Visibility of eTwinning Projects Newsletter no. 12

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group NEWSLETTER 12 ~ Unbolting the right gates ~ July 2022 In this issue: Teaching & Learning • Calling for Peace - Sylwia Stasikovska and Maria Pirecka, with Poland eTwinning • Our Journey through the STEAM Editor: Daniela Bunea with Leonardo - Cira Serio, Italy ISSN 2247-6881 ISSN – L 2247-6881 • We Haven’t Got a Spare Planet - Gabriela Săndulescu, Romania • Creativity with Poetry - Helga Kraljik and Ankica Šarić, Croatia • Kulturkiosk Goes Festival: An Erasmus+KA229 and eTwinning Project - Johanna Chardaloupa, Greece • Escape Games in eTwinning Projects - Simona Ghenea, Romania • Embedding eTwinning projects in the National Curriculum: From Policy to Practice - Tatiana Drăgan, Republic of Moldova

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter eTwinning Is Sharing Mentoring and and Caring Coaching within by Daniela Bunea eTwinning by Cornelia Melcu This newsletter has always been about eTwinning is the best place where teachers continuous professional development. provide help and support each other. I have Reading about successful projects and the been an eTwinner for more than 10 years now stories behind them has always inspired and and I worked many times with many new encouraged other teachers, eTwinners or not, teachers who were new in the programme. It to give a new try to the idea of project. was challenging but honourable at the same time. Being a mentor involves a lot of work In its 12th year, the Visibility of eTwinning and emotions and it should be ideal if some projects group newsletter is proudly tips and tricks would be respected. The presenting much professional and, at the same mentor's main role is to facilitate, guide, time, personal content in its lines. So every validate and support the actions and author is therefore conscientiously putting in development of the one he guides. He does time for your learning, dear reader, by being not give directives, does not offer solutions to even the voice that is helping you out in times problems, does not criticize or judge, but of need. Enjoy! guides his disciple, to help him find solutions on his own, to know himself better and to Daniela Bunea is a teacher of English as a foreign language \"grow\" in his career/project. The mentor acts at a secondary school in Sibiu, Romania. She has been an as a trusted counsellor and supports his eTwinning ambassador since 2010 and a Microsoft disciple in developing new skills, in Innovative Educator Expert since 2015. For 4 years now understanding the professional environment, she has been a Scientix ambassador, a member of the in challenging ideas and encouraging career Europeana User Group and a National Geographic Certified Educator. She has been a Galileo Teacher and an Adobe Creative Educator for 3 years now. She is a certified Wonderologist and a member of the Polar Star Advisors Team. She has been a Nearpod Certified Educator since January 2021 and an Owlypia Ambassador since November 2021. She is also the chief editor of this newsletter.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter development. Most high-achieving eTwinners them, helping them to channel their own cite mentoring as an important contribution to development efforts. personal success. To be an eTwinning mentor, you must be well Here are some key benefits of eTwinning prepared from a professional point of view, to mentoring: A mentor can be helpful in know the programme and the platform, but developing communication skills. Mentors can also to prove your willingness to share your act as role models for desired behaviours, own experiences and convey optimism. How which often include communication skills. The to demonstrate strong mentoring and training interaction between the mentor and the skills? Use specific keywords such as \"mentor mentee gives the latter the opportunity to and coach\", \"advice\", \"support\", \"guide\", observe the mentor and borrow some of the \"encourage\", \"help\". Be willing to help and effective behaviours. Mentors can also provide encourage the others by offering support and valuable feedback to mentors on style and confidence to the beginners. effectiveness in communication. Cornelia Melcu is a primary school teacher in Brasov, The benefits of mentoring also include the Romania. Additionally, she is a teacher trainer, and she is development of the professional network of mentoring newly qualified teachers and trainee teachers. mentors- for example, eTwinning Groups. She is also a Scientix Ambassador in Romania, an Mentors have the advantage of more work eTwinning ambassador, an ESERO (European Space and leadership experience, which often Education Resource Office) consul and an award winner in equates to a wider and deeper professional several competitions (eTwinning Awards and national network. Mentors can help mentees expand competitions). Cornelia is currently involved in the their own network by connecting them with Erasmus+ programme, using extracurricular activities and people who can help them advance in their projects to motivate her students. careers/projects. Mentors can help beginners overcome career obstacles. This is one of the most wonderful benefits of mentoring for those who are mentored. By discussing issues with their mentors, mentors can resolve career issues, whether they are immediate, operational, or longer-term issues. Mentors can also help beginners avoid problems in the first place by offering advice. Mentors can support their disciples to identify their development goals. Often, new eTwinners may lack self-awareness and lack a good knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses. Mentors can help them discover

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter I_LIKE: Teaching totally included in our communities. With these reflections in mind, pupils were Inclusion with encouraged to spread the voice about the underlined problems in order to sensitize eTwinning people and gradually change their minds. Thus, to create an Inclusive Library where by Angeliki every pupil could “recognize the importance and delight in finding itself in a book” Kougiourouki (Fishman-Weaver, 2019). “Books are sometimes windows, offering Having in mind that our classrooms should be views of worlds that might be real or learning environments, where pupils could see imagined, familiar or strange. These windows themselves and the experiences they have are also sliding glass doors, and readers have lived in our curricula (Udvari-Solnar, 1996), to only to walk through in imagination to become encourage them to actively participate in their part of whatever world has been created or learning in an inclusive environment, we recreated by the author. When lighting invited Greek pupils attending Belgian schools conditions are just right, however, a window in Gent and Italians from Chieti to develop an can also be a mirror. Literature transforms eTwinning project based on storytelling and human experience and reflects it back to us, project-based learning. and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the large human In order to step into the project topic, pupils experience. Reading, then, becomes as means brainstormed ideas and opinions, both in their of self-affirmation, and readers often seek mother language and in English to identify the their mirrors in books (Bishop, 1990). thoughts they had regarding the inclusion. For this purpose, they worked collaboratively to Aiming to create an inclusive library and to map their ides answering the question: “What provide young eTwinners with diverse books does the word inclusion make you think of?” that reflect the “multicultural nature of the world” in which we live, Angeliki Kougiourouki For the Italians it was necessary to develop a and Marina Screpanti, friends in life and project about inclusion as they have many eTwinning partners as educators, joined forces pupils at school with special needs, foreign for the needs of an eTwinning project. I_LIKE pupils or pupils with different skin colour. is the acronym of the “Inclusive Library for Greeks were expats in Belgium and more Inclusive Kids from Europe” project that specific in the Flanders area and the whole focuses on inclusion. Our main goal, in line project was not only a chance to reflect on with the Commission’s proposal for the inclusion but also to learn their parents’ native Council Recommendation (European language in an innovative way. So, the Commission, 2021), was to invite students from Gent, Belgium and Chieti, Italy to reflect on the problems and the difficulties that some people face because they are marginalized or not

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter project’s title helped them in Greek grammar creative writing skills. Furthermore, we to focus on the acronyms and passive voice. wanted our books to have a specific title and The creation of this collaborative map was the to be written using a different writing starting point for both to work within a technique. The initial planning has been common framework of objectives and updated several times introducing new activities. We, as teachers, guided and activities and strategies to work on it adopting facilitated them through collaborative also students’ proposals. Each one of the 5 activities in order to promote the books that have been created highlight a understanding of inclusion and to develop specific problem: immigrants who are forced common values and respect to diversity with to migrate because of war (A migrant bird), active democratic participation (Pateraki, pupils with special needs (So different, so 2017). alike), foreigners who live as expats in another country (I am an expat, will you help me?), Before diving deeper into the creation of our people with different skin colour (All the world inclusive library, we invited pupils to answer a like a canvas), gender equality (The same rights, questionnaire on “how much included they the same duties). Each book was written with a feel” in their school and social life. The results specific technique of creative writing, inviting showcased that although they felt excluded pupils to work with peers, reflect on the topics sometimes from games, during the lessons or & the language (oral & written) and because of their external characteristics, they collaborate with their partners to finish them. would accept every boy/girl at their games even if he/she was an immigrant, refugee, a kid The 1st book was entitled A migrant bird and it with special needs, with another religion or has been inspired by the war in Ukraine. from another country. Guided questions encouraged pupils to think about people who are forced to migrate Project’s implementation proved to be an because of war, answer the questions that ongoing effort to reimagine our classrooms as teachers formed and illustrate the story, one a learning environment that “establish country after the other. Teachers agreed on connections across differences, cultivating the the starting plot, wrote the questions in acknowledgment, affirmation, and celebration project’s TwinSpace and when Italy was of difference” (Watts, 2021). As teachers, we answering a question, then pupils from Gent defined the goals and the number of books we had to illustrate the text and vice versa. would like our library to include, in line with the eTwinning annual theme which for the 2022 is focused on “Our Future Beautiful, Sustainable, Together: Schools and the New European Bauhaus”. We wanted our pupils to: raise awareness on difficulties and problems other people may face; promote tolerance and inclusion; eliminate stereotypes; increase confidence and self-esteem; work collaborative to create an inclusive library; cultivate digital competences; develop

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter In Gent we had an interesting conversation The result of this collaborative work was our about refugees and their flee from their home Inclusive Library 1st book. country while at the same time we focused on nouns and especially the ones that take one syllable more in the plural form in accordance with the Greek grammar. The Italians brainstormed proposing ideas to answer the questions while analysing them and choosing the options they considered better than others. The 2nd book has the title So different, so alike and it is a story about children with special needs. In this book we used the comics

