ANNEX 5

PEDAGOGICAL JUSTIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF GROUPS - NEMED

ANNEX 3

Description and pedagogical justification of work groups

CONTENTS

2CONTENTS

3UNIVERSITY OF AEGEAN, Group 1, ICT and Multigrade Schools

7Technical UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST Group 2: Multigrade Classroom Management

15ELLINOGERMANIKI AGOGI Group 3: Links with local society

18UNIVERSITY OF LISBON Group 4: Learning Modes

31UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA, Group 5: Educational Resources

32UNIVERSITY OF AEGEAN, Group 6: Multigrade Schools and Policies

34EVALUATION

42DISSEMINATION

UNIVERSITY OF AEGEAN, Group 1, ICT and Multigrade Schools

GROUP1 ICT and MULTIGRADE SCHOOL University of Aegean LEADING THE GROUP

Participating: University of Eotvos Lorand, University of Barcelona, Chydenius Institute

A background statement: why the subject of this group is of interest to multigrade education?

NEMED project is focalized in multigrade schools and the development of a multigrade schools’ network which will allow partner schools to communicate, get training and upload material from NEMED platform. Since NEMED was divided into six separate working groups of research and training material development, ICT group is this group that aims to research all current possible ways of ICT enrollment in education and especially multigrade education. ICT group also aims to tabulate and classify ICT multiple role in education, to develop suggested guidelines, best practices and best case scenario for ICT exploitation in multigrade teaching and learning.

ICT can be the answer in many multigrade schooling problems.

One of the most important obstacles a multigrade teacher faces is the pressure and lack of teaching time: while he/she addresses his/her teaching to a specific students’ age group. The rest present age groups remain unaddressed and involved in silent tasks. This time can be deteriorated into “dead” time for the students, unless teacher has achieved a high pre-organization of these silent tasks. ICT can respond to that problem with a very sufficient way. ICT can provide all the necessary means and tools to the teacher so that dead time is shrunk and learning time is increased for all students. Self learning educational e-material can be adequately developed to support multigrade learning. E- Educational material can be in many different forms: can be a CDrom, an educational website, original e-material developed by teacher him/herself and uploaded on a server so that it will be accessed vie internet, original e material developed by teacher him/herself and uploaded on a local PC so that it will be accessed via intranet, original educational material developed by students themselves.

Also, a multigrade teacher is also often charged with the burden of administrative work. Especially for those types of multigrade schools that there is one teacher for all six grades, teacher is the headmaster of school having to deal with all consequent paperwork. Official correspondence consumes extra time from the already compressed time table. ICT can simplify administrative tasks and automatize routines so that time will be saved and added into teaching time.

In multigrade schools there are regularly (in most countries) no special multigrade-centered books. Multigrade students have to be taught with the conventional books of a monograde school, which were designed for different class type. ICT can provide tools for developing especially multigrade-centered designed educational material. ICT can provide web access to that uploaded material and permit exchange between people who are interested.

Multigrade schools are regularly in isolated areas, which outcomes that teachers can not easily move to get professional training. ICT can permit in situ training using ODL techniques and permitting to teachers having access to training procedures without leaving their school.

Multigrade schools, due to geographical and social isolation, offer small access to cultural events, to information and to lifelong learning conditions. ICT can alter this situation offering digital access to information, communication and lifelong learning, not only for the teachers but the total of local –and isolated- community. Due to this element of isolation, multigrade school’s communication with the rest educational community is hindered. ICT can facilitate communication providing a wide range of communicational tools: videoconference software, websites containing a forum, web sites providing a virtual library with exchangeable material can all facilitate dramatically the communication with other schools, nationally and internationally, with universities and other official institutions. That offers the chance to multigrade students and teachers to exchange brainstorming, ideas, suggested solutions, material and experiences.

Before the ICT era in education, multigrade schools’ cooperation with national or international projects was critically encumbered, due to distance and communicational problems. Now, ICT has simplified the pre-requirements. All willing schools can participate in projects having partners in all parts of the planet, exchanging material and information and ideas daily via internet, with no extra charge or delays.

ICT NEMED group will develop a report recording and comparing the tendencies in ICT exploitation of multigrade schooling internationally. But apart from it, ICT NEMED group will develop and suggest best case scenario for ICT exploitation in multigrade school environment. NEMED School net will have access in that produced material via the NEMED platform. In that way school partners, and all interested parties, will be entitled to read, be informed and implement ICT techniques for multigrade school.

Theoretical study of the subject of each group

Could be the major part of the basic theoretical text for the specific training material

Enrollment of ICT in education constitutes a greatly wide issue, which is supported by an increasingly expanding theory. The basic lines of this theory are:

1. Pedagogical negative concerns (the new role of the teacher, ICT is a new demanding reality for the teacher requiring further skills. ICT creates a new, more competitive professional environment for the teacher since it increases the parameters of professional skis). It is important to mention here that an important majority of teachers suffers from technophobia and what is really vital for the designers of policies concerning education and technology is the change of mentality, the persuasion of teachers that ICT is an ally.

2. Pedagogical positive concerns (ICT is a reliable ally. Teaching can be transformed into multimedia teaching, educational material can be transformed into interactive educational software, traditional equipment can be ICT equipment, educational resources from encyclopedia can be internet resources, and traditional training can be On Distance training and so on.) What is now the aim of current research and theory makers is the definition of best practices and best case scenario.

3. Pre-requirements: equipment’s cost, equipment’s maintenance and updates, existence of help desk service for the schools, ICT training, the problem of locating time for training, trainers, trainers’ fees, trainees’ compensation…

4. Definition of terms, a glossary of ICT essentials

5. Notes about most commonly used WINDOWS software.

6. Theory on best scenarios of ICT implementation in education in general and multigrade schools

Practical classrooms activities, based on the theory and teachers’ experience

These are the “classroom resources” (4 activities/best practices such as classroom resources, projects, actions, suggested scenarios….

ICT group aims to develop training material teaching teachers:

How to built ICT skills useful in teaching (email, internet, excel, word, windows office), how to develop original educational material (PowerPoint, front page, web design, JAVA programming, development of e-questionnaires, uploading of forms and questionnaires on a server…), and how to locate educational resources in internet. ICT group also aims to develop training material teaching students how to use simple, essential ICT skills according their age, so that they will be in position to develop some original material of their own, to communicate digitally, to locate and use internet information.

BEST CASE SCENARIOS: ICT group will develop guidelines about classroom P/C structure, P/C activities integrated in the curriculum, multimedia teaching for multigrade school, development, uploading and sharing original educational digital material

CLASSROOM RESOURCES: ICT group will develop guidelines about best internet use for locating educational material and it will provide a data basis of suggested web educational platforms

PROJECTS: an interactive environment might be developed teaching pupils to use ICT essentials. An interactive environment might be developed teaching teachers how to develop original material of their own.

ACTIONS: NEMED teachers’ can be encouraged to develop and share their own educational original material.

Group work methodology

Ways of interaction with school net

Each school partner of the NEMED School net will have an access code to NEMED platform. In that way teachers will be entitled to both upload and download: downloading refers to material developed from ICT NEMED group and uploading refers to teachers’ possibility to upload in an ad hoc designed area of the platform for teachers’ input.

Each NEMED institution partner will be responsible for guiding and supporting schools of NEMED net on a national basis.

Before the development of ICT group’s material a teachers’ need analysis was conducted from the coordinator (using questionnaires sent to the total of 1teacher and 2 teacher multigrade schools of Greece). In that way the essential parameters of teachers’ needs were recorded and used as measures for the initial designing of ICT group’s material, so that needs and solution will be in immediate correlation.

