum or e-mail chasden7@prodigy.net.

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Check it Out! Resources, Contests, Websites, Announcements.
(This includes resources that are not part of iEARN)
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5. 2006-2007 iEARN PROJECT BOOK NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH. http://www.iearn.org/projects/projectbook.html

6. REGISTER NOW FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF iEARN ONLINE COURSES (FEBRUARY 19 - APRIL 22 2007)! iEARN's 9-week online courses will help you integrate international collaborative project-based learning into your classroom and fulfill your curriculum standards. This is a great chance to become an active member of the global learning community and receive a certificate as an "iEARN Master Teacher." Each class has 25 participants and at least 10 countries represented. Earn your professional development credits in a most effective, exciting learning environment. Review the courses at http://www.iearn.org/professional/online.html. Scholarship Opportunity Available for Secondary School Teachers from the following Countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman Pakistan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and USA! To request a scholarship write to onlinepd@us.iearn.org.

7. NEW PEARL ONLINE JOURNALISM COURSE. The course enables high/secondary school teachers to integrate journalism and international reporting into their curricula. The course is based on the PEARL World Youth News Project. For more information, see here.

8. BE PART OF THE "OUR WORLD 2007" SURVEY. The survey is in 9 languages and can be found on the following website: http://www.ourworldgce.net/currentactivities.htm. Please promote the survey to as many young people (ages 15-24) as possible in all regions of the world. As you may recall from last year, this survey is intended to take the pulse of how youth in different parts of the world think and feel about issues of cultural, social, and economic identity both on the national and global level. The survey has been translated to various languages so more youth from different parts of the world can participate. An e-mail version of the survey can be received by sending a blank message to any of the following addresses: <ourworld-english@us.iearn.org>, <ourworld-espanol@us.iearn.org>, <ourworld-francais@us.iearn.org>, <ourworld-deutsch@us.iearn.org>, <ourworld-dutch@us.iearn.org>.

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Upcoming Events
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13. 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.

19. iEARN-EGYPT TO HOST 14TH ANNUAL iEARN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND 11TH YOUTH SUMMIT, JULY 21 - 26, 2007 IN CAIRO. Connecting Cultures...Respecting Differences. A global dialogue for development and sustainability. Check out the new conference website, designed by iEARN-Egypt students and alumni: http://www.iearn2007.net.

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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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