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?

Do we not have enough

work??????

● Enhances what we do in

classroom

● Link to curriculum

● Learning beyond the

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

Why:

❖ eTwinning School - 2018 - build

on this - to get more teachers

involved

❖ Digital strategy for schools

2016-2020

❖ Well-being - important to our

students & staff - Policy update

How:

● eTwinning team/management

● Staff meetings: brainstorming,

surveys etc

● Planned together: written up and

linked to yearly plans for

following school year

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 - AdministrationRelevant 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 ManagementJob 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

● Resources, slides and tools

will be shared with the

group

● Questions?

Adjourning