iEARN in Action, August 3, 2007

Special Update!
iEARN has recently upgraded and integrated its various global collaboration tools into a single Collaboration Center (http://media.iearn.org). All iEARN forums and databases are now reachable via this new URL using a single login process. iEARN's login protocol has also changed with this new system, requiring users to login with an underscore between Firstname_LastName. For example, Gladys_Garcia. We welcome your feedback. Please visit the new site and post comments, questions or suggestions via http://media.iearn.org/contact or join in a discussion about the site in the iEARN Tec Forum. A tutorial for the site is available at https://media.iearn.org/tutorial/ccoverview.

Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects!
1. Call for projects for 2007-2008 iEARN Project Book.
2. Short online course for Daffodil and Tulip Project starts August 15.
3. Connect with class in Canada.
4. New Spanish Language Project - Tinta Negra.
5. New project proposal -- Heart to Heart Project.
6. New project proposal -- My Most Prized Possession.
7. New project proposal -- Abolition Today.
8. New project proposal -- BEST (Building Economies Strong Together).
9. Discuss how Earth Charter Initiative might fit with iEARN Projects..

Resources, Contests, Websites and Announcements!
10. Check out the new 2007 iEARN Interaction Newsletter.
11. Baltic Challenge Award 2007 open for applications.

Upcoming Events!
12 iEARN-Australia national workshops.
13. JEARN (iEARN-Japan) International Education Meeting 2007 in Tokyo.
14. Join iEARN-Uzbekistan next year in Bukhara for the 15th Annual iEARN
Conference.

Recent Events!
15. Thank you iEARN-Egypt for a successful 14th Annual iEARN International Conference and 11th Youth Summit, July 21-26 in Cairo!


**********************************************************
Seeking Partners: iEARN Projects
**********************************************************

1. DO YOU WANT YOUR iEARN PROJECT INCLUDED IN THE 2007-2008 iEARN PROJECT BOOK? If you are currently facilitating an iEARN project, or are planning a new iEARN project, and would like to have it included in the 2007-2008 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 25th. If yours is a new project, idea, please note that all new projects must indicate that they have an initial group of participants (#11 below) before being considered for publication. To find partners for your project, please share your project idea in the Teachers Forum, or, for students, the Youth Forum. In addition, you are welcome to share your new project idea in the iEARN News Flash newsletter by sending a brief description to newsflash@us.iearn.org.

*****************************
iEARN PROJECT TEMPLATE
*****************************
1.Name of Project:
2.Brief one-sentence description of project:
3.Full description of project:
4.Age/level of project participants:
5.Timetable for the 2007-2008 school year:
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):

PLEASE RETURN PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS TO projectbook@us.iearn.org.
*****************************

2. USING ICT TOOLS AND PROJECT BASED LEARNING IN YOUR CLASSROOM WITH THE DAFFODIL AND TULIP PROJECT. The facilitators of the Daffodil and Tulip Project (Ruty Hotzen and Amy Dwyer) are offering a 4 week on-line course for teachers planning to participate in the Daffodil and Tulip Project. Meet colleagues from around the world, work on lesson plans, try out new on-line technologies in a collaborative setting with an eye on the Daffodil and Tulip Project. August 15-September 15, 2007 See here or email Amy, USA, or Ruty, Israel to let us know you would like to join us.

3. CLASSROOMS MAKING CONNECTIONS. Interested in using email, blogs, video conferencing, skype, and snail mail to make connections with a kindergarten class in Canada? Contact Tracy Muller.

4. NEW SPANISH LANGUAGE PROJECT. Nuevo taller virtual de escritura: Tinta Negra. Este proyecto se orienta al desarrollo del proceso de lecto-escritura e intercambio comunicacional entre alumnos de 13 a 18 años de diferentes escuelas de habla hispana. Para ello, se pondrá énfasis especialmente en la lectura y producción de textos; intercambio en el foro; reelaboración de los textos a partir tales intercambios; reflexión y crítica sobre la producción propia. Coordinan: Delia Aguirre y Erica Galli.

