MUSCAT — Basic Education was introduced in Oman 12 years ago and it has brought major changes into the teaching and learning theories and practices applied in Omani schools. A learner centre approach is emphasised with involvement of information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning. However, the ministry recognises that ensuring that equipment installed in schools is not an aim in itself, but only a first step towards integration and new phases of interaction. The purpose of having technologies in classrooms is the opportunities it brings to the enhancement of many learning objectives. One of the aims supported by ICT integration is to encourage cultural dialogue and understanding among both teachers and students. To promote such an aim in the use of technologies in Omani schools, the Ministry of Education has evaluated programmes developed by international organisations and it was a result of this process that iEARN came to Oman.



What is iEARN?

The International Education And Resource Network (iEARN) is a non-profit organisation which aims to enable teachers and young learners to work together to enhance learning and make a difference in the world. It helps them to work together on collaborative projects using the Internet and other new technologies. iEARN works as a network between schools through its secured interactive forums linking schools in more than 115 countries and involving more than 20,000 schools and youth organisations. Although iEARN works as a network spread all over the world, in every individual country it is a stand alone unit coordinating with other units in different countries. This structure enables both teachers and students to work within the cultural boundaries and educational regulations in the country where the unit is. However, when a new country joins and needs to establish its unit, iEARN US usually helps by training teachers in a programme called Bridge. The trained teachers will be iEARN cornerstone in their country.


Omani students have been working on different projects along with students from different parts of the world. Students from different schools in different countries work on the same topic under the direct supervision of their teachers. They post their findings and exchange their points of view about the topic on the iEARN forums. A specific forum is set up for every project and the forum can only be accessed by teachers and students involved in the project. For example, two Omani schools — Osama bin Zaid School in Adam and Atika School for girls in Saham — have worked on an environmental project. Students from both schools worked on raising awareness of tree planting, which was a theme they agreed on with international students. Osama bin Zaid students have planted a total of 121 trees while doing different project activities. Girls at Atika School gathered to watch a play and a speech prepared by students about the environment before planting 25 mango trees. In such ways Omani students are working with international students on international themes, topics and different related issues and are helping to foster mutual cultural understanding through exchanging points of view over the forums.



Training teachers

Teachers as well as students are encouraged to use the forums to exchange ideas. iEARN provides prior training to every teacher who wants to participate in its collaborative projects. Using the iEARN forums, teachers meet online to exchange professional ideas and experiences. They also use the forms to exchange topics and to work on collaborative projects with their students. For newly joined teachers, iEARN holds a national workshop within every country. The workshop usually lasts for three days and, depending on the need of the particular country, teachers are trained once or twice a year. In Oman, the first national workshop was held in February 2005 at which two regional trainers from Pakistan and Lebanon came to help to conduct the workshop. Twenty five Omani teachers participated in the original workshop and 88 Omani teachers are presently registered in iEARN. Mini-workshops are held in schools in different regions for smaller numbers of teachers. Many of these teachers have been given the opportunity to take online courses provided by iEARN. Every term, iEARN awards about 4-6 scholarships for online courses to newly join and actively participating countries. More than 20 Omani teachers have participated in these courses, which are available in the medium of both English and Arabic.

International conferences

Although students and teachers get to know each other through working together online on collaborative projects (virtual world), many of them have the opportunity to meet face to face at the annual conferences. Teachers participating in the iEARN forums have the chance to present projects they worked on with their students in the annual regional and international conferences held by iEARN. At these conferences, teachers can see what other teachers in different countries have done and share their experiences with them. Teachers, and sometimes students, from different countries who have been working together in the virtual world stand together side by side to present their experiences. This has proved to be a great confidence booster for teachers and it has helped to generate enthusiasm for them to do even more. Many Omani teachers participated in the regional conferences held in Jordan and Lebanon. Also, many attended the international conference held in Egypt in July 2007. In addition, more than six Omani teachers have presented their work either in international or regional conferences.



Motivation

Many young teachers are keen to learn new teaching methods as part of their professional development. Seeing the promises that iEARN can bring, coupled with their desire to supplement their normal work routine, have made many teachers very enthusiastic about the prospect of starting to work with iEARN projects. Teachers are aware of the new training they will be provided with, the new projects their students will be involved in, the conferences they may be attending and the online course they would be enrolled in. Teachers frequently ask questions such as: “How can we be part of iEARN?”; “When will the project be expanded to include my school?” “Is it only for English teachers, or do teachers of other subjects also get a chance to participate?”; “Can we work with iEARN in Arabic?”

Students are also naturally eager to be involved in new kinds of work. It is hardly surprising that they find iEARN to be an especially attractive proposition since they will be producing a project in collaboration with students in different parts of the world. Moreover, they will have the opportunity to integrate the skills they have learned in their computer classes with skills learned in other subjects in the production of their project.



Real communication

In language classes students have always been asked to write descriptive paragraphs, letters, e-mails and stories. Often, however, students fail to see the purpose of performing such tasks other than the obvious, that their overall grade may be affected by the quality of their response. With iEARN projects, on the other hand, students perform the same tasks, but this time with a real communicative purpose. When they describe what they have been working on to other students around the world they can see a meaning to their learning. Learning set in an authentic context is what language teachers are looking for in order to create a meaningful teaching and learning process.

Communication between young people from different cultures helps to promote mutual understanding and it is only through education that people from different cultures can understand each other and live together in peace. New technologies in schools have made it easier to have real authentic communication between teachers and students living in different parts of the world. In particular, iEARN’s interactive forums are proving to be an invaluable resource in helping to bridge gaps between nations and cultures.

(Courtesy: The Ministry of Education)