eTwinning & teacher professional development Anne Gilleran – pedagogical manager eTwinning Central Support Service ltilateral Contact Seminar eTwinning- Warsaw
eTwinning & teacher professional development
Anne Gilleran – pedagogical manager
eTwinning Central Support Service
Multilateral Contact Seminar eTwinning- Warsaw
Anne who?
I have been involved in many projects involving schools, teachers and school leaders
I come from Dublin, IrelandCareer:university lecturerschool counsellorhead teacherresearcherexpert in ICT for education
worked in Brussels for the European Schoolnet since 2001
Pedagogical manager for eTwinning since 2005
Topics
Overview of the development of eTwinning
Some concepts regarding professional development
Evolution of professional development in eTwinning
Questions?
3 questions
What is the relationship between eTwinning and Professional Development?
How do they influence each other?
How can eTwinning contribute to professional development and visa versa?
This presentation will include ideas…….
Based on the report:
Teachers Professional Development: an overview of current practice
Published March 2011 European Schoolnet
available at:http://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/news/publications.htm
Background
Let’s start by looking at the OECD Talis report 2009
What is eTwinning?
A Lifelong Learning Programme initiative- within the Comenius action
Launched January 2005
2005-2008 Phase 1
2008-2013 Phase 2
To understand eTwinning
You must know the following facts
• 33 countries participate
• Each of those countries has a National Support Service NSS
• Coordination by the Central suport Service
• Its heart is the eTwinning Portal www.eTwinning.net
eTwinning Phase 1: 2005 – 2008
Description and context
eTwinning life cycle 20051.eTwinning.net
Information, ideas, examples, resources 2.School
registration
3.Desktop:Find partner
4.Register a partnership5.TwinSpace
6.Progress CardLearning Resources
7.Quality LabeleTwinning Prizes
Within two years………..
February 2004
January 2005
February 2005
October 2006February 2004.
20062005/06
April 2006
Web 2.0: Interactive & creative internet
Provided us with the possibility to:
- interact- publish - create - comment - communicate
Changing educational context
Less emphasis on knowledge acquisition as the primary goal of education
More emphasis on the development of skills and competences.
The appearance of the concept of 21st Century literacies
European key competencies
Informal collaboration
Comenius Partnerships
Peer learning
Sharing of resources and ideas
Communitybuilding
eTwinning Projects
Led to eTwinning Phase 2
Critical Mass
Communications and networking beyond Projects
Sharing and exchanging
Between 2005/08 eTwinning had also evolved
eTwinning phase 2: 2008 - present
2 additional elements developed
– Creation of an Informal social network• Achieved by a complete overhaul of the
collaborative tools
– Continuing professional development• Enhanced by a series of different developments
Lets take a look….
at the evolution of professional development opportunities in eTwinning
Dec 2008…eTwinning Phase 2….
Jan 2005 Dec 2005 Sept 2006 Jan 2008
Learning Events, Groups
Teachers Rooms, Profiles
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European-wide professional development workshops
National training courses
raining, e.g. online courses
eTwinning school collaboration projects
European Professional Development Workshop
Organised jointly by CSS & one NSS
Open to all participating countries
Normally 7 per year
Approximately 100 participants per workshop 25/75 ratio
Aimed either at specific audience or theme
PDWs - Evolved to include………
Bilateral and multilateral workshops
Aim – of providing face to face meetings with a
partner finding focus
Organised by several collaborating NSS
National Training programmes
Many countries run extensive training programmes both face – face and on line.
Part of the national in-service programme most notably in
•Spain•Poland•Estonia•Czech Republic
Learning EventsA Learning Event is a short intense course that offers:
•an introduction to a topic• stimulates ideas•helps develop skills•does not require a long-term commitment in terms of time. •Involves a lot of interaction and discussion between teachers
designed to be an enjoyable learning experience.
A Learning Event is a short intense course that offers:
•an introduction to a topic• stimulates ideas•helps develop skills•does not require a long-term commitment in terms of time. •Involves a lot of interaction and discussion between teachers
designed to be an enjoyable learning experience.
http://learninglab.etwinning.net
eTwinning Groups
35 Groups– The groups are
opened on request
– places for teachers to exchange about various interests on a long term basis
35 Groups– The groups are
opened on request
– places for teachers to exchange about various interests on a long term basis
http://groups.etwinning.net
Teachers rooms•A Teachers Room is a place where teachers can discuss specific topics over a short period of time and are created directly by eTwinners.
•A Teachers Room is a place where teachers can discuss specific topics over a short period of time and are created directly by eTwinners.
•Public Teachers Rooms are open to all eTwinners to view and contribute.•Restricted Teachers Rooms can be viewed by all eTwinners; however, to contribute to them, one must be invited.
•Public Teachers Rooms are open to all eTwinners to view and contribute.•Restricted Teachers Rooms can be viewed by all eTwinners; however, to contribute to them, one must be invited.
The Journal
a digital portfolio
An opportunity to share
An instrument for social networking
Professional Development 2011-2012Addition of more formal type courses– Course for the European Network of
ambassadors ( September 2011)– In planning stage 2012 onwards
• Course on online moderation skills• Possible course for school leaders on European
exchange on school management
Introduction of eTwinning Mentorship
Some statistics
At this moment:
140 000 teachers registered
12 500 participate in a project
20 000+ log in every day to the Desktop
Back to the 3
1. What is the relationship between eTwinning and Professional Development?
Informal dialogue to improve teaching
Professional Development Network
2. How do they influence each other?
eTwinning is seen as something that allows up-skilling in areas such as the use of ICT to support teaching, language learning, project management skills and other areas of personal development that can also be recognised as key competences for lifelong learning
3. How can eTwinning contribute to professional development and visa versa?
The kind of professional development a teacher participates in is more important than the amount of time invested. The net effects of days of professional development are small and only significant in a few countries, whereas indicators of participation in networks and mentoring (and in some countries also in workshops and/ or courses) have significant and stronger net associations with teaching practices in a majority of countries (TALIS, 2009: 117).
Future context of educational professional development
ET 2020
Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality
Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training
Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship
Enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship at all levels of education
Pisa 2015
Will broaden its focus to include examining competencies such as problem solving and collaborative learning
Final pointsIt is at initial teacher training level that the seeds of future classroom practice are sown
eTwinning is a grassroots activity
eTwinning does offer opportunities for a range of professional development experiences