• Civic Education
• ICT into Education
• Professional Development
• Cross Cultural Understanding
• Youth Empowerment and Leadership

Civic Education

Project Citizen:

In collaboration with the Center for Civic Education, and INTERNEWS Network, E-ERA was one of six non-governmental organizations that implemented the project in Cairo governorate. The project was focused on enforcing the principles of citizenship, self awareness, community partnership, dialoguing and communicating effectively, identifying local problems, encouraging students to find solutions and actively participate in policy development and change. The project included an extensive media and press training component. www.civiced.org

Medical and Scientific Encyclopedia:

In Collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the High Council for Culture at the Ministry of Culture, E-ERA held its third year of activities of the Medical and Scientific Culture and Awareness Encyclopedia series. The sessions are transmitted through the video conference network to all twenty seven Egyptian governorates. Hundred of students and teachers do attend the sessions and interact effectively with the scientists and speakers. The sessions include several topics including HIV/AIDS, Adolescence Physical and Psychological Problems, Alternative Medicine: Is It True, Information Technology Usages in the Medical Field, Female Circumcision, Cloning, Rheumatic Fever, and Living on Another Planet: Hubble Observatory.

Presentation Link

ICT into Education

iEARN Program:

The International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) was introduced in Egypt as a pilot project in 1999.The program was hosted and facilitated by the Regional English Language Office, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Education. However, by 2002 the program was handled to Egyptian leadership for the implementation of the Building Respect through Internet Dialogue and Global Education (BRIDGE) project.

To ensure the program’s sustainability and development, iEARN Egypt developed and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Egyptian Ministry of Education in 2004, and then a local non-governmental organization was created under the name of the Egyptian Association for Educational Resources (E-era) with the Ministry of Social Solidarity number 6149 for the year 2005.

E-era is working on the fundamentals of iEARN, which are on-line school linkage, to enable student to engage in meaningful educational projects with peers in their countries and around the world. It is an inclusive and culturally diverse community, a safe and structured environment in which young people can communicate, an opportunity to apply knowledge in service-learning project, and a community of educators and learners making a difference as part of the educational process. E-era works closely with the Egyptian Ministry of Education, International Education and Resource Network (iEARN), Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs US State Department (OES), Educational and Cultural Affairs-US department of State (ECA), Embassy of the United States of America in Cairo, local NGOs and other partners. http://www.iearnegypt.org/partners.php

Examples of successful programs:

* U.S. – Egypt Young Scientist Program http://cairo.usembassy.gov/pa/tr121405.htm

The Global Teenager Project (GTP):

It is a network of secondary schools from the developing and developed worlds which harnesses the use of ICT for a specific purpose, such as collaborative, international and intercultural learning and exchanges through the well known Learning Circle concept.

The project’s goals are to improve the quality of secondary school education by introducing schools to the exciting new applications of information and communication technologies (ICT) and to promote intercultural awareness and sensitivity by opening up regular, lively classroom debates in a safe and structured environment.

www.egypt-gtp.org

Adobe Youth Voices:

The objective of the Adobe Youth Voices training and online courses is to help teachers develop their digital media skills. Teachers will learn how to create and develop a solid media theme and conduct critical response; while screening various media including video documentary, photography, animation, and print. The Teachers will transfer their experience to students in twelve Egyptian schools that are ready to use the New Technologies.

Professional Development

International Conferences:

As an iEARN annual tradition, an iEARN-participating country hosts an international annual conference and a youth summit so students and educators from most of iearn-participating countries could meet each other and share their experiences through educational collaborative activities.

Therefore, iEARN Egypt and E-ERA held The 14th iEARN Annual International Conference and 11th Youth Summit at Mubarak City for Education, 6th of October City, July 21st – 26th . Forty-three iEARN countries, more than seven hundred and fifty educator and youth attended.

Through the conference and summit, there were about hundred and forty-five presentations (plenary sessions, workshops, papers, progress meeting sessions, demonstrations, ICT Corners, plays and cultural shows from the participating countries). No doubt that the conference theme (Connecting Cutlers… Respecting Differences: A Global Dialogue for development and Sustainability) achieved its aims as it was obviously touched through the active interaction of participants, international speakers and leaders in the fields of education, ICT and cultural exchanges. www.iearn2007.net

Cross Cultural Understanding

Study Abroad Programs:

In collaboration with the EF International Language Camps, E-ERA is proud to represent EF in Egypt and hold a number of study abroad programs to different countries. EF is serving over half a million students per year, EF’s 40 year experience has contributed to its unique status as the World’s leading and largest language school organization. EF schools are accredited by the British Council, EAQUALS, ACCET, and many other governments-approved educational bodies. At any EF school, students will have the chance to live and learn alongside from up to 100 countries worldwide. Exchange ideas, learn new ways of doing things, discover different lifestyles, try exotic foods, and explore the world through international friendships.

Ambassador Program:

In collaboration with People to People International and Abercrombie & Kent, E-ERA plans and implements different specialized programs for international professionals, who come to Egypt to explore the culture, share knowledge and experience with their fellow Egyptian colleagues, and have fun. In 2007, the Ambassador Program attracted four hundred Americans and seventy Egyptian teachers. In 2008, The Ambassador Program attracted American Professionals in the fields of Law and Family Medicine.

Students’ Exchange Programs:

In collaboration with iEARN USA, E-ERA held four outbound and one inbound exchange programs. Each program included 5 students and one teacher. Each delegation was hosted in an American school and family. The program focused on iEARN online project based collaboration and how schools and students can use ICT effectively in projects

In collaboration with the Center for Global Studies (CGS). E-ERA organizes exchange programs for American students and teachers. The main objective of the exchange program was for the students to live with Egyptian host families and get to know Egyptian culture, traditions, habits and finally to learn more Arabic language. One of the highlights of the program was a joint community service component by both Egyptian and American students.

