Innovative Provision of Professional Development Opportunities to Teachers Sofoklis Sotiriou, Pavlos Koulouris, Emmanuel Apostolakis R&D Department, Ellinogermaniki Agogi Greece Presented by Pavlos Koulouris

Small rural primary schools: ‘borderers’ of the education system Multigrade schools Multigrade schools Providing the children of remote areas with the access to education which all children of Greece are entitled to. Providing the children of remote areas with the access to education which all children of Greece are entitled to.

Challenges and needs Initial training in multigrade teaching: Not sufficient Initial training in multigrade teaching: Not sufficient Typically, inexperienced newly-appointed teachers are posted to remote schools for a short term service Typically, inexperienced newly-appointed teachers are posted to remote schools for a short term service Hence a need to: Hence a need to: improve expertise in multigrade teaching acquire new knowledge and skills develop personal competences falling beyond the established initial and in-service teacher training curricula

Multigrade teaching competence: A problematic concept No standardized requirements No standardized requirements No clear definition of good multigrade teaching No clear definition of good multigrade teaching Teachers are left alone to explore and learn multigrade teaching on their own. Teachers are left alone to explore and learn multigrade teaching on their own.

Difficulties Not easy to provide conventional professional development: Not easy to provide conventional professional development: distance, costs, lack of substitute teachers distance, costs, lack of substitute teachers Rural vs Urban: the consequences of a widening socioeconomic and digital divide Rural vs Urban: the consequences of a widening socioeconomic and digital divide

Addressing the problem: the use of ICT Different forms of technology-supported learning and distance education models have been tried in the past Different forms of technology-supported learning and distance education models have been tried in the past Our response to the challenges: Our response to the challenges: Alleviating teachers’ isolation through distance training, support and networking opportunities. Alleviating teachers’ isolation through distance training, support and networking opportunities.

Our main questions What is the appropriate content for the professional development and support activities? What is the appropriate content for the professional development and support activities? How appropriate are the various available and emerging delivery technologies? How appropriate are the various available and emerging delivery technologies? What are some possible extensions to conventional e-learning technologies and practices, which could help teachers learn as individuals and to learn from each other, participating in a sustainable lifelong learning network? What are some possible extensions to conventional e-learning technologies and practices, which could help teachers learn as individuals and to learn from each other, participating in a sustainable lifelong learning network?

Our course in the past six years Teachers’ competence development through training content delivered over the web (MUSE project) Teachers’ competence development through training content delivered over the web (MUSE project) Testing more advanced technologies for broadband delivery over satellite, while continuing to further develop the content (ZEUS and RURAL WINGS projects) Testing more advanced technologies for broadband delivery over satellite, while continuing to further develop the content (ZEUS and RURAL WINGS projects) Development of a network (NEMED) and an increased interest in concepts and tools related to lifelong learning networks (NEMED, RURAL WINGS) Development of a network (NEMED) and an increased interest in concepts and tools related to lifelong learning networks (NEMED, RURAL WINGS)

The training content Professional development along two main axes: Professional development along two main axes: Use of ICT in teacher’s work, both for teaching and administrative purposes. Use of ICT in teacher’s work, both for teaching and administrative purposes. Application of teaching and learning approaches which are most appropriate for the multigrade classroom. Application of teaching and learning approaches which are most appropriate for the multigrade classroom.

The e-learning technologies E-learning environments: E-learning environments: satellite telecommunications for broadband delivery of rich educational content satellite telecommunications for broadband delivery of rich educational content synchronous (videoconferencing, application sharing, chatting) synchronous (videoconferencing, application sharing, chatting) asynchronous (web-based learning through structured access to a rich pool of educational content, and networking) asynchronous (web-based learning through structured access to a rich pool of educational content, and networking)

Turning the school into a ‘Learning Hub’ open to the local community

New leadership roles for rural school teachers New leadership roles for rural school teachers Inviting the teacher to work with, and for, the local community Inviting the teacher to work with, and for, the local community                

