Multigrade Education and ICT

1. Multigrade Education and ICT By: Karen Hrisafinas - University of Aegean

2. Definitions What is a multigrade school ? It’s a type of school where the teacher has to teach in more than one grade simultaneously in the same classroom Why do we have many multigrade schools ? • a lot of mountainous regions and a large number small islands • historical reasons forced the population to live in areas of difficult access • a significant percentage of the population still lives in the above • described regions However, these schools operate even with a very small number of students , even if the conditions do not provide the ideal educational environment

3. Definitions 4/5 mountainousareas In Greece More than 10.000 islands

4. Situation in Greece In Finland : multigrade schools represent 30% of the total school number In G. Britain : 6,3 of primary schools are multigrade

5. Multigrade school reality • Teachers have to be well prepared: • they have to plan ahead • be exact on how and when to administer specific parts of the syllabus • the schoolbooks are the same as in any other school • there is a considerable work for the teacher who has to deal with • different grades In multigrade schools usually there is a teacher “acting as headmaster” having the double role of manager and teacher. Multigrade schoolteachers have a great deal of administrative work. The teacher acts under great time pressure

6. The role of Multigrade Education • Multigrade schools are considered to play an important role on providing access to education for all in remote, isolated and underdeveloped rural areas. • Multigrade schools are the focal point for cultural, social and in cases economic development of the area they operate • Multigrade schools practice multigrade teaching that is considered a very interesting teaching model for many educators.

7. Teaching techniques • cooperative learning - elements of self- learning • extended working hours • breaks and activities are skipped • teaching assistants • some subjects are not taught at all Identified needs in multigrade schools Multigrade teachers have a multidimentional Educational task – more difficult than the one of their coleagues in “normal schools” Managers of the school Teachers act as promoters of multigrade school social role

8. Collaborative Projects on Multigrade Education • The project is based on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in school education and in the training of the staff working in multigrade schools. • The project MUSE aims at the development of a new model of teacher’s training that assists teaching in multigrade schools. • Furthermore it encourages innovation in pedagogical methods and materials and promotes trans-national cooperation and communication between schools and teachers training establishments.

9. Collaborative Projects on Multigrade Education University of Aegean ΣΧ.Ε.Δ.Ι.Α. (ΣΧΕΔΙΑ {Greek}= raft) http://www.rhodes.aegean.gr/sxedia/ MUSE = Multigrade School Education http://www.ellinogermaniki.gr/ep/muse/ ZEUS = Satellite Network of Rural Schools http://www.dias.ea.gr/en/index.htm NEMED (NEtwork of Multigrade Education) http://www.ea.gr/ep/nemed/ Rural Wings http://www.ruralwings-project.net/RW/index.html http://ruralwings.rd.forthnet.gr/index.php

10. Projects’ Objectives The specific aims of these projects seem to be exactly along with the aspects of multigrade education mentioned . In detail, these are: • To develop an in-service specialised training programme for teachers in multigrade schools, aiming to meet the teachers’ needs. • To enhance professional skills of multigrade schoolteachers and improve their abilities to develop plans according to the needs of the specific school environment. • To develop a dedicated educational web platform which will support in service training and support of multigrade teachers.

11. Projects’ Objectives • To conduct an intervention study in multigrade classrooms across Europe. • To enhance communication among remote multigrade school teaching environment and outside educational community and initiate the formation of a European network on the multigrade school education. • To make recommendations on multigrade teaching policy and practice.

12. Training Framework The training programmes were developed across three main axes and in two cycles: • To provide in service training of teachers in multigrade teaching methodologies ( mixed age grouping, individual teaching etc.) as well as training on organizing and managing multigrade classrooms. • To train teachers on the use of ICT and its usage for multigrade teaching. The use of ICT should focus on (a) upgrading quality of multigrade teaching, (b) supporting students learning and (c) fostering social development of the local community • To train teachers to be able to design, implement and evaluate multidisciplinary learning activities which should require cooperation of groups of students of different ages, grades or schools.

13. ΣΧ.Ε.Δ.Ι.Α. (ΣΧΕΔΙΑ {Greek}= raft) SCHOOL NETWORK OF THE AEGEAN funded by the Ministry of the Aegean installation of 88 computers in 46 schools in 32 small islands • connection to Internet • teacher training • work with educational software • development of Educational material • development of web pages to represent the schools • distance learning from the University of the Aegean in Rhodes

14. This project aimed at the development of a new model of teachers' training that assists teaching in multigrade schools. The project was based on a close cooperation between pedagogical experts, trainers, policy makers and teachers.

15. The ZEUS project aiming at developing an advanced learning environment that will provide in-service training to multigrade teachers based on satellite services. The training programme will be designed to meet the needs of teachers in order to improve their educational performance in the multigrade school environment. The training programme will be delivered to teachers through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) techniques, based on the use of OTE satellite broadcast platform.

16. NEMED brings together educationalists and researchers from ten European countries, who share an interest in researching, enhancing and supporting multigrade education, in their countries and at the European level.

17. The strategic objective of RURAL WINGS was to provide end-to-end satellite telecommunication (SATCOM) systems for tele-education applications in remote areas and rural areas where the existing communication architecture does not support broadband applications. The project offered e-learning services by installing satellite terminals equipment into 128 pilot sites in 13 European countries (Greece, Spain, Sweden, France, Romania, Cyprus, Estonia, Poland, UK, Israel, Armenia, Georgia, and Switzerland).

18. ICT and multigrade teaching • ICT is essential for education in general. But in case of multigrade school can be the absolutely irreplaceable solution. ICT have a multiple role in multigrade schooling: • ICT and teaching • ICT and teacher’s training • c) ICT and administration.

19. I.ICT use demands and pre-requires special tools and methodology: a) ICT and teaching. For student’s training there is a wide range of educational software, of educational internet portals and also of original digital material developed by a specially trained teacher. b) ICT and teacher’s training. For teacher’s training there are special on distance seminars training them how to achieve best use and implementation of ICT as a teaching tool or as a learning object. Distance training can only use ICT to train teachers on a very different aspect, e.g teaching methodology for multigrade schools. Distance education is of great importance for multigrade schools, since it allows in situ training and school can remain open and functioning.

20. II. ICT use demands and pre-requires special tools and methodology: c) For teacher’s administrative duties ICT can again be of capital importance. Archives, student’s files, grades, statistics, annual curriculum, scheduling holidays can all be easily handled with the help of specially developed software.

21. ICT can be implemented in a variety of methods in classroom routine: • A simple way would be to transform books into e-books. • Another suggestion would be to create a functional, palpable data basis with titles of tested and suggested educational software. • An other viable suggestion would be Distance teaching and training exploiting all ICT’s available tools and introducing them into teaching routine • Asynchronous teaching is also feasible via specially designed internet educational portals • ICT can be a powerful tool for multimedia teaching

22. Thank you