For the last 17 years, I have been in the business of teaching, learning and making a difference. I started my career as a substitute teacher  in Secondary School in Karachi immediately after I attained my bachelors degree in Science. Since then the passion to help the young minds realize their fullest potentials has become my top priority in life. I discovered the power a teacher may have over the growing minds of the youth and it is he/she who can make or break the personalities. With the mission to support the future generation I progressed in my career as a teacher and later in teacher training and school leadership. After the Gulf War in 1991, the same year when we had CNN news telecast in Karachi. I started critically reading the newspapers and analyzing the social and political conditions of my own country as well of the world at large. I found myself asking questions like what is the purpose of schools if there are social deterioration and wars among nations? I asked myself; what as a teacher can I do to ensure we have a better globe to live and enjoy together? And above all What have I done o far, is teaching formulas of Chemistry and language rules are enough to enlighten my students and develop conscientious citizens of the world?

 I realized that there is a huge communication gap and misunderstanding among the habitants of the globe. With this quest I started searching for the answers to my questions. This lead me to explore the Internet, my journey in cyber space began in 1998, when I was promoted to the Head teacher position of a large Secondary School in Karachi Pakistan, which has 1600 boy and girl students, ages 11-16. This was the same year I started exploring the wonders of the web. I was amazed at the huge world and the existence of real people beyond that computer screen; people were ready to interact with me at the slightest click of the mouse. 

In an effort to bring change and improvement to the Pakistani educational standards and to provide innovative learning experiences to my students, I started developing a school improvement plan. I distinctly remember writing messages to several teachers’ message boards for ideas and suggestions and introducing my school and myself.  The responses were amazing and unbelievable. The feelings that people from around the globe were interested in helping and working with me; were an extremely motivating and strengthening factor. One educator from North Carolina directed me to the International Education and Resource Network (http://www.iearn.org). Following which, a group of my students and I started participating in the iEARN interactive forums.

Fortunately, iEARN-US and the US embassy in Pakistan launched the iEARN-CIVICS-Community Voices Collaborative Solution Project in the fall of 1999 (http://www.iearn.org/civics/), which I took as our school improvement initiative.  That project became a paradigm shift not only for my own school where I was the Head teacher, but also for the entire education system of Pakistan. I was proud my school was selected to pilot the Phase –1 of the CIVICS program for Pakistan and that I was identified as the lead educator from Pakistan to manage the program. This opened the doors to global interaction and dialogue to students and educators in my school and those of other schools in Karachi and other cities of Pakistan. As part of the regular curricular activities, my students started participating in the online discussions focused at various social, political, cultural and religious issues, I am honored to be the educator who played a key role in introducing the iEARN online programs to Pakistani schools leading to a shift in teaching approaches from self to community and from instruction to construction.

Since 1999 I am continually supporting my own students and teachers as well as those in other interested schools nationwide. This support includes facilitating teacher-training workshops, orientations to different groups of stakeholders, materials development, team teaching, and working directly with groups of student in the classrooms and online.  Read about some of the teacher training workshops that I coordinated and facilitated in several cities of Pakistan at http://www.iearn.org/civics/spotlights/a04.html.

I will talk in detail about two of the Online Projects that I facilitate and have introduced to Pakistani schools, that have brought a significant change in students shift in our students’ ideas, perceptions and approach towards peers globally.

1 - CIVICS
As a part of the of the iEARN CIVICS-Program, I had the opportunity of designing one of the CIVICS projects “Reforming Customs and Tradition,” I have been facilitating this project for last three years (http://www.iearn.org/projects/reformingpractices.html).  This project is a part of the youth lead CIVICS discussions taking place in the iEARN interactive forums; it enables youth from different nations to voice their opinions on topics related to social, political and environmental issues effecting their local and global communities. The Reforming Customs and Practices engage students of ages 11-22 From Egypt, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, India, Jordan and Pakistan in critical dialogue pertaining to the customs and traditions of their local community and how they positively or negatively impact their lives. 