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter drawing technique. Pupils wrote the plot using key words about special needs they brainstormed in an answer garden. This word garden was the starting point for the Greeks to start creating handmade comics. concluding at the same time that people with special needs are “incredibly smart”. The first frames were uploaded in the forum to Our Inclusive Library was enriched with the enhance interaction with the Italians who final version of the 2nd book! finished the story writing the end and colouring the figures

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter Studying expatriation, Pollock and Van Reken Inclusive Library to this topic and how we (2020) state that the effects of living and could tackle racism. Quick research gave us learning cross culturally vary from individual to this important definition: “Human skin colour individual. Expats in schools are called by them ranges from the darkest brown to the lightest as “Three Culture Kids” who are spending or hues. Differences in skin colour among have spent part of their childhood in at least individuals is caused by variation in one country and culture other than their own. pigmentation, which is the result of genetics This kind of stories we wanted to highlight in (inherited from one’s biological parents), the our 3rd book which has the title I am an expat, exposure to the sun or both. Differences will you help me? It is about a true story based across populations evolved through natural on expats life. Having in mind that our learning selection, because of differences in environments are spaces who host expats, environment, and regulate the biochemical both in Gent and Chieti, we wrote the story in effects of ultraviolet radiation penetrating the a common google doc inviting pupils to read it, skin” (Muehlenbein, 2010). An image from discover themselves in it and divide it in pixabay and a table of language scaffolding sequences in order to use afterwards the involved pupils in story writing about skin photoromanzo technique; thus, to photoshoot colour and illustrate their partners’ story themselves or their classmates. A common creating a canva. google presentation with teachers’ guidance encouraged them to add bubbles according to the text and narrate the story. The 3rd book includes pupils’ photos and respecting personal data we decided to keep it in private mode. Having in mind that diversity in skin colour exists in 21st century schools, in our schools, we decided to dedicate the 4th book of our

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter In this book pupils had to reflect on the One more book, the 4th one, based on what forum writing their short story, get inspired by pupils wrote, was included in our Inclusive the story of their partners, visit the canva tool Library. and create a poster using a template and free to use pictures. The two posters from Gent and Chieti were soon ready! One other problem that creates stereotypes in the classroom is gender equity. According to Koch equitable education addresses the needs of girls and boys, rather than questioning whether each receives the same thing (Koch, 2003). We, as teachers, had in mind that “when gender equity in formal or informal education is attached importance, gaps, division and conflicts between sexes in society are reduced” (Sahin, 2014). The last book with the title: The same rights, the same duties was focused on this topic inviting pupils to use chunks of language to start writing a poem in the forum and their partners to continue what the others had started reflecting on gender equity.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter Pupils expressed their creativity writing copyright rules in an inclusive environment; thus, using the TwinSpace forum to reflect on what to use and what to avoid when creating a book (images, content, personal data etc.). All the rules were gathered afterwards in an infographic ready to be used when attempts of creative writing occur into our classrooms. When the poem was finished, pupils made some drawings to illustrate it. Our Inclusive Library was enriched again with Thanks to eTwinning and its inclusive learning the 5th book! spaces that we can create through the implementation of collaborative activities our pupils managed to collaborate in their language and in English to achieve their goal: to spread a voice about specific topics like migration, special needs, foreigners in another country, different skin colour & gender equality in order to sensitize people and gradually change their minds. The final products, 5 books with different topics, came as a result of reflection on the problems and difficulties some people face,

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter and, because of these, they are marginalized Boston, MA: Nicholas Brealey Publishing: or not included. Analysing the evaluation https://books.google.gr/books?id=aiOTDAAAQ results at the end of the project pupils BAJ&pg=PT88&hl=el&source=gbs_selected_p admitted that working with their peers and ages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false with partners from abroad increased their interest in learning, opened their minds, made Sahin, E. (2014) Gender Equity in Education. them more tolerant and respectful on diversity Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2, 59-63. issues. For the pupils in Gent, project’s Retrieved 25/7/22 implementation and its outcomes showcase http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/jss.2014.21007 their engagement in a project that helped them improve their 2nd language (Greek) skills Udvari-Solner, A. (1996). Examining teacher (oral and written) in an innovative since they thinking: Constructing a process to design communicated and collaborated better with curricular adaptations. Remedial and Special their classmates. Education, 17(4), 245- 254 References: Watts, R. (2021). Encouraging Middle School Bishop, R.S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and Students to Embrace Differences. Retrieved sliding glass doors. Perspectives: Choosing and 25/7/22 Using Books for the Classroom, 6(3) https://www.edutopia.org/article/encouraging- middle-school-students-embrace-differences Commission steps up action for high quality and inclusive primary and secondary Angeliki Kougiourouki is a primary school teacher who education. Retrieved 25/7/22 also has a degree in History. She holds a MEd in Visual https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/ Culture. She works as a detached teacher in Greek detail/en/ip_21_3908 Language Departments in Belgium teaching Greek Language and Culture. She came across eTwinning in 2012 Fishman-Weaver, K. (2019). How to Audit Your and has been coordinating eTwinning and Erasmus+ Classroom Library for Diversity, Edutopia. projects ever since. She became an eTwinning Retrieved 22/7/22 Ambassador in 2015, after which she organised many https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-audit- online and on-site seminars, ambassadors' webinars and your-classroom-library-diversity Learning Events on Emotional Intelligence, eTwinning projects for Young Learners, Blended Learning and Gilleran, A., Pateraki, I., Scimeca, S., Morvan, C. Remote Teaching. Angeliki is moderating the Creative (2017). Building a culture of inclusion through Classroom eTwinning featured group, encouraging eTwinning. Retrieved 20/7/22 teachers to take part in creative activities, expert talks https://www.etwinning.net/downloads/2017/et and events. winning_book_en.pdf Koch, J. (2003). Gender Issues in the Classroom. 10.1002/0471264385.wei0712. Pollock, D. C., & Van Reken, R. (2009). Third culture kids: Growing up among worlds.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter TESLA – Turning Nikola Tesla, hydro power and solar power Challenges into plants. We visited museums, an electric car Opportunities factory, we participated in workshops and met by Adriana Mariș and local administration leaders, and we also Lucia Boldea tested our creativity while choosing the best project logo. Our eTwinning and Erasmus+ project ”TESLA – Together in Environmental Solutions Learning Unfortunately, the pandemics postponed face Activities” is soon coming to its conclusion. We to face meetings for the next two years, so we started it enthusiastically almost three years had to continue our project remotely, using ago, by connecting with partners, selecting TwinSpace, the project newsletter, email, students, planning activities, aiming at social media, zoom meetings and a drive to acquiring skills and key competences using upload materials. On TwinSpace, we organized digital technologies and tools in studying pages for students’ introduction, LTT activities, environmental and renewable energy sources. newsletter, Nikola Tesla teaching resources, English and STEM teachers from Austria, photovoltaic devices, but also for events that Croatia, Estonia and Romania, we were we joined on different occasions: Earth Day, committed to motivate our students to build a Inventors Day, Energy saving at school, better, safer world, while bringing a tribute to European Earth Week, SELFIE report. We used Nikola Tesla and his work. TwinSpace forum to express New Year wishes, opinions about distance learning and about In 2019 we had a first learning-teaching- the meetings activities. training meeting at our coordinating school, Tehnička škola, Požega, Croatia, where we had In October 2021, we organized our first post- the opportunity to learn about our partners, pandemic meeting, at our school, Liceul their schools and countries, but also about Teoretic Coriolan Brediceanu in Lugoj, Romania. We tried our best to offer a safe environment and to organize interesting activities, related to the thought-provoking project topic.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter followed by a cruise on the Danube River at Orșova. It was an intense week, with many challenges, but also with satisfactions. Students learned new information, collaborated with their international partners, built and wrote together, participated in sports activities, felt part of a large family of young Europeans concerned about the environment and sustainability of energy sources of the future. All the participants, teachers and students, The next learning-teaching-training meeting were vaccinated in order to be able to meet was organized at the beginning of March 2022, and travel. We guided our guests through the at Business School Linz. Sanitary conditions in iconic buildings in our town and our guests Austria at that time prevented us to gather at met the deputy mayor of Lugoj and some the school, so most of the activities were youth organizations representatives to discuss organized in open air or in the hotels local strategies for involving citizens in conference room. The students presented cleaning the environment and saving energy. solutions to improve the quality of life inspired We had workshops at school, partner students from the BBC series ”People fixing the world” presented energy sources existing in their and participated in workshops about textile region, worked in international groups to build and food production, fair trade and solar, wind or water powered devices and sustainable development. As in each mobility, wrote articles for the project newsletter. One we had guided tours of the city of Linz and of the most appreciated activities, after 2 years Enns, with emphasis on their historical, cultural of pandemics, was the table tennis and religious heritage. We also visited championship, where students and teachers economic objectives like Voestalpine steel competed for medals. We travelled to factory and H2Future, a project meant to Timișoara to visit the Polytechnic University, produce green energy from hydrogen, where PhD students presented the Tabakfabrik, a local initiative to support start- laboratories they work in and explained the functioning of a windmill and the way the energy produced is stocked into batteries. The presentations generated discussions about efficiency and yield, followed by visits at the university library and the Experimentarium, where students measured and calculated the energy produced by photovoltaic panels. Another field trip was dedicated to the observation of solar panels fields and the hydroelectric power plant Porțile de Fier,

