P2V Project http://blog.eun.org/p2v/ en Copyright 2008 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:51:54 +0100 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss SICI workshop in Brussels: final meeting The final meeting of the P2V (Peer to peer learning for Valorisation) WorkPackage 6, dedicated to the inspection and the evaluation of the use of ICT in schools in Europe, took place in Brussels on 22 and 23 September 2008.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/11/sici_workshop_in_brussels_fina.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/11/sici_workshop_in_brussels_fina.html Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:51:54 +0100 P2V policy visit in Paris: a focus on VLE The last peer learning visit of the P2V project took place on 15-17 September 2008 in Paris. The meeting focused on Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), a key priority for the French Ministry of Education which hosted the event at the International Centre of Pedagogical Studies (CIEP) of Sevrès.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/11/p2v_policy_visit_in_paris_a_fo.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/11/p2v_policy_visit_in_paris_a_fo.html Policy Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:01:24 +0100 Cooperative Learning P2V school triad #2 (Denmark, Northern Ireland, Catalonia) recently visited the participating school in Barcelona.

In my last little contribution on this blog I wrote a bit on the distinction between collaborative and cooperative from my understanding of the two terms translated into Danish and used in connection with Danish education.

However there is a growing interest also in Denmark of what is behind the term Cooperative Learning. Cooperative Learning has many points of resemblance with my small example in my former note.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/10/cooperative_learning.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/10/cooperative_learning.html Schools Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:45:48 +0100 Triad C Cooperation - Collaboration - Community of practice?
(New corrected full version, as of 28 Oct 2008)
In Danish we use different terms when we talk about working together. We use the terms to work cooperatively or to work collaboratively. To me there are some quite distinct differences in my understanding of those two terms.

In a few words I will try to describe this and relate it to the last visit held in P2V school triad #3 (Denmark, Northern Ireland, Norway) at Charlottenlund Ungdomsskole in Trondheim, Norway. To illustrate my thoughts I will use a simple example: We are three persons in a group that must work together. Our task is to deliver a report on pollution in Trondheim.

How do we do that when we work together cooperatively or collaboratively?

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/10/triad_c.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/10/triad_c.html Schools Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:23:46 +0100 Joint PIC - P2V meeting: Questioning policymaking The theme of the joint PIC-P2V meeting that took place on May 16th, 2008, at BECTA was: ways and means of improving the impact of the work of policy-makers on policy decisions. The theme was chosen in relation to the work of the policy strand of P2V, in particular the Barcelona seminar and the work on evaluation

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/06/joint_pic_p2v_meeting_question.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/06/joint_pic_p2v_meeting_question.html Policy Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:09:50 +0100 You expect – you see – you experience – you learn – … P2V is built on triads. Three schools visit one another, and the hosting school has set up a program for the two days the visit lasts. The hosting school has also pointed out a couple of specific elements in the teaching and learning that the school in particular would like the visiting teachers to adopt an attitude to.

In preparation information on values, goals, curriculum and so on are sent. Websites are studied, as a visitor you start to form an opinion, create pictures in your mind and build up expectations. Then one day you leave home, enter and see the actual school and the real classroom with children eager to learn. The ideas formed in your mind on the basis of your preparation and professional background are confronted with reality, and you experience how teaching and learning take place in a school culture very much different from the one you live and feel comfort in.

Archimedes once said, “Do not disturb my circles!” I think circles have to be disturbed to initiate and promote development. If your circles remain undisturbed you don’t learn and improve.

My circles were disturbed both in my first visit to a Danish school and the visit in Northern Ireland. Expectations and experiences were confronted leading to reflections on how I do things, why I do things the way I do, and reflections on improving teaching and learning both for me, but certainly also for the pupils.

I think P2V delivers substance that is valuable not only to the participating schools, but also to teachers in general in Denmark. It is a big challenge for us to disseminate the outcome of the school visits. Hopefully we succeed. We are already using our ENIS network, but more is needed and will come.

/Øjvind Brøgger (UNI-C, Denmark)

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/06/you_expect_you_see_you_experie.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/06/you_expect_you_see_you_experie.html Schools Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:11:42 +0100 P2V policy visit in Barcelona On 20-22 February 2008, the second policy peer learning visit of the P2V project (Peer to Peer Networking for Valorisation) took place at the Department of Education of Catalonia, Barcelona. The meeting brought together thirty experts and project partners to develop policy solutions to an ‘issue’ identified by Catalan partners on ways of encouraging innovation in Catalonian schools.

The two and a half day meeting began with presentations on the Catalonian issue, policy, ICT surveys and the P2V methodology. Three workgroups were formed which included a mix of participants from various professional backgrounds and countries and on the final day of the event three policy proposals were presented to the Catalan authorities.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/03/p2v_policy_visit_in_barcelona.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/03/p2v_policy_visit_in_barcelona.html Policy Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:45:46 +0100 Policy to action Jordi Vivencos Jordi Vivancos, head of the Knowledge and learning technologies unit at the Department of Education of Catalonia answers a few questions about the Policy visit organised within the framework of the p2V project:

[EUN] The Catalonian issue explained how necessary it is to create a culture of innovation and spread pedagogical innovation in schools in Catalonia. Can you explain this?
[Jordi]: Catalonia is currently facing a number of major challenges related to transformations in economic activities and changes in social structures. School is seen as a key player in responding to these changes. However, a number of studies indicate that performance of the Catalonian school system in terms of exam results is insufficient and there is considerable concern amongst the general public about the efficiency of schools. Methodological changes are needed if schools are to respond to these challenges. Such innovative changes include fostering collaborative working, developing flexibility and implementing ICT.

