From our perspective at the eTwinning UK National Support Service, the annual European eTwinning Conference is a massive highlight of our year. It gives us a chance to be part of celebrating the success of eTwinning and an opportunity to contribute to the moulding of its future. This year we were able to take 24 UK teachers and ambassadors as well as 6 NSS staff and a colleague from the Department for Education to Berlin for the conference.
Age 4-11 Prize Category Winners: 'Adventures of the Twinnies around the World'
And the winners were...
4-11 Years Category - "The new adventures of the Twinnies around the world"
12-15 Years Category - "A Taste of Maths (ATOM)"
16-19 Years Category - “Reporting without borders”
French Language Special Category - "Journalistes en herbe"
Spanish Language Special Category - "Carpe Nuntium: voilà nuestra “FrItalianza"
The Marie-Skłodowska-Curie-Prize - "SOHO: Sunspots Online – Helios Observatory"
Day 2 - Workshops
On our second day in Berlin was all about workshops. A huge array were on offer, most being led by eTwinning teachers and ambassadors sharing their expertise and experience of being involved in eTwinning, with other experts contributing too. It would be impossible to review and sum up each workshop as there were just too many but you can get a flavour of their content and outcomes on the conference website.
On our final morning in Berlin we looked to the future. The future of eTwinning but also the future of teaching and learning. Marc Durando Executive Director of European Schoolnet spoke to us about whether schools were keeping up with their students in terms of harnessing technology, particularly mobile technology that has become extensions of ourselves, for the purpose of learning within the classroom. eTwinning has shown that it can and is being done, but we know that eTwinning, like the use of appropriate technology in the classroom has a long way to go until it is the norm across Europe so there is a great distance still to go.
It was an interesting and interactive conclusion to three interesting and interactive days where over 600 eTwinners from 32 countries came together, celebrated their achievements, shared experiences and explored ways in they could help share the benefits of eTwinning to students in their schools, their countries and across Europe. We can't wait for the future to arrive, the future is now.
If you are at BETT this week Wednesday 11th January - Saturday 14th January come and see us and say hi at one of two stalls.
This year for the first time eTwinning Europe-wide has a stand of its own with a packed programme of activities including case studies from current eTwinners and a live partner finding event Download ETwinning BETT 2012 Programme. Find us at stand G110.
We will also be at the British Council stand, so if you want to talk to us about eTwinning or find out more about any of the other work British Council does stop by and see us at stand Q38.
As part of International Education Week 14-18 November 2011, the British Council eTwinning team in the UK hosted 2 extremely successful workshops for school leaders, looking at how to raise standards in schools using eTwinning, Comenius and other international programmes offered by the British Council. Over 70 delegates attended each event and heard inspirational stories from practitioners who have used eTwinning and Comenius to successfully motivate, inspire and improve education standards at their schools for both pupils and staff. Find out more about this event and others here.
London 15 November
John Worne, British Council Executive Board, opened the workshop with a thought provoking speech about the importance of preparing young people to live in a global society and work in a global economy, whilst highlighting the British Councils continued commitment to UK schools. We heard inspirational stories from Head teacher Kevin McCabe (Jervoise Primary School) illustrating how schools in special measures have been turned around through participation in international linking programmes. The keynote address was complemented by George Glass (Cauldeen Primary School) and Anne Jakins & Nick Falk (Sackville School) who demonstrated how 2 UK schools have worked together “virtually” with counterparts in Finland and Afghanistan through eTwinning and Connecting Classrooms to support learning and teaching their schools. British Council staff members Michael O’Donnabhain, John Rolfe and Vicky Gough provided further information to delegates on British Council school strategy and programmes. John Warwick (St Luke’s School) rounded up the event discussing international learning journey taken by staff and students at his school, providing a perfect lead into the final session where participants had the opportunity to start planning how their schools can use international linking opportunities to support raising standards for staff and pupils.
Manchester 17 November
John Payne, British Council Account Director, opened the workshop and reiterated the British Council commitment to supporting both UK schools and young people through the continued provision of international linking programmes for schools. During the keynote address in Manchester, assistant Head teacher Rob Ford (Wootton Bassett School) showed how the international dimension has been embedded throughout all aspects of school life to such success that it is now the first state school in England to receive an ‘outstanding’ across the board under the new OfSTED inspections. George, Nick and Anne (pictured) repeated their London presentation which was very well received by all the delegates. British Council staff members Susan Glover, John Rolfe and Alex Abel provided further information to delegates on British Council school strategy and programmes. Our final speaker, Anne Daniels (Carleton House School), concluded by demonstrating how she has used eTwinning to support her own professional development; illustrating how she has moved from a class teacher to Head teacher. The workshop finished with participants planning how to embed international linking opportunities into their schools to support raising standards.
