2. 22 Years Ago, The World Was at War
In1988 the US and USSR were in bitter
and potentially catastrophic conflict as
ICBM missiles faced each other across the
Atlantic Ocean.
3. Education technology was in its
infancy.
But, what if students
could use new
technologies in their
classrooms to bridge
the gulf of war and
build understanding
and peace—all at the
same time as learning
better?
4. Technology Tools for Student-to-Student Interaction in
times of conflict
“Six teenagers applauded yesterday as the first image of
a Croatian refugee – an 11-year old girl—slowly
appeared on a tiny video screen. Then the child’s halting
English drifted into the room over a speaker phone: ‘I
want peace in here and in whole world’” – Feb 27, 1993
5. iEARN
• Is a global education community
• Has organizations in 130 countries
• Engages millions of young people in
online project-based learning
• Works with Depts. of State and Education
to provide tools to educators in the US
and abroad
• Offers professional development to assist
teachers to bring the world into their
classrooms
• Facilitates global initiatives by young
people to improve the quality of life on the
planet
6. In 2010, the need is just as great as we are at
war and serious global issues need to be dealt
with
• Hunger
• Poverty
• Environmental degradation
• Diseases
• Potable water
• Depletion of species
• Human rights …
If we’re going to have a chance at
dealing with these issues, we will need
to take some bold action (more later).
7. Ultimately, there is no solution other than
Global Education
• Nothing else is as exponentially
scalable
• Schools, after school programs, youth
organizations, faith-based youth groups
are natural as venues
Global Education: the development in young people of a sense
of responsibility that reaches beyond their own community
and nation. It calls for action, not just passive learning.
8. In the iEARN Model, Global Education Includes
1) An awareness of other cultures and global
competency
2) A commitment to respect differences
3) Engagement in collaborative actions that
improve the quality of life on the planet and
create a culture of peace
Let’s look at some classroom project examples
9. 1) Awareness and Global Competency:
Classrooms can be Globalized in Many Ways
• Clocks
• Maps
• Images
• languages
10. 1) Awareness and Global Competency:
• Interacting internationally in the classroom builds a
curiosity about the world
• Students go beyond assignments and are motivated to
explore and gather more knowledge
11. 1) Building Awareness and Global
Competency: Our Footprints, Our Future
(OF)2
• Students measure carbon
footprint using globalized
calculator
• Compare results internationally
• Explore collaborative solutions
• Brings global issue to personal
and local implications
• Curriculum Applications: science,
math, environmental studies,
geography, community service
• Ages: 5-18
http://of2.iearn.org
14. 1) Building Awareness and Global Competency:
Learning about environmental issues in another country
Project components:
– Write story board, script
video
– Interview others
– Film, add sound, edit
– Interact with others with
Web 2.0 tools about their
videos
– Exhibit videos,
background information in
Global Gallery
Animation is available at:
http://www.iearn.org/images/OneDayintheGarden.mo
15. 2) Commitment to Respect Differences
Global Education also is about creating a mindset
of listening to the other, and a recognition that
cultural “crowd sourcing” is important, that vital
knowledge and perspectives exist everywhere in
the world.
“No one knows so much that s/he cannot learn from the other and no
one knows so little that s/he cannot teach another.”
Daniel Reyes, Argentina 1990
16. 2) Commitment to Respect Differences
Project Example: Adobe Youth Voices
“My culture + your culture - what is it? It's not an easy question to
answer. We think it's friendship, mutual understanding and
respect and peace.
It's a diversity of unique cultures which are a part of the so called
"global culture".
All in all, it's the world we live in which we must protect from any
disaster by uniting all our efforts.”
Students at Slonim Gymnasia, Belarus
Let’s view a video done on the same subject in this project by
students in India: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/adobe-youth-
voices/my-culture-your-culture-world-of-wonder/
17. 3) Engagement in collaborative actions that
improve the quality of life on the planet and
create a culture of peace
• By acting on the learning, students
demonstrate what they have learned
and put that learning into practice
through action
• Technology allows for exponential
numbers of young people to work
together for change
18. 3) Engagement in actions that
improve the quality of life on the
planet and create a culture of peace
Project Example: The Talking Kites
Started as a way of
sending messages of
peace to be seen over
the wall separating
Israel and Palestine.
Now kites are flown on
the same day in over 30
countries
19. Bridge of Generations Project
• Students study issues of family and
emigration/immigration
• Students help grandparents and other older
citizens in their community to use technology
(chats, skype, web searches, e-mail) to re-
connect with family and friends who have left
communities
• Students share technology skills and learn
value of family and community
• Curriculum Applications: technology, family
studies, migration, geography, community
service, reading, writing
• Ages: 10-18
https://media.iearn.org/projects/iearn-generations
20. 3) Engagement in actions that improve the quality
of life on the planet and create a culture of peace
Project Example: Mali Dolls for Computers Project
• Schools in Mali lack computers, but they have pride
in their culture
• Hand-made dolls for distribution and sale around the
world (including in the National Geographic store in
DC)
• Curriculum application: geography, economics, joint
venture work, budgeting, marketing, French language
• Sales proceeds go to Mali to buy computers
• Ages 13-18
https://media.iearn.org/projects/etrade
21. By being more aware, respectful and engaged,
students are better prepared for the 21st century
world.
All students have a right to a Global Education. If
we are to move students to Awareness, Respect,
and ultimately to Action on a national, global and
scalable level, we need to:
• Determine what is happening
• Tell the stories
• Replicate and scale the activity.
22. Creating globally competent and engaged students to address
global issues must be a national goal.
If we agree that our students need new skills to be effective 21st
century citizens, we must commit to ensuring that ALL US
students have the opportunity to gain global competency.
Let’s commit to connecting all US schools by 2016!
23. Some of the Global
Education
organizations that
have expressed
interest in helping to
Connect All Schools
by 2016
URL coming next
month! Follow:
@iearnusa
24. What if….every school in the US was interacting in
some way with another school/group somewhere in the
world?
As a coalition, we are creating a space for educators
and these Global Education organizations to tell their
stories so others can replicate what they’re doing.
We hope you will join these
Global Education
organizations to help
CONNECT ALL SCHOOLS
by 2016 and create a global
culture of peace.