[EUN] Are policy visits, such as the one we had in Barcelona, a good way to develop the necessary policies to solve the Catalonian issue?
[Jordi] Yes, absolutly, the peer review process and policy developed during the seminar has enriched the issue defined previously and validated and confirmed the policy process we are developing at the moment. The contact with International, European experts has allowed us to have a first hand example of good practice already taking place in other European countries.

[EUN] What is going to happen next, how will the result of the P2V visit will be used to help policy making in Catalonia?
[Jordi] The outcome of the seminar will be translated in our language for discussion with policy makers in our department. The transversality and systemic approach developed during the seminar will allow for networking internally within the department of education and will be a blueprint for future policies in innovation and ICT implementation.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/02/policy_to_action_jordi_vivenco.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/02/policy_to_action_jordi_vivenco.html Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:18:53 +0100 Two resources on media literacy Two interesting reports about media literacy in Europe have recently been published. is a Swedish Internet resource which purpose is to enhance teachers skills when it comes to using Information Technology in schools. PIM is produced by The Swedish National Agency for School Improvement.

Since Practical IT and media skills (PIM) started in April 2006, 100 Swedish municipalities have joined in and formulated their own targets for skills development initiatives in their municipalities for three or four years or so. In the autumn of 2007, 30.000 teachers were studying in this virtual study environment.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/02/practical_it_and_media_skills.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/02/practical_it_and_media_skills.html Policy Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:53:20 +0100 Key concepts to the policy work in P2V The P2V project brings together peer exchange and valorisation in an extension of the methodology developed in the P2P project so as to enable a number of communities of practice (policy-shapers, inspectors, school directors, …) to better handle change and innovation on specific issues in their respective areas.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/02/key_concepts_to_the_policy_wor.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/02/key_concepts_to_the_policy_wor.html Policy Sat, 09 Feb 2008 15:15:44 +0100 P2V Policy visit workgroup reports During the upcoming policy visit in Barcelona we are going to use the Blog to report on the discussions happening during the visit. The format of the meeting will be as follow, definition of the Catalonian issue, split in three groups to come up with policy recommendations.

There will be a Blogger for each of the workgroup which will report here in the Blog on the advancement of discussions.

Watch this space

Download file

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/02/p2v_policy_visit_workgroup_rep.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/02/p2v_policy_visit_workgroup_rep.html Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:03:33 +0100 P2V Documents for Lithuanian Policy Visit The Lithuanian Ministry of Education who participated in the recent P2V meeting in Barcelona has published a webpage with access to key documents regarding the previous policy visit which took place in Vilnius, Lithuania on 18-20 June 2007.

The link is available here: http://korys.emokykla.lt/projects/peer-to-peer-networking-for-valorisation and include links to documents, pictures and additionnaly information about the visit.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/01/p2v_documents_for_barcelona_me.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/01/p2v_documents_for_barcelona_me.html Policy Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:30:42 +0100 A toolkit for the evaluation of ICT in schools Schools are complex organisations. That means that to do them justice through evaluation (be it external-, self- or peer-evaluation) there are many things to take into account. Many inspectorates have adopted a formalised procedure and methodologies to ensure reliable and fair evaluations of schools. Such procedures by the way cannot only be of help when carrying out external evaluations, but could mutatis mutandis also be used when schools carry out self- and peer-evalution (material for a future post maybe). When carrying out external evaluations with inspectors from different countries with a diversity of responsibilities, experience and mandates, having such formalised methologies in place is even more important.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/01/a_toolkit_for_the_evaluation_o.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/01/a_toolkit_for_the_evaluation_o.html Inspection Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:27:16 +0100 The evaluation framework used in the P2V policy strand The evaluation framework used in the policy strand of P2V is based on a method called RUFDATA described in a paper by Murray Saunders of Lancaster University (1). RUFDATA provides a convenient general framework to plan and develop evaluation within a collaborative project. Two evaluation sweeps have taken place so far.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/01/the_evaluation_framework_used.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/01/the_evaluation_framework_used.html Policy Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:39:54 +0100 P2V Project Partners Meeting in Brussels The second P2V Project Partners Meeting took place on 7 December 2007 in Brussels. Participants reviewed the first year of the project and discussions covered reports on peer learning visits for policy-makers (to Lithuania), schools (to Austria) and inspectorates (to the Netherlands and Lithuania), future plans and administrative issues.

]]> http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/01/p2v_project_partners_meeting_i.html http://blog.eun.org/p2v/2008/01/p2v_project_partners_meeting_i.html News Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:14:41 +0100