DOHA: Reach Out to Asia (Rota) organised the ‘iEarn-Qatar Open House 2011’ at the Student Center at Education City on Saturday featuring projects from a dozen participating schools.

Rota On Line Education Manager Pascal Siegel said : “In Rota, we strive for a higher goal than our own; Qatar’s 2030 Vision. With its foundation on four development pillars — human, social, economic, and environmental — we ensure that our local programmes are compatible with our country’s goal for the future. Interestingly, the model that Rota pushes through iEarn is setting a stage for the young people today to get involved with all four goals, by providing them with the right tools and skills to take on these current and future challenges.”

The International Education and Resource Network (iEearn) is a non-profit organisation that connects schools and youth organisations worldwide via a virtual network to empower young people, encourage inter-scholastic collaboration, and debate world issues in real time. Reach Out to Asia is the sole representative for iEarn in Qatar since 2008. iEarn projects’ main objectives are: to improve learning and teaching, Integrate technology in schools curriculum, enhance students’ expression and understanding of the world, develop an appreciation for cultural diversity and tolerance, and arouse civil awareness and responsibility. The programme has already trained a total of 300 teachers from 71 schools.

“Both teachers and students benefit from iEarn’s unique inter-connectivity model,” added Pascal. “It is a rare opportunity for students and teachers to interact with their global counterparts of issues of mutual concern. It is also a platform for like-minded people from all parts of the world who share an adamant belief that change and the improvement of the quality of life can come through on-line dialogue.”

Rota/iEarn participants are asked to implement projects that are related to their curriculum. Those projects are catered for different subject areas with a variety to suit all grade levels.

“Each type of project is centred on pre-defined project description that is meant to be integrated within the curriculum” explained Anwar Abdelbaki Rota’s Online Education Coordinator.

The Peninsula