I teach English to childen from 6 to 11 and I'm always updating, to reach pupils interests and needs and face the challenges of XXI Century. I'm the Headmaster Deputy and I collaborate for innovation and the internalization process of our school . I love my job and I'm an enthusiastic eTwinner , where I fInd great opportunities of professional development, pupils motivation and engagement. Thanks to Erasmus KA1 I attended a training course on CLIL in London and made two jobs shadowing in Spain and Bulgaria. We received the partner teachers in our school this year and it was an awesome experience for me, my pupils and the whole school team. I implemented my professional development through eTwinning Learning Events on CLIL , Gamification, New Technologies; a MOOC on Moodle 4 teachers, Project Based learning course on Teacher Achademy, workshops and seminars. Moreover I had the wonderful chance to take part in the eTwinning "Mediterranean seminar for Primary teachers in Athens" in 2015 and in the Thematic International Conference on Citizenship in Florence, in september 2016. I'm really happy to attend this course, sharing reflections, steps , ideas with the wonderful teachers enrolled and the great expert team.
ABOUT MY SCHOOL
My public school organization is VIII Circolo and is made up by two Primary schools :Don Minzoni and Carella and 5 Pre-Primary schools. I teach at Don Minzoni Primary school.
My school is located in Piacenza, in the North West of Italy, not far from Milan.
Piacenza is a quite small town, with a rich historical background, since it was founded by Romans, on the right side of river Po. In our classes we have some children with different cultures and languages, coming from East Europe, South America or China. Moreover there are pupils with special needs or disabilities who need support and interaction with schoolmates.
Therefore the priority is for educational projects to encourage the use of a plurality of languages and tools. In fact we use different methods and promote real experiences in order to offer our children an active and integrated learning, taking into account emotional, social, physical ,and cultural aspects ,in a word "real life". There are teachers formed in Feuerstein method , Cooperative learning, Life skills, CLIL, Coding and Robotics,and update their competence with training courses.
From 2011 we are involved in International projects, from Comenius multilateral partnership (2011/2013) to Comenius Assistantship "with a German Assistant (2013/2014) and Erasmus KA1 (2014/2016). The last one strengthened the continuity of the two schools orders, introducing English teaching in Pre-Primary and implementing CLIL in Primary schools. Moreover it contributed to the development of digital competences and international collaboration of our teacher community.
Collaborative Teaching and Learning Course
On the Collaborative Teaching and Learning course, you will receive advice from experts and peers, as well as concrete suggestions about how to carry out collaborative teaching and learning in your classroom. You will also have access to videos of inspiring practice and other support material. Moreover, you will have the chance to belong to a Europe-wide community of like-minded practitioners, dedicated to working together to make collaborative teaching and learning a reality in the classroom.
This introductory course will help you to better understand:
What is collaborative learning?
How can I carry it out effectively in my classroom?
What tools can I use to assess collaborative learning?
How can I collaborate with fellow teachers to facilitate collaborative learning?
On the course, we will be reflecting, discussing and sharing with each other about these topics. You will find a community of like-minded professionals on the course who can support you in improving your classroom practices. We will be using a variety of online tools and social media to communicate with each other and engage in some peer review activities as part of the course.
MODULE 1
1. What is Collaborative learning?
The learning objectives for this module are:
1.Understand the full meaning of collaborative learning, and that it requires more than teachers simply putting students in groups
2. Appreciate the key benefits collaborative learning can bring to students and the specific skills it helps develop.
3.Appreciate how collaborative learning can be facilitated by a flexible, interactive classroom, and also through project-based learning.
4.Create a personal Learning Diary to log learning activities, reflections and resources from the course.
5.Reflect in your Learning Diary on two learning activities and whether they require a low or high level of collaboration from students
My reflections I think Collaborative Learning is the challenge for 21st Century skills. It can foster realtionship, shared responsability, interdependance, critical thinking, creativity with the aim to reach a common goal. Of course these components need to be developed through a step by step process, that means creating a confident climate, enhancing listening attitudes, feedback, role assumption, engagement...Project Based Learning is a great way to foster collaboration and motivate groups to reach a real goal. I attended a PBL course and I'm eager to learn more and more about effective Collaboration. The video shows the great power of collaborative learning practice.