During the kick off meeting the criteria for partner schools selection were set and agreed. Number of teachers per school (so that multigrade term will be justified), ICT equipment, ICT use knowledge, internet connection and sufficient band width, knowledge of an international language were some of the pre-requirements.

An e- questionnaire was developed from all NEMED partners and will get its final digital form by university of Aegean to keep recording and shaping multigrade teacher’s profile on a constant, dynamic and internet-centered way.

ICT NEMED group’s reports and materials will be mainly accessed without authentication procedures from all interested parties and not only NEMED partners. Restricted areas accessed only with codes will be mainly referring to internal procedural discussions and instructions. Educational platforms aiming in ICT training are so many, that in order to make NEMED’s platform competitive, free access is of decisive importance.

Technical UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST Group 2: Multigrade Classroom Management

Group 2: Multigrade Classroom Management, Technical University of BUCHAREST LEADING THE GROUP

Participating: University of Aegean, University of Cyprus, Ellinogermaniki Agogi

GROUP 2: Multigrade classroom management

2.1 Theoretical background

2.1.1 Introduction

The multigrade classroom is labor intensive and requires more planning, collaboration, and professional development than the conventional graded classroom (Cushman, 1993; Gaustad, 1992; Miller, 1996). Sufficient planning time must be available to meet the needs of both teacher and students. Insufficient planning, staff development, materials, support, and assessment procedures will have an impact on the success of the multigrade program.

Despite these constraints, there are special advantages to multigrade classrooms. Flexible schedules can be implemented and unique programs developed to meet students’ individual and group interests and needs. Combined classrooms also offer ample opportunity for students to become resourceful and independent learners. The multigrade rural classroom is usually less formal than the single-grade urban or suburban classroom.

Because of the small class size, friendly relationships based on understanding and respect develop naturally between the students and the teacher. In this setting, students become well-known by their teacher and a family atmosphere often develops. However, many teachers, administrators, and parents continue to wonder whether multigrade organization has negative effects on student performance. For most rural educators, multigrade instruction is not an experiment or a new educational trend, but a forceful reality based on economic and geographic necessity.

2.1.2 Classroom management strategies

Managing the multigrade classroom is an essential element in successful instruction and requires good organizational ability and consistency. Students come into the classroom expecting the teacher to give them guidance and direction about rules and procedures and how the classroom is organized for instructional use. Having a uniform and predictable set of rules and procedures simplifies the task of being successful. Having clear and efficient routines makes classroom life run smoothly. Because there could be many different levels in a multigrade classroom, the need for clear, consistent rules and procedures is even more critical than in traditional, single-grade classrooms.

A literature review conducted by Wang, Haertel, and Walberg (1993) found that classroom management had the largest effect on student achievement (Marzano, 2003). There seem to be a few sound classroom management strategies that can be followed to help create an effectively managed classroom, with the aim of successful pupils’ instruction:

Be Prepared

· If you are getting a new class of students, try to learn their names and a little bit about them before school starts.

· Establish three or four classroom rules with the students. They are more apt to follow them if they have helped develop them.

· Establish procedures

· Be consistent when enforcing rules and procedures.

· Explain to the students what is expected of them.

Be Planned

· When planning your day, provide as much detail as possible.

· Ensure that you have enough work and activities planned for the day. Begin teaching at the beginning of the class and stop when the class is finished. Down time at the beginning and end of class often adds to discipline problems.

· Vary the activities throughout the lesson. Allow some time for teacher instruction followed by activity time.

Be Organized

· Assign each student a number at the beginning of the year to help keep track of books and assignments.

· Have a large envelope on the bulletin board to place extra copies of assignments. If any students are absent, missed assignments can be easily accessed.

· Have a specific spot for students to hand in and get back assignments. Paper trays or decorated paper box lids work well. Labeling them as “In Box” and “Out Box” often works well.

· Keep important information and papers in a binder that can be easily accessed.

· Mark and return student work promptly.

Effective teachers have been consistently observed by researchers to engage in three distinct phases of classroom management and discipline:

· planning before school begins,

· implementing plans, and

· maintenance (Emmer, 1987).

i) Preparing for the beginning of school

Effective teachers make their expectations explicit through clear rules and procedures that are consistently taught and enforced. The first few weeks of school are used to establish these expectations. Therefore, early planning and preparation before school begins is critical for starting the school year right. Before the students arrive, the teacher must develop a vision of classroom life: how students will behave and relate to one another, where they will work, how resources will be organized, and other important classroom considerations. During these phase, teachers focus on planning the arrangement of the classroom, organizing supplies and materials, and planning instructional activities for the first few days of school.

Key areas for teacher attention:

· Arranging the classroom

· Identifying expectations for behavior

· Planning consequences (rewards….)

· Student participation

ii) Beginning the school year:

During this phase, the teacher seeks to put into practice plans that have been developed prior to the start of school. This is the time when norms are established and students develop a view of how “their particular class will operate.” Principles that can help the teacher get off to a good start:

· teach students to behave

· consider students’ concerns

· lead the class

· the teacher as a model

iii) Maintaining good discipline

Once the school year is underway and positive student social and academic norms have been established, the teacher must seek to maintain these norms. In this phase, the teacher’s role shifts toward keeping high levels of student engagement and preventing disruptions of the learning environment.

Key areas for teacher attention:

· Monitoring and handling inappropriate behavior, by:

· focusing the students’ attention;

· direct instruction (telling the students exactly what will be happening);

· monitoring /check on the students’ progress)

· use active participation methods

· encourage empathy

· Organizing and conducting learning activities, by:

· clearly sequenced and presented activities

· encourage pupils to ask questions

· focus on understanding of concepts

· encourage cooperation and understanding,

· avoid “closed” questions

· don’t be afraid of noise when it comes from the working pupils

· organize the learning environment

Activities that are well-planned, clearly sequenced and presented, and provide for high levels of student success tend to produce a high degree of student engagement. When students are actively learning, they are less likely to become involved in inappropriate behavior. Effective teachers also organize the learning environment to reduce the amount of influences that can disrupt the flow of instruction, whether in teacher-led groups, small workgroups, or during independent seatwork.

2.1.3 Classroom organization strategies

In the typical multigrade classroom, where multiple activities are likely to occur at the same time, classroom organization is a critical factor in developing smooth, predictable routines. It is known from research on effective classroom practice that when students have a clear understanding of classroom structure, procedures and rules, they are more likely to follow them, especially if they have had some involvement in decision making.

The main aim of any classroom organization is that pupils have a clear understanding of classroom structure, as well as procedures and rules.

Activity center - an area of the classroom that the teacher has designated for a specific purpose):

· individual desk/seatwork, where students work independently at a desk.

· pairwork, where two students work together

· groupwork where three or more students working together

· areas designated for art, audio-visual equipment, computers, and other instructional resources.

Learning center - a clearly defined area of the classroom a self-instruction learning activity

Subject area resource center - where student resources relating to a specific subject are located.

Types of activities that can be found in classrooms:

· individual study

· group work

· whole-class instruction

· brainstorming

· audio-visual and reference work

· testing/assessment

Furniture and equipment should be arranged to create activity centers appropriate to the type of activity you intend to occur.

Designing the classroom – guiding principles:

· organize the classroom as a center of learning activities

· furniture and educational materials have to support the types of learning

· organize the classroom resources within subject-area resources center(s)

· assure the flexibility of the classroom arrangement in order to accommodate new learning activities

· involve the children for the room arrangement

· place a picture chart of the sequences of daily activities so that the pupils can see what come next

· separate quiet and noisy activities areas

Examples of seating arrangements have been presented in annex to indicate the flexible approaches that can be adopted.

