iEARN – International Education and Resource Network

iEARN – the international telecommunication educational-cultural program is functioning in over 100 countries in the world. It started its activities in Armenia in 2000 in National Children's library after Khnko-Aper. During the first year the work in the frame of the iEARN in Armenia started with 8 schools, two of which were regional (in Hrazdan and in Aparan). The first phase of the program was directed towards the establishment of computer classrooms and connecting them to the Internet. At the same time workshops on general computer literacy and introduction to some basic iEARN program related issues for teachers were conducted in the library computer center and schools. During the following years the development of the iEARN program in Armenia focused on the issues of content, as the technical service was being provided by other organizations.

The children got introduced to the different projects of the program and started working actively in iEARN forums. Their most favorite topics were “A Day in the Life”, “Local History”, “Dream School”, “Value of Money in Our Life”, “Aspects of Love”, “Proverbs and Idioms”, “Planet Friendship”, “The Holocaust/Genocide”, “Fight against Drugs”, “Outstanding Persons of the Armenian Diaspora”, “Nature through the Eyes of Generations”, “My Talented Coeval”, “Natural Disasters”, “If the Rocks Could Talk… What Would They Tell Us?” and so on.

The problems of the Internet connection at the schools did not hinder students' active work. The gap was filled in the well equipped computer center of the library where the students could get assistance and guidance by the experienced professionals of the center.

In February 2001 a group of iEARN–Armenia active participants from Yerevan and Aparan schools (2 teachers and 4 students) made a one-week visit to St. Petersburg , Russia . The Armenian delegation visited 2 schools. Armenian and Russian teachers shared with each other their methods used in iEARN different projects. The students met their peers and became friends with them. With the initially prepared program they participated in the activity organized at school #399. During this trip the Armenian students had an opportunity to see St. Petersburg – one of Europe 's fascinating cities.

In April 2001, 7 iEARN active participants (4 students and 3 teachers) made a trip to Moscow to participate in 3 rd All-Russian iEARN conference, which took place at Moscow school #689.

In July 2001 by invitation of iEARN–Ukraine the Armenian delegation participated in the “United Implementation of Telecommunication Programs in CIS” annual workshop in Yalta ( Crimea ).

In the very beginning of 2001-2002 academic year the iEARN-Armenia team was expanded: 5 more schools joined it.

Simultaneously the work towards the creating of the national iEARN network was going on. The purpose of it was to enable children to work in programs using Armenian language as well.

The first Armenian language projects were:

• “Outstanding Persons of the Armenian Diaspora”
• “Nature through the Eyes of  Generations”
• “My Talented Coeval”

The success of these Armenian language forums was that they became international.

Further the students themselves offered new topics for discussions in Armenian, which they were interested in. Some of them were

• “What is Sacred to Me”
• “Life Out of School”
• “Where are We Coming From and Where are We Going”

One of the most important achievements of iEARN–Armenia is the publication of compositions of Armenian students on genocide topic in the 10 th issue of “An End to Intolerance” magazine, which is published in the United States .

Armenian students were also happy to see the result of their participation in “Through Youthful Eyes” project, in the frame of which in 2003 iEARN–Australia created a calendar the author of one of its pages (November page) was an Armenian girl.

During the 2002-2003 academic year teachers and students from 6 Yerevan schools participated in the iEARN-DEEP (democratic education) project. In the process of efficient work the children created interesting compositions, revealing independent political attitude, willingness to express personal opinions, ability to participate in discussions with their peers.

In February 2004 a workshop for teachers from Yerevan and regions was organized in Khnko-Aper Children's National Library, which at the same time became the opening of the first iEARN online professional course on social studies in Armenian. This course, where 24 teachers participated, had a purpose to help the teachers working in international telecommunication projects to use projects of iEARN program in educational process.

In March 2004 more schools joined “iEARN in Armenia ” program. A three-day workshop devoted to the principles of working in the iEARN program and introduction to the methods was organized for teachers from 7 regional schools.

Since 2000 iEARN Armenia delegation was a participant of the following conferences:

2000 – Beijing , China

2001 – Cape Town , Republic of South Africa

2002 – Moscow , Russian Federation

2003 – Osaka , Japan

2004 – Kosice , Slovakia

Periodically the iEARN–Armenia activity was highlighted by the Armenian mass media.

3 booklets were published:

iEARN in Armenia , 2002

iEARN/DEEP in Armenia , 2003

iEARN in Armenia , 2004

All these booklets are beautifully designed by the kids of Art Studio of National Children's Library after Khnko-Aper.

iEvery year a workshop for all Armenian teachers participating in the iEARN program was organized. These workshops gave all teachers involved in the iEARN Armenia program a good opportunity to conduct discussions, deliver active participants' knowledge to beginners, to broaden the frames of new projects.