CIVICS activities include in-country training and curriculum development workshops for students and teachers and short-term exchange visits to the United States. See the details of CIVICS-Pakistan at: http://www.iearnpk.org/civic2.htm

The project discussion utilized asynchronous mode of online interaction that includes use of, conferences newsgroups and WWW pages. This provided our students a meaningful use of telecommunication technologies, and encouraged them to reflect and dialogue in their local and global communities.

The project discussion is published in a booklet that is distributed to over 45 different countries around the world; see the online version of the book at: http://www.iearn.org/civics/pdf/book.pdf.

2 - LEWIN
Lewin is an anthology of students’ writings from all around the globe and uses online technologies along with a group of my students from Karachi. These online pieces of writing are publish every year in the form of an anthology of creative writing. Every year at average students from 15-25 different countries participate in our project. and a group of Pakistani students were involved in editing the 2002 issue of Lewin as students editors. A team of students and teachers from Pakistan and Australia coordinates the project. I am also one of the teacher facilitators for the iEARN creative writing project Lewin.  For the last three years, I have been working in close collaboration with Australian teachers and students. (http://www.iearn.org.au/lewin/writing.htm).

  Lewin, along is an iEARN project for language arts and creative writing integrated in the ESL/EFL curricula of several Pakistani schools, thus engaging students in authentic writing experience with real audiences and a real purpose. Students ages 5-18, are expressing their hopes and aspirations using various genre of creative writing.  The project is integrated in English language curriculum to achieve the curricular goals that include communicative and creative writing skills of learners of English as Second Language.

The students who participated in the creative writing project "Lewin" felt that they have a real reason to write and the idea that there would be someone responding to their work have incredibly raised the motivation for writing One budding writer of a school commented,

“ I loved writing for iEARN projects I feel so thrilled that many people around the world are reading what I am writing, I preserve all their response ”. This is what I call a shift towards a meaningful learning because the students are engaged in “authentic” learning that are situated in some meaningful real world-tasks. 

Read more about a recently held event in Karachi, focusing Lewin launching of Lewin 2002 http://www.iearnpk.org/launching_ceremony_of_lewin_2002.htm and read students’ perceptions of participation in the Lewin project as student editors:
http://www.iearnpk.org/lewin_2002 Principals Address.htm

http://www.iearnpk.org/lewin_2002 Marias Speech.htm

The experience of students who wrote research papers for a project "Reforming Customs and Practices" felt a unique experience of learning by extensive class and online discussions, group work, critically thinking about social issues and collaborating with communities within and outside the school, exchanging views from different countries and cultures was of particular interest to all, thus learning social studies in a social way. One student expressed “I made so many friends from all around the world, sometime we decide on topics to write together and share with each other”. This project and generally the discussions in the civics forum engaged students in learning with meaningful real world problems, situations and contexts and representing beliefs, perspectives, arguments, and stories of others globally.

 
I am engaged in reaching out students and educators in several countries. To mention few, I along with my colleague in New Mexico – USA, have designed an iEARN Online Course for Creative Writing/Language Arts, and facilitate the course twice every year since 2001 http://www.iearn.org/professional/cwriting.html. Since then I have facilitated 50 educators from various countries and ethnic backgrounds.  The certified teacher are successfully integrating online projects in their curriculum in countries. Lewin is a project presented as a case in our course and fortunately most of the educators have identified that as their choice to begin integration of online projects. Even after the course is over I am in continually contact with most of the educators and continue sharing their successes and provide support to overcome challenges.

My colleague from Lebanon and I have designed teacher-training materials for our projects, iEARN-CIVICS and iEARN-BRIDGE (http://www.iearnlb.org/bridge/). Educators from countries like Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and UAE, are using these materials for teacher training and classroom use. From March, 12-14, 2003, I along with my colleagues from iEARN-US, iEARN Lebanon and iEARN Egypt will be making a joint presentation on ‘iEARN Model of Online Professional Development’ in TESOL-Arabia to be held in Dubai. 

In March 2003, invited by the iEARN Egypt, I will facilitate the iEARN-CIVICS workshop for students and teachers in Cairo.