5. NEW PROJECT PROPOSAL -- "HEART TO HEART" PROJECT. A thematic project focused on topics such as family ties, holidays, school matters that we are concerned with, world issues that we care about, and heart to heart discussions. Interested? Contact Lynn Rosen (USA)
and Tamara Galiulina (Russia).

6. NEW PROJECT PROPOSAL -- MY MOST PRIZED POSSESSION. An international collaborative project where students examine what is really important in their lives and create a movie about their dearest possession. After a thoughtful look at materialism and self-examination, students around the world are invited to create a two – four minute movie about their most prized possession. The movie should be created with still images or video and include narration, music and subtitles in English. Interested? Contact Laurie Walsh in the USA.

7. NEW PROJECT PROPOSAL -- ABOLITION TODAY. Students contribute literature or art created to inspire individuals and groups of people to take action against slavery today. Interested? Contact Christine Loop in the USA.

8. NEW PROJECT PROPOSAL -- BEST (Building Economies Strong Together) PROJECT. In pairs 2 countries will organize the best fundraising event organized by pupils who promote their virtual companies that sell re cycled goods in a fair for parents so they will be Building Economies Strong Together! Contact Mr. Nawaraj Baskota Nepal) and Mrs. Marleen Spierings (Netherlands).

9. WANT TO DISCUSS HOW THE EARTH CHARTER INITIATIVE MIGHT CONNECT TO iEARN PROJECTS? http://www.earthcharterinaction.org.Email Dmitry Savelau in Belarus.

**********************************************************
Check it Out! Resources, Contests, Websites, Announcements.
(This includes resources that are not part of iEARN)
**********************************************************

10. CHECK OUT THE NEW 2007 iEARN INTERACTION NEWSLETTER!

11. BALTIC CHALLENGE AWARD 2007 OPEN FOR PROJECT APPLICATIONS. The Challenge invites applicants from all Baltic Sea countries - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden - including Belarus, Norway and Ukraine. The online application form is open at http://www.balticchallenge.net until September 15, 2007.

**********************************************************
Upcoming Events
**********************************************************

12. iEARN-AUSTRALIA WORKSHOPS. On August 3 iEARN-Australia started four training sessions for new iEARN teachers, as a beginning of a partnership program between iEARN Australia (http://www.iearn.org.au/) and the Asia Education Foundation. This program is aimed at bringing more Australian teachers and students and teachers and students in Asia together through collaborative work in iEARN projects. This new program works with the coordinators of the iEARN Asia grouping which encourages the growth of iEARN in Asia and the Pacific. Please welcome them in the Teachers Forum

13. JEARN (iEARN-Japan) INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION MEETING 2007 IN TOKYO. "Global Initiative for Future in Collaborative Learning"- August 23 (Thur.) - August 25 (Sat.) , 2007. We are inviting iEARN country coordinators, representatives, and contact persons from over ten countries/areas, especially from Asia and Pacific rim. They will meet about 100 Japanese teachers at the conference. http://mirai.jearn.jp/en/index.htm

14. JOIN iEARN-UZBEKISTAN NEXT YEAR IN BUKHARA FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL iEARN CONFERENCE. Watch http://iearn.uz for more information.

**********************************************************
Recent Events
**********************************************************

15. THANK YOU iEARN-EGYPT FOR A SUCCESSFUL 14TH ANNUAL iEARN INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE AND 11TH YOUTH SUMMIT, JULY 21-26, 2007 IN CAIRO! 540 participants. 50 countries. 94 refugee youth from Sudan and Iraq. 250 youth in the summit. 80 volunteers, many of whom are iEARN alumni, provided ongoing support and organization for the conference throughout the week. The theme of the conference was: Connecting Cultures - Respecting Differences: A Global Dialogue for Development and Sustainability. http://www.iearn2007.net. If any attendees have posted conference photos in online galleries that they would like to share with the network, send links to newsflash@us.iearn.org.

**********************************************************
For Reference
**********************************************************

------------------------------------------------------------
TO SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE NEWSFLASH: Send your announcement (2-3 lines) to newsflash@us.iearn.org.
------------------------------------------------------------

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/
-------------------------------------------------------------