eTwinning and 21st Century Competences

eTwinning has always been an agent for change. Back in 2005, it was one of the first European Actions to emphasise and focus of what were then referred to as “ICT Skills” and their implementation and embedding within different subjects in the curriculum. eTwinning has always prided itself of being a “dynamic” action, as one that responds to the needs of the current educational frameworks and 21^st Century Learning competences.

If one had to scrutinise the criteria of what many NSS consider to be a pedagogically sound eTwinning Project, the following skills and criteria immediately stand out: a project must be collaborative in nature, creative and innovative, and foster communication, problem solving and critical thinking amongst all teachers and pupils.  Essentially, being involved in eTwinning, helps foster these skills in those involved and serve as an example for the ones who are standing close.

eTwinning can change the way educators look at the infrastructure; at how the foundation blocks of digital literacy are “built”. Taking the cue from the SAMR Model – Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition -  eTwinning can be truly see as an “agent of change in our classrooms”. A platform, a set of tools, which goes beyond merely substituting  one methodology with another, or just a way of making lessons more interesting (augmentation). eTwinning is about a change in Educators’ mindset, in the way learning is defined. Students become more in charge of their learning, and, in the process, they learn to ask questions, to investigate, to “not accept” all that is presented in front of them, but to be critical and self-evaluating.

Just as the technology available in class itself will not change the way our teaching and learning takes place, merely participating in an eTwinning project will not automatically bring a positive step forward to our schools.  eTwinning is about change, about making the leap from instruction to redefinition, from teacher (or technology) centred teaching to pupil centred learning The tools are there – it is however up to the educator to decide how to use the