2.1.4 Conclusions

This paragraph presents the findings of a literature review aiming at highlighting the main issues related to the multigrade class management and organizational strategies. Managing the multigrade classroom is an essential element in successful instruction and requires good organizational ability and consistency. Furthermore, the typical multigrade classroom, where multiple activities are likely to occur at the same time, classroom organization is a critical factor in developing smooth, predictable routines.

While the ICTs is penetrating within the rural remote areas where most of the multigrade schools are located the class management and organization strategies need to be reevaluated in order to take advantage of the use of software tools such as virtual classrooms and communication channels like satellite links.

2.1.5 Bibliography

Good, L.Thomas, Brophy, E.Jere, "Looking in Classrooms", Harper & Row Publishers, New York, 1983.

Fraser, J.Barry, “Classroom Environment”, Croom Helm Ltd, New Hamshire, 1986.

Jackson, W.Philip, “Life in classrooms", Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York, 1988.

Carducci,J.Dewey, Carducci,B.,Judith, "The Caring Classroom", Bull Publishing Company, Palo Alto, 1989.

Wallen, J.Karl, Wallen, L. LaDonna, “Effective classroom management", Allyn & Bacon, Inc., Boston, 1989

Duric, Ladislav, “Elements de psychologie de l education", UNESCO, Paris, 1991.

***, “The Multigrade Classroom: A resource handbook for small, rural schools/Book 2: Classroom Organisation”, Susan Vincent (ed.), Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon, 1999; (http://www.nwrel.org/comm/topics/multigrade.html)

***, “The Multigrade Classroom: A resource handbook for small, rural schools/Book 3: Classroom Management and Discipline”, Susan Vincent (ed.), Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon, 1999 (http://www.nwrel.org/comm/topics/multigrade.html).

Iucu, Romiţă, “Managementul clasei de elevi” – gestionarea situaţiilor de criză educaţională în clasa de elevi, Bucharest, Bolintineanu Press, 2000.

Tica, Nicoleta, “Predarea simultana la ciclul primar”, All Press, 2000.

2.2 Work group methodology

The core group working on the multigrade classroom management consists in the following partners: University “Politehnica” of Bucharest (UPB) – group leader, University of Aegean (UoA), University of Cyprus (UCY) and Ellinogermaniki Agogi (EA).

The WG2’s report and the corresponding training module envisaged to be produced by the core group partners will be circulated within the partnership in order to have a second feedback while during the implementation & deployment within the NEMED Network is expected to have a final feedback from the end users: multigrade school teachers and subject experts.

The proposed structure of the report on Multigrade classroom management is as follows:

Executive Summary

Introduction

Chapter 1: Teacher’ Management roles/basic behaviors

PROMPTS:

· Planning

· Organize

· Communicate

· Lead

· Coordinate

· Guiding

· Motivate

· Counseling

· Control

· Assess

ADDITIONAL ISSUES THAT MIGHT BE ADDRESSED:

· Persuading students about the utility of each chosen subject to be taught,

· Explaining to them the specific actions expected from them,

· Helping them out with possible self-learning activities –if adequate-,

· Facilitating cooperation between the students

· Providing additional educational resources (web resources or others)

Chapter 2: Multigrade class management dimensions

Section 2.1: Ergonomic dimension

PROMPTS:

· arranging the furniture in the classroom (simplicity, functionality, durability/endurance, modularity)

· ICT corner (if available)

· Activities center (for arts, music, hunging student’s works, hunging planning of next days)

· Arrangement of furniture so that cooperation between students can be facilitated

· Arrangement of furniture so that necessary traffic will be as quiet as possible

· visibility

· classroom organization

Section 2.2: Psychological dimension

PROMPTS:

· pupils learning capacity (according both age and level within the same age)

· psychological basis of social and relationship competences

Section 2.3: Social dimension

PROMPTS:

· the class as social group

· social information structure within the group

· on how much the Multigrade class accelerates socialization due to the contact among students of different ages

Section 2.4: Normative dimension

PROMPTS:

· explicit norms

· implicit norms: norms produced within the group

· flexible norms, norms that are apt to constant change

Section 2.5: Operational dimension

PROMPTS:

· intervention procedures and strategies of the teacher

· complying with the norms

Section 2.6: Innovative dimension

PROMPTS:

· innovating decisions

· the teacher as a factor of change

· The role of ICT in educational innovation

· examples of ICT implementation within educational procedure.

Chapter 3:Education process management

Section 3.1: Education process management

PROMPTS:

· avoid discontinuity

· avoid to slow down the rhythm

· promote the group activities

· coordinate the group structure

· avoid boredom

· coordinate the daily revisions

· coordinate individual work

· coordinate the home-works

· coordinate group discussions

· problem-solving sessions

· avoid “dead time”

Section 3.2: Discipline issues management / “conduct management”

PROMPTS:

· procedural techniques for solving discipline issues

· the psychological and social parameter of discipline

2.3 Project activities undertaken within the reporting period

The main activities undertaken by the Working Group 2 within the WPs are as follows:

WP3: Working groups’ research activities:

Activity 3.1: Operational organization of working groups

Setup of the Working Group 2 within the Kick-off meeting in Rhodes, December 2004.

Activity 3.3: Determination of working groups’ activities

The main steps are as follows:

· Design the structure/template of the Report on Multigrade classroom management

· Feedback on the proposed template and a commitment of each core partner involved to develop a chapter of the report (draft version)

· Develop a draft version of the report by the core partners

· Circulate the draft versions between the core partners for their feedback and produce an improved version based on it

· Circulate the improved version to all the partners and collect their feedback as well to obtain the final version

· Produce the training modules on Multigrade Classroom Management and implement on the NEMED LMS

Activity 3.4: Working group meetings

The working group meetings took place within the project meeting:

· Kick-off meeting, Rhodes-Greece, December 2004

· 2nd Project management meeting, Espoo-Finland, June 2005.

· 3rd Project management meeting, Athens-Greece, October 2005.

The working group core partners co-operate by means of using different communication facilities: e-mail, NEMED VCP, phone calls.

Activity 3.5: Annual common workshops of the working groups

Within the reporting period, the following workshops and conferences took place within the present status of the WG2 activities outputs were presented:

· First NEMED workshop within the EDEN Conference, Espoo-Finland, June 2005.

· First NEMED Conference, Athens-Greece, October 2005.

Activity 3.6: Working groups’ research activities

The research activities undertaken are as follows:

· Desk research on multigrade classroom management (see the theoretical background)

· Design the structure/template of the Report on Multigrade classroom management

· Colect feedback on the proposed template and the commitment of each core partner involved to develop a chapter of the report (draft version)

· Start working on the draft version of the Report on the Multigrade classroom management: UCY on the first chapter - Teacher’s Management roles/basic behaviors, UoA on the second chapter - Multigrade class management dimensions and UPB on the third chapter - Education process management.

Activity 3.7: Development of the Report on Multigrade Education

Develop the draft version of the Work group 2 Report as a part of the Report on Multigrade Education.

WP4: Pilot ODL training activities in schools

Activity 4.2: Development of training modules

Start developing the draft version of the training module on Multigrade classroom management

Activity 4.3: Development of trainees’ guide/ CD-ROM

Start to contribute to the developing of the draft version of trainees’s guide on design, implement & conduct eLearning activities.

WP6: Dissemination

Activity 6.3: Presentations in Conferences

Contribution within the 1st NEMED Workshop, Espoo-Finland, June 2005.

