eMINTS also provides professional development services beyond the borders of the United States, with its first international collaboration with educators in New South Wales, Australia.

Three eMINTS National Center staff members spent two weeks in Sydney and Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia in February 2008 and in April 2009, providing professional development to a group of more than 20 Australian educators. The Aussies are participating in eMINTS’ Professional Development for Educational Technology Specialists (PD4ETS) program and expect to complete requirements for becoming certified eMINTS instructional specialists. Each Aussie eMINTS specialist works with teachers across the region through a special program called “e-iteach.”

The PD4ETS program has been proven across the state of Missouri, in several other U.S. states and in Australia. It provides professional educators with essential support systems and a collaborative group of colleagues. Participants gain the knowledge and skills necessary for implementing the eMINTS instructional model and high-quality professional development in their own educational settings, using materials, strategies and support systems developed by the eMINTS National Center. eMINTS staff facilitate cohort groups of district trainers in face-to-face and virtual learning communities as they prepare to deliver eMINTS PD in their home locales.

Download the current PD4ETS guidebook for detailed program information. (PDF 380 KB)

The Australian connection occurred as a result of a presentation made by eMINTS Director Monica Beglau at the British Educational Technology event (BETT) in London in 2006. Carole McDiarmid, Regional Director of the Western New South Wales region, was in the audience. She followed up with a visit to the U.S. and to eMINTS classrooms in the St. Louis, MO, area in November 2006. Principal John Willing (Forbes Public School in Forbes, NSW) and his wife, Lois, visited Columbia, MO, in July 2007 as part of John’s Microsoft scholarship to visit U.S. schools and programs. Columbia Public Schools hosted the Willings in several eMINTS summer school classrooms.

The partnership between eMINTS and the Western NSW Region continues to grow and benefit both parties through the exchange of educational ideas and practices.

Contact the eMINTS National Center to learn how eMINTS can travel to your nation.