Doha • Qatar-based non-governmental organisation Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) invited principals from Independent Schools to attend an information session about its iEARN-Qatar programme and announced the successful conclusion of its second teacher training workshop yesterday.

The training was part of the Connect ROTAsia programme with iEARN — the International Education and Resource Network.

The ROTA iEARN-Qatar programme was launched in mid-March and was met with considerable interest across Qatar. The programme is part of Connect ROTAsia Knowledge Network initiative - focussed on creating an online community of educators and students.

As part of the training, 14 teachers from various schools in Qatar took part in the second workshop of the iEARN-Qatar pilot phase. The teachers presented their findings on ways of enhancing and further strengthening the network.

"We discussed how to reflect on the experience to further their own professional development and how they will construct their own portfolio to show their growth throughout this project. We are now working together to decide how to celebrate their students work at an event in the upcoming weeks where we will showcase the students outcomes and give them an opportunity to share with others in the Qatar community," said Cherie Clark-Moore, Head of Connect ROTAsia.

Connect ROTAsia's iEARN-Qatar initiative will be implemented in three phases: establishment and initiation between March and July 2008; capacity building of trainers and school coordinators and international expansion of iEARN-Qatar community between September 2008 and July 2009; and further iEARN-Qatar expansion regionally and internationally between September 2009 and July 2010.