ROTA host biggest iEARN-Qatar Open House

Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) hosted its biggest annual International Education & Resource Network (iEARN) Open House on 2nd June as 350 students and 50 teachers showcased 26 projects at the Qatar Foundation Student Center on Saturday 2^nd June.

Representing 19 schools from all over Qatar, the record number of iEARN Qatar projects and students produced a high standard work across the different subject areas: Creative and Language Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Technology, Environment and Math.

ROTA Director Mr. Essa Al Mannai (pictured) commented, “The outstanding work displayed by all the students and teachers confirms our belief that collaboration and working together is essential for all schools. We are very proud of iEARN’s success and achievements since ROTA introduced the programme to Qatar in 2008.”

The full list of iEARN Open House 2012 schools and projects is Al Bayan Educational Complex for Girls (Project: Beauty of the Beasts), Al-Ekhlass Model Independent School (Tub Gardens), Hajar Independent Primary School for Girls (Tub Gardens), Al Hammad International Developed School (Solar Energy),) Iranian Boys High School (Energy For You And Me), Al Jamiliya Primary, Preparatory and Secondary Independent Girls School (A Special Place), Khalid Bin Al Waleed Independent School for Boys (A Special Place), Leaders International School (Marriage Customs Around The World), Middle East International School (Tub Gardens), Mohamed bin Abdul Wahab Independent Secondary School for Boys (Magic of Water), Moza bint Mohammed Preparatory Independent School (Electronic School Magazine), Osama Bin Zaid School (A Special Place), Pakistan Education Centre (Beauty of the Beasts, Connecting Maths to Our Lives, Eradication of Malaria, Origami and Tub Gardens), and  Qatar Secondary Independent School for Girls (Our Footprints, Our Future and Solar Cooking), Religious Institute Preparatory & Secondary Independent School For Boys (Special Places), Al Sailyia Independent Secondary School for Girls (Finding Solutions to Hunger, One Day In The Life and Food For Thought), Al Shahaniya preparatory and Secondary Girls School (A Special Place), Shahaniyah Preparatory & Secondary Independent School for Boys (A Vision) and Umm Al Qura Model Independent School (Pen Friends).

“iEARN offers the opportunity to join a global community of educators and students who share ROTA’s vision that Internet-based collaboration can both enhance learning and improve the quality of education around the world,” added Essa Al Mannai.

Among the more popular new iEARN projects were ‘Beauty of the Beasts’, a global project inviting children to capture the grandeur and magnificence of animals indigenous to their areas through original artwork and poetry, and ‘Tub Gardens’, sustainable micro eco-systems created in containers to encourage diversity and sustainability. 

“iEARN enables youth and teachers to communicate and work together with others locally and internationally, using the Internet to enhance learning and make a difference in their own communities and around the world,” advised Essa Al Mannai.

The annual iEARN Open House event has grown in popularity since ROTA became the official iEARN representative in Qatar. In total, over 500 students and more than 400 teachers from 80 schools are part of the ROTA iEARN Qatar network.

In July 2013, ROTA will have the honour to host the Annual iEARN International conference and Annual Youth Summit. Open to all and typically bringing together teachers and students from over 70 countries, the 6-day event showcases educational technology activities, school partnerships, new Internet-based professional development tools, innovative curricula, and the collaborative efforts of youth and educators participating in the network.

For more information about Reach Out To Asia’s projects in Qatar, visit www.reachouttoasia.org or the ROTA Facebook page, www.facebook.com/reachouttoasia.

(click here to read speech of H.E. Sheikha Aisha) 

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