Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group Newsletter 2017 No. 7

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2017 Newsletter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Technology is an essential part of eTwinning as it provides a safe environment for interaction and could easily be accessed both by students and teachers. Students today are facing a global society which is interconnected. This necessitates competencies in digital and cultural integration skills to become successful global citizens. This study reviews the benefits and challenges of global education and intercultural interaction amongst students participating in eTwinning projects between various European countries. (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331 186X.2016.1210489?scroll=top&needAccess=true). Project topics, ideas? Yes, they should definitely be original, unique in a way. But – close to your students as they like the feeling of security starting from something familiar and known to them. From known to unknown - the recipe that naturally, almost organically, works in every project. Goals have to be clear and well settled to everyone. It has to be vivid what are we doing, why and how we want to accomplish our goals, what are our outcomes. Project missions are to promote schools and teachers collaboration, to s serve as ‘glues’ that paste differences among cultures, even more, to develop intercultural awareness through the exploitation the creative ways of ICT. When mentioning final vision, everyone should have a clear picture of the 'product' itself. The best projects combine multiple subject areas, powerful ideas, they are personally meaningful. What is crucial in the project that could be valuable in educational system (curricula) or as a part of informal education, to extend schools could share the benefits of project with others in a future time. Could it be incorporated into school curricula? Cultural knowledge includes an awareness of local, national, and European cultural heritage and their place in the world. Evaluation and dissemination of a project is necessary for a number of reasons. It should be transparent to find out if we reach and satisfy all the planned goals well, what we have all learned from a Project and how we may share our outcomes with the society: in regional, national and international-European levels. Our school headmasters need to be more supportive, more informative in order to let the project be presented to the school stuff. It is not the case in many schools around Europe. A community has to be involved in promoting a project valuable for the whole region and nation. Our NSSs should put more efforts to find new ways how to present those good projects: either by organising more on/offline Seminars where valuable projects could be presented to wider audience, on online conferences, too. Our national eTwinning ambassadors should also widen-up their role as promoters of good practise projects. Then, the percentage of active eTwinning teachers (3.3%) will arise vividly. The situation with NSSs vary from country to country: some projects’ dissemination becomes transparent to schools (feedback is important during applying for any QL – the lack of them leads to less motivational teachers who don't know what they accomplish well, what could be improved). Also, in some countries, QLs are given just for joining the project, where, in others, it becomes difficult if not impossible to get one. These issues of transparency in disseminating the project become a barrier in further commitment to eTwinning activities by teachers and students. Furthermore, in some countries, well-done projects are recognized and promoted, but in some they aren't. Mathematicomix, a runner-up eTwinning Project in 2011, wasn't even noticed by our NSS. But, it has been promoted for several years in Romania on the Seminars: Everything in the world is Maths. The same goes to Our Political Party - the first prize nominated eTwinning project in 2013, presented and re-done during workshops in Stockholm Seminar by teachers from more than 20 European countries. No recognition from Ministry of education, as well. At least, in my country. That spirit of appreciation is missing in many ways. The benefits and challenges of global education and intercultural interaction amongst students participating in eTwinning projects vary among various European countries. Technology benefits are not present equally in every European country. Schools are not well-enough equipped with 34

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group Newsletter 2017 No. 7 | Page 34