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter up and environmental companies and Ars Meenikunno Bog, its formation and its Electronica Centre, ”the museum of the importance and we practiced teambuilding in future”, focusing on new technologies and international teams in a rafting experience. how they change the way we live and work. Another field trip was dedicated to the Estonian mining museum, where we entered an oil shale mine using the mine train and being equipped like old miners and learnt about the tools used to extract this valuable but old-fashioned resource. We also had a small glance into the capital of Estonia, Tallinn, where we visited the Seaplane Harbour Museum and the old city centre. Our last meeting was held in May 2022, in The project is coming to an end. In each Estonia. Most of the participants had never country there is time for conclusions and been to Estonia before, so this experience was reports, time to sum up and evaluate. It lasted very valuable from the start. In addition, we longer than expected, we were unable to had the chance of some very hospitable and travel and to accomplish our activities during experimented partners, involved in many pandemics, our target students graduated European projects over the years. We visited high school, but we did not give up. We took it Tartu, a city built around its university and as a challenge and transformed it into AHHAA Science Centre, where students could opportunities, we did a lot of online activities, experiment the laws of physics in real life shared tools and knowledge, involved younger devices, we participated in workshops in our students in the project, started over and did host school, Kanepi Gymnasium, we learnt our best to continue against all the how to deliver a successful speech and to restrictions. All the partners felt the same and dance Estonian folk dances, we spent a day in we are so proud of the quality of our finalized the outdoors, to document about the project that we felt the need to share it with the world. Romanian team had a student successfully presenting the project TwinSpace in the ”Made for Europe” national

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter competition, Croatian team presented the Even though it was not planned, our students project and its results in the ”Describing participating in the last learning-teaching- Systems” national competition, while Austrian training activity decided to create a booklet to team got involved in the ”Green New Europe” share with their colleagues the scientific competition, proposing actions for protecting experiments that were performed during the the environment. During the 3 years of the whole project, in a bilingual format, so all their projects implementation, we were also peers have access to the knowledge used involved in the Global Goals Week and World’s throughout the project face-to-face activities. Largest Lesson, we celebrated Earth Day each And we think this is a proof that our project year, we sent virtual and physical Christmas met its objectives. cards and offered little March amulets (mărțișoare) to our partners. We involved more students in the project and disseminate it to more people. Adriana Mariș is a Mathematics teacher at Liceul Teoretic Coriolan Brediceanu in Lugoj, Romania. She has been an eTwinner since 2010 and an eTwinning ambassador since 2013. Lucia Boldea is a Physics teacher at Liceul Teoretic Coriolan Brediceanu in Lugoj, Romania. She has been an eTwinner since 2016. She is the local coordinator of the Erasmus+ project “TESLA”.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter A More Welcoming And so we would like to say thank you to the many people, in the fullest and deepest School Thanks to meaning of the word, who have walked a bit of the road together with us, online and eTwinning & onsite, remotely and face to face, becoming our friends and giving sense to our daily work Erasmus+ in eTwinning and Erasmus+. In this way, the transition from the \"old\" to the \"new\" by Elena Pezzi Erasmus+ programme (2021-27) and the forthcoming changing of the eTwinning If you were asked point blank: 'What is the platform have become absolutely natural and word you think best characterizes both smooth. eTwinning and the Erasmus+ programme?', what would you answer? Each of us would For many of us, merging and combining work certainly say one immediately: Europe, on eTwinning with the implementation of experience, mobility, opportunity, European projects has always been a regular collaboration, exchange... all correct, all true. practice. In our school, all the Socrates, But the one that, among colleagues and Comenius, staff mobility projects, KA219 students at our school, we have heard partnerships have always been carried out on recurring most frequently in these recent the eTwinning platform, thanks to the many times when, thankfully!, we have managed to projects we created that allowed us to get in regularly come back to school, reconnect and touch with all the partners who helped us to pick up where we abruptly left off more than enrich the international experience and profile two years ago, is: PEOPLE. Faces, eyes, smiles, of our school. hands, glances of understanding, closeness, sharing of life... the masks cover part of the face, but do not prevent the essential from passing through. But we can indubitably say that it has been the KA229 partnership and the meetings with our partners from the four corners of the planet, the push to realize the perfect match between Erasmus+ and eTwinning. If we managed to

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter complete the project, it was only thanks to the to ever greater and more engaging constant contact and collaboration through collaborations in presence and online... How eTwinning. Even in the most tiring periods of could we achieve all this without the support the lockdown, the activities never stopped: of Erasmus+ and eTwinning? our pupils communicated with their partners, PEOPLE and emotions have followed one we carried out collaborative activities, we kept another like a whirlwind in these last few the flame burning that led us to the last two intense months and have become part of our mobilities in presence. Forty months of school's life: Belén from IES Pico in Santander, continuous, tenacious, hopeful work. Josep from IES Lluis Vives in Valencia; Julia from IES Sierra Bermeja in Málaga; Giacomo What’s more, our \"No Man is an Island\" from EOI in Alcalá de Henares; Daniela and her project gave us the final push to launch into students from Colegiul Național Gheorghe the new adventure of Erasmus+ accreditation. Lazăr in Sibiu; Alexandra from the Escola Básica e Secundária Gonçalves Zarco in But all these adventures would be incomplete Funchal; Dimitri and Serge from the Collège le and unproductive without them, the PEOPLE. Vignet in Calvisson; Nouha and her students Only the connections with people (all of them from the Lycée Saint Charles on Reunion started via eTwinning) allowed us to continue Island. the relationships of friendship and collaboration undertaken in previous years. And without forgetting the partners that will We could thus welcome colleagues from other come, with whom we are already working to schools eager to experience job shadowing in create new eTwinning projects (thus training our school and to offer us a mutual experience on this new platform that has not yet revealed in their school. We had the privilege to invite all its potential): Geneviève and her pupils experienced colleagues to train students and teachers at school. We have been happy to host groups of students with their teachers to discover the life and culture of our beautiful town. We had the opportunity to send our students on short and long-term mobility trips to study and live together with our partners. In a nutshell, we have been able to share ideas, doubts, proposals, good practices with a view

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter from Lycée Classique de Diekirch in Erasmus+ Luxembourg; Alexandra from Ostschule in Giessen and many, many more… Cooperation for To sum up: one of the most positive appreciations we receive within our town’s Innovation Projects educational environment is that of being 'a welcoming school'. We strongly believe we are and eTwinning not only this way for the people (pupils, teachers, parents, stakeholders) who walk by Georgios through the doors of our school every day, but also for all those people who, from all over Konstantinou, Europe, want to share a little of their journey with us, to learn something from us and to let Valerica Mititelu, us discover something about them. The Europe of eTwinning, the Europe of Erasmus+, Stella Timotheou and the Europe of PEOPLE. Adriana Lefter Elena Pezzi is a Spanish teacher in Bologna, Italy. She likes everything concerning new ways to improve learning and Undoubtedly, eTwinning is the most suitable to motivate pupils. She is an eTwinning & Erasmus+ place for collaboration among teachers, School Ambassador and Pedagogical Advisor in her students, schools, parents, and local region. authorities. It is no coincidence that even in Erasmus+ collaborations partners are required to state how they will use eTwinning in their application form. The eTwinning portal provides the perfect environment for the innovative and interactive enrichment of the project activities, supported by information and communication technology for motilities, as well as partnerships for the exchange between schools. The portal can also be used as a means of contacting project partners, as an electronic classroom that connects pupils, as a pool of documents, as a mean of dissemination of project’s results and the assurance of project’s sustainability even after the official closure of the project.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter However, there are some Erasmus+ projects procedure of the development of the the consortium of which consists of non- innovative electronic tools. However, they eligible partners to use eTwinning. When such were involved in the pilot studies for the a difficulty does appear, how can we cope with validation of the tools. it? Do we really want this kind of Erasmus+ projects to be included/registered in Although we had the aforementioned eTwinning? difficulties and concerns, we decided to register our project on the eTwinning During the last three years, we have platform, since we believed in the quality and confronted this kind of difficulty, since most of importance of our project and the tools our partners in our Κ201 Erasmus+ developed. We knew that based on the Cooperation for innovation project, in the field consortium’s composition (various of school education, were not eligible to use organizations) and the indirect involvement of eTwinning. Our Erasmus+ project No. 2019-1- the students, our participation in the platform PL01-KA201-065726-PRO-LEARN - “Fostering and utilization of the plethora of tools, which children's learning process and cognitive includes would be limited. We also knew that abilities through holistic approach and we could not apply for any national or innovative methods” was a large-scale project, European label. Besides all the above, we as it involved 6 different organizations (2 decided to register and use the eTwinning schools, NGOs, SMEs) from 5 EU countries, platform for the dissemination of our project’s namely Poland, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and results, since the main target group of our Romania. project were the teachers and educators from primary and secondary education and of In our case, it was not too difficult to register course the students. our project on the eTwinning platform, since two of the project’s partners are schools. The Let us take things from the beginning and find difficulty relies on the fact that the other four out more details about our project… partners cannot have access to the platform as Our project “Fostering children's learning being non-eligible. However, they could have process and cognitive abilities through had the choice to participate, for instance as holistic approach and innovative methods – guests with limited capabilities. Another constraint we had to deal with was the fact that students were not directly involved in the