2.4 Project Activities to be undertaken during the rest of the project duration.

The main activities to be undertaken by the Working Group 2 are as follows:

WP3: Working groups’ research activities:

Activity 3.4: Working group meetings

The working group meetings will take place within the planned project meetings. One extra workgroup 2 meeting is scheduled to take place in March 2006, in Bucharest-Romania.

The working group core partners will continue to co-operate using different communication facilities: e-mail, NEMED VCP, phone calls, audio conferences.

Activity 3.5: Annual common workshops of the working groups

The workgroup outcomes will presented within the next workshops scheduled within the project.

Activity 3.6: Working groups’ research activities

The research activities undertaken are as follows:

· Finalize the Report on the Multigrade classroom management.

· Circulate the draft versions between the core partners for their feedback and produce an improved version based on it

· Circulate the improved version to all the partners and collect their feedback as well to obtain the final version

· Produce the training modules on Multigrade Classroom Management and implement on the NEMED LMS

Activity 3.7: Development of the Report on Multigrade Education

Develop the Final version of the Work group 2 Report as a part of the Report on Multigrade Education.

WP4: Pilot ODL training activities in schools

Activity 4.2: Development of training modules

Produce the final version of the training module on Multigrade classroom management

Activity 4.3: Development of trainees’ guide/ CD-ROM

Contribute to the final version of trainees’s guide on design, implement & conduct eLearning activities.

Activity 4.4: ODL in service training of teachers in the connected schools

Contribute to the design & implementation of the ODL in service training programme for schools within NEMED Network.

Activity 4.5: Working groups’ research activities in schools

Develop further research activities within NEMED Network’ schools in order to validate and update the training modules on the Multigrade classroom management.

WP6: Dissemination

Activity 6.3: Presentations in Conferences

Contributions within future NEMED events with special regards to the Final Conference.

ELLINOGERMANIKI AGOGI Group 3: Links with local society

GROUP 3, LINKS with LOCAL SOCIETY / MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY, ELLINOGERMANIKI AGOGI leading the group

Participating: University of Lecce, University of Bucharest, University of London

Introduction

The working group of NEMED entitled ‘Society and cultures’ aims to research a number of ways in which the concept of multigrade education is interweaved with issues relating to the societal and cultural characteristics of the local communities in which multigrade schools operate, and propose relevant teacher training and student learning activities for multigrade schools in Europe.

Two major strands of work have been identified and followed since the conception and operation of the working group:

a) The multiple roles which multigrade school teachers can play within the small rural communities, with a particular emphasis on their role as change agents for the development of a new digital culture among local people and the exploitation of opportunities for local development offered within today’s information society.

b) The new conditions faced by multigrade schools due to the increased mobility of populations and the rich mixture of cultures characterising today’s Europe, not least in rural areas.

In the first year of operation of NEMED, work has mainly focused on the former, while the latter aspect of the group’s work will be pursued in the second and third year.

Multigrade school teachers as change agents facilitating local development: Rationale and theoretical approach

Teachers of multigrade schools are confronted with significant challenges, relating not only to the particularly promiscuous nature of the classes they teach, but importantly also to their multiple roles within the small rural communities which they tend to serve. An attempt to train teachers to respond effectively to the challenges of the rural multigrade school setting should not fail to include a focus on the teacher’s potential to catalyse change and development not only in the school, but importantly also in the local community more widely.

In the era in which ICT are more and more present in daily activities and thus becoming familiar tools, and in which visions about the ‘school of tomorrow’ more and more converge with speculations about the future of learning technologies, innovative policies and initiatives are needed to ensure that multigrade school teachers enter the digital culture, and understand changes ICT introduces in teaching and learning, as well as in life more broadly. Such an effort ought to acquaint multigrade school teachers with digital literacy and the broader educational uses of ICT, through an understanding of how ICT can both augment both work in the school and trigger local development.

However, teachers at remote schools suffer the consequences of the digital divide between rural and urban areas. Broadband access to the technologies and services of the Information Society still remains unachievable for the inhabitants of remote and less accessible areas with deficient telecommunications infrastructures. The digital divide in Europe remains large, and for more than fourteen million European households in remote areas the digital divide is actually growing. Teledensity is lower outside urban centres, and the rural and less favoured regions lack the same access and supply of internet access and broadband connection as the urban areas have. It is estimated that more than thirty million people in the Community inhabit remote rural areas, which account for some 30% of the territory. The proportions of rural populations living in geographically disadvantaged areas and suffering from the digital divide are significantly higher in the new Member States and accession countries, which results in significant socio-economic effects and challenges (Cohendet 2003).

This stands in sharp contrast with today’s general recognition of a priority to building the Knowledge Society without discriminations and exclusions. Knowledge is a fundamental and strategic resource of society. In recognition of this, the European Union aims at becoming a truly knowledge-based economy, to enhance the quality of life, the working conditions and the overall competitiveness of its industries and services. To achieve these objectives, widespread availability and usage of broadband and high-speed Internet throughout the EU is necessary. It is becoming more and more evident that the vision of Lifelong Learning and ‘Education for All’ will be realised through ‘Broadband for All’ (cf. for instance Scottish Executive’s recently launched –in May 2005– ‘Broadband for Scotland's Rural and Remote Areas’ initiative).

In this setting, rural teachers’ training in the use of ICTs can have effects reaching well beyond the school and prove to be a useful tool for boosting local development.

The central position of the teacher in an isolated community, and the significance and prestige of the school as one of the few public establishments, can be used in an attempt to instill a new culture in rural communities promoting digital literacy and reducing resistance to the use of new technologies. Trained, knowledgeable teachers can act as the change agents who will disseminate the new potential offered by ICTs and encourage its uptake by the local workforce.

A properly prepared rural school teacher will be able to cooperate with, and mobilise existing institutions and dormant agents of development in remote rural communities, making efforts to tackle rural scepticism towards technological innovation. The teacher, thus can turn the school and its technological infrastructire in a village, into a learning centre supporting the whole community and serving as the gateway of the local population to knowledge and the information society. A teacher with a vision to boost local development throlugh the utilisation of new technological possibilities can bring life to the stagnant socioeconomic processes of an isolated rural community, by offering opportunities for learning and creativity to all members of the local population. Such an innovative role for the multigrade school will offer considerable added value, by revitalizing the community as a place fostering civic development, entrepreneurship, lifelong learning, digital creation, human spirit, and collective efficiency. In this context, the teacehr will help local people to discover new opportunities for covering diverse needs and aspirations, e.g. by selling their products and services over the web, by promoting their area as a tourist destination or as a site of cultural interest, or by exploiting rich lifelong learning resources available through the internet as students, employees or entrepreneurs. Eventually, local active citizens will be knowledgeable and willing enough to develop their own further projects.

By supporting the isolated community to produce their own local information and content based services, offering them lifelong learning opportunities harmonised with local and individuai needs and promoting their local identity, the remote multigrade school teacher can change from a neglected agent in the margins of educational system into an original change agent encouraging the creation of a digital culture among citizens and thus helping bridge the widening digital divide. The teacher will offer real and practical support to the remote rural communities in its struggle for equal opportunities for lifelong learning, economic and social development, and a more democratic access to the information society.

Work methodology

Based on the above conceptualisation and vision, the working group will propose to the teachers participating in the network to experiment with ideas that will help them expand their work at school so as to address the needs and aspirations of whole local community.

An effort is made to coordinate with other projects with a similar aim (e.g. ZEUS in Greece and the international Integrated Project RURAL WINGS) in order to achieve a critical mass of resources and ideas, that will indeed facilitate the teachers understand and adopt their new roles in local communities. Using existing broadband school infrastructure, the NEMED training programme will be able to demonstrate how a rural multigrade school acting as a ‘learning hub’ for the whole community will not resemble any of the existing institutional structures, in that it will offer opportunities for learning and creativity to all members of the local community.