1.2 Collaborative learning in a flexible classroom
This videos illustrates how a flexible and interactive classroom environment can facilitate collaborative learning. The video features a teacher and students from a secondary school in Italy.
MY reflections. In my English classroom/lab I often change the setting of the tables, so that pupils can work in group. They really appreciate being part of a group and share roles. We are waiting for a white interactive board that will facilitate our use of technology. Anyway we try to have the most from what we have, using computers and reaching a shared Interactive board for eTwinning exchanges, video watching or other collaborative works...
1.3 Collaborative learning through project-based learning
This video illustrates how project-based learning can facilitate effective collaborative learning in the classroom. The video features a teacher and students from an elementary school in Italy
My reflections I really appreciate this inspiring video that fits my aims. A CLIL approach through PBL, enhancing collaborative learning and meta- cognition is what I'm trying to achieve. eTwinning projects are a great opportunity to foster collaoborative learning, and I'm always eager to learn more and reach the most of effectiveness in my teaching practice. Thanks for this great example
1.4 A foreign language teacher’s experience of collaborative learning
In this video an English language teacher explains to us her experience of carrying out collaborative learning with 14-19 year olds through a project-based approach and various online tools. She explains the challenges she has faced and offers some solutions and related questions for us to reflect on
1.5 A History & Geography teacher’s experience of collaborative learning
1In this video an Italian, History & Geography teacher explains to us her experience of implementing collaborative learning in the classroom with students aged between 10 and 14 years old. She explains the challenges she has faced in terms of teacher collaboration as well as student collaboration, and how she went about setting up groups
My reflections:I followed with real interest the videos and I agree to reach effective collaboration it's a challenge, both among teachers and pupils. Anyway it's a challenge we have to face.If we believe in its effectivness we have to do our best to encourage collaboration among colleagues, showing our positive attitude and availability. Our Erasmus Plus project was of great help for this purpose, giving us a common goal, refreshing the enthusiasm to discover new paths, opening to different cultures and implementing collaboration among teachers, also at different educational levels. I teach English in Primary school at different grades and I'm implementing CLIL methodology through Collaborative Learning. In each group pupils have different roles and groups have different tasks ...we are experimenting PBL : just the first steps, but pupils'motivation is high. Sometimes they need my help to find an agreement, but they know the group collaboration is at the basis of a good result. I hope to learn more and more , in order to help myself and my pupils to find solutions for the problems and reach our goals. International collaboration through eTwinning projects is a strong mean to improve pupils and colleagues motivation. I hope we'll go on improving our attitudes to exchange, share, compare, face the problems, find solutions and make common choices, to grow as lifelong learners and a collaborative community.
1.6 Learning activity
Reflections on the nature of collaboration happening in my classroom(s).
High level of Collaboration
a. I find eTwinning projects an ideal field to foster EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION. For example, working on the eTwinning project "Mediterranean castles and legends" pupils were required to work in groups. The goal of the groups was to choose a castle in our environment, research information and elaborate them in order to make a presentation for the partner classes and a school audience. 1. Pupils in the groups shared opinions and discussed to choose a castle. 2.They discussed on HOW to research information and then on how to organise information and plan the presentation (Shared resposability and substantive decisions) 3. Finally they shared the roles in order to carry out the activities and get ready for the presentation (Interdependent work). The communication to the audience was performed by the whole group ; each member was engaged to illustrate an aspect. The castles and group works were displayed on a regional map (opening to possible comparisions to find similarities and differences).There was a class backstage too: the groups gave reasons for their choices and made a meta-reflection on the process , the strenghts and the weaknesses , having feedback from other groups (self assessment and peer assessment)
b Another great eTwinning project "Opening wings to Universe" had a PBL approach: from the suggestions inspired by a painting (The big family, by Magritte)) , pupils, in groups, were engaged to find a context and foster their creativity through drawings, music, stories, role plays ...each group was free to follow a favourite path, and find solutions to express their messages. Building a theatre , puppets, backgrounds, collaborative posters,music, dances and stories, they gave life to the dove in the painting and to their derams, as well. They worked collaboratively, sharing responsabilities and substantive decisions, created final products and shared them with the partner schools and a local audience. Pair assessments and groups feedbacks were of great help in the process, in order to reach the final outcomes. Teacher's assessments were focused on language communication skills (individual) and groups collaboration, (group assessment) with the aim to enhance their improvement. An amazing journey that made pupils actively involved and resilient, in order to reach their goal..