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter PROLEARN” responds to the Europe 2020 The PRO-LEARN project is the answer for the priorities in the area of education and training, detected needs. The aim of the project is to youth and early school leaving in the context foster the development of cognitive abilities of globalization and labor market integration. and effective learning skills of children. As EC stated in its communication on tackling To boost their brain power and maximize early school leaving (COM(2011)18 final), cognitive potential by developing, testing and education and training systems often do not implementing a comprehensive model of provide sufficient targeted support for pupils cognitive development support for school-age to cope with emotional, social or educational children (6-14 years old) with active difficulties and to remain in education and participation of schools, pedagogical training. Responding to the different learning staff/experts and project partners in the styles of pupils and helping teachers to participating countries. address the variable needs of mixed ability groups of students is still a challenge for The proposed outputs would also support schools. students with special educational needs to fulfil the educational obligations, not to drop Personalized and flexible learning out of the educational system, which could arrangements are especially important for result in social exclusion. those who prefer 'learning by doing' and are motivated by active forms of learning. The The project objectives are: basics of our learning skills are our cognitive - reduce early school dropout through abilities as they are associated with memory, speeding up the learning process; thinking, attention and perception. They - overcome shortage of specialists at schools enable us to learn new skills and gain (psychologists, pedagogues); knowledge as well as communicate with the - improve engagement of parents in learning environment, as they are strictly associated processes of their children and development with reception, storage and processing of of their cognitive abilities; information. The accurate diagnosis of - enrich scarce offer of free-of-charge and cognitive abilities of pupils and their learning barrier-free tools (including the ICT- based styles would allow tailoring teaching ones), for diagnosis of cognitive processes and methodologies and to develop the individual the preferred learning style of children aged 6- educational support program for every child. 14 years old on their own and by their parents and teachers/educators; Teaching/learning path designed according to - enrich scarce offer of free-of-charge training the possessed cognitive abilities and individual programs and educational-oriented materials learning style helps a pupil to function more for parents, educators, devoid of technological effectively in the education process as it barriers to computer use, to support pupils in speeds up the learning process, helps to the development of effective learning skills, overcome school failures and it positively using their resources and full potential of the impacts on self-esteem and self-efficacy of brain. children and young people.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter The project’s Intellectual Outputs respond to During the implementation of the project, the scarce parents’ knowledge on children's partnership has developed four main development of the cognitive and social skills intellectual outputs that will be available in five and their low involvement in learning process languages - English, Greek, Italian, Romanian, of their children. According to the latest Polish, starting with September 2022. discoveries of neuro-pedagogy, parents influence on children’s education and have a O1: Electronic tool for diagnosis of cognitive significant positive impact on the child's processes of younger children (from 6 to 10 growth, development and school achievement years old) – online, multidimensional, (Menheere & Hooge, 2016). standardized and normalized tool to diagnose cognitive abilities and processes and the The designed products are targeted at primary preferred learning style of children in pre- and lower-secondary school students (6-14 school / junior school age. The tool would be years old), parents and teachers/ educators accessible online via computer, laptop or (participatory involvement) to help them smartphone, thus constituting a handy tool for understand the importance of early cognitive those who otherwise could not benefit from development and its relevance to education, professional services. The automatically as well as the processes of children (6-14 years generated report will give children, parents, old) and then to support their development so and teachers extensive knowledge about the as to boost their brain power and maximize specificity of cognitive processes and learning cognitive potential within and outside the styles of a child along with proposed educational settings. guidelines on how to work with a child. The PRO-LEARN is a large-scale project. The A manual containing a description of the partners represent different geographical and construction procedure, its psychometric socio-economic realities across Europe with properties and practical tips on how to use the the common aim to foster children cognitive test and its results will accompany the tool. development, as well as to support educators https://prolearn-project.eu/diagnosis-of- and the integration of new ideas/methods into cognitive-processes/ the education system. O2: Electronic tool for the diagnosis of The EU level of the project will: learning styles and cognitive processes for (1) bring in a unique set of skills, expertise, older children (from 11 to 14 years old) - domain-specific knowledge and experiences, multidimensional electronic tool designed for (2) foster and widen the competencies and the diagnosis of the preferred learning style professional capacity of EU teaching staff, and cognitive processes of children and sharing the possibility to use innovative adolescents at school age. It will be a approach, standardized tool prepared according to the (3) ensure far-reaching impact of the project in psychometric approach. The tool will the partner countries and beyond, automatically generate individual feedback on (4) develop cooperation between the the subject of the student's dominant learning education and business. style and cognitive abilities. Based on the

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter diagnosis results, the generated report will potential, will be composed of a unique on-line contain a number of hints for a student (how set of short exercises to support/ develop to learn effectively) and for parents and cognitive processes favorable effective teachers (how to teach the child effectively learning and also exercises that develop and support his/her development). A manual various learning techniques and methods. The containing a description of the construction exercises will be divided into three age-groups: procedure, its psychometric properties and 6-8, 8-10 and 11-14 years old. The educational practical tips on how to use the test and its games and tasks will be available in the form results will accompany the tool. Both tools of on-line resources for students. (O1& O2) will enable to generate a group https://exercises.prolearn-project.eu/ report for a teacher with suggestions for the teacher's work, tailored to a specific group of We, personally, believe that the projects which pupils. O1 & O2 will allow pupils to function aim to develop innovative tools indeed have a more effectively in education process as they place in eTwinning and a way to register this would speed up the learning process, help to kind of projects in the eTwinning platform overcome school failures and they will should be found (although partners are not positively impact on self-esteem and self- schools). efficacy of children and young people. Teachers and students who participate in https://prolearn-project.eu/diagnosis-of- eTwinning have much to gain from such learning-styles-cognitive-processes/ Erasmus+ projects. The publication of results and products and O3: Training Toolkit for Teachers and the dissemination of Erasmus+ projects Educators available in a form of e-learning will cooperation for innovation in the field of contain 10 on-line, short-term trainings (1-3 hours), in multimedia form focused on the latest discoveries of neuro-pedagogy (learning styles, how to teach children, multisensory teaching, etc.) to provide teachers with knowledge how to adjust support to pupils individually; to shape the teaching methodology according to the needs of students; to use the teaching methods which are coherent with cognitive potential of students; to involve parents in learning processes of their children. https://prolearn-project.eu/for-teachers/ O4: Educational Toolkit for Students – Educational games and Tasks aiming at the development of cognitive functions and support students in the development of effective learning skills and utilization of resources and the full brain

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter Education at eTwinning platform will have a Georgios Konstantinou is the headteacher of Dimotiko European reach with a rich collection of Scholeio Agias Napas – Antoni Tsokkou in Cyprus. He is an materials and will be accessible to teachers awarded eTwinner and an eTwinning ambassador. enrolled in eTwinning. In this way after completing the co-financing of the Erasmus+ KA2 project, we will keep in the touch with the existing project partners through the eTwinning Portal and we will recruit new schools interested in the project. Besides, it is a good opportunity to become mentors for novices and inexperienced schools and allow them an easier entry into the world of international cooperation. Valerica Mititelu is a primary school teacher at Școala Elena Doamna in Tecuci, Romania. She is an awarded eTwinner and an eTwinning ambassador in Romania. Stella Timotheou is a primary school teacher at Dimotiko Scholeio Agias Napas – Antoni Tsokkou in Cyprus. All the final products will be published until the Adriana Lefter is the headteacher of Școala Elena Doamna end of September and all will be free to use. in Tecuci, Romania She is an awarded eTwinner, an Keep in touch for updates! eTwinning ambassador in Romania and a Scientix Ambassador. This is the link to our twin space for more information about our project, activities and outcomes: https://twinspace.etwinning.net/104092/pages /page/840406.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter eTwinning Teachers accreditation. The team consisted of teachers of different subjects and with different skills, and Erasmus+ as well as other staff, such as the chief accountant. Accreditation: Why The accreditation call was going to expire on and What to Do? October 19th, 2021, so we had to work for a month and a half in a fairly intense way. by Enrica Maragliano The working group participated in several In recent times at European level, we have webinars organized by our national agency been following a progressive but decisive path Erasmus+, we asked for help to colleagues that tends to unify eTwinning and Erasmus+: whose schools had already obtained for instance, the eTwinning platform will be accreditation the previous year, and, above all, gradually abandoned in favour of the new we met, each with their own skills, to try to European School Education Platform (ESEP) outline the initial situation of our school and environment, which aims to make all European the training needs of both teachers and staff platforms for teaching, both for work and members and especially of our students, often contacts between teachers and students and from poor families, so long-term and group for training. In fact, in the coming months, the mobility will really be essential for training complete contents of the School Education both as high school students and especially as Gateway will also be available in that European citizens. environment. What can an eTwinner do to obtain for their For all these reasons, I think it is important to school the Erasmus+ accreditation? point out to eTwinners the importance of the work on Erasmus+ and especially on Of course, the first thing is to look at the accreditation, which, once obtained, will be website of your national agency to get all the valid until the end of 2027. main information and understand in which directions the school must work. My school, to which I moved in the school year 2020-2021, at the time of my arrival had no Certainly, in order to apply, it is necessary for recent eTwinning tradition, but from the first the school to obtain an EU Login, which will year, together with new colleagues, I serve for any future access on the platform, developed eTwinning projects working with uniquely identifying the school institution. different classes, teaching my fellow mates how to collaborate with partners and actively engage students. Last September, thanks to the new headteacher who gave a big boost to the projects, we formed a team to work on