Inviting the teacher to become a change agent in the community He/she will catalyse innovation and development in the school and the local community He/she will catalyse innovation and development in the school and the local community He/she will turn the declining school into a lively node supporting lifelong learning for everyone He/she will turn the declining school into a lively node supporting lifelong learning for everyone The rural school will become more responsive to the growth and survival needs of its community The rural school will become more responsive to the growth and survival needs of its community Education will develop responsible citizens and create opportunities for tomorrow's rural leaders to emerge Education will develop responsible citizens and create opportunities for tomorrow's rural leaders to emerge

A model for training delivery

The networking technology The NEMED web portal: The NEMED web portal: a lively virtual space of structured exchange between network partners (open to everyone) a lively virtual space of structured exchange between network partners (open to everyone)

A repository of teaching and learning resources connected to multigrade education, jointly created and updated by the teachers – network members

Challenges / outstanding questions We want to elaborate further our vision of lifelong learning for rural teachers, and its connections with the concepts of competence development and lifelong learning network We want to elaborate further our vision of lifelong learning for rural teachers, and its connections with the concepts of competence development and lifelong learning network We are investigating tools and methodologies which can: We are investigating tools and methodologies which can: foster the improvement of personal competences in rural teachers, and foster the improvement of personal competences in rural teachers, and encourage and facilitate a teacher’s contributions to the development of the other teachers. encourage and facilitate a teacher’s contributions to the development of the other teachers.

Outstanding questions Revisiting the training delivery model mentioned above, at the micro level: Revisiting the training delivery model mentioned above, at the micro level: aiming to incorporate methods and tools facilitating informal learning through peer interaction aiming to incorporate methods and tools facilitating informal learning through peer interaction

Outstanding questions re. technology Which technologies are able to support rural teachers, both as individuals and as members of teams, to further develop their competences making use of the distributed knowledge and learning resources available? Which technologies are able to support rural teachers, both as individuals and as members of teams, to further develop their competences making use of the distributed knowledge and learning resources available?

Outstanding questions re. technology The NEMED portal: The NEMED portal: So far, a repository of teaching and learning resources jointly updated by its members, and a place of exchange and contact. So far, a repository of teaching and learning resources jointly updated by its members, and a place of exchange and contact. How else? What else? How else? What else? RURAL WINGS: RURAL WINGS: An opportunity to organise numerous learning resources and diverse learners in rural communities into meaningful, working networks fostering lifelong learning and competence development. An opportunity to organise numerous learning resources and diverse learners in rural communities into meaningful, working networks fostering lifelong learning and competence development.

The notion of communities of practice A powerful conceptual tool: people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly We are aiming to enable the development of a community of practice of rural teachers We are aiming to enable the development of a community of practice of rural teachers

Community of practice: How? A shared domain of interest: the development of multigrade teaching competences A shared domain of interest: the development of multigrade teaching competences We need to establish and sustain members’ commitment to the domain We need to establish and sustain members’ commitment to the domain We need to facilitate community development by assisting teachers to: We need to facilitate community development by assisting teachers to: engage in joint activities and discussions engage in joint activities and discussions help each other help each other share information and learn from each other, while pursuing their interest in their domain. share information and learn from each other, while pursuing their interest in their domain.

A community of practice rather than a mere community of interest Rural teachers developing a shared repertoire of resources – a shared practice: Rural teachers developing a shared repertoire of resources – a shared practice: Experiences Experiences Stories Stories Tools Tools Ways of addressing recurring problems in their small rural school, etc. Ways of addressing recurring problems in their small rural school, etc.

Questions - problems This takes time This takes time It requires sustained interaction It requires sustained interaction How can technology support activities through which communities develop their practice? How can technology support activities through which communities develop their practice? problem solving problem solving requests for information requests for information experience seeking experience seeking reusing of assets reusing of assets coordination and synergy coordination and synergy discussion of developments discussion of developments mapping of knowledge, identification of gaps, etc. mapping of knowledge, identification of gaps, etc.

How can this be designed and realised given current technological developments? An open challenge multi-user virtual environments (virtual worlds)?