Low level of collaboration
Pupils, in groups of three, work on a topic (ex: Nature). They are requested to practise landascapes descriptions. They are provided a (secret) picture and have 5 minutes to write affirmative or negative sentences related to the picture. Groups, in pairs, are then invited to listen to the partner description and draw the landascape. The final evaluation is based on comparision among written description and drawing: do they match?
The low level of collaboration is due to the lack of "voice and choice" and to the goal of the work. just a collaboration for language practice .
MODULE 2
2.How can you design collaborative learning in the classroom?
The learning objectives for this module are:
Understand how to embed collaborative learning into lesson design
Appreciate the four dimensions of collaborative learning concerning group work, shared responsibility, making substantive decisions, and interdependent work
Understand how the 21st Century Learning Design Collaboration Rubric and Learning Scenarios can help you reflect and design collaborative learning activities
Assess the two collaborative learning activities you described in Module 1, using the 21 CLD Rubric, and report in your Learning Diary
2.2 Embedding collaborative learning into lesson design
This video features an extract from a workshop organized by the Irish National Council for Curriculum & Assessment as part of the CO-LAB project. We briefly hear about the Irish context with regards to collaborative learning, followed by Professor Deirdre Butler who gives us an introduction regarding how to embed collaborative learning into lesson design
My reflections I agree about the importance to have a shared language concerning what we mean by collaborative learning. A common frame helps us promote the development of collaborative skills in our pupils, designing collaborative activities for this purpose. I think that Professor Butler focuses a very important truth: ‘Technology can support new pedagogies that focus on learners as active participants with tools for inquiry-based pedagogies and collaborative work spaces’. In my experience as eTwinner I could experiment the great power of collaborative tools and the Twin Space, that stimulate pupils'active participation, decision making and problem solving . Of course we need to be aware of what real collaboration means and how we can use this tools effectively.
2.3 The 4 Collaboration Questions
This video features an extract from a workshop organized by the Irish National Council for Curriculum & Assessment as part of the CO-LAB project. Professor Deirdre Butler explains to teachers the 4 major questions it is necessary they ask themselves when designing a collaborative learning activity.
The four dimensions of collaborative learning
group work
, shared responsibility
making substantive decisions
interdependent work
2.4 21 CLD Collaboration Rubric
This video features an extract from a workshop organized by the Irish National Council for Curriculum & Assessment as part of the CO-LAB project. The 21 CLD Collaboration Rubric is explained by Professor Deirdre Butler. She talks teachers through the various decision steps they must take in order to be able to code the level of collaboration taking place within a learning activity.
My reflections. I think this rubric is of real help to design collaborative activities and assess the level of collaboration. Thinking about what is needed to reach shared responsability, substantive decisions, interdependent work, when asking pupils to work in groups or pairs, means to be aware of their importance in planning. We have to design activities that create the conditions to foster these abilities. Moreover we need to pay attention on the process, putting collaborative goals inside the learning design. The outcomes are deeply connected with the level of collaboration. This rubric is a sort of lighthouse : I met it in PBL Mooc and I'm trying to use it. Hopefully I will improve and refine my Learning Designs and my assessments.
2.5 Collaborative learning scenarios
In this video the course coordinator describes the learning scenario template developed in a previous project, which can be used as a tool to help you reflect and design your own collaborative learning activities. 6 examples of collaborative learning scenarios are also introduced, and are available in the resource section of this module. We also hear two Irish teachers’ experiences of working with the rubric
My reflections. The learning scenario focuses on the process and on the actions required for each step . It's an awesome support and can really make a difference when planning collaborative activities. I find it very useful and challenging at the same time. First of all it highlights, once more, how complex is to design a step by step collaborative activity. When planning I usually take into account the seven steps, but I think I have to improve my design, paying more attention on all the items listed on the left side. A wide overview of the interaction occurring among all the components is a precious support. I also observe how important is to assess each step, monitoring the process to remake the design if needed.
