doha • School students in Qatar will soon be getting connected to a network of more than 25,000 schools and youth organizations in 120 countries. The connectivity will help students to develop critical thinking skills and gain cross-cultural awareness.

Reach Out to Asia (ROTA), a non-governmental organization in Qatar, is behind the innovative drive. ROTA has recently paired up with the non-profit International Education and Research Network (i-EARN), to bring access to the network's powerful resource directly to teachers and students in Qatar.

iEARN-Qatar will provide opportunities for students and teachers in the country to engage in two-way education across the globe using the internet and other new technologies.

iEARN is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables young people to use the internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative education projects that enhance learning. Established in 1988 as a pioneering online programme among schools in the United States and schools in the Soviet Union, iEARN is now active in over 120 countries.

The i-EARN programme is a major extension of Connect ROTA's Knowledge Network initiative. iEARN-Qatar's aims include establishing a Qatar-based learning community of educators and students, and enabling online and face-to-face connections between students of schools in Qatar and 120-plus countries involved in iEARN International. It will also promote intercultural exchanges, tolerance and awareness of cultures of the world, involving both teachers and students. This will help teachers and students in sharing best practices and online project-based learning, facilitate and enable teachers' capacity building to participate in online project-based learning and expose teachers and students to an international K-12 community and best practices.

Currently, ROTA is running the initial phase for iEARN-Qatar with teachers from nine schools throughout Qatar including five Independent Schools. Phase two of iEARN-Qatar will involve existing members of iEARN-Qatar in further professional development opportunities.

ROTA will also be creating Qatar-specific learning circles, involving Qatar-based educators and students; and will be hosting seminars about iEARN-Qatar to give educators and students the opportunity to share and plan their iEARN experiences.

Over the next two to three years, ROTA will transform iEARN-Qatar into a self-sustaining organization with local administration.