The DOT China Education Initiative brings a new continent – Asia – into DOT’s network of global programs.

In 2006, DOT and Cisco brought the TeachUp! program to those school districts in Mississippi and Louisiana devastated by Hurricane Katrina.  These districts were struggling to regain not only their educational infrastructure, but also their sense of community spirit in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The TeachUp! program is an integral component of Cisco’s 21^st Century Schools initiative d has been designed to help schools and communities effectively use new technology to support learning and to achieve improved learning outcomes. 

Sharing lessons learned and building on the early impact and success of the TeachUp! program in the USA, the DOT China  education initiative will engage young university students and recent graduates to serve as TeachUp! Interns in schools in Sichuan Province. These highly trained young men and women will work one-to-one with teachers to integrate technology into learning. Together, Interns and teachers create simple and powerful projects that are applicable in the classroom and the greater local community. 

DOT China and DOT USA form a Community of Practice where Interns, teachers and students can share their experiences and perspectives and learn from one another.

Schools are strategically selected by DOT and the partners in the initiative.  The collaborative process reflects China’s ICT and educational national strategies, addresses post-earthquake reconstruction priorities, considers Cisco’s Public-Private Partnership Board and other stakeholder recommendations.