2.6 Module 2 Learning Activity
Use the 21CLD framework and rubric (see video 2.4 and pages 3-9 of the PDF entitled ‘21CLD Learning Activity Rubrics’ available in the Resources section of Module 2) to assess at what level the two learning activities you reflected on in Module 1 are at. In your Learning Diary identify the codes (from 1 to 5) which best reflects the collaborative learning in your learning activities
Following the rubric to assess the learning activities presented in Module 1, I can identify the following codes:
High Level of Collaboration :e Twinning project "Mediterranean Castles and Legends:)Code 5
Low level of Collaboration: Code 2 ( pupils worked in groups and shared responsabilities)
MODULE 3
How can we assess Collaborative Learning?
The learning objectives for this module are:
Understand the principles of assessing collaborative learning
Appreciate the various challenges teachers face in assessing collaborative learning and the tips, tools and solutions available
Understand the value of using rubrics and checklists for assessing collaborative learning, and how to construct them
Appreciate the importance of involving students in the definition of assessment tools used for collaborative learning
Start creating one or more lesson plans integrating collaborative learning and assessment using the Learning Designer
3.3. Assessment for improving collaborative learning
My reflections.I use self assessment and peer assessment in group work, to give pupils an active role and make them aware of their progress. I get them involved in making simple checklists or rubrics, taking into account the shared goals . I sometimes use quick assessment as Think Pair share or Two stars and a wish. I've appreciated a list of assessment tools posted in fb page by Ana Ribeiro...
Rubrics and checklists to improve collaborative assessment
My reflections. I find the tools provided by professor Valente very useful for different assesment needs: I've never found such a wide range of examples , really a precious help for my collaborative designs. What has always been difficult for me is assessing individual contribution inside the group in a ìn objective way. I think I will do wide use of the rubrics provided, involving pupils in the choice of criteria and defining them in advance to arise their awareness and engagement. In our school we are working on rubrics for evaluation and I will share these materials with colleagues and project teams. Collaborative work is being developed in my institution and we just need to share all the inputs received in this course to be more confident and help pupils to reach collaborative skills.
3.4 : A sports teacher's experience of assessing
My Reflections. I really appreciate the experience of assessment and agree with Antonio about the 7 benefits of collaborative assessment. I also agree on the importance of involving colleagues, changing the setting and the teaching habits.. Digital tools are of great help. I use Teamup and I found it helpful.. In Italy we are being provided with digital supports in schools, thanks to PNSD, a National Plan for Digital Teaching. I hope it will soon give us the opportunity to benefit of the innovation. eTwinning projects are a great opportunity to practice the use of digital skills in real communicative context, offering the chance to develop transcurricular skills and subject skills as well; improving English communication and international collaboration.
My reflections. I agree with both Anna's choices. In fact to give pupils voice and choice helps them to share responsibility and make substantive decisions. The peer assessment proposed by Anna is a good way to involve students and helps flexibility, as well. I use some digital tools, as Padlet, Answergarden or Kahoot: I find them easy and good for pupils at Primary school, but I'm trying to propose some other, as Adobe Spark or Tackk.
My reflections. I use different types of assessment : self and peer assessment , or group assessment, trying to involve pupils in expressing criteria. I love simple assessment practice, as "Thumbs up" or "Two stars and a wish" or "3-2-1".
Checklists too are made and used by pupils: we, together, define the scores and the quality criteria. I think this course and the materials provided will be of great help to arrange rubrics and reach a more objective assessment.
Very useful and interesting webinar with prof. Deidre Butler answering our questions about Collaborative Learning. I really appreciated the clear and inpiring answers , a guideline to our effective assessment. Thanks a lot!
Module 4. How can teacher collaboration facilitate collaborative learning?
