Welcome to WiMi Murcia Conference: 6-11 th October, 2009

Welcome to WiMi! Wide Minds : the human face of digital learning  One of only 3 Comenius networks to be funded by the EU call  14 countries, 21 partners, 2 associate partners

WiMi partners Elbląg, Poland Nicosia, Cyprus Adiyaman, Turkey Murcia, Spain Limoges, France Tübingen, Germany Oulu, Finland Ceredigion, Wales Lillebælt, Denmark Tuscany, Italy Dublin West, Ireland Olomouc, Czech Republic Steiermark, Austria Malmö, Sweden

WiMi regions

WiMi History Through involvement with previous network, Roots and Wings Over 250 schools participated/participating in Comenius projects Project disseminated to 10 additional countries through Arion/Transversal Study Visits Eco Schools/School councils/Comenius assistants/International Schools Award/ European Language Label……..

Who are WiMi? A network of educational professionals: WiMi Crew A range of expertise including:  ICT  Language teaching and learning  Intercultural dialogue  Leadership

WiMi Crew

Why WiMi? Build on:  Previous experience and expertise  Strength of relationships  Shared convictions and interests Address pan European dilemmas:  Pupils versus Teachers - use of ICT  Foreign language acquisition

What is WiMi doing? Promoting the human face of digital learning: Familiar faces  Local support and training in Regional Co- ordinating Centres  Local and regional Networking New faces and authentic contexts  International conferences and ICT training  Development of European projects  Meetings both real and virtual

What is WiMi doing?  Promoting use of open source / free software  Encouraging and supporting creative use of ICT  Building Moodle LMS ( Learning Management System)  Launching video conferencing initiative  Conducting action research in Multilingualism

Video conferencing Pre-primary and primary children France, Italy and Denmark Introduction - ”My name is..” Play a small game Sing a song in own and foreign language Goodbye Future: Pupils End product: A guide for video conferencing in schools

Polly Seton WiMi Network Coordinator

Multilingualism Discovering languages = « opening our minds » English + other languages Set up «courses»:  discover one another  develop language knowledge  through simple, fun activities (need basic ICT skills) Learning a language = means to discover and work with students from all over Europe!

Getting to know each other

Developing language knowledge

Don’t worry…

What is WiMi producing?  Website  Learning Management System  Kaleidoscope – online, multilingual magazine  Guides to Videoconferencing and Multilingualism  DVD and online guide with case studies

WiMi Events Conferences: 1.Elblag, Poland The human face of digital learning Nov Murcia, Spain Speaking your mind Oct Location to be decided: Caring for Europe Oct Conference/Transversal Study Visit Tuscany, Italy Celebration and dissemination May 2011

Conference quotes Our main goal was to start an EU project and this conference was the perfect environment. The programme was very well organised:It could not have been done better! I think the face of digital learning was definitely humanised this week. I have learnt so much about different cultures and school systems and have made lots of new friends. I have really enjoyed sharing experiences with teachers from different countries. Now I know what Moodle is! It was an opening of minds, a coming together.

Elblag, Poland, November 2008

Murcia: 6-11 October, 2009 Aims  to consider the benefits of an international dimension to the whole school, and learn from experienced practitioners  to meet up with other European professionals and plan international projects that celebrate our common humanity  to share in the progress of WiMi’s multilingualism and videoconferencing research  to see examples of creative use of ICT  to promote the learning of foreign languages and encourage respect for linguistic and cultural diversity  to receive hands-on training in Moodle  to have an insight into the Spanish education system, culture and language