GTP uses ICTs to enable two-way communication between students around the world - a strategy to shift the focus from teaching to learning with introductory and participatory forms of education. GTP's primary activity along these lines is Learning Circles - web-based, virtual environments for intercultural exchange. Twice a year, clusters of 8-12 classes from different schools link up via email to discuss a theme of their choice for 10 weeks; the outcomes of their discussions are posted real-time on the Virtual Campus site. There are currently 165 classes active in the Learning Circles, which have, to date, been conducted in English and (recently) French. Spanish Learning Circles are planned for 2003.

In the countries, many projects are formulated as part of the Global Teenager network. In Jamaica, for instance, a project at Jamaica Computer Society Education Foundation (JCSEF) involves diverse schools on the island connecting through national Learning Circles. A three-step activity programme is running in Bolivia that is designed to introduce ICT in schools.

GTP also organises collaborative projects, joint workshops, conferences, and chat sessions. In 1999, IICD and MediaPlaza set up a fellowship - The Johan Kooij Fellowship (JKF) - which provides the Country Coordinators with an annual network event somewhere in the world. There are currently 20 IICD-appointed Country Coordinators working to provide support and guidance to all the GTP schools, teachers, and students in their respective countries.

Partnership is a central GTP strategy. For example, a joint educational project with the Anne Frank Foundation called 'Respecting Differences' aims to promote tolerance and instil a sense of awareness of human rights and responsibilities among young people. GTP and SchoolNet Africa plan to combine their efforts to expand the number of countries in the GTP, combine forces in a pan-African workshop on ICTs in schools, and share knowledge in research projects. Schoolsonline and GTP hope to integrate both hard/software, training and educational content in the activities of secondary schools in Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon.

Youth, partnerships, information technology, cross-cultural understanding, education.