Empowering Digital Teachers in a changing world Erasmus Project

Project Title

Empowering Digital Teachers in a changing world

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Open and distance learning

Project Summary

CONTEXT:
With schools and universities now closed across most of the EU countries in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus, an unprecedented number of students are out of class for an undefined period. This exceptional disruption has set off a move toward online teaching that has accelerated a shift from the traditional textbook-based classroom that has been the hallmark of education in most of the EU countries since the 19th century. Against this background, it becomes clear that the majority of schools were not prepared for 100% for the implementation of online learning. Having to use e-learning on a larger scale than schools had already tried, or indeed ever expected, they have underlined several key challenges, barriers and obstacles. In daily practice, these overarching obstacles manifest in many ways, e.g. in a lack of understanding and training of VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) or a lack of infrastructural support. Whilst obstacles regarding the infrastructural support need to be primarily addressed by school administrations, principals and policy makers, the lacking knowledge and efficacy of teachers regarding the implementation of e-learning can be focused by a range of institutions such as teacher training centers, universities, further and higher education colleges.

OBJECTIVES:
The purpose of the EDGE project is to address the rising issue of lacking knowledge and self-efficacy of teachers regarding the implementation of digital learning. Therefore, we aim at developing guidelines as well as an innovative training path in order to support teachers in applying digital learning. The guidelines and the training path shall promote teachers’ sense of effectiveness and abilities, and by that means contribute to a purposeful integration of digital technologies in education. In addition, we want to focus on how inclusive teaching and learning can be addressed within digital learning.

EXPECTED RESULTS:
Our project will result in three major assets
1) GUIDELINES and RESOURCES to support the teachers in the use of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
2) An INNOVATION on line course for education professionals for an inclusive education based on digital technologies
3) A PILOT GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS (i.e., teachers, trainers, education staff) trained in the use of innovative technologies and in the development and production of VLE materials

ACTIVITIES:
Two intellectual outputs(IOs) have been identified:
IO1 EDGE Guidelines for online teaching: the guidelines will raise teachers’ awareness of how technology can support online teaching and will provide practical instructions on how to select and use the most appropriate methods and respective platforms for digital teaching
IO2 EDGE online course on digital teaching: an online course for teachers to improve knowledge and competencies to design, develop and deliver digital teaching.

One Learning Activity (for education staff) is embedded within the full development of the IOs. The participants will be trained to be mentor for the delivery of the jointly designed EGDE online course. The same people participating to the LA, afterwards, will pilot the course in their own country.

PARTICIPANTS:
Besides EDGE partners, we will also involve the following participants during our project implementation who represent the direct target group of our approach:
– Educational staff (including teachers, trainers, researchers), who will be trained in digital learning
– School Heads, administrators, school community: the school heads and members of the Board of the School will participate in our project actions, especially in the evaluation phase
– Students will be the main indirect beneficiaries as they will be the first group to benefit from the new skills acquired by their teachers
– Parents will also benefit from the approach and they will be directly involved in the multiplier events which will be organized in each country.

IMPACT
The EDGE project will mainly impact the target groups in term of:
– Innovative insights in e-learning
– sustainable networks
– new experiences in education practices

In particular at the end of the project we expect to have a:
-Increased national and European understanding of an inclusive approach to e-learning
-Increase in Teachers trained in online material developing and delivery of online teaching
-Purposeful integration of digital technologies in education
-Modern and dynamic advancement of school practices
-Meeting of ALL students’ expectations, skills and abilities,
-Clear vision in school leadership teams for diversifying teaching and learning processes

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 364289 Eur

Project Coordinator

GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ UNIVERSITAET HANNOVER & Country: DE

Project Partners

• ESCOLA SINDICAL DE FORMACIÓ MELCHOR BOTELLA
• GLASGOW CLYDE COLLEGE – THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF GLASGOW CLYDE COLLEGE
• N.E.T. (NETWORKING EDUCATION AND TRAINING) ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE
• 36,6 Competence Centre
• EduFutura – udruga za unapredjenje zivota pojedinaca, organizacija i zajednica kroz ucenje i suradnju