ICT-Based School Collaboration, Teachers’ Networks and their Opportunities for Teachers’ Professional Development - A Case Study on eTwinning

Abstract

Abstract. In this paper we first investigate how eTwinning and national and local teachers' professional development schemes interact. eTwinning is the community for schools in Europe that promotes teacher and school collaboration through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) under the European Union's Lifelong Learning Programme. The eTwinning Portal hosts more than 137,000 teachers who interact with each other on the European-scale. Second, using this authentic data, we discuss how novel research methods such as Social Network Analysis, information visualisation techniques and future scenario forecasting are used to study eTwinning in the Tellnet-project aiming to sustain and support dynamic teacher networks as a platform for formal and informal teachers' professional development in the future.

Teaching mathematical concepts using web-based collaborative enviroments. An eTwinning case study

“…Students and teachers experience innovative teaching methods and innovative teaching practices (Vlada et al, 2009). The professional development of teachers is highlighted by various surveys (e.g Holmes & Sim, 2012;Kampylis, 2012;Vuorikari et al, 2011). Professional development includes the enrichment of knowledge, skills and experiences acquired in formal or non-formal learning environments, in school environment, in online communities, through school units partnerships (OECD, 2009).…”

“…Professional development includes the enrichment of knowledge, skills and experiences acquired in formal or non-formal learning environments, in school environment, in online communities, through school units partnerships (OECD, 2009). Vuorikari et al (2011) report that many teachers -despite the fact that their initial goal was not their professional development-realized later the skills they gained by participating in eTwinning actions. Events, development workshops, training seminars in the eTwinning platform, the cooperation for the creation of a project and the exchange of good practices contribute to the cultivation of their creativity, enhancing their educational work (Kampylis, 2012).…”

Implications of social network sites for teaching and learning. Where we are and where we want to go

“…The experience of these communities (Farooq et al 2007;Vuorikari et al 2011) reports, for instance, the need to develop organically and be maintained by the community itself, rather than being supplied hierarchically by formal institutions. The advent and diffusion of social network sites have offered new venues for teachers and education professionals to meet virtually, especially because they provide sufficient technical infrastructure maintained by third parties, and not financially supported by computing projects that run out of funds after the end of the projects thus becoming unable to sustain the infrastructure over time.…”

“…As stated by several studies, professional collaboration often leads to a change in teachers' practice and educational perspectives (Vuorikari and Brecko 2014). The experience of Tapped In, an online community of practice for education professionals (Farooq et al 2007), and of eTwinning, the community for schools in Europe that promotes teacher and school collaboration through the use of ICT (Vuorikari et al 2011), for instance, stressed the importance of virtual spaces for teachers and educators to share teaching practices, to build a repository of activities and to develop a common identity. Teaching professionals' communities of practice have proven to have a direct impact on professional growth through various forms of informal collegial interactions, much more than training workshops, meetings and in-service days (Farooq et al 2007).…”

“…Teaching professionals' communities of practice have proven to have a direct impact on professional growth through various forms of informal collegial interactions, much more than training workshops, meetings and in-service days (Farooq et al 2007). By offering formal and informal professional development opportunities, such as supporting needs and goals of national or local training programmes through online courses that could result in career credits, has turned out to be an effective way of promoting the advancement of digital competence on the use of ICT in schools (Vuorikari et al 2011).…”