Practices

Thematic Field: Teaching professions
Students' guidance in IT based open learning environments
Comenius Regio Partnership
Institutions involved:
Partner Regio 1
Coordinator organisation: Stadt Osterholz - Scharmbeck
Partner organisations: Haupt-und Realschule Osterholz- Scharmbeck
DE - Germany Europäisches Institut für Innovation (EIFI) e.V.
Volkshochschule Osterholz-Scharmbeck Hambergen / Schwanewede e.V.
Initiative D21 e.V.
Partner Regio 2
Coordinator organisation: Varbergs municipality
Partner organisations: Peder Skrivares Skola
SE - Sweden Lindbergs skola
Lärarförbundet - the Swedish Teachers’ Union, Varberg
Lärarnas riksförbund
Key words: Improving learning, Teacher competences, Collaborative learning,
Mentoring
Description:
It's a pioneering project on how to develop teacher mentoring skills by using ICT.
Its main objective has been getting a better understanding of the process of learning
with ICT tools in open learning environments and the enhancement of ICT based
learning processes. The specific scope of the project was the role of teachers and
tutors in such blended learning arrangements and the question up to what extend
self- organised learning is possible and how guidance and feedback to the pupils
can be organised in the best way in order to allow well customized learning for each
pupil. Thus the project had not only a didactic side but touched also aspects of staff
resources economy and school organisation.
The approach to achieve the objectives has been fourfold: First, to analyse the
practice and conditions of ICT use in self-organized learning and the specific
requirements of support for the learners offered by the school; Secondly a guidance
and feed-back model, the “Learn Desk” concept was developed to improve the
student’s results in school. The “Learn Desk” should increase the access to the
teachers during the day as a help-desk open from 8 to 8 and be a compliment to the
ordinary teacher allowing helping students which are not able to assist ordinary school
sessions for whatever reason. The concept was been developed by local expert groups
in each region. Next stage was to implement the “Learn Desks” in the participating
schools and a 6 months testing phase. Step four was dedicated to the dissemination
of project results by planning work-shops addressed to the regional and national open
learning community in both countries.
The web page has the option to download the project results. The teachers in Varberg
produced a short film describing how the participating schools worked with it as a way
to make the school more accessible and flexible for students.
Duration:
2010-2012
Webpage:
http://www.learndesk.eu/; http://vimeo.com/34886518
http://www.europeansharedtreasure.eu/detail.php?id_project_base=2010-1-DE3-
COM13-10406
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