In particular, teachers will be presented with opportunities to use existing educational applications, which at a first stage will involve students, but which also will clearly demonstrate to the wider local communities the possibilities offered by the information society, though activities as diverse as an agricultural e-shop, a web-based local TV channel, a virtual school laboratory, cultural heritage e-promotion, etc.

UNIVERSITY OF LISBON Group 4: Learning Modes

GROUP4 Learning modes (Collaborative learning) University of Lisbon LEADING THE GROUP

Participating: Ellinogermaniki Agogi, University of London, Chydenius Institute

Progress Report (work until Nov 2005) of Learning Modes Working Group

Authors: A. Duarte, J. Paasimäki & P. Koulouris

A) Background statement: Interest of the subject of this group to multigrade Education

In Multigrade classes, where students from different levels are involved, psychological heterogeneity is expected to be greater than in normal classes. If the issues of variation between pupils and of ways of dealing with this variation are important in any class, they are critical in Multigrade classes. In Multigrade education one of the most important dimensions of psychological heterogeneity is Learning Modes, which refer to the variation observed in the learning process (e.g. some pupils prefer to learn by hearing, others by seeing and others by touching).

The implication is that multigrade teachers should be aware of the different learning modes present in their classes and should develop competences for dealing with learning modes.

Specifically, the subject of Learning Modes can be of interest to Multigrade education in at least three different ways:

1) By being aware and informed of different learning modes, multigrade teachers can be better able to pinpoint and understand the variation in learning that typically occur in multigrade classes.

2) Considering that students improve by using preferred learning modes (e.g. visual learning) or by using a variety of learning modes (e.g. visual and auditory learning), multigrade teachers can benefit from knowing how to vary their teaching practices, as a way of reaching more students.

3) Taking into account that in multigrade class (where individual variation is higher and teachers must often attend separately to various sub-groups), students must be particularly able to: independently self-regulate their learning; to be intrinsically motivated to learn and achieve; to actively comprehend contents in an organised way; and to learn in a collaborative way, multigrade teachers can benefit from knowing how to promote such learning modes.

B) Theoretical study of the subject of the working group

Abstract: Besides a definition of learning modes as the variation observed in the learning process, a framework of different learning modes is proposed: surface vs. deep-organized learning; instrumentally vs. intrinsically-achieving motivated learning; externally vs. self-regulated learning; individualistic vs. collaborative.

Learning Modes might be defined as the variation observed in the learning process (e.g. learning can be more an individualistic process or more a collaborative one). A student can vary the Learning Mode according to the learning situation and his or her learning needs (e.g. revising by rote learning, for a multiple-choice answer test, or revising by comprehending, for writing for a project).

Therefore, there are a diversity of learning modes which can be more or less adapted to different students and different learning situations.

When a specific learning mode is consistently used by a student, this can become his or her Learning Style.

How many Learning Modes?

In order to answer this question learning modes can be conceptualised across three axes, which reflect various aspects of the learning process: 1) Cognitive; 2) Motivational; 3) Interpersonal.

Each axe involves different dimensions, reflecting diverse learning modes (e.g. Cognitive axe involves a dimension of memorising versus comprehending).

Each dimension can be conceptualised as discrete opposed poles or as opposed but in a continuum (i.e. as opposite processes or as complementing each other).

Each learning mode can appear in different ways; according to personal and environmental factors (e.g. there are many ways of conducting a self-regulated learning mode, as opposed to an external regulated learning mode)

Moreover, axes can cross, reflecting the interwoven of different learning modes (e.g. students might self-regulate their learning in a collaborative way)

For each of the three axes, we propose a focus on particular dimensions, taken as nuclear.

Considering the cognitive axe, learning can occur via a surface learning strategy (i.e. mechanically memorizing) versus via a deep-organized learning strategy (i.e. learning focused less in knowing by heart than in trying to understand the meaning of the contents, to relate them with previous knowledge, to be open to new contents and to change personal ideas, to memorise by comprehending, to critically analyse and have an opinion on contents, to be creative as well as organized and sensible to teachers’ evaluation) (Biggs, 1987).

Attending to the motivational axe, learning can be based in instrumental motivation (i.e. learning to avoid failure) versus based in intrinsic-achiever motivation (i.e. learning for the pleasure and personal full-filing implicated in learning as well as for success). With such a motivation students normally go beyond what is demanded, perceive tasks as involving, get a lot of satisfaction from learning, strive for good marks and show a lot of involvement (Biggs, 1987).

Taking into account the interpersonal axe learning can be external regulated (i.e. learning is conducted by others or factors besides the learner) versus Self-Regulated (i.e. the process of managing one’s own learning) (Zimmerman, 1994). By self-regulating learning learners move from being externally controlled by teachers or others to being active in the control of their own learning processes. This means the attempt to self-control cognitive, motivational, behavioural and environmental aspects involved in learning. Learning can be also more individualistic (i.e. student learns alone, possibly along other students) or more collaborative (i.e. students work together cooperatively in small groups toward a common goal, taking care of each other’s learning as well as their own) (Johnson, Johnson & Holubec, 1991). Trough collaborative learning students can discuss and help, share, encourage, explain or teach each other.

Figure 1 depicts the three axes, with their referred learning modes.

Figure 1: Learning modes in three dimensions (axes) of the learning process

Each of these learning modes is reflected in specific forms when learning in particular tasks.

Regarding the potential of ICT for education, we will consider how the learning modes of the cognitive axe are reflected in ICT-based learning.

Basically, ICT-based learning can happen as learning from ICT (i.e. students are instructed by ICT) versus learning with ICT (i.e. students construct knowledge with the help of ICT by representing their knowledge in different, meaningful ways and by engaging in critical thinking about the content) (Jonassen, 2000).

Figure 2 illustrates reflection of cognitive axe learning modes in ICT-based learning.

Figure 2: Cognitive axe learning modes in ICT-based learning

A teacher can develop, encourage or/and constrain the use of specific learning modes, according to educational goals and the nature of different learning situations.

What are the practical implications of the existence of different learning modes?

We think it is possible to view this issue according to, at least, two perspectives.

The first perspective is that students improve by using preferred learning modes (e.g. visual learning) or they benefit from using a variety of learning modes (e.g. visual and auditory learning). In either case, the practical implication would be that a variation of teaching practices might be a good way of reaching more students.

The second perspective is that in any class, but especially in a Multigrade class, where individual variation is higher and teachers must often attend separately to various sub-groups, students must be particularly able to: independently self-regulate their learning; to be intrinsically motivated to learn and achieve; to actively comprehend contents in an organised way; to learn in a collaborative way. Furthermore, a mode of active learning with ICT can be especially helpful in this context. There are a variety of “ways” (practices) a teacher can use to promote such learning modes. These “ways” might depend on previous training, personal experience, knowledge, competency, culture references, etc.

Figure 3 presents the two stated perspectives regarding practical implications of the existence of different learning modes.

Figure 3: Two perspectives on practical implications of different learning modes.

Reflection on one’s own practice and other people’s practices can act as a factor of development.

References

Biggs, J.B. (1987). Student approaches to learning and studying. Melbourne: ACER.

Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T. and Holubec E. J. (1991). Cooperation in the Classroom. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company.

Jonassen, D.H. (1996). Computers in the classroom: Mindtools for critical thinking. Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice-Hall.

Schunk, D.H. and Zimmerman J. (1994). Self-regulation of learning and performance – issues and educational applications. Hillsdale-New Jersey: Lawrence Elrbaum.

