iEARN ONLINE SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE

'Having iEARN as part of our integrated technology program has made a major difference in the way I instruct .I have been able to evaluate projects by using our standards then plugging those projects into my lesson plans. This has eliminated time wasted on gathering resource material, time correcting papers and has built a great enthusiasm among my students for our project.I had also enjoyed corresponding with other educators.' - Wendy Link, USA

This course will enable you to integrate an iEARN collaborative project into your Social Studies classroom. You will select and integrate an international collaborative project that meets your curriculum standards. iEARN social studies projects equip educators to help students understand how historical and geographical conditions interact to shape their lives. This sharing of information helps give children a deeper understanding of themselves, their family, their community, and their world. Using themes from your curriculum students will share their knowledge with classrooms from different locations around the world.

Objectives

In this course you will:

• Learn how to integrate an iEARN social studies project by being involved in one
• Explore the various social studies projects and their correlation with your local/state/national curriculum standards
• Choose a project that best fits your classroom
• Plan and implement a project with your students
• Share your students' reflections/essays in the iEARN interactive forums.
• Along with your students, discuss, reflect and give constructive feedback to the work of others.
• Join an open discussion about the issues related to integrating online project-based learning in your classroom.
• Meet and collaborate with local and international teachers who are interested in addressing the same projects/issues
• Discuss and plan your project implementation
• Develop ways to teach your students to gather and organize information for print and online publication.
• Make your social studies lessons more challenging interesting and engaging and network with colleagues around the world.

Current Course Facilitators: Tommie Hamaluba (Botswana) and Judy Barr (Australia)

Tommie Hamaluba

Tommie teaches at Gaborone Senior Secondary School in the Republic of Botswana and has been involved in iEARN since 1999. Tommie holds a Degree in Business Administration, Diploma in Education, Certificate in Accounting and he passed also through the iEARN'S professional development courses in the field of Contemporary Affairs. In the year, 2003 Tommie was nominated by World-links to mentor a pilot e-learning course which was a success.  His desire to serve iEARNers is evidenced from the many iEARN workshops he has conducted in Botswana and the many people he has helped join the global village. He is the founder and facilitator of the "Education and Eradication of malaria- project a case of iEARN schools. Tommie's committed to save the health of students and commitment to iEARN led him to be recognised as a LIFE SAVER HERO. He is also very active in ENO project (Environmental Online). 

Judy Barr

Judy Barr has been a member of iEARN for about 15 years. She attended the iEARN conference in Melbourne and has been involved ever since. She is a member of the iEARN Australian Management team. Judy teaches at a country coeducational secondary school in Victoria. Her school is 100 kms (60 miles) from Melbourne in a town of 20000 people. Judy facilitates two iEARN projects. The Oral History - Kindred project started in 1998. Students are asked to interview someone in their community about an historical event that has affected their life. Three anthologies have been published to date. The second project is the Christmas Card Exchange, which has now been running for three years.