The document summarizes eTwinning, a program that connects European schools online to promote collaboration. It discusses how eTwinning has evolved from an initial launch in 2005 focused on finding project partners, to a full social network by 2010 with over 86,000 users engaged in over 20,000 projects. Key aspects of eTwinning highlighted include opportunities for professional development, recognition for schools, and its role in developing 21st century skills through the use of Web 2.0 technologies in a safe online environment.

1. eTwinning:
opportunities for educational innovation
and professional development
Anne Gilleran
Pedagogical Manager
eTwinning Central Support Service

2. Anne who?
I come from Ireland
university lecturer
school counsellor
head teacher
worked in Brussels for the researcher
European Schoolnet since expert in ICT for education
2001
I have been involved in many
Pedagogical
projects involving schools,
manager for
teachers and school leaders
eTwinning since
2005

3. Topics
1. eTwinning – how it developed
2. The Internet phenomenon
3. eTwinning - a social network
4. Professional development
5. Some 21st century educational
considerations

4. What is eTwinning?

5. Launched January 2005
A Lifelong Learning
Programme initiative
- within the Comenius action
2005-2008 Phase 1
2008-2013 Phase 2

7. Central Support Service.
Run by the European
National Support Service
Schoolnet on behalf of
(1 in each country) the European
Commission

8. eTwinning 1.0 (2005)
Launched to
encourage school
collaboration in
Europe
Designed to find
partners; create,
manage and run
school projects

9. What happened in 2005?
eTwinning was launched
+
The Internet phenomenon

10. Since 2005
February 2004
April 2006
January 2005
February 2004.
October 2006
February 2005
2006
2005/06

11. 1. The Internet has changed
" Pre 2004 Web 1.x
– Passive
– Read the news
– Retrieve information
Essentially an online encyclopedia

12. Interactive & Creative Web 2.0
- make the news
- publish ideas
- create archives
- comment on events
- communicate

14. eTwinning
Projects
Many things
Above... and
were happening
below
In eTwinning...
the surface
Informal Comenius
collaboration Partnerships
It was time to go Peer learning
beyond
eTwinning 1.0 Sharing of resources and ideas
Community
building

15. eTwinning
eTwinning had Projects
evolved
Critical Mass
Communications and Informal Comenius
networking beyond collaboration Partnerships
Projects
Peer learning
Activities outside the
Portal
Sharing of resources and ideas
Sharing and exchanging
Time for Community
building
eTwinning 2.0

16. eTwinning 2.0

17. eTwinning 2.0
The heart of eTwinning
is the portal:
www.etwinning.net

18. eTwinning Portal 2007
From this

20. eTwinning Portal – 3 layers
1. The Public Portal 2. The Desktop
Public Information for all Search tools and
Where teachers register profiles
for eTwinning Where teachers get in
Project ideas and kits touch and register an
eTwinning project
3. The TwinSpace Also a tool for
Private project workspace communication about
Where project partners and pupils events
collaborate online
Where project work is/can be
published and shared online
TwinBlog Where project partners
share their experience

21. www.etwinning.net

22. Inspiration - Kits

23. Inspiration - Modules

24. eTwinning 2.0 eTwinning Desktop
From this

25. eTwinning 2.0 To this

26. eTwinning 2.0 Twinspace change
From this

27. eTwinning 2.0 To this

28. The evolution of eTwinning 2.0 (2010)

29. eTwinning has become a social network
Find each other
and get in touch
The community
Share practice
for schools in
and ideas
Europe
where teachers: Are engaged in
informal learning
Set up & run projects
with their pupils
In 23 languages…

30. eTwinning schools
eTwinning projects

31. eTwinning has become…….
eTwinning Learning Events
A network providing
eTwinning Groups
opportunities for formal &
informal
European Professional
Continuing Professional
Development Workshops
Development (CDP)
Bi- Lateral workshops
21,000 teachers were
involved in the formal
aspects of CDP through
Informal exchange &
eTwinning in 2009
reflection

32. Educational Considerations
in relation to
eTwinning 2.0

33. eTwinning: Shifting Worlds
Formal Informal
Closed Open
Top down Bottom up
Teaching Learning
Consumption Creation
Curriculum driven Life as curriculum

34. European key competencies

35. 21 Century Literacy

36. Literacies?

37. eTwinning helps:
" To address the challenges of bringing 21
Century skills into your school
" Utilises Web 2.0 technology to assist the
educational process in a safe
environment

38. What else is in it for the school?

39. Recognition 1 : Quality Labels
(1) Pedagogical Innovation
and Creativity
Recognition of
(2) Curricular Integration
quality is based
(3) Collaboration between
partner schools
on (4) Creative use of ICT
7 criteria
(5) Sustainability and
Transferability and (6)
Results and Benefits

40. National Quality Label

41. European Quality Label

42. Visibility

43. eTwinning Prizes
National Level
European Level

44. What does this all this mean?
Motivated pupils
Motivated teachers
Parental support
Public recognition for school

45. Web 2.0 Enablers in education process
Cooperation:
the driving force
e confidence of teachers
(overcome of the
Enablers Enthusiasm of children
isolation of teacher)
Working Safely

46. What next: Challenges for the future
Web 2.0 embedded in
Curriculum
the curriculum
Three pillars of
education
In-service training
Teaching process Web 2.0 part of
Assessment
including Web 2.0 the assessment

47. Why is eTwinning so successful?

48. Rationale for etwinning
Based on the twin
concepts of
cooperation and
collaboration
SIMPLE approach
• Share
• Innovate
• Motivate
• Participate
• Learn
• Exchange
48

49. eTwinning (2010) – in figures
86,000 users
20,000 projects
1,720000 pupils
900,000 messages
20,000+ users/day

50. eTwinning Continues
To be connective & non bureaucratic
To offer recognition
To be supportive and offer
opportunity for professional
development
To have built in quality assurance at
national and European level in the
form of Quality Labels

51. And….
It’s still for free!

52. Final reflections -
In education today the roles of pupils and teachers are
blurring.
The 21 century challenges us all to grasp, understand
and control the forces of technology.
Technology is only as good as the use we make of it
21 st Century Learner !

53. Thank
you
for
your
a,en.on!
eTwinning
portal:
www.etwinning.net
Contacts:
Anne.Gilleran@eun.org