Zimmerman, B. (1994). Dimensions of academic self-regulation: a conceptual framework for education. In D.H. Schunk & B.J. Zimmerman (Eds.) Self-regulation of learning and performance – issues and educational applications (pp 3-21). Hillsdale-New Jersey: Lawrence Elrbaum.

C) Practical classroom activities

C.1. Best practices based on teacher’s experience (see D) for methodology of gathering this data)

Practices of variation of teaching according to pupils’ variety of learning modes: personalized-teaching; attending alternatively to small groups, while other groups work autonomously.

Practices for developing a collaborative learning mode: setting of collective reading and writing situations; group problems; group projects; and collective games.

Practices for encouraging self-regulated learning mode: having several open thematic spaces/areas in the classroom; setting of problems; distribution of tasks and delegation of responsibilities; support of autonomous learning or of task definition; defining tasks; prompting of planning and of joint work evaluation.

Practices for promoting an intrinsic and achieving motivated learning mode: allowing free-choice of activities; setting of open problems; using familiar examples and tasks; using easy tasks for pupils with difficulties and using challenging tasks for more competent pupils; encouraging knowledge appliance; demonstrating enthusiasm and optimism; reading dramatically; setting situations of reciprocal teaching; inviting parents and guests to the classroom; encouraging task involvement and self-evaluation; using positive reinforcement; setting home works that demand assistance.

Practices for stimulating a deep and organized learning mode: opportunities for tactile-kinestesic learning; of situations of learning by discovery; of open tasks; of tasks of reciprocal teaching and of writing.

Practices for developing an active ICT-based learning mode: prompting pupils for computer-based search, organization, transformation and presentation of information as well as setting of small-group work and communication situations via the computer.

C. 2. Activities based on theory

An activity for promoting a collaborative self-regulated learning mode of a deep and organized learning mode: the “Strategies Game”.

The game aims to develop self-regulation of approaches to learning. It can be played individually or in a group. Playing in a group allows also the development of self-regulated collaborative learning.

Each time the game is played, it involves dealing with a different learning task, which is a pretext for the development of such competencies.

The game has a board of 85 places distributed in 14 parts. Each part has a different colour and finishes in a “Card Place”.

Figure 2: The game board

The game starts in the “Starting Place”, where the players have to read a green “Starting Card”. There is a different green card for each time the game is played and each proposes a new learning task (e.g. “Read the text ‘From the atom to the stars’ and answer the questions about its content, in the bottom of the page”). The goal is to confront the task in phases moving a pawn in the board, by throwing a dice, until arriving to the last place. Each time the pawn reaches or crosses a “Card Place” players must read an orange card which is indicated there. Orange cards question players along the journey, until the end of the game. These questions represent the main components of self-regulated learning process through its three main phases: before, during and after the task.

1st self-regulatory phase - Before the task (Card 1 to 7)

These cards introduce players to the habit of preparing or planning before actually trying to do something. This phase, which takes place before the task, can restrain students to act impulsively and in an unreflective way toward the learning task.

Card 1 questions “What is the task?” and demands students to acknowledge and define the task, thus clarifying its nature (e.g. “The task is to read the text ‘From the atom to the stars’ and to answer the questions in its end”).

Card 2 questions “Which is the task interest?” demanding a motivational analysis of the advantages of involvement in the task (e.g. “Knowing what is the atom and discovering something new about the stars”).

Card 3 questions “What is demanded?” and asks for a clarification of the external demands about the task (e,g, “To read and answer correctly to the questions”).

Card 4 questions “What is the goal?”, requiring a definition of personal objectives by using the task (e.g. “Comprehending the nature of atoms and stars”).

Card 5 questions “Which strategies and resources to use?” directing players for a selection of the means they find adequate to confront the task (e.g. “Identification of main ideas in the text”). This card also refers players for a helping resource (i.e. the “Strategies File”) which introduces them to a pool of learning strategies (i.e. deep and achieving strategies) for different tasks. Card 5 also asks “What will be done by each element?”, stimulating a distribution of roles within the working group.

Card 6 asks “How to use the strategies and resources?” demanding the sketch of a first plan (“Plan A”) on how to use the selected strategies and resources thus on how to concretely deal with the task (e.g. “Underlining the text”). This card also asks “What will be done by each element?” and “How to share information during the task?”, stimulating a distribution of roles and communication within the working group.

Card 7 asks “How to change the environment to achieve the goal?”, leading players to use their immediate context as a learning resource (e.g. “Arrange a round table to read the text in a group”).

2nd self-regulatory phase - During the task (Card 8 to 9)

These cards encourage players to monitor their implementation of the plan and to check for needed changes in it.

Card 8 asks “Apply Plan A and, during the task, answer: Is there advancement toward the goal and the plan is a good plan? If YES: How not to give up? If NOT: Verify again which is the task (see Starting Card) and answer: Which other strategies and resources to use? (help: see the “Strategies File”); How to use the new strategies and resources? (Plan B)”. Therefore, this card directs players to an implementation and assessment of the first plan in terms of goals attainment. The card stimulates persistency management, in case of a positive assessment (e.g. “We will make a break of 5mns and then comeback”) and redefinition of the task and plan, in case of a negative assessment (e.g. “Since underlining is not working we will try to write the text key words”). The card extends monitoring and a possible redefinition of strategies to the group work by asking “How is the team functioning?” and “How to meliorate team functioning?”

Card 9 asks “Continue to apply Plan A or change to Plan B and then comeback to the Game Board”, thus encouraging implementation of the chosed plan.

3rd self-regulatory phase - After the task (Card 10 to 14)

These cards prompt players for a final evaluation of learning products and learning processes, also directing them for new learning attempts in case of negative results.

Card 10 asks “The goal was attained? If YES (and the teacher confirms): Fill “Self-regulation Page”; If NOT: Verify again which is the task (see Starting Card) and answer: Which other strategies and resources to use? (help: see the “Strategies File”); How to use the new strategies and resources?” Therefore, this card orients to an assessment of the learning product in terms of goals attainment. The card stimulates a new redefinition of the task and plan, in case of a negative assessment (e.g. “Since writing of key words was not effective we will try to resume the text”).

Card 11 asks “Which is the evaluation of the strategies & resources?”, directing to an assessment of the learning process (e.g. “Resuming in round table was the most time consuming but also the most effective strategy”). This card also asks “Which is the evaluation of the team work?” extending assessment to the process of group work.

Card 12 asks “If the task was accomplished: How to use, in the future, the applied strategies & resources? If the task was not accomplished: What different Plan can be used to achieve the goal? (apply it and jump to Card 10 Place)”. Thus, this card invites for planning the transfer and generalization of successful learning procedures and orients to a cycle of new attempts and assessments, until goal attainment. The card also asks “How to use, in the future, the team work?” inviting to a generalization of collaborative learning.

Card 13 asks “In which activity experiment, in the future, the ‘Self-regulation Page’ (bring it later for a presentation)”, orienting players for the transfer of self-regulated learning competencies. The card also asks “In which activity experiment, in the future, the team work?” stressing the possibility of transferring collaborative learning competencies.

Finally, in the end of the game and after the accomplishment of the learning task, card 14 asks “Pick up an item from the “Surprises List”, allowing players to positive self-reinforce from a list of valued objects and/or activities.

The game is to be monitored by the educator, allowing him or her to scaffold, not to evaluate, the players and to stimulate a final discussion on the playing experience

D) Group work methodology (and products of work)

In the reported period the work methodology of learning modes working group involved:

1) Development of a theoretical framework for the work, based on literature review: concept of learning modes & of its relation to teaching in multigrade schools (paper delivered to the NEMED group and to be uploaded in NEMED site).

