Tech Tips for the Week of December 7 - iearn.org

In last week's Tech Tip I promised that I would spend a week or two examining how technology can provide students and teachers a means of connecting with people from around the world.  This week's Tech Tip,  examines iearn.org (International Education and Resource Network), a not-for-profit organization with the express goal of "Connecting Youth - Making a Difference in the World."

Its diversity makes explaining IEARN a bit of a challenge.  As the web site itself explains, "iEARN empowers teachers and young people to work together online using the Internet and other new communications technologies."  It does this through a series of projects, each of which attempts to engage and connect young people in some unique way with others across the globe.  At present there are over 120 active projects (although not all in English), so the process of getting started with iEARN can be a bit daunting.  The following list is intended to provide a small sampler of the active projects on iearn.org:

• One Day in the Life:  Students create descriptions (including photos) of an ordinary - or an extraordinary - day in their lives and share these online. They can also discuss their work in the One Day Forum.  Ages 6-18
  
• Special Place:  Consider this project for Grade Three Social Studies (community).  Students are invited to write or draw about a local place that is precious to them. They select one local spot that gives them a very special feeling and write a story about that spot, using any writing genre (creative, informative, humorous, etc.)  All Ages. 
  
• Global Art - Images of Caring:  Students create artworks that portray ways that they presently care for one another within our schools, families, communities and world as well as ways we find and hope to care more. Each student writes accompanying text that further describes the sense of caring portrayed in her/his art work.  Ages 5-11, 12-14.
• The Teddy Bear Project:  A Class is partnered with another class of similar age somewhere across the globe.  The classes exchange teddy bears or other soft toys by airmail.  Once the bear arrives at her destination, she writes a diary and sends home messages by email describing her adventures in her new-found culture.  Ages 5-11, 12-14, 15-18.
• Video Introductions to Communities:  This is a great project for Grade Six or Seven Social Studies!  Students create a video which introduces others from around the world to their community and culture.  At the same time, they can view videos created by students from the countries that they are studying, whether that be our Pacific or our Atlantic neighbours.
• Machinto:  Students read the picture book  'Machinto' and view the online display of children’s art in wartime ‘They Still Draw Pictures.' Participants then research what kind of wars have taken place after Hiroshima/Nagasaki.  Students have a number of opportunities to respond to what they read and see, including video-conferencing with other students around the world.  Watching this short video explanation is perhaps the best way to learn about the many dimensions of this project.  All ages.

There are many other interesting projects which encompass science, math, the environment, and the arts.  If you are looking for ways to broaden your students' horizons, I'm sure there is a project that would work for you - and them.