Topics in this presentation “Team teaching” (with respect to my teaching method)

1. Team teaching in the context of a “teachers’ training program for implementing ICT in the educational process” EFFROSYNI THEODOROPOULOU, Primary Education School Counselor Topics in this presentation • “Team teaching” (with respect to my teaching method) • “Using ICT to advance learning”(with respect to my teaching context & objective) Reasons for selecting the above topics • Broad implementation of the pilot innovation • Potential of further improvement and spreading of the pilot techniques • Innovative character of the ICT teachers’ training program • Compatibility of my role - as a trainer - with the pilot application My Partners • Five (5) primary school teachers, instructors in a teachers’ training program for using ICT in the teaching process. Three of them are school principals, which contributes to the proliferative potential of the pilot, and - in the long term - to the shaping of a culture of cooperation and consolidation directly into their schools. Our trainees, their classes’ grade level and the context of the ICT Program • About one hundred (100) k-6 teachers, divided in 7 training support centers (TSC), in 4 neighboring counties. There are three trainers teaching in each TSC, in rotating shifts, twice a week, for 3 hours each time. 1

2. Connections with Colleagues Connections I made with colleagues in experimenting with team teaching • Live and on-line meetings with partners in order to develop a common teaching framework. Tasks included: • scheduling • subject allocation among partners • development of a common work protocol for use during support meetings with trainees. • sharing teaching experiences and reflecting on teaching methodology issues and classroom management • Support-meetings with trainees, during the 6-week period ofrequired ICT practice. During the meetings we used work protocols to help them design, implement, modify, enrich, evaluate their ICT school activities and give them a strong feedback in order to reflect on their next steps. Connections I made with colleagues in experimenting with ICT & Web 2.0 tools: • Connections with partners, trainers from all over Greece and trainees. • Tools used: Google Groups,web sharing tools (Google docs, Google Diary), Blogs, forums, e-mail etc., in order to share educational material and discussions of interest. • I organized a one-day conference for 200 teachers, about the new literacies and use of ICT in the educational process, with the participation of a university professor, an ICT school counselor and one of my partner trainers. 2

3. Successes ‘Successes' I experienced with this pilot. • Implementation of team teaching in a teachers’ training program • Use of work - protocols for enhancing ICT implementation in the school setting, with certain objectives and methods, for the first time. • Use of web 2.0 tools and other educational or generic software, for creating and sharing meaningful teaching material. Changes I noticed • Progressive improvement of our cooperative skills. • Considerable increase of “warm” feedbacksgiven to colleagues. • Increased responsibility and accountabilityabout learning results • Gradual familiarization with educational and generic software • Improvement of “using ICT in the classroom” skills. • Developingfluencyin web 2.0 tools • Progressive improvement in designing school teaching scenarios, with the use of ICT • Formation of a new “problem solving” and “group dynamics” school culture. • Trend of overcoming difficultiesand obstacles. • Empowerment of professional identity and self- confidence. • Awareness of the power (and the fragility) of innovation: little changes can make dramatic difference!... 3

4. Challenges Challenges I experienced with the pilot. • The introduction of new concepts and practices, as team-teaching and work protocols. • To overcome teachers’ entrenched attitudes regarding their professional duties and potential. • To challenge my own strengths by pilot implementation of innovative practices • To implement aspects of the curriculum that remain inactive as, for example, thedevelopment of interdisciplinary school activities, in conjunction with the new practices. What got in the way of our success • Lack of previous experienceindesigning and usingteaching material, team work, and ICT implementation in the teaching process. • Teachers’ isolative attitudes, in the name of a misconceived “relative autonomy”. • The questioning of and resistence in everything new and innovative, from the very beginning. • The educational legislative framework-Curriculum, books, timetables etc.-which is practically incompatible with the implementation of innovations. The teacher’s role has for many decades been limited to that of a processor of policy planned and specified by the ministry of education and the pedagogical institute. • The low budget of public schools and their poor infrastructure. 4

5. Next Steps Next steps with this material • Improvement of the teaching material and adaptation for use in various teaching environments. • Introducevideosin the team teaching process. • Organize teacher seminars in schools for dissemination of the new practices. • Assessment of the impact of team teaching and ICT implementation in the improvement of teaching and learning advancement. Publishing of the results. Building on my experiences with the institute • Focus on additional seminar topics, and primarily on the differentiation issue • Promoteparent involvement in literacy development through meetings with parent associations of the schools under my supervision. • Utilization of the material and sources provided by the institute to upgrade my professional skills and develop new ones. • Maintain contact with other participants, CGS and the Institute professors who participated in this enlightening seminar!!  5