International Collaboration in Special Education: eTwinning and Erasmus+

International Collaboration in Special
Education: eTwinning and Erasmus+

Panelists:
Glenda McKeown
Teacher and eTwinning ambassador in
Our Lady of Fatima, Wexford.

                  Miceal Moley
                  Principal of St. Ita’s Special School,
                  Drogheda. Erasmus+ KA1 beneficiary.

Running Order:
➔ Ascertaining current knowledge

➔ eTwinning

Glenda McKeown describes how eTwinnning has supported learning in Our Lady of Fatima School, Wexford

➔ Erasmus+

Miceal Moley shares his experience of the Erasmus+ KA1 process in St. Ita's School, Drogheda

➔ Breakout space

How can eTwinning and Erasmus+ enhance learning in our schools?

➔ Adjournment
Closing the session and final Q and A

eTwinning Projects in SEN settings

WHY do an eTwinning
     project?             ●   Enhances what we do in
                              classroom
                          ●   Link to curriculum
  Do we not have enough   ●   Learning beyond the
      work??????              classroom walls/school
                          ●   Digital citizenship
                              (e.e.JCl2)
                          ●   European
                              identity/citizenship

PLANNING IS KEY: 1

1. Identify your focus: class/individual level or whole school level

   What needs to be improved/worked on? In class or whole school?

   Can you identify an area: class/whole school

   What about SSE?

   Look at policies at staff level?

PLANNING IS KEY: 2

2. Gather evidence - surveys etc

3. Write and share - eTwinning team

4. Put into yearly plan and link to curriculum

5. Put into action (how long should it last?)

6. Monitor and evaluate

Topics/Themes

         How long should it be?
            1 month? 1 year?
Division is NB: Monthly activities/targets

Our World of Well-being: Eat, sleep, play, dance & sing
          eTwinning whole school project

WHOLE SCHOOL eTWINNING PROJECT
                                       How:

Why:                                   ●   eTwinning team/management
                                       ●   Staff meetings: brainstorming,
❖   eTwinning School - 2018 - build        surveys etc
    on this - to get more teachers     ●   Planned together: written up and
    involved                               linked to yearly plans for
❖   Digital strategy for schools           following school year
    2016-2020
❖   Well-being - important to our
    students & staff - Policy update

WHOLE SCHOOL eTWINNING PROJECT

What:

 ●   Whole school approach: unified, creative, sense of
     ‘togetherness’ & connectivity, Highlighted/encouraged
     strengths.
 ●   Peer tutoring: development of “pineapple Project”.
     DT skills improved.
 ●   Enhanced sense of well-being……...nb for current crisis.
     Extension of this - current, “Mindful schools” project!

The Project itself: The Why?

The Project itself: The How?

Examples of activities: Collaborative story using Kamishibai

Examples of activities: Using Padlet, Smore

   https://www.smore.com/z2rjd

Examples of Activities: Mindfulness Check In - Using Green Screen

Conclusion
Being involved in eTwinning:

 ★   Fun
 ★   Learning & Teaching: enhancement
 ★   Individual/team/whole school
 ★   Identify your focus
 ★   Plan
 ★   Put into action
 ★   Evaluate the Impact
         For us, DT skills improved, students and teacher mentoring - relationships,
         confidence, greater sense of community, team building, collegiality, greater
                     awareness of importance of wellbeing….positive!!

St Ita's Special School
     Erasmus KA101 Project 2017-2019

Fostering positive practical lifelong
outcomes for SEN students, enhancing
social, emotional, community and economic
mobility within society.

Context/background of project
School Profile
St. Ita’s is a co-ed school for children aged 5-18 years who have a mild
general learning need.
Positive Outcomes
This project is based on ‘Positive Outcomes’ for students during and following
formal education provision.
 The increase in knowledge, competencies and skills of the staff will enhance
the employability of the pupils and increase their career prospects and
wellbeing
This project will promote good mental health by scaffolding the learning
practically and thus enhancing independence.

Project Management
St.Ita’s Erasmus Committee was formed and met weekly, this working group is responsible for steering all
Erasmus activities in our school.
The Principal and Deputy Principal (Senior Management), four Special Needs Teachers and School
administrator made up the group .
Sub committees were formed chaired by Senior Management to help with the co-ordination of the Project.

Sub-Committees - Administration
Relevant agreements with partner organisations are firmly in place prior to a mobility
Pre-mobility meeting of participants, to address welfare issues while on the mobility – Set up WhatsApp groups
to aid participant safety
Certificates of Attendance
Setting up relevant documentation: Participant packs with details of flights, accommodation, course details,
health/travel insurance, participant Feedback surveys to help with end of project report. Mobility Tool input.
Report writing.

Sub-Committee - Travel
Flight Bookings
Research of Transfers to/from Airports
Accommodation Bookings
Record of Passport & EHIC
Payments (copy to finance)

Sub-Committee - Finance
Staff member with Financial Expertise
(school administrator, committee member)
Budgets (daily per mobility, overall)
Collection of all Receipts
Financial Reporting

Sub Committee -
Cultural Events Management
Job Shadow
School Visits
Compiling cultural itineraries for visiting Participants of KA1 & KA2 Projects
Erasmus Week: Coordinating events throughout the school and community.

Learning From Mobilities
Staff speak with confidence and enthusiasm about our Erasmus experience
Student’s Voice –We needed to priorities this in our school, formed a student council
as a result of our engagement in Erasmus+
Using outside companies to enhance our students' community integration
Using other spaces for learning
 Increased knowledge/methodologies in the use of ASD resources
Open up discussion on how we use technology and social media in school context.
Re-enforced our belief that the St.Ita’s model of special education has a lot to offer.

Challenges
Understanding the budgets from the outset
Operating system used by Erasmus (difficulties logging into
mobility tool)
Planned courses cancelled
Time to disseminate information from mobility’s to all staff
Completion of final report (link questions on staff feedback forms
to final report)

Dissemination of information
Staff participation feedback after mobility (PowerPoint)
Board of Management/Parents' Association/Education Forums
Involvement in Erasmus+ Schools week event helped us to compile information boards on our Erasmus+
experience.

Consider:
  What curricular need could
eTwinning/Erasmus+ meet in my
           school?

SWOT Analysis: Group A
                eTwinning       Erasmus+

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

SWOT Analysis: Group B
                eTwinning       Erasmus+

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

SWOT Analysis: Group C
                eTwinning       Erasmus+

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

SWOT Analysis: Group D
                eTwinning       Erasmus+

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

Adjourning

●   Resources, slides and tools
    will be shared with the
    group ​

●   Questions?