European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Charles University Prague, Czech Republic September 2002

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What do teachers look for with internationalisation?What do teachers look for with internationalisation Benefits of being involved in international collaborative projects Barriers to being involved in international collaborative projects What to do?What to do What to avoid?What to avoid Desirable situation Some tips Where to find partners?Where to find partners _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What do teachers look for with internationalisation? (1 ) While developing international collaborative projects teachers wish to... ... promote diversity; ... work together with partners from other countries; ... develop understanding with people from other countries and cultures; ... debate cultural and ideological issues; ... exchange experiences about educational systems and methodologies; ... increase mutual appreciation and recognition; _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What do teachers look for with internationalisation? (2) While developing international collaborative projects teachers wish to... ... increase students’ intercultural competence; ... help students to be able to cope in an international context; ... challenge their students; ... stimulate students’ curiosity; ... foster individual development; ...broaden students’ horizons; _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What do teachers look for with internationalisation? (3) While developing international collaborative projects teachers wish to... ... broaden (widen) students’ cultural awareness; ... make their students learn foreign languages in a real communicative context; ... help students to use ICT in a real context; ... flexibilize their teaching; ... widen the range of activities to offer students; ... _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What do teachers look for with internationalisation? (4)  “It is an opportunity to make comparisons with other schools, with other educational systems, with other models of management.” (Escola Secundária António Gedeão)  “ Visit schools in other countries, with their specificity on human and material resources, fosters the exchange of information about curricula, instalations and equipment” (Escola Secundária Emídio Navarro) _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares Internationalisation Benefits of being involved in international collaborative projects (1) International collaborative projects give us the possibility of... ... knowing the differences and similarities between different European school systems (important both for teachers and head-teachers); ... talking and reflecting together about different teaching approaches and practices; ... enhancing the quality of teaching through the interchanges and discussions carried out with other teachers during the development of the project; ... producing materials with colleagues from other countries;