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter So you have to decide the type of application month and a maximum duration you want to submit: a school can ask for more of a whole school year); than one accreditation, for example the ● for teachers and non-teaching staff: general \"School Education\", valid for any type ○ training at accredited bodies of school, \"Vocational Education and Training\" (many indications can be found for technical and professional schools, \"Adult on the ESEP website under Education\" for schools that have evening Professional Development); classes. The constraint, however, is to apply ○ job shadowing at partner for funding for different purposes. schools. In our case, the most frequent one, the interest was for the accreditation of the type Preparatory visits can be envisaged too, as \"School Education\". well as the intervention of experts and future teachers in internship. Once you have obtained the EU Login, you can access the site and download the form to be In the application for accreditation, it is not completed, indicating the fields to be filled in necessary to specify in too much detail the and the maximum number of characters number of mobilities, but it is important that possible for each text field. their description is related to the needs of students and staff, and it is sustainable for the It is important to describe the school, its school. history, the educational objectives and the The actual number of mobilities is requested curriculum of students at the end of their every year in mid-February, although it is not studies, the number and age of students, the even necessary in that case to indicate the organization and number of teachers and non- partners and bodies where the mobilities will teaching staff. actually take place. It is important that the examples are concrete, Once the mobilities have been described, the particularly with regard to the training needs accreditation document must specify the of all the involved people. The objectives and timing, the objectives and the members of the timing must be clear in the application and, in Erasmus Team who must be organized in the particular, it is advisable to link the activities, school. This organization is essential to make especially the group mobilities of students, to the funded project sustainable: a single eTwinning projects. teacher or headteacher working alone in a school cannot support the project, because The mobilities that can be requested are: ● for students: ○ group mobilities (duration around one week, as in the \"old\" KA229 projects); ○ short-term mobilities (individual, up to 1 month); ○ long-term mobilities (individual, with a minimum duration of 1

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter different activities can and should be planned, Erasmus+ each of which requiring time and organizational awareness. Accreditation: Obviously, if the school is an eTwinning Digitalization, School, it is natural that the teachers involved in the eTwinning projects are present in the STEAM, and Anti- Erasmus Team. bullying As in every action funded by the European Union, it is necessary to disseminate the by Vasilica Augusta activities carried out, but in general eTwinning teachers are accustomed to documenting the Găzdac work done and disseminating it, so this activity in my opinion is quite simple, even if, being a Erasmus Accreditation is like a ‘loyalty card’, funded project, it must be carried out in an similar to those distributed by large chain organized and targeted way in order to make shops or supermarkets, but in this case, it is known even outside the school the project’s specifically for schools of all types and levels. A activities and the outcomes obtained. school needs to receive accreditation only once in the seven years of the Programme References: (2021-2027). To apply, educational institutions https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en have to outline their own strategy for medium- https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/app-forms/af-ui- and long-term internationalization and opportunities/#/erasmus-plus modernization by presenting a European Development Plan (EDP) and an Erasmus+ Enrica Maragliano is a Maths and Physics teacher and a Plan. passionate eTwinning and Scientix ambassador. She likes trying new teaching approaches for her students so they They must also commit to meeting the are challenged and learn many soft skills, not only in her Erasmus+ quality standards, which specify how subjects' but also about cross-curricular topics. the school will organize the international activity described in the plan to guarantee the quality of the mobilities with respect to a series of topics (management, support for participants, expected results, communication of results). In fact, upon acceptance, the candidate school will benefit from a stable source of funding for the whole duration of the Programme, simplified application procedures in response to Erasmus+ calls, as well as a quicker evaluation of their applications.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter shadowing;1 teacher in the course and 2 invited experts. The Czech Republic was the birthplace of the great European pedagogue Jan Amos Komensky (Comenius - the one who gave the name of the previous action of European educational partnerships) and the quality of the educational system is superior to many states of the former Eastern Communist bloc. State investment in infrastructure, hot meals in school, playgrounds and open access libraries, student safety, digital centralization of school activities, teacher mentoring in schools, dual specialization of Czech teachers in a European language (English, German, French), the existence of facilities for teachers to attend a top European college through grants from the Czech state, involvement in Erasmus + projects, the flexibility of content, the openness of teachers and students to new learning experiences are just some of the defining features of the Czech education system. The objectives for the 15 months of the project of our institution focus on increasing digital skills, STEAM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), anti- bullying behaviour of students and improving the portfolio of methods and teaching aids, increasing language skills and cultural, reflection and self-reflection exercise on the classroom activity of teachers involved in job- shadowing. In the activities of the project, we used the facilities offered by the eTwinning space, we organized meetings, we shared materials, we continued the activities carried out face to face, and we laid the foundations for future cooperation in the school field. In the first year 1.09.2021-30.11.2022, we set out: 16 students involved in group mobility;3 accompanying teachers;5 teachers in job-

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter During 24-29.04.2022, our school was involved on the subject of anti-bullying visit to the in a mixed training event: job-shadowing and Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial in Poland and group mobility of students within the socializing games with Czech students. Erasmus+ Accreditation Digitalization, STEAM ,and Anti-bullying No: 2021-1-RO01-KA121-SCH- An important activity for the participating 00000034. From our institution participated in teachers was the time of consultations and job-shadowing 3 teachers (Georgeta S., analysis of the assisted activities together with Nicoleta B., Mircea S.) and in group mobility 10 the Czech teachers where educational students from the gymnasium cycle, grades resources were exchanged, digital VII, VIII (Răzvan B ., Florina A., Andrea C., applications, analysis of the curricula of the Marius D., Robert G., Denisa I., Elias I., Andrei two education systems, ways of evaluating T., Bogdan S., Ismail-Mohamed A.) together high school students skills of the Czech school, with 2 accompanying teachers. discussions with the school management about school activities, projects, partnerships, The activities carried out in the group mobility etc. of students consisted of holding joint classes with Czech students, bilingual classes in Czech Classroom activities will be continued in a and English or Czech and French using blended-learning format using the eTwinning teamwork, project-based learning method, platform and Google Classroom with the cooperative learning method on the topics participation of Romanian and Czech student mentioned above. classes simultaneously and with mentoring by the Czech team putting into practice numerous digital applications presented, interactive methods learned, and teaching materials received. After the classes, the students were involved in cultural and non-formal activities such as treasure hunting in the town of Cesky Tesin, using QR codes, visiting nearby cultural sites: Podobora Archaeological Park, Karvina Castle, Leaning Church, Ostrava Zoo, Carvina Castle on the subject of digitalization and STEAM and

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter During the period 11-15.07.2022, the \"Tiberiu The activities carried out during the course had Morariu\" Salva Vocational School, represented the following themes: the history of by teacher Vasilica Găzdac, was involved in a citizenship, the Greek and Roman model, training course on the theme of democratic citizens in the Middle Ages, revolutions and citizenship and anti-bullying at the Jagiellonian rights, the century of citizenship, legal rights University in Krakow, Poland. Jagiellonian related to citizenship-passport, the University was founded in 1364 in Krakow, the perspective of political sciences, the royal capital of Poland, by King Casimir III, perspective of social sciences, the perspective being the oldest university in Poland, the of economic sciences, studies of citizenship in second oldest in Central Europe and one of the school, the treaties of the European Union and oldest in the world. In the Reuters top the provisions on European citizenship, the European innovative universities, it is on the ideal type of democratic citizenship, bullying 90th place, being the only university in Central and the Holocaust, the characterization of and Eastern Europe, and in the Best Global communist regimes in Central and Eastern Universities top, it is on the 320th place, while Europe, bullying in school, bullying in social the Romanian universities are between the media, key competences in the formation of 800-1000 positions. The course \"Democratic the concept of European citizenship, anti- Citizenship and anti-bullying\" was held within bullying teaching methods, lesson plans on the partnership of the Faculty of Education European citizenship, recent articles on anti- Sciences and the European Teachers Academy bullying, annual planning of activities related association, supported during the 5 days by to democratic citizenship and anti-bullying. university professor Piotr Uhma. Participating teachers from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania consolidated their historical knowledge, linguistic and digital skills, learning new anti-bullying methods by

