etwinning & the professional development of teachers anne gilleran – pedagogical manager...
TRANSCRIPT
eTwinning & the professional development of teachers
Anne Gilleran – pedagogical manager
eTwinning Central Support Service
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
Some concepts regarding professional development
Short introduction to eTwinning
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
Will be available at:http://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/news/publications.htm
Background
Let’s start by looking at the OECD Talis report 2009
Informal dialogue to improve teaching
Professional Development Network
What is eTwinning?
A Lifelong Learning Programme initiative- within the Comenius action
Launched January 2005
2005-2008 Phase 1
2008-2013 Phase 2
What happened in 2005 or….
The Internet context
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
Informal collaboration
Comenius Partnerships
Peer learning
Sharing of resources and ideas
Communitybuilding
eTwinning Projects
Time for eTwinning 2.0
Critical Mass
Communications and networking beyond Projects
Sharing and exchanging
Between 2005/08 eTwinning had also evolved
eTwinning 2.0
2 main elements– Informal social network– Continuing professional development
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
Lets take a look….
at the evolution of professional development in eTwinning
Dec 2008…Projects & beyond….
Jan 2005 Dec 2005 Sept 2006 Jan 2008
Learning Events, Groups
Teachers Rooms, Profiles
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Sept 2010
European-wide professional development workshops
National training courses
raining, e.g. online courses
eTwinning school collaboration projects
European Professional Development Workshops - PDWs
Normally 7 per year
Approximately 100 participants per workshop 25/75 ratio
Aimed either at specific audience or them
Evolved to include
Bilateral and multilateral workshops with the aim of providing face to face meetings with a partner finding focus
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.
It is designed to be an enjoyable learning experience.
eTwinning Groups
The eTwinning Groups are a place for teachers to exchange about various interests
34 Groups
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.
•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
Some statistics
At this moment:
128 000 teachers registered
10 000 participate in a project
20 000+ log in each day to the Desktop
Back to the 3
1. What is the relationship between eTwinning and Professional Development?
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).
Final points
eTwinning is the fastest growing community for teachers in Europe
It contains both communication & collaboration activities
And
Formal & informal professional development opportunities
