A Comparative Program Analysis of New York Schools and their Russian and Chinese Counterparts

International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) is a nonprofit organization made up of over 20,000 schools in more than 115 countries. iEARN empowers teachers and students to collaborate virtually using the Internet and other new communication technologies. Since its inception in 1988, iEARN has pioneered online school linkages to enable students to engage in meaningful educational projects with peers in their countries and around the world. To commemorate iEARN’s upcoming 20th anniversary in 2008, the Capstone team conducted an in-depth study on the impact iEARN has had on participating administrators, teachers, students and parents in New York and its earlier collaborations with Russia and China during the organization’s early years: 1988-1993. Nearly 50 teachers, students and administrators were interviewed and/or completed a survey in both New York and in Russia. The purpose of this assessment is multi-layered: to demonstrate past impact while improving future practice of iEARN on the global community.