2) Development & testing, with two multigrade groups, of an educational resource that teachers can use to develop a self-regulated, deep & organized learning mode in multigrade classrooms: (“The strategy game”, presented on June 2005 as “Self-regulated collaborative learning in the multigrade classroom: Introduction and testing of a game for developing self-regulation of approaches to learning” in “EDEN 2005 Annual Conference - Lifelong E-Learning Bringing e-learning close to lifelong learning and working life: a new period of uptake”, Helsinki: Helsinki University of Technology; Educational resource to be uploaded in NEMED site).

3) Development of a template/interview script for gathering data on multigrade teachers’ practices according to different learning modes (1st version of a template delivered to the NEMED group).

4) Testing of the template/interview script, with a group of elementary multigrade teachers from Portugal and Finland and analysis of answers (Presentation on Oct. 2005 as ”Dealing with learning modes in the multigrade classroom: test and preliminary results of an inquiry to teachers” in “1st NEMED Conference - Broadband and satellite communications in schools: challenges and opportunities for the educational community in rural areas”, Athens: University of the Aegean).

5) Revision of the template/interview script on the basis of the test (2nd version of the template delivered to the NEMED group).

6) Appliance of the revised version of the template/interview script to a larger group of multigrade teachers from Portugal, Finland and Greece (results to be uploaded in NEMED site as best practices for dealing with learning modes in the multigrade classroom).

7) Gather of illustrative images of these best practices for dealing with learning modes in the multigrade classroom (illustrative photos and videos to be uploaded in NEMED site).

8) Gather of already developed materials & educational resources regarding learning modes in the multigrade classroom (articles and links to upload in the NEMED site).

9) Beginning of planning of a training module on learning modes for NEMED teachers (sketch of a training module)

UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA, Group 5: Educational Resources

GROUP 5, Development of Educational Resources, UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA leading the group.

Participating: University of Aegean, University of Eotvos Lorand,

A)     A background statement

The multigrade classroom is a diverse heterogeneous group which is sustained by collaborative learning parameters, positive interdependence among all of the students, and the establishment of some shared social values necessary for the well-structured and organized operation of the multigrade classroom.

Diversity is the norm in the multigrade classroom. But diversity also entails a characteristic learning structure, different to the found in the homogeneous classroom, the most usual grouping in the ordinary urban school. Multigrade students have to be autonomous to be able to make learning progress, and the degree of autonomy has to be higher according to educational level and, obviously, according to the diversity of the classroom itself. Thus, self-organization of work and time as well as optimization of the class resources and materials increase the autonomy of the multigrade student with respect to the teacher.

However, we must also consider the collaboration among children. The students of the upper levels help those of the lower levels in the acquisition of curricular content (concepts, procedures, attitudes, values and social rules). During this process, the older students revise, consolidate and discover new knowledge, while the younger ones are taught new content. In this collaborative learning, the role of the peer-tutors is the one of mediator between the teacher and their peers. They never substitute the teacher’s role in the classroom but complement it. Peer-tutors develop various learning methods, making them more and more autonomous; they learn how to learn.

The teachers’ challenge is in the implementation of interdisciplinary and globalized methodologies that are founded specifically on diversity, in an open and flexible space/time. In this context, the ability to develop ICT-based educational resources will help the teachers to promote both autonomy and collaborative learning in their classrooms. Due also to the lack of traditional pedagogical material designed specifically for the multigrade classroom, the capacity to use ICTs to design learning resources adapted to each specific multigrade need is highly valuable in the situation of diversity that the multigrade education entails. In this way, the collaborative work, the research in the environment, the project methods, the case studies, the globalized programming units, and the interest centres are didactic strategies typical of the interdisciplinary methodologies and respectful of the multigrade classroom reality. The implementation of all these methodologies can be enhanced by the multigrade teachers’ training not only in the use of ICTs but especially in the ability of designing ICT-based educational material.

B)     Theoretical study

ICT-based educational resources in multigrade schools should help students to work with other students with different ability levels, and learn from older students. The development of resources and the organization of learning activities involving ICT, pursue this general aim. The practical examples of developing ICT-based projects have steered us to classify them in five different models which correspond to the use that the multigrade schools give to this kind of resources.

The first educational use that the multigrade schools give to ICTs is that of preserving local traditions and local events.

Through the website and other ICT-based means, schools promote the recovering of their cultural roots, claiming the value of the differences with respect to the regular metropolitan schools. Depending on the attained technical means and on teachers’ and itinerant teachers’ ability, we can find a variety of web pages. In most of them we find pictures of the traditional parties that have been celebrated in the school and of the works that the students made about them. Thus, we can find Christmas cards, announcements of feasts, contests, diplomas of local prizes, pictures of the main celebrations, traditional music from their village or region, etc. Doubtless, this contributes very much to improving the digital literacy of children.

However, the tasks shown in some web pages are, not only pictures or scanning of craftworks, but also multimedia productions prepared by the students with ICT resources in order to deepen the traditions in question as well as their computer skills. Thus, we find school work made with several applications. Finally, some web pages display activities of tradition research in which an intergenerational exchange is given between an older person of the village and the children.

The second educational use that the multigrade schools give to ICTs is that of using telecommunication tools for fighting the problems of rural isolation

The Internet is the tool that has actually broken the rural classroom geographical barrier and has granted its opening to the world, democratizing the access to information, but also allowing, for instance, for classrooms scattered in different schools to follow a common curricular learning programme. Therefore we find a second model of ICT use, specifically focused to overcome the problems derived from the isolation inherent to the rural world.

An interesting case of how to struggle against the multigrade school isolation through the new technologies has been found in the utilization that some teachers, especially but not only the itinerant ones, make of several ICT resources. Teachers produce educational ICT-based material and use the Internet to put these exercises or other information, models, links, etc. at the disposal of the students from every school coordinated by this teacher Furthermore, some other web pages are specifically designed for self-sustained multigrade classrooms, and it should be mentioned that many of the exercises that they contain have been created by the students themselves and are also used as educational material. In addition, compilations of telematic materials exclusively produced for multigrade schools use and relating to all the Primary School curricular subjects can be found on the Internet. They have been designed by experienced teachers and are available to all teachers so that each subject can be studied at the different paces that the multigrade classroom imposes, though without losing the capacity to study in depth that the student needs at each level.

Another way that multigrade schools face their isolation problems can be found in the shared creation of learning resources among different multigrade schools, which urban schools can use. As a final point, we can include in this model the creation of Electronic Journals. In them, schools show the daily activities, parties, trips and the students’ schoolwork in several curricular areas. As the Electronic Journals can be created by a school group, they can contain works of different origin and, consequently, they can become a vehicle for the students from different schools of the same rural group to know each other while they study curricular contents and improve ICT competences. Here we also find very different levels in the use and performance of the ICT resources, going from those which copy a traditional magazine format that is periodically published up to those which are completely electronic and multimedia, even incorporating a room for a students weekly Chat.

The third educational use that the multigrade schools give to ICTs is that of using media and ICT tools for knowing, learning and sharing the local environment with different classrooms

Most schools study the rural environment and display on their websites the results of the children’s study. These exhibitions can be very simple, just reporting the contents of their trips and learnings about nature; they can also include pictures and handiwork by the students. Or they can be more elaborate, being part of a more extensive project. The first type is strictly a sample of the work about the natural and social environment that is carried out in the school, in which the ICT-resources are used as a means to set forth, beyond the school, the activities and research that have been achieved. Though many times this use of ICTs is very simple, this schoolwork is essential in the multigrade school field since it reinforces the aspect of the rural identity from its more positive features.

