Italianistica, Didattica Innovativa, Internazionalizzazione

The conference, held on 19-21 October 2023, encouraged 700 educators from all across Europe not to be afraid of being innovative and creative. Over three days of discussions, keynotes and exchange of knowledge, attendants collectively explored the multifaced meaning of the eTwinning Annual theme ‘Innovation and Education’.

‘The eTwinning community is as remarkable as it is committed to its mission not just passing knowledge and facts but developing a common spirit for learning together in a community connected across Europe.’

With these inspiring words, Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth officially opened the eTwinning Annual Conference 2023. In her message, she congratulated eTwinners for their innovative work and highlighted the importance of the current annual theme by announcing the new eTwinning book: eTwinning; teaching, creating, innovating.

The first keynote featured an enlightening speech by Georgi Dimitrov, Head of Unit Digital Education – European Commission, who discussed the steps taken by the European Commission to contribute to building a shared understanding of digital education and skills in Europe. The speech had a special focus on artificial intelligence and its impact on teaching and learning practices, suggesting how:

‘Balancing AI’s potential benefits with preserving core values and human interactions is essential for effective education.’

Next in line, Stephan Vincent-Lancrin, Senior Analyst, OECD, delivered a second keynote titled ‘Innovation in Education, from theory to practice’ where he explored the multifaceted dimensions of innovation, drawing upon the OECD’s pioneering research in fostering creativity and critical thinking within education.

‘Innovation is not an end; we’re not innovating for the sake of it but because we’re trying to improve something.’

The panel discussion, following the second keynote address, consisted of an interactive discussion with representatives of the prize-winning eTwinning projects of 2023. Participants discovered the core elements that set the winning projects apart and learnt first-hand how they can also run innovative eTwinning projects with their students.

The second day, restricted to registered participants only, kicked off with the launch of the Virtual Exhibition Hall and the networking activities.  ‘eTwinning Galaxy’ invited participants to embark on a mission within an imaginative galaxy framework. During this distinctive journey, participants were assigned a mission that entailed navigating through various stations within the virtual galaxy. Each of these stations served as a gateway for exploring and diving into specific themes, with a primary focus on two key areas: ‘Innovation and Education’ and ‘Well-being’. The outcomes showed how eTwinners were enthusiast to ‘get out of their comfort zone’ by challenging themselves in creative and innovative activities.

A total of 17 different workshops offered the participants an interactive approach for discussing and learning about key topics revolving around the annual theme, such as AI, virtual reality, cyber-bullying prevention, special needs, STEAM education, tackling disinformation, boosting transversal skills in pupils, critical thinking, well-being and nurturing global citizenship. A workshop for representatives of Ministries of Education also took place, where the discussion was about a more systemic impact of eTwinning and the importance of giving meaning to innovative practices in education.

During the round table with the supportive partners, speakers highlighted the importance of forging stronger collaboration between schools and various stakeholders to create a more supportive and enriched learning environment.

Finally, on the third and last day of the conference, the participants joined the panel discussion entitled ‘Is my school really innovative?’ While introducing some presumptions about innovation and contextualising eTwinning and its role in pedagogical innovation, the discussion invited students to present concrete proposals for innovation and creativity and what they expect from their schools in this regard.

Ulrike Storost, Head of Sector, European Commission, officially closed the conference thanking participants and congratulating the eTwinning community for supporting innovation and creativity among teachers and students across Europe and beyond.

Check the full agenda and watch the recording of the first day!