Dr. Jane t Georgeson, Plymouth University

Key Learnings from ENTELS Online
International Course
Jan Georgeson and Linda la Velle,
Plymouth Institute of Education
Plan of presentation
Introduction to project
Theoretical framework of evaluation
Developing & Piloting online course
Emerging findings: what do teachers think?
Implications
We gratefully acknowledge the vital
contributions of
Andrew Edwards-Jones & Claudia
Blandon
Project rationale ….
20th century-trained teachers need to develop
21st century skills
◦
◦
◦
◦
collaboration
creativity
communication (including ICT)
criticality
to meet complex, ever-changing workplace
requirements and needs of 21st century
learners
(Dede, 2004; 2009).
….. and Project Outputs
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Review – what works in CPD in 21C skills?
Identify – suitable online platform
Design – modules based on review
Pilot – what do teachers think?
Evaluate – what can we learn?
Each partner led on one aspect of the project;
all partners contributed to all outputs.
Activity Theory used to frame
evaluation [of online learning]
Tools
Subject
Rules
Object
Community
Division of labour
Engeström, 1999; [Russell 2001]
ENTELS as an activity system
[for online learning]
Virtual campus
What is being used?
Course content
What are people
working on?
To achieve what?
From whose
perspective?
Expectations
met?
What supports or
constrains the work?
What
helped/hinder
Who else is
involved?
How is the work
shared?
Edwards & Daniels, 2008; [Russell 2001]
Design of ENTELS training course for
Secondary Teachers


Led by Universidad Santiago de Compostela
Modules selected before project began, to
meet local CPD needs in promoting 21C
learning
 ICT Kit
 Learner-centred Approaches
 Entrepreneurship in Education
 Assessment in Education
Developing E-learning modules
USC based modules on outputs from previous
European projects
◦ Many examples for ICT kit
◦ ‘Learner-centredness’ theme in previous ICT
projects
◦ Entrepreneurship in Education informed by
previous project setting up virtual company
◦ Assessment informed by E-portfolio project
◦ Partners provided examples from own contexts


Disparate examples from 4 different national
contexts
Repurposed into coherent course
Piloting of E-learning modules



Teachers recruited via open call or network contacts
Teachers required to complete ICT Toolkit module +
one other module.
294 teachers registered to take part across the 4
countries:
◦
◦
◦
◦
Ireland: 81teachers registered, 24 completed
UK: 30 registered, no completions
Lithuania: 70 teachers registered, 51 completed
Spain:113 teachers registered, 51 completed
Courses still on-going in Ireland & UK.
 Participants invited to give anonymous feedback
via online surveys.

