Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2026 Newsletter
The eTwinning Soul: Reflections on eTwinning by Christina Drakopoulou
As we reflect on the past school year and plan for the upcoming, questions arise:“ Will we carry out an eTwinning project this year? And if so, on what topic? Which activities will be selected? We received an award last year; will we succeed again this year?”
These are just a few initial questions that all share a common thread: they fail to mention the role of the students, who are – and must be –“ the soul” of the eTwinning program. Because every eTwinning project has value only if it constitutes an authentic learning experience for the students – and not merely a collection of activities, certificates, and awards.
The eTwinning homepage, the official website, states:“ eTwinning is a community for schools, an online space where schools can collaborate. eTwinning provides a safe and free platform for teachers and students across Europe to work together on projects, discuss in online groups, and develop their professional skills.”
This paragraph encapsulates the program’ s philosophy, which centers on school partnerships, authentic student
communication, co-creation, the European identity and opportunities for educators to develop their professional skills.
It is legitimate for a teacher to seek professional recognition. Awards can serve as motivation. However, when personal goals, or the goals set by schools as institutions, take precedence over students’ learning needs, then the pursuit of quality labels, certificates, professional advancement and stronger portfolios or résumés should prompt an essential question: At what point does the student stop being the purpose of the project and become a means of achieving adult goals? This may happen when students merely follow instructions instead of making meaningful decisions; when activities are designed primarily to impress future evaluators; when documenting the project takes more time and energy than learning itself; when the final product matters more than the learning process; or when student participation is described as universal even though, in reality, it is only occasional.
Our students are the“ soul” of the programs. And they have“ sensors”. When they feel that their opinion matters, they invest time and energy in the project. If they realise that their role is limited to producing material, they become detached. On the contrary, an eTwinning project has“ soul” when students truly collaborate, when they make decisions, when they make mistakes, when they are allowed to change path … and when, years after the project ends and they have left the school, they still have fond memories of it!
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