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Mobile Intercultural Cooperative Learning
Mobile Intercultural Cooperative Learning
Start date: Sep 1, 2015,
End date: Aug 31, 2017
PROJECT
FINISHED
An increasing number of European countries have identified mobile computing devices, particularly tablets as a focal point of their national strategies for education (Horizon Report, 2014). These multifunctional “always connected devices” allow simple tools and applications to be easily integrated into classroom activities with no need for involvement of IT support (Horizon Report, 2011). While a number of small studies documenting tablet use in schools have been conducted in Europe and elsewhere, many are based on projects conducted in isolation, Consequently the opportunity to share expertise and key learning experiences has not being exploited and few appropriate pedagogical approaches and methodologies illustrating how to effectively deploy mobile cooperative learning using tablets in classrooms exist.
To address these deficiencies, the MICOOl consortium has been established. Comprising seven partner organizations from four programme countries and two partner countries, the project’s key aim is to provide in-service training for teachers in the pedagogy of mobile technology, through examining current strategies and using teacher networks to exchange ideas, experiences and best practice. It will examine how and in what way innovative mobile devices change teaching and learning in the classroom, and will explore the concept of 21st century learning where the teacher’s role changes from imparting information, to assisting students to become independent learners as they become co-learners with students in how to use the “next new technology effectively and creatively” to support lifelong learning (as suggested by Ken Robinson Partnership for 21st century skills).
MICOOL has been inspired by a pilot project on tablet technologies carried out in Swiss schools, 2011/2014 (http://www.my-pad.ch/mobiles-kooperatives lernen im Unterricht) and the partners are attempting to model this initiative in their own jurisdictions. Switzerland therefore is a central player in the MICOOL project. Similarly the partner from Montenegro, who has unique expertise as an e-twinning ambassador will play a key role in upskilling the partners on using the e-twinning environment including the Learning Lab and the eTwinning online course environment. This will contribute significantly to the project’s multiplier capabilities as resources and materials created by the partnership will be made available to a wide cohort of teachers through this facility.
As an important goal of the project is to enhance digital integration in learning and teaching including increasing the media competence of teachers through the innovative use of mobile technology, the key project objectives are to :
Exchange experiences on the use of mobile technology in the classroom through teacher networks locally and then share this knowledge
Devise best practice and strategies that can be shared with other teacher networks
Empower individual and cooperative and inclusive learning with mobile devices at school
Further develop teacher training in how to use tablets effectively in the classroom to raise digital media- and inter-cultural competencies
Develop a "theory" of teaching with mobile devices
The project consortium will work at the teacher trainer and practitioner levels as the partners include teacher trainers from different countries and teachers working in elementary and secondary education. Using a structured approach to project management, organised in accordance with PMBOK guidelines, the project will produce the following outputs:
A website which will act a virtual platform for teachers where basic ideas, best practice examples, useful apps/ links, and further ‘community of practice ‘exchanges can take place
An eBook on mobile learning with tablets which will act as a teacher-training guide and a best practice ideas-guide for teachers
A virtual training course on mobile learning utilising Learning lab/twinspace
A needs analysis to investigate the use of tablets for inclusive teaching and learning in the mainstream setting
An f2f course on mobile learning to promote intercultural learning, dialogue and the sharing of good practice
Academic research, conference presentations and publications based on project case studies
The project's impact and long term sustainability will be ensured through the presentation of project findings via the media, academic journal papers and conference presentations. Long term sustainability will be ensured as teacher networks will be targeted to distribute the findings and the teacher trainers involved in the project will continue to diffuse the project outcomes, thus adding to the multiplier effect. Furthermore from a policy perspective the MICOOL project will support the Council of Europe Education and Training 2020 framework, specifically objectives two and three, which aim to improve the quality and efficiency of education and training and promote equity, inclusion and inter-cultural dialogue.