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April News:
Attack on Human Dignity

The Educational Portal of the Americas affirms its support to the people and institutions of Spain after the terrorist acts that have had devastating consequences to our sister nation. The atrocious attacks in Madrid were not simply against a country or town, but rather against all of humanity. Happiness is greater when shared, and pain is less painful when shared. In this time of suffering and helplessness we offer our brothers in Spain our deepest sympathy and support.

Understanding is the ability to think and act flexibly with what one knows

This definition is the basis of Education for Understanding and the topic of the editorial this month. Currently, our schools and methods of teaching are not organized to promote understanding. Years of academic research and practical experience show that understanding is a challenge both in and outside of schools. Obviously understanding does not just take place within a scholarly learning environment, but it is a responsibility of the schools to help construct it. Learning for understanding requires learning by doing. It is impossible to understand simply by receiving information, although clearly basic information is necessary. Learning for understanding implies committing oneself through reflective action, with actions that build understanding.

http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/tema/editorial/abr04.aspx?culture=en&tabindex=36&childindex=0

2004 Award for Innovative Education in the Americas

Nominations for the 2004 Award for Innovative Education in the Americas are being accepted online through April 30. The 2004 Award will recognize an initiative that has impacted or transformed teaching and learning in Latin America and the Caribbean through information and communication technologies (ICTs) at the primary and secondary levels. Nominations will be reviewed by a jury during the month of May and the prize will be awarded during the Fifth International Conference on Education, Professional Development and Information Technologies, Virtual Educa, on June 16-18 in Barcelona, Spain. The award will consist of a trophy, a diploma, a digital seal, roundtrip airfare to Barcelona and 3 days of per diem, and $1,000.

http://www.educoas.org/Portal/en/premio/premio_2004.aspx?culture=en

Third Inter-American Seminar of ICTs Applied to Higher Education

The Third Inter-American Seminar of ICTs Applied to Higher Education "Challenges in the Future of New Information Technologies in Higher Education", is being organized by the IACD/OAS and the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE) in the framework of the event being convoked by the International Association Virtual Educa (ASIVE). The seminar will be held in Barcelona, Spain from June 14-16, 2004 and is intended for professionals responsible for managing ICT in their universities (directors of e-learning, faculty deans, directors of research centers, etc); members of universities who seek to combine knowledge with the use of new technologies; and public sector officials with responsibility for university policy (ministries, accreditation agencies, universities, national research councils, information societies, etc.).

http://www.educoea.org/portal/docs/III_SEMINARIO.doc/

Successful launching of La Educ@ción

During February and March more than 22,000 Portal users visited the online version of the Inter-American Journal of Educational Development, La Educ@ción. The journal, which was created in 1956, strives to be a pluralist forum, while at the same time being informative, analytical, and critical through the nature of its contributions. Each issue offers educators, researchers, and the general public alike articles on educational development in the Region, within a social and cultural context. The content of La Educ@ción is not limited to an era, a single problem, or a school of thought, but rather, to a larger extent, tends to present interdisciplinary focuses regarding education of our time.
http://www.educoea.org/portal/bdigital/lae-ducacion/ 

Quality of Basic Education (4th edition)

Registration is currently open for the 4th edition of the Spanish version of the online course "Quality in Basic Education", which is being offered through the Educational Portal of the Americas. The 12-week course begins on May 5, 2004 and will introduce the philosophy of quality as applied to education. Its goal is to offer teachers and administrators conceptual and methodological tools for improving educational services. Previous editions of the course have trained more than 3,000 teachers and administrators in the region. The deadline for registering is Wednesday, April 14. The Portuguese and English versions of the course will be announced shortly.

http://www.educoea.org/portal/ineam/cursos/calidad_mayo_2004.aspx

Scholarships for the Fifth Meeting of Virtual Educa (Barcelona, Spain)

Within the framework of activities of the Institute of Advanced Studies for the Americas (INEAM), the Fifth International Conference on Education, Professional Development and Information Technologies, Virtual Educa 2004 will be held in Barcelona, Spain on June 16-18. The topic of the event will be "New Technologies in the Information Society: Education in the Age of Globalization". For additional information on scholarships available for this event, which this year will give priority to participants from universities and research centers, please click here.

Course on Educational Competencies for the 21st Century

Within the framework of the strategic alliance between INEAM and the Virtual University of the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), registration is now open for the course "Educational Competencies for the 21st Century". The 7-month course will be offered entirely in Spanish and includes 240 hours of online study. The course focuses on general educational competencies and is therefore suitable for teachers of all educational levels from either public or private institutions. The program offers teachers the opportunity to receive professional training through the use of technology, as well as to research, reflect and analyze their own professional experience through enriching interactions with colleagues throughout the region. For an additional US$100, students who approve the core course may take an additional module and obtain the International Diploma for Teachers from Cambridge University (Great Britain). For additional information see:

http://www.educoas.org/portal/es/ineam/convocatorias/diplomado_tec.aspx

Registration open for Online Course "Educación Alimentaria"

The IACD/OAS is pleased to announce the online course "Educación Alimentaria". The course will be given in Spanish through the Educational Portal of the Americas and is scheduled to begin on June 3, 2004. The course aspires to provide educators with the basic nutritional concepts to help treat the malnourishment affecting infants and youth, as well as generate a multiplier effect within the community in order to adequately respond to the urgent nutritional needs of our society. The 12-week course includes 10 modules of content and 2 weeks for introductory activities and a final evaluation. The deadline for registration is Thursday, May 13. For additional information please visit:

http://www.educoas.org/portal/ineam/cursos/educacion_alimentaria_2004.aspx


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