Are you a middle school or high school teacher interested in bringing global projects into your classroom? Do you want to connect your students with classrooms around the world? You can start this Spring by joining iEARN’s BRIDGE Program.
The Spring program activities will run February – May 2017. As a BRIDGE educator, you will receive a two-year iEARN membership, access to our network of global educators and 100+ projects, professional development opportunities, and continued support for incorporating global collaborative projects into your classroom.
The BRIDGE Program, a part of the Stevens Initiative, provides professional online training and curriculum-based virtual exchange activities for educators in 11 countries in the Middle East and North Africa and their U.S. counterparts. Following online professional development, educators will connect their students through asynchronous activities that will culminate in videoconference connections and community exhibitions.
Through the BRIDGE Program, educators around the world participate in professional development opportunities to build their skills and knowledge for technology, cross-cultural collaboration, and project-based learning. Educators then connect their students to collaborate on global projects, connecting classes across diverse subject areas including math, social studies, language arts, sciences, technology, music and more. Educators connect their students through iEARN’s secure online platform to meet their peers, share ideas and work together on projects through asynchronous forum discussions and media exchanges.
Shari Putnam, a teacher from Winchester, Virginia believes that the “insights gained from collaborating with others in different cultures cannot be replicated by any other form of learning. Students can gain a better understanding of and an empathy for others and the way they live. I believe global collaboration has the power to tear down the walls that separate the world we live in.â€
If you are interested in joining the BRIDGE Program this Spring, please fill out this Interest Survey no later than December 20th.