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter receiving didactic materials validated by Polish https://twinspace.etwinning.net/244450/home teachers, and during the engaging discussions https://www.instagram.com/digitalizare_stea during the course week, active transfers of m_antibullyin/ good Erasmus+ educational practices. Vasilica Augusta Găzdac is a teacher in preschool In addition to the formal activities of the education and also the coordinator of European projects course, during the five days cultural and in her school, Școala Profesională Tiberiu Morariu in Salva, touristic guided tours were conducted through Romania. She is an eTwinning ambassador, and Erasmus+ the old center of Krakow, the Major College- ambassador, a Merito teacher, and part of the body of University Museum Headquarters, the Rynek methodist teachers at the Bistrița-Năsăud School Glowny central square, St. Mary's Cathedral, Inspectorate. Wawel Royal Castle, the factory of Oscar Schindler-Emalia, Kazimierz District, Czartoryski Museum, The European learning experience was recorded in the teachers' learning journal, uploaded to the Erasmus+ Beneficiary Module platform and evaluated through the questionnaire sent by the Erasmus+ National Agency. The Polish learning experience will be presented to the institution's teaching staff at the beginning of the next school year, especially humanities teachers and middle school class leaders. The next scheduled activities, the second flow of students and teachers in job-shadowing internships in European schools will take place in the following period August-October 2022. We recommend schools to participate in projects within key actions 1 and 2 of the Erasmus+ program to increase the quality of teaching and educational exchanges, an action also supported by the initiative of the #AmbasadorErasmus. The European learning experience was recorded in the job-shadowing journals for teachers and in the students' project journals and assessed through the final assessment questionnaires for the participants.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter eTwinning project: real-life situations as well as implementing “InteRadional”- critical thinking and digital skills. I look forward Multilingual Podcasts to working on other projects in the near future. From left to right: Michaela Vilardo, Françoise Altamura Michaela Vilardo: and Debra Louise Gilbody Dickerson Since 2008 I have been working as a German conversation teacher in various high schools in Françoise Altamura: Rome and the Lazio territory, since 2018 I am I have been a French conversation teacher since part of the marvellous team of teachers at the 1996 in Rome, at Liceo Ignazio Vian, Bracciano. I Liceo Ignazio Vian in Bracciano, near Rome. This have always tried to get my students to is my fourth eTwinning project. It was very participate in activities in which they could interesting working together with so many practice French in an authentic way. European teachers, particularly my French Consequently, I started with eTwinning projects partner, on a project that was very stimulating and video conferences in 2007. In 2010, my for the students. They learned to improve their project \"BLA ... BLA ... BLA ...\", was awarded and digital skills, communicating in several became an eTwinning kit. In 2013, I launched the languages and respecting deadlines in a idea of creating the Italian eTwinning page on teamwork. Definitely next year we are going to Wikipedia. Since 2009 I have been an work together on our following eTwinning eTwinning ambassador for my region Lazio and Project since May 2022 I‘m an Erasmus + School Ambassador. To date I have carried out 51 This project is aimed at 16/17-year-old students projects. from various European countries as a multilingual collaboration in the creation of Debra Louise Gilbody Dickerson: podcasts in different languages. Podcasts, In 2004, I started working as an English which are widely appreciated by young conversation teacher at Liceo Mariano Burratti people, are a motivating tool both to improve in Viterbo. Then, I moved to Liceo Ignazio Vian in the linguistic aspect, but also as a stimulus to Bracciano, near Rome in 2016. This is my first discover other European cultures. The themes eTwinning project, which has been challenging chosen are the arts and culture in order to give and inspiring for both my students and myself ample room for creativity and choice to as it is a stimulus to use a foreign language in students. In this way, they can exchange ideas and reflections, share passions and interests in the different languages they study at school. The project can be seen as an opportunity to compare and share ideas concerning the identity of young people in Europe and perhaps give birth or strengthen this European identity as well as social cohesion. Furthermore, it gives students the chance to learn and improve the languages studied and acquire a deeper knowledge of their own mother tongue language through formal,

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter informal and non-formal learning. The participating countries are: France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium and Spain. The project is promoted by the three foreign language conversation teachers of the Ignazio Vian linguistic high school in Bracciano. ACTIVITIES Safer Internet Day In February students followed the Safer Activities where students introduce Internet Day campaign which aims at making themselves to TwinSpace partners. the internet a safer and better place for all, From the start of the project, the teachers especially for children and teenagers. After wanted students to use all the languages they watching a video, students discussed and study at school but also their mother tongue analysed how teenagers get informed for this reason students made their first nowadays, how an opinion is created and the presentations in multiple languages on a possible dangers of fake news. The Learning common twinboard. Then, to implement Activity ended with writing an article in interaction with each other, each school German about how students inform prepared a page with a Digipad or a Padlet themselves every day. Instead, the students in where students gave further information the French group created posts with tips for about themselves either in writing or with a safe internet browsing. video or voice recording, and where partners could leave a comment or ask questions. In Activities to create the radio logo and jingle addition, a forum was set up on the same page In order to choose the name of the radio, its to encourage further interaction and logo and jingles, polls were organised based communication. on the pupils' proposals made on Answergarden and then voted by the students. Icebreaker activities To facilitate partners getting to know each other, some teachers organised ice-breaking activities such as \"behind my window\" and \"look with your ears.\" In the first activity, students posted a photo taken through a window and explained their choice whereas in the second one, students had to listen to sounds in their environment and record them such as, the school bell ringing, recreation

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter time, the turning over of pages in a book etc. their culture with their partners and they Then, everything was posted on a Twinboard learnt to select the appropriate level and together with a short description. These register to communicate in their native activities were much appreciated by the language with their partners who were students who were able to compare their beginners. environments with those of their partners and see that they are at the same time, very similar Lastly, they worked together in groups where but also different. they mediated and reached agreements to produce a single document within an Practice activities for the creation of established deadline. podcasts: PODCAST CREATION Teachers asked students to create podcasts in For the final podcast, teachers organised a their mother tongue as an exercise in Padlet with the various steps of a work plan to preparation of the final product as well as an be respected by everyone in order to create a original product to share with their partners. homogeneous final product. Students worked in bi-national groups, meeting in the evenings Activities: In class students learnt how to write or on Saturday mornings to discuss their ideas. a podcast script with the timing of each Following, they shared a google doc for their individual speaker, the timing of the entire podcast script where they wrote their texts registration, the content of the podcast, the and corrected each other and finally, they name of each speaker and background sound recorded their podcast. effects or music to accompany the presentation. In order to do this, students had A group of Italian and French students to first choose a topic and then carry out some collaborated actively via different research on the internet. Following, they communication channels (forum on decided on each person's role and practised TwinSpace, email, WhatsApp, Instagram) in their parts until they had an original product to order to create podcasts on various topics in share with their partners. The final outcome German. Their communication language was was that students shared various aspects of mainly German, otherwise English. Final results in German: https://twinspace.etwinning.net/181183/pages/ page/2361889 EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT & FOLLOW UP A satisfaction survey was proposed to the students in addition to a class discussion on the negative and positive aspects of the project: 80% of the 100 people who did the survey declared that they were quite or very satisfied.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter In June the teachers met up to give feedback listening to the recording and were therefore on the project and discussed the various forced to pay special attention to their aspects which need to be improved. Finally, pronunciation. The latter, because they had to they agreed to do a new project on \"European be concise in their presentation, after having cinema\" for the following school year. done the due research on the topic to be exposed. Moreover, students developed social skills through interaction with their class work- groups as well as with their European partners. DISSEMINATION The major difficulty was not being able to During the Erasmus days (14/15/16 work synchronously with the European October)videos created by the students, were partners due to a strict school timetable. presented on the Facebook and Twitter pages Consequently, our students had to often work of our high school in the evenings and on Saturdays. https://youtu.be/3t8GIb5oLHI. Final results all languages: On 13th February, the World Radio Day 2022 https://twinspace.etwinning.net/181183/pages/ (UNESCO), students created a gallery of page/1698127 famous radio personalities. Information events on the project were organized in the schools of the participants on 9th May. During the 'Excellences\" awards ceremony in our high school on 6th June, a student presented the project to the families attending. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the idea of making podcasts was appreciated by both students and teachers. The creation of the podcasts stimulated both oracy and written skills. The former, because the pupils had to think about the audience

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter “Green Innovation” Page of the project is: https://twinspace.etwinning.net/123007/home for a Green World Our amazing site is here: https://greeninnovationetwinning.weebly.com eTwinning Project / and https://sites.google.com/view/etwinninggreeni by Alina Mirela Popa nnovation/pagina-de-pornire. The main goal of this project is to motivate We wanted an innovative project. Title is students to be a global and active citizen and suggestive and methods used are diverse and to improve their knowledge about climate useful for students. We worked collaboratively issues and how we all can address the climate during project in mixed teachers and students changes. By using smart technologies and teams with 12 teachers and 120 students from systems, they will recognize a green 4 countries. Project started with informative innovation model that is effective in notices about sustainability of life in relation combating climate change by reducing with nature and future green innovation greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the use technologies. The main objectives are of renewable energy sources, and reducing awareness for climate and planet, responsible waste materials. We count on students actions and finding solutions. Pedagogical because they are our future citizens, and they objectives were centred for student agency should take in account that their actions must and full participation. SDGs were the start go hand in hand with different strategies that presented point for students. Teachers can protect the nature. Students use English assumed tasks and students responded to it. language and will develop digital skills so much We arranged 10-12 students in groups lead by required in lately times. teams of 2-3 teachers. Each monthly activity mixed also teachers but students, too. Each new team formed is showed in the specific Google Sheets and task page in TwinSpace, so students know who are the other team partners. In this way we circle the contact between teachers and students for solving required tasks in the stages of the

