European Trade Union Committee for Education

• ICT in Education
• ETUCE Taskforce on ICT
• ELFE-ESL Project (2011-2014)
• ELFE 2 Project (2008-2009)
• ELFE 1 Project (2004-2005)
• ELFE Schools

Description

The two-year project ELFE 2 built on the conclusion of various studies and projects (mainly on its predecessor ELFE 1), that the use of ICT in education brings particular benefits for learning and teaching. Concerning learning processes and learners, benefits are indicated particularly on motivation, skills, independence and teamwork. Regarding teaching processes and teachers, an increased enthusiasm, efficiency and best collaboration have been pointed out as skills enhanced when using of ICT. However, barriers still exist preventing these simple benefits from evolving into a solid added value for teaching and learning models. ELFE 2 dealt particularly with identifying the methodologies used to optimise these benefits. The project also tried to transpose its research findings into clear recommendations on how to implement ICT in schools and higher (teacher) education institutions in a coordinated way.

Objectives

• To identify methodologies used in schools and teacher education institutions in order to favour a use of ICT that promotes the added value of using ICT in education in terms of teaching and learning models (by building on the ELFE 1 findings);
• To develop recommendations addressed to policy-makers, to schools and teacher education institutions and to trade union leaders on the three priority areas identified in ELFE 1 (ICT and teacher education, ICT and school management, ICT and strategic use of available financial means).

Activities

• 5 meetings of the Project's Steering Committee (SC);
• 5 visits where 3 SC-members visited 2 schools and one teacher education institute in each of the 5 countries: Denmark, UK, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia;
• 2 regional seminars: In the period from November 2008 - March 2009 two regional seminars took place. The first one for representatives from the ETUCE members from the Western European countries and the second one for ETUCE member organisations from the 12 new EU member states and candidate countries. During the seminars the experts presented their findings from the school visits in their respective areas. The purpose was to investigate the transferability of good methodologies on the use of ICT as part of the whole school development strategy, including ICT in initial and in-service teacher education, which promotes the added value of using ICT in education. The feasibility of implementing possible future methodologies common to all EU countries was analysed. Other stakeholders in the area of the use of ICT in education was invited to participate in the Regional Seminars, to give their input to the discussions – this includeed research institutions, head school associations and student representatives;
• Final conference: During the Final Conference, the draft recommendations was discussed by all ETUCE M.O, representing all EU/EFTA and candidate countries. Other stakeholders was invited to participate in the Final Conference, to give their input to the discussions (students, research institutions, etc.);
• Web-site: this web-site gave updated information o­n the development of the project.

 This project has been funded with support from the European Commission - This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.