Completion of modules
140
120
100
UK
80
Ireland
Lithuania
60
Spain
40
20
0
ICT
ICT
L/c app
L/centre
Entrepren
Entrepren.
Assessment
assessment
What were teachers expectations?
Were these met?
Baseline survey:
Increase knowledge
update skills
Network
Baseline Survey: Course Expectations
I hope to increase my knowledge
of ICT/learner-centred
approaches/entrepreneurship/as
sessment
I hope to update my skills in
ICT/learner-centred
approaches/entrepreneurship/as
sessment
I am looking forward to online
networking
4
3
Rating Scale
0=Not applicable
1=Strongly disagree
2=Disagree
3=Agree
4=Strongly agree
2
I hope this course helps to
address a specific problem in our
school
1
Actually, I have no expectations
0
Ireland
Ireland
Lithuania
Lith
England
Eng
Spain
Spain
Baseline Survey: Rating own knowledge
4
ICT
3
Learner-centred
approaches
Rating Scale
Entrepreneurship
0=none
1=Minimal 2
2=Adeqaute
3=Good
4=Very good
Assessment
1
0
Ireland
Ireland
Lithuania
Lith
England
Eng
Spain
Spain
What were teachers expectations?
Were these met?
Baseline survey:
Increase knowledge
update skills
network
Second survey:
Found out about new tools
Developed skills with new tools
Became more confident with ICT
ICT was compulsory module -> bias?
Disappointed with opps for networking
How do you rate your knowledge in
the following areas (Ireland only)?
3.5
Good
After
Survey 2
3
2.5
Adequate
Survey 1
Before
2
1.5
“Taking the course has had a positive impact
on my working practice"
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
% 40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Strongly Agree
Agree
Ireland
Disagree
Spain
Strongly Disagree
Lithuania
Not Applicable
Typical comments on the course
Ačiū
už galimybę
dalyvauti
kursuose
ir praplėsti
Good
course - very
optimistic
to think
it wouldžinias.
be
This
project
ises
anuna
opportunity
to participate
work
theinclassroom
in a
Thank
you forin
the
opportunity
to
courses
and
completed
the
timeframe
but
then
nice
Este
proyecto
oportunidad
parainagain
trabajar
entoelhave
different
andlooks
do with
itlike
in conjunction
with
other
Laiko
klausimas:
ekspromtu
taikyti
naujus
IKT
expand
knowledge.
aThanks
drive
toway
continue
itay-pradėti
Interesting
content
I will
Aula
de
un
-modo
this
diferente
great
hacerlo
resource
en conjunto
and Iso
con
am
keen
professionals
and
other
places
įrankius
labai
dalyko
ugdymo
turinys
jauuse it as
continue
to sunku,
engage
with
itfrom
Iotros
finish.
otros
to profesionales
work
my
waystudents
through
ykai
alumnos
ituntil
and
de
then,
lugares
next
year,
susietas
su
ugdymo
valandomis
Anan
issue
of faktinėmis
timing:part
an impromptu
introduction
new ICT
integrated
of
my teacher
training of
course
Enough,
both
new
and
things
Icurriculum
remembered,
thanks
to theto
atsižvelgiant,
kad
procesas
bus
organizuojamas
tools
is very
difficult
when
the
already
linked
Thank
you
for
introducing
me
to materials
and
Bastantes,
tanto
de
las
nuevas
como
deislas
que he
course.
system
of
rubrica
for el
student
naudojant
žinomus
metodus.
the
actualFor
training
givenof.
that
the process
will
be England
resources
Iexample,
was hours
unaware
recordado
gracias
al
curso.
Por
ejemplo,
Lecturer
sistema
from
de
assessment
organized
using
rúbricas
para
la known
para lamethods
evaluación del alumnado.
Lacking
[opportunities
to] resourceful
promote
among
Daugiau
tokių
projektų,
kaip
ENTELS,
nes
paprastai
Thank
you
for
theaopportunity
andinteraction
hopefully
I can
It appears
to
be
very
course
that
I am
participants;
the
wereFamily
aimedlos
too
collecting
mes
sėdime
,klausome
ir miegame
mokytojų
More
projects
such
as tackling
ENTELS,
because
usually
weatto
sit
, listen
engage
more
inactivities
the
future.
life
ismuch
hard
juggle
Faltó
looking
promover
forward
la
interacción
to
entre
participantes
,
data
kvalifikacijos
kėlimo
kursų
ir nieko
neišmokstame
and
sleep teacher
training
courses
and
not
learn
anything
additional
workloads.
Really
enjoyed
the
online
las
actividades
estaban
demasiado
Trainee
encaminadas
teacher
fromaEngland
la
Teachers from Galicia
seminars
recogida
de datos.
Teachers
from
Lithuania
Teachers
from
Lithuania
Teachers
from
Ireland
Teachers
from
Galicia
What helped participation in
different contexts?
Partners took local contexts into consideration to
customise modules
Web trawled for material with local relevance
Each partner provided an online tutor to guide
participants.
Teachers took part in module activities and applied
learning in their classrooms.
Teachers used blogs/webinars to share and reflect on
their practice
What hindered participation in
different contexts?
“Non "abusar" tanto do inglés na plataforma, dar
explicacións máis precisas para os que non
Learning
how to use platform
estamos
familiarizados
coas TIC e / ou facilitarnos
un modelo a seguir.
The " abuse " of English in the platform , but more
precise
explanations
Timing
constraintsfor those who are not familiar with
IT and / or providing us with a model to follow
“Mokinių
patiriamas
technostresas
veda link
Inflexibility:
learning
path,
target
participants
(Teacher from Spain)
nusivylimo
ir nenoro
išbandyti
naujus įrankius New tools
can disrupt
systems
motyvavimo klausimas”.
Separate
course for
each country:
teachers
Students
experienced
technostress,
which
leads had
to to
‘apply’ to
workto
totry
international
frustration
andupload
reluctance
new tools site
– motivation
of CPD/recruitment
issueStatus
(Teacher
from Lithuania)issues
“Completing the course alongside usual
workload was challenging”
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
% 40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Strongly Agree
Agree
Ireland
Disagree
Spain
Strongly Disagree
Lithuania
Not Applicable
ENTELS – finding the niche
Courses selected to meet cpd needs of teachers in
Galicia
 Spanish teachers
contractually required to
engage in CPD – and it’s free
 Lithuania focus on upskilling
teachers in ICT
 Ireland: initiative on
assessment
 England: CPD follows school development plan
ENTELS in UK – finding the niche



15 schools contacted directly (“cold calling”)
2 school networks contacted, potentially reaching most
schools in Plymouth via newsletter
But only 4 secondary teachers signed up
Personal (serendipitous) contact:
 Special school teachers
 Lecturer on Postgraduate teacher training course
◦ Cover topics not covered fully during course
◦ Academic engagement: finishing course & starting work
◦ Embed into course for new trainees in September
What have we learned?
Recruitment should follow course
construction
 Steep learning curve with technology can
be off-putting
for participants
to technology
connect a little
I
didWays
one online
call and found the
awkward
and was
put off. I then
let work
over and
between
countries
should
be take
better

didn't follow through with the project.
I was put off by my first encounter. It might have been my
attitude...I felt like the first conference call had a few glitches
 Value of co-construction of content
(which are obviously to be expected and why I avoid certain
aspects
of ICT)
I don't think it was your fault,
I think it was my
 Local
supports/constraints
matter
attitude...I also think school was so busy that I felt like my time
 Easier
to flex-to-fit
than
findstage
a niche?
could
have been
put to better use
at that
of the year
(Teacher from Ireland)
References



Edwards, A., Daniels, H., Gallagher, T., Leadbetter, J. and
Warmington, P. (2008) Improving inter-professional collaborations:
learning to do multi-agency work. London; Routledge
Engestrom Y. (1999). Innovative learning in work teams: analysing
cycles of knowledge creation in practice. In Y. Engestrom R.
Miettinen, & R.-L. Punamaki (Eds.), Perspectives on activity
theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Russell, David (2001) Looking Beyond the Interface: Activity
Theory and Distributed Learning. In Distributed Learning: Social
and Cultural Approaches to Practice. Ed. Mary Lea and Kathy
Nicoll. London: Routledge, 64-82.
Thank you