REFLECTIONS ON eTWINNING

PEDAGOGICAL ADVISORY GROUP
lum; focus on the fun-factor in learning and then elaborate on the development of children’s
talents by looking at the Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Finally we briefly
describe some ICT tools for supporting teaching and learning in eTwinning projects.
Characteristics of learning
The role of the teacher is key to the paradigm shift from traditional teaching and learning to
more modern ways of teaching and learning. But the role of the learner also changes
enormously. In this often termed ‘New Learning’ the context of the learning changes, the
learners are more active and responsible for their own learning and the relationship between
learners and teachers changes.
We will briefly look at these three dimensions of teaching and learning.
Changing content
Assessment and the examination process often drives curriculum content including what is
taught and how it is taught through, a national curriculum or core objectives. So the
curriculum reflects these objectives, translates them into a sequence of learning activities,
most of the time regulated by textbooks or computer software and web based resources.
The advantage is that teachers can be certain to have handled all the obligatory stuff and
they know that they are preparing their students for examinations or standard tests. In the
background the subject traditions play a major role: e.g. “You have to know the laws of
Newton before solving problems with moving cars.”
In problem based learning or in self-exploratory learning the starting point for the learning
activity is a real life problem, a question raised by the students themselves, a web quest,
a specific assignment, a ‘performance’, or a task. The theory or information needed to solve
the problem, to answer the question, to fulfil the assignment, or to ‘perform’ the task is
available, can be used or gathered.
The teacher is there to coach, support, help or to act as a supplier of resources, knowledge
and wisdom.
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