European Trade Union Committee for Education

On 25 – 27 April 2018, ETUCE held training seminar in Lisbon titled “Education trade unions promoting the use of ICT for inclusive education”. More than thirty participants from education trade unions from across Europe attended the seminar.

Opening the first session of the seminar, ETUCE European Director Susan Flocken stated “New technologies offer huge opportunities and potential for education. We must also be aware of the challenges they create, such as cyberbullying, data protection and potential commercialisation and marketisation of education. We as education trade unions need to discuss this and support how ICT can be used for inclusive education.”

Participants were able to engage in discussions both with each other and with a variety of guest speakers. This included Natalia Amelina (Chief of the Teacher Professional Development and Networking Section, UNESCO IITE), Yves Punie (Deputy Head of the Human Capital and Employment Unit, JRC Directorate Innovation and Growth, European Commission), Margarida Videira (Policy Officer Medida IV, Programa Escholhas), Professors Ana Pedro, Nuno Dorotea and Joao Piedade from the University of Lisbon’s Institute of Education, Alexandre Dias (FNE), Joao Paulo Silva (FENPROF), Stephanie de Vanssay (UNSA) and Petr Pecenka (CMOP PS). The programme included a workshop where participants covered one of three topics: ICT training needs of teachers, learning analytics and the pedagogical and democratic use of ICT.

The training seminar was an exciting opportunity for participants to hear about good practices and learn how to address challenges in the use of ICT for inclusive education as well as the role of education trade unions, with many ideas and experiences exchanged.

To read the ETUCE Policy Paper on the use of ICT and the 21st Century Teaching Profession, click here.

To read the ETUCE Position Paper on the EU Digital Action Plan, click here.

To view the photos from the training seminar, click here.