The 2012 worldwide virtual Global Education Conference as well as the iEARN International Conference and Youth Summit are slated to take place simultaneously during International Education Week (November 12-16, 2012). These educational events are free of charge to all participants and will be held completely online in Blackboard Collaborate virtual rooms. Sessions are scheduled around the clock over the course of five days to accommodate multiple time zones. The main conference website and network is located at: http://globaleducationconference.com.

The Global Education Conference (GEC) is a collaborative and world-wide community event designed to reduce participation barriers and significantly increase opportunities for globally- connecting educators (primary, secondary and tertiary levels), students, and organizations. General session strands will focus on teachers, students, curricula, policies, professional development and leadership. Keynote speakers for this year’s conference include Tony Wagner of Harvard, Andrew Revkin of the New York Times, Kiran Bir Sethi of India’s famed Riverside School, and social media expert Beth Kanter.

Last year’s conference consisted of over 300 general sessions, 18 keynote addresses, and over 10,000 participant logins. 100 plus partner organizations and dedicated volunteers have been involved in the planning, promotion and execution of this event over the past two years as well. The Global Education Conference represents a special opportunity for those involved with global education to network and learn from each other.

In 2012, the conference will be a unique global collaboration between GEC and iEARN (International Education and Resource Network). iEARN will hold its 2012 annual conference virtually in partnership with the GEC and attendees will have the opportunity to participate in sessions facilitated by members of both organizations. Having online collaborative education programs in over 130 countries, iEARN’s involvement will enable the entire conference to be truly global in scope and size.

Proposals to present for both the Global Education Conference and for the iEARN International Conference and Youth Summit will be accepted through October 15, 2012. The intention is to be inclusive, meaning that any professional or student with an idea or project related to our mission is encouraged to present. We will provide training and support to those new to the world of online conferences.