eTwinning regional representatives best practice - eTwinning Ambassadors Conference in Catania 17-19 October 2013

1. How we do it in Poland
By Mariola Chodakowska-Malkiewicz
and Dominika Tokarz

2. eTwinning in Poland: top-down approach

3. TASKS OF REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Coordinators, Promoters, Ambassadors
Common tasks for all Regional Representatives
1. Promotion of the eTwinning Programme
through:
• cooperating with local media
• the websites of Regional Educational
Inspectorates, Teacher Training Institutions,
schools
• other educational events like eTwinning
Weeks, competitions, conferences
2. Participation in regional conferences,
seminars, workshops
3. Dissemination of promotional materials and
publications
4. Preparing Annual Report on activities
5. Cooperation with NSS
Different tasks of Regional Representatives
Promoters
• Cooperation with
Coordinators and
Ambassadors
• Running
workshops
Coordinators
Coordinating
educational
events and
initiatives
Ambassadors
• Giving good practice examples
• Running workshops for teachers

4. ❶❺ Online course trainers
❶❻ Promoters (teacher trainers)
❶❻ Coordinators (regional school inspectors)
❸❶ Ambassadors (experienced practitioners)

5. eTwinning in
Poland in our
dreams...
eTwinning in EACH
Polish school

6. eTwinning ambassador in Poland
– how it works
• Marketing – needs analysis
• Recruitment – done by the ambassador
or the workshop host
– audience numbers range from 20 to 40
– length ~ 2-5 hours
• Venue – provided by the ambassador
or the workshop host

7. A workshop consists
of two parts:
1) Introduction stage
(temptation)

8. A workshop consists
of two parts:
1) Introduction stage
(temptation)
2) Practical stage
(ICT taming)
Photo credit: tarotastic / Foter / CC BY-NC

9. The temptation stage
• introduction to the eTwinning programme
– why get involved?
– the benefits

10. eTwinning for school staff...
• Contact with education professionals
•
•
•
•
in another European country
An awareness of teaching and/or management
approaches used in another country
Sharing and celebration of your own
professional skills and experience
Using eTwinning as a first step
to international linking and forming a Comenius group
Professional development
e.g. online courses on eTwinning

11. eTwinning for students…
• Increased motivation, as they have an audience
for their work in a school in another country
• Enhanced key skills, including ICT use,
communication and
foreign language skills
• Greater cultural awareness
through direct contact
with peers in other countries
• Learning through/and fun

12. eTwinning school projects
- Best Practice examples

13. The practical ICT stage
- hands-on training

14. •
•
•
•
Registration – school/teacher
Desktop – profile
TwinSpace – cooperation platform
(and or optional) Training in using ICT tools
such as forums, chat, instant messengers
e.g. Skype or how to use Voki, Glogster etc.

15. • Workshop completion
–
–
–
–
theory+skills
handouts/tutorials
promotional materials (from NSS)
certificate of attendance

16. Follow-up activities
• being a 'Helpdesk' for the new eTwinners
Photo credit: omnia_mutantur / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

17. September 2012 – June 2013:
• 277 meetings to promote eTwinning
• 6 095 participants took part
January – June 2013:
• 126 meetings
• 2 812 participants
• 840 newly registered eTwinners

18. • Promotion – regional actions

19. • Informing and inviting local media

20. • Distributing promotional
materials
• Providing information
via email, telephone,
face-to-face meetings
• Running eTwinning
Open Door Days in schools
• Taking 'any' chance
to get to the potential
eTwinners

21. How is the programme perceived by regional
representatives?
• Only pros?
• There are some cons too...

22. 1.
•
•
•
teachers about themselves (SWOT)
low ICT competences
insufficient language skills
lack of cooperation
between teachers

23. 2. teachers about their work
environment (SWOT)
• insufficient ICT equipment
• sometimes… NO from
the school head
• poor cooperation between
the eTwinning representatives
in regions
• lack of support from
the local edu authorities

24. New approach of information and promotional
campaign by the PL NSS:
• Regional Conferences in cities like Gdansk,
Bialystok, Olsztyn, Warsaw, Cracow etc.
• Regional Competitions – local authorities e.g.
Sopot or Podlaskie Region
• Stronger ties with the local media
• Closer cooperation between
ambassadors and promoters

25. Mariola Chodakowska-Malkiewicz
eTwinning promoter
m.chodakowska@wmodn.elblag.pl
Dominika Tokarz
eTwinning ambassador
dominikatokarz@gmail.com