I publish an online newsletter every third month that helps communicate the ongoing online activities, opportunities and successes in iEARN-Pakistan. Check out http://www.iearnpk.org/news%20updates.htm. This helps educators from Pakistan and from other countries to keep connected to each other and share.

Some of students’ activities like co editing the Lewin and CIVIC publication have allowed groups of students across geographical locations to work together thus coming closer and understanding each other. This also involves personal visit for support and collaboration from colleagues from other parts of the world. Since we worked closely with Australian students and teachers, one Australian professional stopped by in Karachi lately on her way to another country. A total personal initiative on the educator’s part, which helped the iEARN Pakistan official in outreach and development work. Check out http://www.iearnpk.org/strengthening_links.htm

Educators and students from Pakistan are in constant touch with our counterparts globally via iEARN Interactive Forums. The way these projects are integrated in the school curriculum requires from all participating students and educators to read and respond to online postings and this is playing key role in developing communities’ learners. Since these projects are collaborative the schools cannot design or participate in a project in islolation. Check out some of the relevant lesson plans, colleagues and I have written at: http://www.iearnpk.org/lessonplans.htm

The use of computer for learning involves active intellectual involvement having control of interaction with machine and a focus on creativity. In all the participating schools we can now see the use of technology by actively engaged students who are empowered with opportunities and have developed confidence and are becoming aware of their own expertise. The students working on computer-integrated activities used their own decision in selecting application for presenting their work; they felt confident and proud of their abilities and had greater ownership of the finished work. One grade eight student commented,

“This was the first time that I did not do my report in my notebook, instead I used Publisher 2000 and made a beautiful report with real pictures on it, it is hard to believe that it is my work”.

Students frequently are more motivated to write well and use better spellings and grammar when they write for audiences for other sites”.  When asked an English teacher commented,

“Now I see a range of style and ideas in the way these students are presenting their work, they have written exceptionally high quality reports, and their presentation is impressive”.

Online communication between geographic locations improved academic skills. In a writing exchange project Teddy Bear Project that requires students of two different countries to exchange a soft toy, which then writes diary, back home regularly. For example VIII graders of SMS School, Karachi received a teddy bear from a middle school in Miami Florida, which arrived with a map of wetlands of Florida, students explored more about the wetlands of Florida and of other parts of the world using the library, net search and CD ROM. This was for sure a great move from a classroom culture of teacher centered; note taking and textbook based learning to a one that is creative and student centered and require higher order learning skills. Students are engaged in a process of constructing knowledge by a process of reflection, dialogue and action.

To witness the change in students, educators and teaching, I invite all to read my article “Integrating Internet Based Projects in the School Curriculum - A Story of Change,” published in the iEARN Interaction Newsletter 2001 http://www.iearn.org/interaction/pakistan.html.  This article talks about the implementing experiences and the impacts of online shared learning opportunities for my students and the entire school culture.

Read an article titled ‘Globalizing the Values of Life’, published in ‘Connecting Cultures- A teachers Guide to Global Classroom’ http://www.iearn.org/professional/index.html.  It focuses our students’ experiences of participation in the iEARN Laws of Life project and enrichment of the English language curriculum.

During our workshop, our teachers’ post online reflections of their experiences; http://www.iearnpk.org/Civics%20Br%20Karachi%20workshop.htm

Another success indicator is the students’ publications in several different publications, which were outcomes of the online interactions: http://www.iearnpk.org/pub.htm

Participation in the online collaborative projects have specifically enabled the youth to understand, appreciate the cross-cultural differences, develop a friendly relationship and of course, improve the English reading and writing skills. Some of the following links are self-explanatory as to what our students have achieved from these online learning experiences that were a school improvement initiative:

Read an article titled ‘Globalizing the Values of Life’, published in ‘Connecting Cultures- A teachers Guide to Global Classroom’ http://www.iearn.org/professional/index.html.  It focuses our students’ experiences of participation in the iEARN Laws of Life project.

. There is a variety of style and topics seen to be emerging as one reads through the students’ writing. A marked difference is evident in the way students present their work, the use of computer applications like MS Word, Print Artist, and Publisher 2000 definitely reflects creativity and sophistication.