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter project with the aim of maximum to prove how our life can become green - they collaboration. From the start, teachers had improved knowledge and learned about many established main responsibilities in the project, global actions for a green sustainable life to be but during project work, there were grouped early implemented. We are an example, so we for small other addition dues to be solved. start action with facts, examples and methods for recycling, reusing and reducing waste, Regarding methods used, we have making life easier, saving our health, air and approached many collaborative methods environment. Competences like the ability to asking students to make and present their select and classify waste and to understand individual work, but in a common tool like the damage for the planet, soil, oceans were Padlets, Bookcreator etc. Students showed provided. Students developed the practical their creativity in making, posters, creating skills for creating design decoration objects games, solving games, creating small videos. from waste products. In this way they Students participated also in big number in all developed their creativity and imagination as a meetings and online competitions we training. organised during project. This means a great satisfaction for the benefits of the participated Another key competence in this project is students. Their curiosity and knowledge were student`s agency through their work, full definitely improved. participation, their roles in creativity, share talents, improve skills, their products in great Green Innovation has a multidisciplinary collective final outcomes. Through other approach and is integrated into Social and Quizziz, evaluation, Kahoots we put students Science disciplines curriculum like Environment in situation to give answers and to evaluate Protection, Chemistry (carbon, energy, themselves in suggested competition. Critical recycling, green-team), Biology, Health (water thinking, analysis, solving problems and and food management team), Geography finding solutions makes students to increase (cultural competition), Social Civic disciplines their interest and knowledge and this are the for responsibilities as citizens (waste team), main goals. English for project`s language, IT for learning and training with digital tools and safely use Collaboration between partner schools was internet. fruitful during project plan and we had teachers responsibilities and also The main competences we assumed to students tasks. For this the collaboration and develop is the awareness for the environment, communication were absolutely necessary. All responsible behaviour, quick actions. Along partners responded immediately to all with this, the responsibility for a good citizen requirements in the project. We had a whats- that becomes example for society is the up teacher group made before starting central goal. We focused on techniques about projects. We get in contact during project how to protect Planet and re-direct to Green through Forum, Twinmail, Home - approaches in daily life and develop LatestUpdates News, Teachers bulletin. competences for this. Students were communicated by Forum, During work project, we have created green TwinChat, Zoom, and emails and we had innovation teams that were searching solution webinars, chats, online meetings. Also we

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter asked contact and collaboration with parents I appreciate a full collaboration and the results for students permission in the project and in of the project can prove it. For the activities final surveys evaluations and we had a section we have used common tools and students also for visitors of the project to tell their actively used the tool like: canva for magazine, opinion for the quality of the project. Also diverse games, short audio for common video, during the project we shared opinions, short movies registered for other final debates, discussion about variants for product. Students improved speaking English producing the outcomes and which tool is and we have shared experience of reading in proper for some activities in the project. other country language in one interesting video(intercultural one). The project has a variety of activities and creating intermediate and final products We have used a lot of web 2.0 tools like Canva, wouldn’t have been possible without a close Joomag, Madmagz for magazine; doodle.com, and quick contact between all partners. mentimeter.com for meetings and debates; Postermywall and canva for posters; diverse apps for Logos; Bitmoji , Gifs creator, Plotagon for videos or Pixton for avatars and comics; tools for Mindmaps; Genially, Emaize, Powtoon for presentations; Mozaically for special photoslides; Artesteps for virtual museums; Scratch and Hour of Code for VR games trainings; Learningapps, Jigsawplanet, Wordwall, wordArt, I`m a puzzle, Cram, Jigidi for a variety of games; Storyjumper, Bookcreator, Jamboard for ebooks; iMovies, Filmora, Vivavideo, Animoto, InVideo, Biteable, Renderforest, Kapwing for videos; Comica for mixing videos in one video and many more other tools known by students. There are a lot of other tools used by students to present their individual work. All tools are gathered in Symbaloo app for our project. https://www.symbaloo.com/home/mix/AAAAB 2M8aHMAA42ASFEH8g. There are a lot of products created with students full participation. - Here is the communication ebook created: https://read.bookcreator.com/Fa23aRpevDViCF i1pRGtPpfRMNA3/zUa2hECaS0-fxrKhKm7thQ

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter - We have created the rules for using - Together with our best wishes for a internet list. Students were participated non-pandemic year made with to read the rules and registered, so we Jamboard tool. made a common product for attention in using safety the internet and tools. https://jamboard.google.com/d/10znWqKzd08 https://twinspace.etwinning.net/123007 hDZaNgVcdRobafQeCgjjBvje74X4Hqo- /pages/page/1084284. 4/viewer. - After mixing teams we created a - We had a resume of the hard work in common collaborative magazine with project created with Google Slides all students work participation created https://docs.google.com/presentation/d in Canva tool. /1gLuwOb9Ud_sZktJ7pdkwu31Qmw8D oWV_kx0ubtJz3kw/edit#slide=id.gb482 https://www.canva.com/design/DAESfUeyEmc/ 732301_0_0. KlJ7yyVaHwGUn6clAiEZYQ/view?utm_content =DAESfUeyEmc&utm_campaign=designshare - The nicest product is trying to speak &utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishshar others country language sending a elink great message from out project in diverse languages of partners in - We have used games for a better project. Here is the product: understanding of 3 R in recycling procedures https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a using Canva NDD4c0XdA https://www.canva.com/design/DAESEq0nrPQ/ WFz67uFgdbHO0QSDlMuqgw/view?utm_cont The impact of the project was huge because ent=DAESEq0nrPQ&utm_campaign=designsha students developed their 21st century re&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishpr competences by training and working in an esent international project. They become aware for climate and its issues. They find out about - We have learned about waste and Green Innovation techniques that are required types of waste products showed in on global actions nowadays. Students realized Boockcreator as collaborative final that world has problems and they can product contribute even less, but can bring benefits by https://read.bookcreator.com/O10biZJD their attitudes. They have also improved OUbdxLMt7GXeCqTyBOx2/vECrWqsmQ English through collaboration and NGlUSUAc5ewzQ communication and contributed for - A calendar for coming year was created with all partners participation, also created with Canva https://www.canva.com/design/DAEQNJ2wZh Y/hFIZY92j4aec- Rn19jU6jw/view?utm_content=DAEQNJ2wZhY &utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=l ink&utm_source=publishpresent%C2%A0, https://jamboard.google.com/d/10znWqKzd08 hDZaNgVcdRobafQeCgjjBvje74X4Hqo- 4/viewer

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter developing the practical skills by creating Alina Mirela Popa is a food industry teacher at Liceul ecological decoration objects at home. Tehnologic de Industrie Alimentară G. E. Palade in Satu Mare, Romania. She is the coordinator of eTwinning and Mainly, students developed creativity, Erasmus+ projects in her school and an eTwinning imagination, solving problem, own individual ambassador since 2019. She coordinated the eTwinning work for searching information and creating School Title in the 2019 and 2022 process and continued reports or materials, create small products, with activities for Code Week, Erasmus Days, Speaker in innovate themselves, finding new things, Promoting eTwinning and active membership in improve knowledge, see other cultures and Europeana for Education. She was nominated at European get more instructed regarding school Vocational Skills Week in Berlin 2020 for Teacher and curriculum. Trainer Category. In 2021 and 2022 she participated in the TED programme initiated by Illinois Urbana Campaign USA We achieved the goals that we were focus on and European Union. She is the winner of European Prize by empowering students with guidance, 2021 for “Climate Volunteers” no. 1, age 16-19 category. moderation, advices, guidance for the work; we created for them a health environment for online communication with their colleagues around the world. We had a good external visitors evaluation, parents, other teachers, responded positive to surveys about project. School achieved trained students for future activities. Project has good final products, good evaluation and it was disseminated on social media channels and on schools` website. We add value to our schools and we have more experienced teachers. We spread the word about our project. All participants were awarded with European Quality Labels.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter Kulturkiosk Goes the participation of six schools from six Festival: An countries, four of which were continuously Erasmus+KA229 and present since day one: Kurt-Tucholsky- eTwinning Project Oberschule Berlin /Germany, by Johanna Bundesgymnasium Rein Graz /Austria, Chardaloupa Peiramatiko Gymnasio Panepistimiou Patron Patras /Hellas, Oulunkylän Yhteiskoulu Helsinki Once upon a time ... /Finland. The ISTITUTO DI ISTRUZIONI It all began in September 2014, when six SECONDARIA SUPERIORE (IISS) Salvatore Schools from six European countries started Pugliatti Taormina/Italy started collaborating their Erasmus+ project Kulturkiosk (KK1, 2014- with us on the 2nd Erasmus+ project. On the 3rd 2017) [view here the description of the project project we had a new member from France: on the 7th Visibility Newsletter, 2017]. The Lycée Louis Payen, St Paul, La Réunion /France. collaboration of these Schools continued in the following Erasmus+ project, Kulturkiosk II: The main idea: how it all started Von Schülern für Schüler (KK2, 2017-2019) After teaching subjects related to museum [documentation of the project on the 9th artifacts and exhibitions (KK1) and creating Visibility Newsletter, view here]. educational scenarios about UNESCO’s World At that time there were nine partners from Heritage Monuments (mainly tangible - KK2), seven countries. Finally, in September 2019 we began to deal with intangible heritage started the 3rd Erasmus+KA229 project: (KK3). We wanted our students first to be able Kulturkiosk goes Festival (KK3, 2019-2022) with to identify the intangible heritage of their own country and then to examine those of their partners. All their new knowledge and progress had to be enrolled and documented in a video that would be created collaboratively in mixed multinational groups. In order to help and support them, we started our project in Graz/Austria (in November 2019) with a film creation workshop. Specialists were invited in order to explain the procedure and to instruct students on how to create a video (basic film concepts, treatment & storyboard, data backup, review and rough cut, music selection and voice-over text, text inserts and others). Partner countries agreed that students in each mobility will get involved to learn at least two intangible heritage themes. Austrian topics were the Viennese Waltz and the Lipizzaner Horses.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter The pandemic While preparing our 2nd meeting in Patras/Hellas, the breakout of Covid-19 changed our plans. We confronted a new, unforeseeable situation, where everyone was afraid and practically unable to do many things! The coordinators tried to stay in touch through various online meetings via Zoom or Teams platforms. We organized a photo competition for our students where they should take a photo while giving/holding hands. Then, they should upload their creations on a padlet. The second start In September 2021 all coordinators of the project finally managed to meet -accompanied by teachers of participating countries- for training in Berlin. There, the Greece

