Background of the conference
"eTwinning for Future Teachers" has introduced the implementation of eTwinning projects among initial teacher education institutions, with the aim of providing opportunities for teacher educators and student teachers to reap the benefits of European collaboration. Through eTwinning, teacher educators and student teachers are able to experiment with technological and pedagogical innovations, reflect on their practices and enhance their competences. Also, "eTwinning for Future Teachers" can support student teachers in developing the skills necessary for effective teaching and gain a deeper understanding of the teaching profession. “eTwinning for future teachers” facilitates the implementation of practices pertained to online collaboration, peer learning, linking the initial teacher education institutions with schools and other organisations of the local community, and mentoring schemes which can all promote student teachers’ “feeling of readiness for teaching” (European Education and Culture Executive Agency, Eurydice, 2017). Especially for mentoring schemes, the European Commission underlines that well trained mentors can support new teachers to “move beyond an identity which is connected to teaching as a routine profession to an innovative identity in which teaching is considered as an inquiring and innovative profession” (European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture, 2015: 17). In this context, innovation might include the application of new and creative ideas, methods, and practices to enhance teaching, learning, research, and institutional effectiveness among the initial teacher education institutions.
The Conference 2023 will be an opportunity to:
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Reward the initial teacher education institution of the year, via the specific European ITE Award Ceremony
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introduce eTwinning to new initial teacher education institutions.
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contextualise initial teacher education within the eTwinning annual theme.
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strengthen the educators’ teams in the current institutions already part of the action and increase the number of participants.
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provide insights, inspiration, and professional development opportunities with input from experts.
The first day of the conference is open to the public without registering. You will be able to follow the public part of the event here.
eTwinning is an initiative of the European Union and funded by Erasmus+, the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. This event and related materials have been prepared for the European Commission by European Schoolnet under a contract with the Union, however it reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