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Benefits of being involved in international collaborative projects (2) International collaborative projects give us the possibility of... ... knowing the general and professional aims of different schools; ... contacting diferent management models; ... creating empathy with people from different countries; ... being cooperative both in the school and outside the school; ... contacting and communicating with people in different countries and from different nationalities; _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Benefits of being involved in international collaborative projects (3) International collaborative projects give us the possibility of... ... knowing different realities from those of our own countries; ... enabling students to use their foreign languages skills in real communication situations; ... participating on study trips abroad, (both for students - student mobility- and teachers. ... _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Benefits of being involved in international collaborative projects (4)  ”Exchanging information between school headmasters is also a strong point. The different organization structures and rules, the relationships between school and enterprises, or the relationships between school and local authorities are important to foster more professional management of schools.” (Escola Secundária Emídio Navarro) _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Benefits of being involved in international collaborative projects (5)  “Teachers and students involved (in international collaborative projects) not only share precious experiences but also learn to be always available for new and different learnings.”(Escola Secundária António Gedeão)  “ Schools get a different and very productive dynamic when it comes to adopt this attitude of exchanging and intermingling with different ways of being and acting”. (Escola Secundária António Gedeão) _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Barriers to being involved in international collaborative projects (1) International collaborative projects... ... are very demanding (for one teacher or even for a small group of teachers); ... are time and energy consuming; ... involve a lot of work - we work more hours than we are paid for;  “Main constraints are restrictions to human mobility. We can not substitute personal relationships with s.” (Escola Secundária Emídio Navarro) _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Barriers to being involved in international collaborative projects (2)  Comenius projects sometimes are very bureaucratic (many papers, applications and reports to complete) however the funds schools get are important for the projects’ development.  “The formalities of the applications to the National Agency could be eased.” (Escola Secundária António Gedeão) _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What to do? (1)  Try to integrate the project as part of the day-to-day life of the school;  It should be a school task and part of the school’s goals - activities should be school-based;  Activities carried out should be part of the lessons – project integrated in the curriculum;  Get the support and involvement of the head teacher in all the process;  “Involving the school’s responsible was important.”(Escola Secundária Emídio Navarro) _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What to do? (2)  Motivate your students, get them deeply involved;  Both students and teachers should feel the project as their own;  Get the support from the parents – inform them about everything that is happening and make them aware how much the project can contribute for their children’s growth as citizens of the world;  Get the support from the whole school community – advertise the outcomes of the project and keep the whole school community informed (school magazine, newspaper, the school webpage, local newspapers, other media possibillities you can think of); _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What to do? (3)  Partners needed for a Comenius project are 3 – it´s advisable however to have at least 4 partners, because one of them may drop out before the end of the project;  Choose with your partners the themes / thematic areas you are going to work on whithin the project;  Plan together with your partners – every detail should be discussed with the other partners; _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What to do? (4)  All partners should be aware of the goals and deadlines established;  Establish clear and precise arrangements with your partners;  Seek support and funds – from the Comenius Programme and National Agencies, from the regional departments (City Council, etc.); ... _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation What to avoid? (1) Avoid... ... isolated activities developed just by one teacher– internationalisation should by no means be a one man/woman job; ...a project in which only one or a small group of teachers is involved - there´s the risk of these activities not being supported by the school (the other teachers and the school board); ... forcing teachers to take part in a project ( it should never be a compulsory task). _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Desirable situation (1)  International collaborative projects are part of the mission of the school and of its goals;  Internationalisation is part of the teaching units;  Internationalisation is felt by the whole school;  There is a committee (a group of teachers), responsible for finding and implementing international collaborative projects;  The projects are coordinated by a small group of teachers; _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Desirable situation (2)  The activities of the projects are naturally part of the day-to day of the school;  The headteacher and pedagogical committees at school actively support the project and the activities carried out within their development;  A significant number of teachers is involved in the school in international projects;  Extra time is given for the teachers involved in the development of projects;  Parents help and host students from other countries; _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Desirable situation (3)  “We have always experienced in our school a large involvement in the process of fullfilment and development of these projects by all members of educational community. The management Board, the various pedagogical departments, teachers, students, parents, local authorities, as well as other public and private institutions which have always responded to the required appeals.... Which in our opinion is quite rich concerning the curricula, the School Project and the school.” (Escola Secundária António Gedeão) _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Some tips (1)  Keep it as simple as possible, “don’t be too ambitious”;  Don’t make more arrangements than you can keep;  Involve other teachers, the whole school if possible, in international projects;  Inform the school board about everything that happens with the project;  Try to integrate the project in the “teaching units”;  Get the support of the head-teacher and all the other teachers at school, in other words, get the school support; _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Some tips (2)  Keep the head-teacher and the pedagogical committees at school involved and informed about everything that happens within the project so that they can support you and the project;  Everybody must feel the project as their own and not have the feeling that it is just one teacher’s project;  Motivate your students so that they can be involved and collaborative;  Get the parents’ support through their involvement in the project, if possible;  Show what you are doing to the whole school community; _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Some tips (3)  Discuss everything deeply with the other partners so that everybody is aware of the goals and deadlines established and commits to them;  Exchange ideas with your partners;  Try to get funds from the school authorities (City Councils) for the development of your projects;  The success of a project depends more on the planning and development than on the subject. _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Where to find partners  Twin towns are a good and easy way as the involvement of the City Council can help with monetary support, for instance. Foreign languages and cultural aspects can be worked out in this frame as well.  The ESP collaboration, where contacts have been established across Europe and beyond.  The European SchoolNet  Comenius projects are also an excellent way of getting funding for schools. You can find more information in the following URL Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares

European Collaborative LEarning Network International Conference BRIDGES FOR LEARNING Internationalisation Thank you! Interesting and fruitful International Collaborative Projects for all of us!!!!!! _________________________________________________________________________ Charles University, Prague September 2002 Francisca Soares