Teachers, as well as teacher trainers and principals, need to model collaboration in order for students to take this seriously, and recognize and be convinced of its value. We know from recent European research (which you can access in the resource section of this module) that more opportunities for teacher collaboration are very much needed. Such opportunities could include building networks, providing virtual spaces to exchange, and developing a collaborative school culture between teachers, students and the wider community
The learning objectives for this module are:
Appreciate the benefits of teacher collaboration and how best to take advantage of them, as well as the challenges, and tips and tools for overcoming them
Understand the required skills needed by teachers for effective collaboration, as well as the conditions needed at school level for teacher collaboration to flourish
Understand how technology can facilitate teacher collaboration
Finalize the development of one or more lesson plans integrating collaborative learning and assessment, as well as elements of teacher collaboration, using the Learning Designer.
Peer review the collaborative learning lesson plans of two course participants.
The benefits and challenges of teacher collaboration
My reflections
I agree with the benefits and challenges highlighted by Professor Butler. On my experience our Erasmus Plus Project offered a wonderful chance to improve collaboration, both inside and outside our school. Getting ready for the mobilities of groups of teachers made us aware of the importance of shared responsability in attending our tasks and interdependance in our observation design. It was a successful challenge, that made everyone more active and collaborative. The interpersonal relations developed in a positive way: we could discover the great potential of the group members and appreciate each other. That was really good, not only for the collaborative work we were able to do before, during and after the mobilities, but also for personal self esteem and professional development. This added value played a crucial role in our teaching context, helping us to builld a community of shared practice. We were able to put our shared competences inside our teaching design, far beyond our Erasmus project.
Moreover the international exchanges developed a collaboration with teachers from other Countries, we could experiment during the job shadowing , the training courses and receiving groups of teachers from the partner schools.
I teach English as a second language, so I always plan activities with the different teams I work with. We are experimenting CLIL, that's another wonderful opportunity to collaborate with the subject teacher and plan a double-level path. I think this lucky chance can help students to learn in a collaborative context , having common goals. We often collaborate with local Community, as well, supporting each other to make the learning journey a great adventure with social benfits, that help the growth of active citizenship.
eTwinning is a fantastic world , giving us lots of chances to learn and grow together, through groups, Learning events, webinars and projects . We really can't feel alone: that's the amazing of such a community!
Skills and conditions needed for teacher collaboration.
Coordinating our Erasmus Plus project "Open roads to Europe"I had the chance to enhance collaboration. The project staff members were all motivated for a great, common goal. Plannning the activities to reach our objectives was a shared work that took into account personal competences and attitudes, interests and skills, to puzzle them and support each others. The successful process empowered all of us and involved the whole school community.
The teachers'enthusiasm and engagement had a positive effect on students, as well. We reached a sense of Community, particularly when receiving our partners. All this was possible thanks to the previous collaborative environment. In fact our principal stimulates and appreciates teachers'shared paths, in professional development and teaching practice.
How technology can facilitate collaboration
My reflections. The use of technology is of great support for collaboration, opening to a wide range of possibilities, from a shared document where we can work even if we are not face to face, to collaborative Platforms that offer opportunities to interact and build a great collaborative net. eTwinning is all about collaboration among teachers and students of different Countries, offering a common space to work and learn together. Social media, as Fb or Twitter, are powerful means to exchange practice , make groups, collaborate for common goals or professional development. MOOCs are great : a wide community of teachers can empower learning paths working together. So technology gives a huge contribute to collaboration. There are lots of tools that fit; it depends on the goal and the context. With students I use Padlet, AnswerGarden, Kahoot, Adobe Spark, Thinglink... they work for teachers'collaboration too! I really appreciate this course for the effective use of integrated tools and devices, with shared Learning Designers and peer reviews, using a common framework.
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My reflections. As pointed out above, I use to collaborate with teachers of different subjects. I work with different teams and I try to integrate English in the whole competences curriculum. We plan together some common goals and issues; I think we have to improve common assessment tools and the management of collaborative activities. Hopefully this MOOC will be inspiring for my colleagues, too! I'm looking forward to sharing rubrics frameworks and the Learning scenario, together with the other very useful documents. This Learning Diary will fit for the goal. We collaborate also to plan CLIL paths to be taught with English support and integration. This is a great opportunity to work closer to my colleagues, giving pupils a real example on how collaboration can be a benefit for the learning process.
My Learning Designer: https://v.gd/CGlcoC
I thank my reviewers in advance !
