Seville
On 9 November, participants tuned in to the live broadcast of the opening day of the event, which included the second onsite eTwinning Prize Ceremony of 2023. Teachers from the winning projects STEAM Preschool Academy (age 0-6) and eTwinners as pros (age 7-11) received the awards and shared their experiences.
The day was opened by Ulrike Storost, Head of Sector, European Commission; Mirian Olga Cecilia Martinez, Head of Service at the National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF); and Juan Carlos Garrido, Pedagogical Adviser at the Spanish National Support Organisation and the Central Support Service.
In the first keynote, Irene Pateraki and Alexandra Almpanidou, Central Support Service, explored three educational frameworks (LifeComp, DigiComp, and GreenComp) and one tool (SELFIE for Teachers). The speakers highlighted the transformative potential of these in shaping a sustainable and innovative educational landscape.
The first day ended with seven networking activities where eTwinners were encouraged to use their creativity and interact with their peers by mixing elements from Spanish culture and their own. They collectively produced songs, recipes, choreographies, and recreated paintings.
On the second day, participants took part in 9 workshops that focused on topics such as environmental sustainability, digital competences and innovative pedagogies. Moreover, two of the workshops were hosted by the prize-winning teachers who shared their project results and recommendations for other eTwinners.
The last day kicked off with the second keynoteby Dr Isabel López Cirugeda, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. She discussed the advantages of the use of eTwinning as a tool for project-based learning to develop teamwork and other soft skills.
During the third keynote, Mariana Morales Lobo, Independent Education Consultant, underlined how assessing competences should be a part of the learning process. She stressed the need to rethink the evaluation processes so that they are continuous, qualitative and student-led.
The event finished with a session that successfully allowed teachers to discuss projects related to a wide range of topics and to find partners.
Bratislava
The onsite eTwinning course took place in Bratislava from 28 to 30 September 2023 and focused on preparing teachers to introduce transversal and entrepreneurial skills in their eTwinning projects, emphasising an inclusive approach.
On 28 September, participants tuned in to the live broadcast of the opening day of the event, which included the first onsite eTwinning Prize Ceremony of 2023. During the ceremony, the teachers responsible for three of the prize-winning projects of 2023 were publicly awarded and acknowledged (age categories 12-15, 16-19 and IVET).
The day was hosted by Vladimir Sucha, Head of the European Commission’s representation in Bratislava; Rute Baptista, Professional Development Manager, Central Support Service of eTwinning; Professor Ing. Jozef Ristvej, Vice-rector for International Relations and Marketing at the University of Zilna; and the representative of the Slovak Ministry of Education.
In the first keynote, Olívia Hurbanová, Chief Thought Provoker, HighBrõws, highlighted the synergy between intellectual humility and positive scepticism, emphasising their roles in fostering self-reflection and collaboration.
The first day ended with a networking activitythat introduced teachers to Slovak culture with a gamified approach, inviting them to explore various locations in the historic centre, solve riddles, record videos and take pictures.
On the second day, workshops covered important topics such as communication, career education, AI and entrepreneurship in students. During the second workshop session, the prize-winners presented their projects and shared tips and tricks with the participants.
On day 3, a partner-finding session focused on eight different themes including digital skills for the future, STEM education and career pathways, inviting teachers to discuss ideas for eTwinning activities that they could implement with their pupils.
Finally, a panel discussion with teachers attending the event ensued, centring on pedagogical innovation. The session resulted in a fruitful discussion on common myths, barriers and strategies for fostering pedagogical innovation in the classroom.
Overall, the onsite course strengthened connections among eTwinning teachers and forged new partnerships. It encouraged collective reflection on integrating future-proof skills into the learning process in a more sustainable and inclusive way.
Italianistica, Didattica Innovativa, Internazionalizzazione 