eTwinning for International Language Learning and Collaboration

Description

Foreign language teachers are constantly on the lookout for methods that will give students the opportunity to use the language as they would in the real world.

However, while classroom simulations and role plays are surely useful, real motivation (and learning) comes when students are given the opportunity to communicate (and use their foreign language skills) with peers beyond their own classroom.

For this reason, this course introduces eTwinning as a possible answer: a powerful tool to create authentic language-learning experiences through international collaboration.

eTwinning is a platform established by the European Commission to connect education professionals and, subsequently, the pupils under their care. In it, pupils connect through projects devised by their teachers, and in doing so, they learn and apply the language in practice with peers from other countries.

During the course, participants will learn how to design, manage, and properly evaluate eTwinning projects that are directly linked to language learning objectives and classroom practice.

In fact, through project-based activities, students deepen their knowledge of the target language using it for real purposes, they collaborate with international partners and actively contribute to shared tasks, rather than just practicing the foreign language in simulated situations.

Also, this course will explore how eTwinning projects support the development of crucial competences such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, creativity, and intercultural awareness.

By the end of the course, participants will be ready to design their own eTwinning projects, having understood how the platform works (together with its quality criteria) and how eTwinning can open the door to future Erasmus+ cooperation and mobility projects.

They will be able to provide students with a safe digital environment for collaboration, making possible the practical application of foreign languages in real-life situations, and fostering friendships that last a lifetime.

Concept by Alenka Miljević

Learning outcomes

The course will help participants to:

• Learn about the eTwinning platform: understand its structure and educational potential;
• Design and plan eTwinning projects (linked to language learning objectives);
• Create collaborative project activities that foster real-life language use;
• Use digital tools to foster communication, collaboration, and language learning;
• Evaluate project activities and students’ participation effectively;
• Apply and understand eTwinning quality criteria to improve project design and outcomes;
• Understand how eTwinning projects can be connected to Erasmus+ mobilities.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Introduction to the course and eTwinning

• Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools;
• What is there for teachers and students? Collaboration, professional development, motivation, recognition;
• Code of conduct and digital literacy in practice.

Day 2 – eTwinning projects

• Overview of eTwinning project kits and templates;
• How to plan an eTwinning project step by step?;
• Linking project activities to lessons and language outcomes.

Day 3 – Twinspaces

• Safe digital environment for students;
• Digital tools for collaboration and communication;
• Evaluation of project activities and learning processes.

Day 4 – eTwinning project plan

• Example of good practice in eTwinning projects;
• Hands-on workshop: designing an eTwinning project;
• Project presentation and peer feedback.

Day 5 – Quality criteria check

• eTwinning quality label criteria: innovation in education;
• Project activities in practice;
• Project activities feedback and discussion;
• Connecting eTwinning projects with Erasmus+ cooperation and mobility.

Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion.
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance.
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.

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