With the involvement of online activities I learned a whole range of new knowledge and skills. I am better at written communication, I have acquired great interest in world politics and culture. The greatest move is my becoming an online teacher which is an entirely new field of expertise for me and fairly new and un heard of in Pakistan. I have learned to design website and am at present the web master of our iEARN Pakistan website.

 As a full time iEARN-Pakistan coordinator, I am getting a unique opportunity to work with a wide range of schools and educators nationwide. I work with several groups of students and educators face-to-face and during online interactions within Karachi from other cities of Pakistan and from different parts of the globe at large. This is enabling me to bring the local communities together which in turn interact and collaborate with peers and experts globally, thus becoming active and contributing members of online communities.

As and educator, I feel that I have undergone a total transformation myself both in terms of newly acquired skills required to work and facilitate online activities as well as my attitude and perception of the global issues. I am no more confined to the boundaries of one school where I am on a payroll or working.    I am working with educators and students from many different nations, which has helped be develop compassion and understanding for them. Before 1999 other then Pakistan, I had only a handful of people and colleagues in UAE where happen to work. Now I can claim that I have friends in almost each continent who send me birthday greetings, who knew my hopes aspirations and are the blocks on which the wall of my life is built. I am enjoying working with colleagues in many countries using the online conferences, emails and message boards for planning a session, presentation or just the joys, challenges and successes of a working day. My immediate colleagues with whom I work every single day come from USA, Australia, India, Morocco, Egypt, Sri Lanka and Lebanon. This is what we say is the beginning of a pluralistic culture. While interacting with them all I need to understand, respect and appreciate the cultural, religious and social differences. My world is not more only Pakistan, the safety and peace of the entire globe is my business and that is greatest reform I have undergone as I became a member of the online communities.

The world map is no more complicated line on a paper for me any more. I have developed true love, care and concern for its habitants. I am proud that I have friends in different parts of the world who really care about me and I can never think of bringing any harm to them or to the places where they live.

Following which I get request for participation and program related information. Other then this we collaborate with existing NGOs, Educational Organizations and Ministry working with schools in Pakistan, we approach them, make orientation presentations then reach the school with which they are working.

We have website www.iearnpk, that is update every week and contains full information about individual students projects as well as general information about iEARN-Pakistan programs and activities. There is also an online form, which come to me once anyone fills that. Within next 12 hours we review and verify the application and register them. It does not stop here we provide them full step by step instructions that help initiate online projects in their schools or engage in online interactions   to an individual.

Every teacher trained during a face-to-face workshop is expected to repeat the session with more teachers in his or her community and this helps promote our projects. Check out http://www.iearnpk.org/professional_development%20Pak.htm.

I have designed innumerable teacher training and development materials that include workshop handbooks that can be used and adapted and teaching resources. I am engaged in direct classroom teaching in various schools, which help me mentor teachers and support students in getting along effectively with online projects.

The support includes face to face interactions like during school visits, classroom teaching periods, lesson planning sessions, 1 to 3 days workshops and training sessions, orientation and presentation as well as electronic emails and web tutorials.

I prefer collaborating with different NGOs and Government organization and join hands with them to introduce the idea of online shared learning. This includes teacher training and materials development, classroom teaching, team and peer teaching and mentoring.

The idea is to develop a core group of educators in each community who in turn are skilled enough to continue with the online learning strategies and support school, teachers and students in their own communities as well as able to design and facilitate their own online projects and programs. In 1999, we started from participation in projects designed and facilitated by teachers from different countries and now we have around more then 8 projects that are designed or facilitated by students and educators from Pakistan. In view of the limited resources and the under privileged locations of our schools, this is a big achievement.

The first year of program implementation a trainer from USA came to train a group of educators for online work. And that is the last time anyone from outside Pakistan came to train us since then. We have now developed excellent human resources highly efficient and skilled in online telecollaborative project work, facilitating and managing the programs on their own Checkout http://www.iearnpk.org/CB-1%20Workshop.htm