Web-based Collaboration and Students ’ Mobility in Learning Partnership

1. Web-based Collaboration and Students’ Mobilityin Learning Partnership ENGALL project 2003-2006

2. ENGALL – Engaging New Groups of Adults in Lifelong Learning Our original goal was to learn from each other in order to improve the quality and conditions of teaching and diversify and develop our curriculum in our educational organizations to meet the demands and expectations of modern adults, both men and women. Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

3. PARTNERS • Instituto Provincial de Formación de Adultos de Córdoba, Spain (Coordinator)* • Oriveden seudun kansalaisopisto, Finland* • Volkshochschule Lörrach, Germany* • Escuela Oficial de idiomas de Lleida, Spain* • Osrodek Doskonalenia Nauczycieli, Poland • Volkshochschule Blundenz, Austria • Slovenska akademicka Informacna Agentura, Slovakia * Took part in third year students’ collaboration and mobility Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

4. Partners in Finland Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

6. Path Towards Students’ Collaboration and Mobility • We learned to know each other and all the participating organizations (first year) • We shared our special expertise and discussed for example eLearning (first and second year) • We started to use Moodle learning environment for our mutual communication and correspondence (second year) • We realized that, as we teacher had learned so much from each other, it was only fair to give the same opportunity to our students as well Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

7. Students’ Collaboration • We decided to involve our English students in the European cooperation • Students’ collaboration started in October 2005 and took place in a shared virtual learning environment (Engall Project Platform) on a course called In English in Europe. • Students wrote letters in forums, learned about each others’ countries and traditions, did exercises and quizzes etc. • There were photo galleries, video clips, mp3-songs and mp3 everyday language glossary. • Teachers used chat, forums and e-mails for planning and communication Moodle. Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

8. Why Web-based Collaboration? • Importance of introducing ICT and web-based learning to adult students to meet the demands of information society • Motivate students in a very special way in their English studies • Specific advantages in the students’ learning to know each other before actually meeting Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

9. Students’ Mobility • Three different meetings, one in Finland, one in Germany and one in Spain • During each visit students spent three days together e.g. cooking, fishing, visiting each others homes, eating (a lot), singing and sight-seeing • Partly things were done in small groups of 5-6, partly all together • Carmen put it this way: “Today, I can only say that I thank everybody, the school, my family, Europe, my new friends from Germany and Finland and everybody that made possible this experience.” Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

10. Students’ Mobility • Rafa: “I have two children and never before my exchange visit I had think the importance of travel to another country and to speak other languages. Now I know and I have told my children, especially the old who is eleven, that he will have to go to other countries and to learn other languages because it is important for the understanding of other cultures and other forms of life and because you learn many more things living with the people than study or reading about them.” • Heidrun: “The ENGALL project is an arrangement which brings different European cultures together and teach the participants about the live and behaviour in other countries, it establish new friendships and helps in small steps to bring the unification of Europe forward.” Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

11. IMPACT - students • Focus on the learners • Cross-curricular approach was introduced in adult education • Students’ commitment and motivation increased radically • Students’ self-confidence developed • Students English communication skills improved • European dimension: tolerance and understanding increased • Students’ ICT skills developed Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

12. IMPACT - teachers • Teachers’ role changed – teacher as a guide on the path of learning and supplier of resources • Project management skills developed • ICT skills improved • Foreign language skills improved • Professional identity, commitment and work motivation were strengthened • Team work skills improved Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

13. IMPACT - organization • Engall group teachers’ took the role of developers • International collaboration has become one of the main factors in developing our institute • Cross-curricular activities are strongly supported • Encounters of Cultures, Doing it Differently, Crossing Borders and Barriers are the three principles introduced by Engall project and put into practice in our everyday curriculum today. Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

14. Now and in the Future • All third year partners are still involved • Most of the last year students are still involved and many more have joined in • We are starting a shared virtual English course in our open learning environment • Students are making plans to visit each other (without EU support) Tiina Sarisalmi Finland

15. http://www.peda.net/veraja/orivesi/kansalaisopisto/english/engall (English) • http://www.osko-oppimisalusta.org/moodle/ (English) • http://www.orivedenkoulut.net/kansalaisopisto/index.php?page=engall (Finnish) Tiina Sarisalmi Finland