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter coordinator trained the attendees in the Adobe Express (former Spark Adobe Video) application, in order to be used by their students to create a final product in our forthcoming transnational meetings. The transnational meetings and workflow The first mobility with students after the quarantine took place at the beginning of November 2021 in Taormina/Sicily. We learned about the Teatro dei Pupi, the Sicilian puppets and the Mediterranean Diet. We visited a local Olive Mill and a farm, where we experienced the Sicilian way of making pasta.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter In the first week of December 2021, three out [In May 2021, as soon as schools opened, all of our five partners visited Patras/Hellas. Two students of the C1 class agreed to become a partners were unable to attend due to \"Rebetiki Company\" changes in their countries' COVID-19 health regulations. It was particularly moving that students, who were already studying at the High School (PLPP), but had participated in the beginning of the project (school year 2019- 2020) attended the welcome ceremony of the partners, by singing, playing music and dancing rebetika songs. REBETIKO was one of the issues of intangible cultural heritage, which we dealt with from the beginning of the project. for a while, playing music, singing and dancing! As they told us: \"It was the only event we have to remember from our school years/ the years of High School\"! They tried to revive the period by dressing themselves in special clothes and decorating the Hall, they rehearsed a lot, both at home and School and, within 45 minutes, they managed to shoot a video with music, songs and dance for the Rebetiko! Since we didn't know if and when we could travel again, the Rebetiko-Video along with a video on how to bake a spinach/greens pie, as shown by a students’ grandmother, were filmed while we were still in quarantine and that was the Greek contribution to the Erasmus+ project. So we thought at least!] One of our High school students made a presentation on Rebetiko song (History, origin, etc.). Unfortunately, the Omicron mutation had already \"appeared\" therefore, for safety reasons, our students did not \"teach\" the Rebetiko dance as it was planned.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter with a presentation of some Cultural Heritage Monuments on a paper board with the help of Robots and programming (Scratch). Those students, who tried it, first listened to an audio recorded description (made by the Greek students) of the Monument and then they had to \"program\" the robot so as to take the correct direction to the Monument onto the dashboard. Two other high school students talked about the \"Olympic Truce\" to our guests! That was the introduction to our scheduled visit to Ancient Olympia. The \"Olympic Truce\" has not been included yet in the UNESCO list, but we wanted our European partners to become aware of it, to discuss the issue, and in this way to support the Municipality of Ancient Olympia by the time they submit the proposal. The welcome ceremony of the partners ended

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter A training-workshop came next for all participants presented by three High School students on how to create videos using the Adobe Express application in order to facilitate all students in their final creations. The visit to a farm outside of Patras gave the students the opportunity to see how bread and traditional vegetable pies (greens pies) are made. Everybody had the opportunity to knead, oil the leaves, prepare the filling, etc. While visiting the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia, students had a guided tour around the Archaeological Museum and the Stadium, where they had the opportunity to become ancient athletes (there was a re- enactment of the Road Race). The winner was a student from France, who was \"crowned\" by a Greek student and given the \"Torch\" of our project, which was created for this purpose by Greek students.

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter participating students voted in their groups for the best one and its contributors were rewarded! Upon arrival at school six international teams The whole event ended with Christmas songs were created. Each group dealt with either the by our Schools’ Choir and the valedictorian Olympic Truce or the making of vegetable pie. wishes of our Principal. They collected material (videos, photos), evaluated it, wrote explanatory texts, recorded them and composed their final product. Teachers simply attended the groups when In March 2022 our next transnational meeting they were asked to in order to clarify took place in St Paul, La Réunion/France. The something difficult and provide help if needed. Patras-Team/Hellas wasn’t able to participate Students worked alone, in groups, in this meeting, but they sent video-greetings. cooperatively and evaluating the information At St. Paul participants learnt about Maloja they found in the internet or the photos from and healing plants. The traditional art of the Olympia and/or from the farm. After all six groups' videos were presented, the

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter Tisaneurs combines centuries-old African, Although our Erasmus+ project has now Malagasy, Asian and Australian knowledge officially come to an end, since almost all about plants and their healing properties. The schools involved are Erasmus accredited rhythms of the Maloja and Moringue schools, we are planning another last meeting encourage people to clap, sing, dance or fight - as stated in the application - in Berlin, where along – although most of us Europeans were all videos will be shown again to elect the best still cautious about it. video. This will be our \"Berlinale\"! At the end of April 2022 our last meeting took Final Information place in Helsinki/Finland. Sauna culture and Communication language was German, but all Everyman's right were the two intangible students also used English or French to cultural heritage themes students came along communicate with each other. This time we in Helsinki. had English subtitles on the produced videos with all information in German or vice versa They were also surprised to learn something (German subtitles and presentation in English). else: even Finnish teachers are on strike!!! It The project has been presented by the Greek was the first time they had gone on strike Coordinator in the Erasmus+ Dissemination since 1984 and we had the opportunity to see Conference (04.06.2021 and 13.05.2022) and live it! organized by the Regional Directorate of Education of Western Greece - EU Projects and Our project meeting and our Erasmus+ and during the Celebration of the Erasmus Days eTwinning project “Kulturkiosk Goes Festival” 2020 and 2021. The project won the BRONZE came to an end with a three-hour sailing trip Award at the competition Education Leaders by the sailing ship “M/S Astrid”. Students did Awards 2022 in Greece. not want to say goodbye and started dancing. Dance started on the ship and then continued After eight years of collaboration, cooperation on the pier in front of the ship! But everything and hard work all partners decided to “rest” has an end. for a year, “recharge” our mental batteries and get ready for… KK4??!!! Who knows. Let’s wait and see!

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter Online Information We Haven’t Got a Pies: http://wip.culture.gr/wp- content/uploads/2016/12/DNPAAPK_Pites.pdf ) Spare Planet Rebetiko: https://asfar.org.uk/-as-cultural- expression-from-asia-minor-to-greece/ ) by Gabriela Website: https://interactive- museum.guide/immaterielles-welterbe/ Săndulescu The GR-Wakelet documentation: https://wke.lt/w/s/tWaRWl Each of us can contribute to the well-being of Patras-Mobility the planet. The environment represents the The Video-Greetings totality of the natural conditions and elements of the planet Earth, in other words it Johanna Chardaloupa (Wakelet & Book Creator represents the \"home\" of all living things. Ambassador) teaches German as a Foreign Language at Raising students' awareness of environmental the Experimental High & Senior School of the University of protection in the school activities must be a Patras/Hellas (Peiramatiko Gymnasio-Lykeio priority for the whole teaching community. Panepistimiou Patron) – an eTwinning School. She has Only in this way will we be able to make a been a passionate eTwinner since 2005 and loves to positive contribution to the well-being of the involve NT & Web 2.0 tools to inspire and motivate her environment. students in her foreign language classrooms. Protecting the environment is important for the health of soil, air, water, living things and humans. To do this, we must take action every day and protect and preserve nature, lead a healthy life, and ensure a better place for future generations. In this sense, we must use natural resources wisely, without depleting them and without degrading the environment. In the activities carried out with the students, an important aspect that must be taken into account is the one that aims at the awareness of obtaining a higher proportion of energy from renewable sources. This reduces emissions of pollutants that cause: the greenhouse effect, acid rain, holes in the ozone layer and spends less on coal, oil and natural gas. Renewable energy sources are: solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal. Some EU countries are positive in this regard. Over 80% of

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter Portugal's national energy production comes herbs, and nets made for shopping for used from renewable sources. Over 43% of total clothes. We also hiked in nature. electricity production in Denmark is wind energy. In order for the effects of our actions to be visible, we need to identify viable solutions that can be easily put into practice. How do we proceed? We protect forests by planting intelligently without deforestation. We build green walls and roofs. We wisely manage water, use rainwater, and domestic water. We do sustainable shopping: we buy less, we buy locally. We reuse and reduce waste. We choose organic variants, we buy vintage. We use cars, trains, buses, ships, planes as little as possible, and we use bicycles and walk. We collect waste differently. In order to sensitize the students of our school, Colegiul Național Gheorghe Lazăr in Sibiu, Romania about environmental protection, we carried out interdisciplinary activities coordinated by a team of three teachers: Gabriela Săndulescu, teacher of Biology, Raluca Filip, teacher of Art, and Adina Stănculescu, ICT teacher. The activities aimed at identifying solutions for nature protection and had as tangible final results a PowerPoint presentation, flower pots made from recyclable materials, a mini garden built with

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2022 Newsletter Al these wonderful moments happened during a useful and exciting eTwinning project called “Verde pentru un viitor verde” – Green for a Green Future, https://twinspace.etwinning.net/239930/home, which will continue the next school year. Gabriela Săndulescu is a teacher of Biology and deputy headteacher at Colegiul Național Gheorghe Lazăr in Sibiu, Romania, with 25 years of teaching experience, mentor teacher for students who go through the psycho- pedagogical and methodological module of the Sibiu County Inspectorate.