We would like to take this opportunity thank all the speakers, staff and delegates for participating and contributing to both workshops.
The following programmes were featured during both workshops:
Many congratulations to all these recipients and to all the winners of the LLP ‘Your Story’ competition; we look forward to meeting them at the prize ceremony here at the British Council London on 24 November (1130-1500); further details can be found at http://dev.lifelonglearningprogramme.org.uk.
WRITTEN
1ST PATRICIA KING - ST JAMES CE INFANT SCHOOL
2ND KULSOOM HAQ - GLASGOW EAL SUPPORT SERVICE
3RD DIANA LINFORD - EASTBURN JI SCHOOL
PHOTOGRAPHY
1ST CHRISTINE GIBSON - NORTHAM ST GEORGES CE VA INFANT SCHOOL
2ND PATRICIA KING - ST JAMES CE INFANT SCHOOL
3RD CAROL DUFFY - BROWNLEE PRIMARY SCHOOL
FILM
1ST MID CALDER PRIMARY SCHOOL
2ND SOUTH WEST COLLEGE ENNISKILLEN
3RD TIE GREAT CORNARD UPPER SCHOOL AND TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE / YSGOL LLANGYNFELYN
Does your school, college or local authority want to learn more about international linking: including policy, practice, funding, CPD and training opportunities? Find out how developing the international dimension can contribute towards raising standards!
As part of the British Council International Education Week 2011, we are running two one-day workshops for head teachers, international coordinators, department heads and local authority representatives to learn more about international education programmes and opportunities available to schools and colleges in the UK, as well as showcasing inspiring case studies.
Tuesday 15 November 2011, British Council, Spring Gardens, London and Thursday 17 November 2011, Palace Hotel, Manchester
The workshops will include… • Key note presentation from head teachers who have used international links to raise standards in their schools • Information on British Council education programmes and how to get involved • How to establish an international framework with our support • Inspiring case studies from practitioners in education • Peer led group discussions
Deadline to register is 7 November 2011. There is no fee to attend.
Please note that travel or supply cover costs will not be covered.
If you have any questions or would like more information please contact: Manchester workshop enquiries: jenny.compton@britishcouncil.org London workshop enquiries: craig.farmer@britishcouncil.org
The conference programme will include an inspiring and thought-provoking mix of plenary presentations and case studies from eTwinning Ambassadors, hands-on workshops on a range of topics including intercultural dialogue, eTwinning portal tools, and the latest ICT tools. There will be poster sessions and opportunities to find out about other British Council opportunities for schools.
NB. Participation is by invitation only.
Don't forget you can follow and contribute to all the action via Twitter by following us @eTwinninguk and the event hashtag #etwinuk.
Both are interesting and thought provoking reads and give a real insight into eTwinning practice in the different educational environments that the programme encompassses. More information and digital copies can be found on the eTwinning Portal.
Xperimania is a new project aimed at boosting young people’s interest in science across Europe.
A joint venture between the European Chemical Industry Council and European Schoolnet, the project aims to help students in secondary school classes (pupils aged 10-20) and their teachers understand the wide variety of applications of chemistry, and how this fascinating science has contributed to the evolution of many day-to-day items.
Participating in the following activities provides students with a unique opportunity to stimulate their scientific and analytical skills:
Equality: Take part in 2 competitions, related to this year’s theme of the IYC: “Chemistry – our life, our future”. Xperimania is running these competitions to increase female student interest in Chemistry
Xperimania Science Ambassadors: Check out all the activities conducted in the workshops, with inspiring and interactive chemistry and physics experiments
Check out the property: Investigate the properties of a familiar object through simple hands-on experiments
Timeline of everyday objects: Read-up on past discoveries and present the scientists’ findings
Hands on experiments: Set up an easy and fun experiment related to petrochemistry and materials, and upload lab reports on this website
The content of Xperimania is available in 6 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish. However teachers and pupils from all European countries are warmly invited to participate.