Blog entry by OSG PEDA DC TEAM
European School Education Platform Professional Development Opportunities
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Nurturing thoughtful minds with collaboration and eTwinning
In today’s ever-evolving educational landscape, fostering critical thinking is essential for preparing students to navigate complex challenges and make responsible decisions. This course focuses on how collaboration and group work can serve as powerful tools for developing critical thinking skills while nurturing citizenship, aligning with this year’s eTwinning theme.
📅 When? February 24, 2025
📍 Where? Online
Our journey begins with a shift in mindset, encouraging educators to adopt a growth mindset and an innovator’s mindset—key attitudes for creating a classroom culture where critical thinking thrives. Anchored in the 6C’s of 21st Century Learning, this session emphasises Critical Thinking and Citizenship, exploring how these interconnected competencies help students become thoughtful, engaged global citizens.
Participants will gain practical insights and hands-on experience with tools and strategies for designing collaborative activities that enhance critical thinking. The course will introduce a variety of digital tools, including innovative examples of leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to promote critical thinking in the classroom. Additionally, we will highlight how eTwinning projects provide a dynamic platform for fostering these skills through cross-border collaboration.
The aim of the course is to equip educators with the mindset, tools, and methods to make critical thinking and citizenship the core of teaching. Together, we will empower students to think critically, act responsibly, and thrive in an interconnected world.
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Enhance numeracy skills with eTwinning projects
The primary aim of this course is to equip you with the skills and confidence to design eTwinning projects that revolutionise the way mathematics is taught and learned. By fostering innovation and collaboration, these projects will make mathematics more engaging and accessible, promoting the development of essential numeracy skills among students.
📅 When? March 3, 2025
📍 Where? Online
The course is structured to guide you through a logical progression of concepts, beginning with foundational topics and gradually advancing to more complex ideas. Each module builds upon the last, ensuring a cohesive learning journey. The final module focuses on integrating various mathematical disciplines through the planning and execution of eTwinning projects, providing you with hands-on experience in designing impactful, interdisciplinary initiatives.
By the end of the course, you will not only gain fresh inspiration for teaching approaches but also develop a broader perspective on the real-world applications of mathematics, preparing your students for future success in a rapidly evolving, globalised world.
Upcoming webinars:
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The Socratic method in schools: Midwife, sometimes gadfly
This webinar will explain its core elements and how they may be adapted to scaffold group discussions. In its myriad adaptations to different contexts, we will see that often it is more appropriate to speak of Socratic methods.
📅 When? February 26, 2025
📍 Where? Online
Guest expert? Erick Wilberding completed a Ph.D. in the History of Art at New York University. For nearly 30 years, he has taught at Marymount International School in Rome, where he is the head of the Philosophy and Theory of Knowledge Department. He has published Teach like Socrates (Routledge, 2014) and Socratic Methods (Routledge, 2019). In 2021 he wrote the TED-Ed animation about the Socratic Method. This tool will help improve your critical thinking, which has over 6.5 million views. He is greatly convinced of the value of making thinking visible through dialogic teaching.
The Socratic Method is one of the most versatile tools for teachers in the classroom, moving the crucial activities of analysis and judgment to the students. This webinar will explain its core elements and how they may be adapted to scaffold group discussions. In its myriad adaptations to different contexts, we will see that often it is more appropriate to speak of Socratic methods.
Webinar recordings:
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Supporting critical thinking with technology in the classroom
Can technology really help students think critically, or does it depend on how teachers use it? This webinar explores what teachers can do to support critical thinking in technology-enhanced learning environments and the challenges they might face.
Kairit Tammets will share practical examples and easy-to-use strategies for designing lessons that foster engagement and critical thinking. By the end of the webinar, you will have useful tips to help your students ask questions, think more deeply, and discuss ideas thoughtfully.
📅 When? ENDED February 17, 2025
📍 Where? Online
Guest expert? Kairit Tammets is a Professor of Technology-Enhanced Learning at Tallinn University whose research focuses on teacher professional learning in technology-enhanced learning environments. With extensive experience in designing and implementing professional development programs, Kairit Tammets specializes in fostering social learning practices to promote the adoption of innovative teaching methods. As the Scientific Coordinator of the EU-funded EffecTive project, Kairit leads innovative research into how carefully designed training programs can enhance teachers' situation-specific skills and pedagogical digital competence. Her work emphasizes the importance of scaffolding, reflection, and the situated nature of professional learning in professional learning settings. In addition to collaborating with schools and policymakers to shape sustainable professional learning models, Kairit is an experienced teacher trainer, guiding teachers, researchers, and trainers to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Kairit holds a PhD in Educational Science with a focus on technology-enhanced learning and has contributed to several European projects, publications, and conferences in the fields of education and technology.