EDU 403.11 MODULE 2

2.4 E-Twinning

          E-Twinning was created to give schools the opportunity to learn from and with each other. It promotes the awareness of the multilingual and multicultural society.

          The E-Twinning action is an initiative of the European Commission that aims to encourage European schools to collaborate using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by providing the necessary infrastructure (online tools, services, support). Therefore, teachers registered in the eTwinning action are enabled to form partnerships and develop collaborative, pedagogical school projects in any subject area. They can develop their project and collaborate with teachers from other European countries.

          The primary workspace for the eTwinning action, is the eTwinning Portal (www.etwinning.net) and it is available in twenty-five languages. Teachers registered in the eTwinning action, also called eTwinners, find each other, communicate, share resources and collaborate through the eTwinning platform.

          eTwinning is a free online community for schools in Europe which allows teachers to find partners and collaborate on projects within a secure network and platform. 

It will:

• enrich learning and motivation of pupils and staff
• access high quality professional development and ready-made resources
• raise standards across the whole school community
• gain recognition for the commitment through eTwinning awards and the International School Award.

Formation: The project was born in 2005 and it has been integrated in the Lifelong Learning Programme since 2007. Its main objectives were to give opportunity for all students to learn and practice ICT skills and to promote awareness of the multicultural European model of society. By June 2012, more than 20 000 projects have been developed between two or more schools across Europe, the total number of registered teachers is close to 170 000 and the number of involved schools is more than 90 000.

          The main concept behind eTwinning is that schools are paired with another school elsewhere in the country and they collaboratively develop a project, also known as eTwinning project. The two schools then communicate using the Internet (for example, by e-mail or video conferencing) to collaborate, share and learn from each other. eTwinning encourages and develops ICT skills. Being 'twinned' with a foreign school also encourages cross-cultural exchanges of knowledge, fosters students' intercultural awareness, and improves their communication skills.

          eTwinning can be defined as a long term partnership where at least two primary or secondary schools from at least two different states or nations use ICT to carry out some form of pedagogically relevant activity together. It can take place at several levels: an exchange between two individual teachers, two teams of teachers or subject departments, two librarians or two head teachers.

          The eTwinning vision foresees educational partnerships where a large number of teachers, school managers and support staff will engage in a multilevel activity. The intention is that the staff of two schools interact for an extended period of time. A wide range of disciplines, curriculum topics or even staff related professional development should be involved.

          eTwinning is a way for schools to work towards the “school of tomorrow”, i.e. a school that evolves with time, is open to the outside world, is ruled by flexible learning processes and is computer literate. For teachers it is a good opportunity to practice more interactive methods of teaching, to compare pedagogical approaches, to get to know other countries’ school systems and to share their resources and ideas.

          eTwinning will be a way to familiarise students and teachers with the efficient and responsible use of ICT for pedagogical purposes.

          eTwinning is an effort to establish human contact beyond frontiers and across cultures. It enhances their capacities for cooperation, understanding and intercultural dialogue, and of course the development of ICT skills.

          eTwinning is synonymous with a relevant use of ICT at school that can help to overcome the challenge of digital literacy. A school partnership offers a multitude of openings for all the school staff interested in international contacts.

For teachers, there are many possible benefits from being involved in eTwinning:

• Motivating their students by doing something innovative, new and exciting
• Teaching and learning from different surroundings about different cultures and thus achieving cultural awareness
• Using ICT facilities to shorten distances and allow students and teachers to reach the farthest end of Europe and explore what otherwise would not be possible
• Learning about the different educational systems in different countries
• Exchanging pedagogical ideas with other teachers and thus enriching their own experiences
• Showcasing educational practices in their schools to parents, school authorities and many others
• Enhancing the knowledge of a particular subject or field by cooperating on a full scale basis in their school with a cross-curricular approach
• Improving their knowledge of foreign languages
• Improving their own teaching methods by comparing and applying different approaches

How will eTwinning contribute to the training of teachers?

          One of the objectives of the eTwinning action is to improve teacher knowledge and skills in the use of ICT and to make it a part of their pedagogical daily life.

          More importantly, they will learn by doing and benefit from sharing the knowledge and skills from the whole Community of participating schools. Language is the first and most important reason for twinning and exchanges. It is a particularly appropriate means of promoting linguistic and cultural diversity.

          eTwinning is basically a teacher-oriented initiative, which aims at stimulating teachers to plan joint projects with other schools for their pupils. Motivated teachers can do excellent things with everyday resources, and ICT resources are already a standard part of school equipment.