E3raf Baladak

E-ERA organizes a series of trips called “E3raf Baladak” (Discover Your Country) as a humble effort to introduce to the Egyptian community different aspects and locations of our beloved beautiful country. The visits include:

• The New Basysa
• Luxor and Aswan
• Coptic and Islamic Cairo
• South Sinai and St.Catherine
• Siwa

The Big Read Egypt/US

The Big Read Egypt/U.S. is a Global Cultural Initiative of the United States Department of State in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and Arts Midwest. Modeled on the NEA developed-U.S. program, Big Read Egypt/U.S. will serve as the framework for an international cultural and literature exchange between the United States and Egypt. Its purpose is to create a forum for citizens of Egypt and the United States to learn about the cultural history, traditions, lifestyles, people and civic life of each respective country by reading and discussing selected works of literature that represent, reflect, and comment upon each country’s culture.

Participants in both countries will draw upon carefully planned and developed educational and cultural background materials to help contextualize the literature; and will have access to U.S. and/or Egyptian-based scholars and specialists for live programming. Project organizers will also explore opportunities for on-line forums, satellite downlink sessions, etc. to encourage country-to-country dialogue.

Three Egyptian organizations will collaborate with Arts Midwest to promote and steer the Big Read activities in Egypt: The American University in Cairo, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) Egypt. For Egyptian organizations, The Big Read Egypt/U.S. will focus on reading and discussing one or more of three quintessential novels about the American experience:

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Youth Empowerment and Leadership

LIFE Talk

E-ERA organizes a series of lectures, field trips and sessions called “LIFE TALK” on monthly basis to help Youth shape their way, direct them towards self-discovery and encouraging them to have a strong vision in their lives.

The Monthly meetings of the “LIFE TALK” have a variety of topics and intellectual speakers, ministers, writers, professionals and community leaders. Among the many interesting issues of discussions are the following topics:

• Your Vision in life
• Career Life
• Parenting and Marriage
• A smiling Egypt
• Skills Development

National Youth Summits:

The summit was named Future Makers: Building their way of success and giving a hand to others. It was planned, implemented, and evaluated by the Egyptian iEARN youth. It was an opportunity to voice their needs, dreams and experiences. They achieved their summit’s deliverables through their own plan, list of priorities and a youth prospective. It was an opportunity for experienced and alumni students, who have been working on international Project Based Learning (PBL), civics issues and IT involved program to transfer their knowledge to junior and less experienced students. It was a practical way in experiencing real life-situations, social responsibility towards other generations and under-served clusters in the society, and a method to reflect on their own learning. It was also a channel to reach for the social society and give a hand, be more responsible and become active citizens in their societies. http://www.iearnegypt.org/summit.php?lnk=home

Model United Nations (MUN)

In collaboration with the American Center in Alexandria, E-ERA held the First Model United Nations Simulation. Seventy-three students and seventeen teachers from different governorates (Alexandria, Dakhlia, Portsaid, Domiata, and Gharbia). Participated and represented 20 countries. The topic of the MUN was Global Energy Crisis.

Capacity Building Program:

E-ERA has launched a capacity building program to develop the skills and abilities of active iEARN Alumni who will be working with students at schools during the academic year on various projects such as YouthCaN, MDGs-Only With Your Voice, and many others. The alumni were selected to participate in the program based on a specific set of criteria designed by the iEARN-Egypt Student Board, Trainers, and Academic Advisers of the program. The capacity building program is composed of four main stages: self-awareness, social awareness, change, and action. Each stage will be composed of a number of workshops, panel discussions,

activities, and field trips reviewing youth-led initiatives and concludes with a team building camp. The alumni will be working with the students in 106 iEARN schools all over Egypt.

Voice of America:

In collaboration with The American Embassy in Cairo and Voice of America, E-ERA is launching a students’ awareness campaign about the content of “Between You and Me” CDs. “Between You and Me” is a wonderful contribution from VOA and the American people to our Egyptian heritage. As the CD is full of valuable information, facts, and snapshots of biographies, E-ERA seizes the opportunity to share this wealth with its students, teachers, parents, and community. The campaign will be launched through a simple National competition. The competition procedure will necessitate the effective use of the CDs to explore the content, retrieve information, and decide on a character to write about. The competition will be for two segments: youth vs. youth and adults vs. adults. www.voaegypt.net

Close Up Program:

In collaboration with the US Embassy in Egypt, E-ERA implemented the Close Up program in 9 governorates (Cairo,Alex, Port Said, Beni Suef, Fayoum, Minia, Assuit, Qena and Aswan) which was an interactive opportunity between alumni from ECA Exchange programs and Access alumni and students. Close Up was an attempt to bridge the gap in knowledge, skills and attitudes between generations, programs, governorates and nations. It promoted the spirit of giving back, sharing experiences and learning from best practices.

Through peer-to-peer methods, Close Up volunteers (alumni ECA Exchange programs) shared with the beneficiaries (Access alumni and students) their technical and cultural experiences in the US, lessons learnt and personal reflections. Also, participants trained the beneficiaries on their areas of expertise or interests through the program’s disciplines (e.g. Technology, ICT, Leadership, Cultural Understanding, Challenges, How to Translate, First Aid, Educational Games, Diving, Trips to learn about the Egyptian Monuments and English Language learning and teaching).