The second type of webpage aimed at learning and sharing the environment is the global project which the school joins and which, through the Internet and several ICT-based resources, drives the students towards the discovery of the environment, either local or global, and towards an exchange with other groups or people who will be found during their virtual journey.

The fourth educational use that the multigrade schools give to ICTs is that of helping to build learning communities that involve not only teachers and students but also the whole village or area.

The arrival of the Internet and the new information technologies to the multigrade classroom has many times implied the opening of the whole rural world, beyond the school, towards these technologies. In the last years and thanks to institutional initiatives, the new technologies have become integrated, first in the multigrade school and later in the entire rural society.

In any case, the impact of these projects, added to the global educational work of the multigrade school, has been wider since, besides inverting the traditional situation and placing the multigrade school at the head of the teaching innovation process, it has meant an increasing interest in the knowledge and use of the new technologies among the different members of the rural society (many students’ parents have requested training in these tools, the number of computer equipment in the area has increased, etc.). The school has been transformed into a resource centre for the village, in many cases the only access point to the Internet that exists.

Hence, we find the will of some schools or groups of rural schools to become learning communities that involve, obviously, students and teachers, but also the parents and other community members. The main goal is that the families share the centre’s life and decisions while they enjoy its training facilities, as well as that the grouped schools work de facto in a coordinated way and enrich each other. At the same time, the creation of virtual teaching staff meetings has been carried out, spaces where the teachers of a group of multigrade schools can communicate through e-mail, a forum and a chat room in order to share experience, to plan, to evaluate and to accomplish all the usual tasks of the school staff meeting. These are very promising experiences since they not only continue to make use of the new technologies to provide the tasks of traditional education but they innovate and promote new spaces, methodologies and experiences that broaden the possibilities of education and increase its quality.

A fifth model of ICT use in multigrade schools, deeply related to the third one but with broader geographical and cultural perspectives, is that of schools using ICT tools for sharing knowledge about their environment and traditions with schools from other countries.

This type of project has a double aim: on the one hand, learners study their natural and social environment; on the other hand, they can learn about their foreign partners’ natural and social environment, traditions and language. Therefore, a cultural exchange and an improvement of their own knowledge about other European cultures occur. These projects involve schools from different countries which generally share the condition of being multigrade schools in rural areas, so that the student’s background is similar and the contribution put up by each school is similar too. Furthermore, even though this kind of intercultural exchange could be and has been carried out without the support of the ICTs, it is undoubtedly certain that the arrival of these technologies, and especially the Internet, has broadened and will continue to broaden the multigrade schools’ barriers in a way that was unthinkable just a few years ago, disregarding the geographical isolation or the economic level of the rural areas.

C) Practical classrooms activities

The following is a selection of practical classroom activities or resources which have been developed by or have an application in the multigrade classroom. These resources have been classified according to the previously presented categories.

Model 1

1. http://www.arsakeio.gr/ed_kal_ethn_eort.htm. This is a Greek private school’s site which emphasizes a lot in educating students cultivating into them strong concepts of tradition. All subjects are taught interdisciplinary and in a crosscurriculum way, so that relations between central subject and tradition can immerge

2. http://2dim-afant.dod.sch.gr/Drastiriothtes.htm. This is a school’s web page with the results of an annual project focused on local tradition.

Model 2

1. http://www.xtec.es/centres/b7007622/itinerants.htm. Web-page by Spanish traveling teachers who produce educational ICT-based material and put these exercises. at the disposal of the students from every school coordinated by this teacher.

2. http://www.educa.aragob.es/craarino/weduca/ . Page by a Spanish school specifically designed for self-sustained multigrade classrooms.

3. http://pie.xtec.es/~jsors/ierural.htm Compilation of telematic materials exclusively produced for multigrade schools use and relating to all the Primary School curricular subjects.

Electronic Journals created by Spanish school groups: http://www.educa.aragob.es/revlapic/lapiz7/revista7.html http://www.xtec.es/centres/c5008081/20022003/htm/revista.html http://www.xtec.es/centres/c5008066/revista3/revistazer.htm

Model 3

1. http://www.xtec.es/centres/c5007803/htm/activitatsanteriors.htm Example of work about the natural and social environment carried out by a Spanish school

2. Projects which, through the Internet and several ICT-based resources, drive the students towards the discovery of the environment: http://www.xtec.es/crp-bergueda/hugot/index.htm http://www.xtec.es/centres/c5007815/vol01/index.html

Model 4

1. This e-tweening is a European project creating a large European school net. 322 Greek schools are already members. Schools from all European community participate. http://www.etwinning.gr:6080/index.php http://www.etwinning.net/ww/el/pub/etwinning/index.htm

2. Another European initiative connecting schools, aiming to the digital exchange of educational material http://celebrate.eun.org/eun.org2/eun/en/index_celebrate.cfm

Model 5

Examples of intercultural exchanges among European multigrade schools:

1. http://www.xtec.es/crp-cerdanya/comenius/index.htm

2. http://web.educastur.princast.es/cp/lamarina/html/a_window_on_europe.html

3. http://www.xtec.es/centres/c5008054/html/projecte.html

D)     Group work methodology

The methodology of the working group has involved three different stages. In the first stage, an interaction among the partners which are members of the working group has taken place through e-mail in order to establish both the background statement and the theoretical study. As a result of this process, the coordinator team of the working group designed the models of ICT-based Educational Resources use in multigrade schools.

A second stage of the process was the search carried out by each partner in their country to select examples of educational resources which fitted in each model of use. Each partner decided how to gather this data: either doing it among the multigrade schools which belong to the NEMED net or carrying out a wider selection. This wider search could be done through the Internet, by contacting with associations of multigrade teachers, and/or with the participation of university teachers specialised in multigrade education. Once this research was done in each country, a selection of the best practices and materials among the data gathered in the different countries regarding educational resources was fulfilled.

However, the information obtained from the research implied a third stage of work, which consisted of the redesign of the models according to the categories emerged during the second phase.

Finally, the material gathered, once organised and selected, will be available to all the teachers involved in the network.

UNIVERSITY OF AEGEAN, Group 6: Multigrade Schools and Policies

GROUP 6, POLICIES and MULTIGRADE SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF AEGEAN leading the group.

Participating: Ellinogermaniki Agogi, EDEN, FUTURE STUDIES, University of Cyprus

A background statement: why the subject of this group is of interest to multigrade education?

NEMED project focuses on the record of policies regarding multigrade schools on an international level. This project not only aims at the recording of current existing prevalent policies through out Europe, but also at the development of a report suggesting new approaches to the designers of educational policies. This overall report will be published on NEMED’s platform for all interested parties to read. Nemed addresses to different target groups. Teachers-partners (from NEMED’s school net), teachers-visitors (outside school net), students, parents, institutions –partners, policies makers, educational institutions are all target groups of NEMED.

Teachers-partners from school net can be benefited studying this aggregate report since they will have the chance to compare, to analyze, to tabulate and categorize all data referring to multigrade education. The chance of a teacher to have access on a data basis, which concentrates a harmonically orchestrated archive, helps him/her to organize his/her theoretical background on a more elaborated way as far as multigrade schools’ theoretical background and practices are concerned.

Theoretical study of the subject of each group

Could be the major part of the basic theoretical text for the specific training material

Policies groups will be based on theories relevant to policies designing. NEMED will use an as far more extended data basis as possible so that a wide spectrum of common, international practices with geographical emphasis to the project partners’ countries. Partner countries will be preceded and given emphasis to, as far as material from these territories will be more abundant, since provided by partners themselves.

Practical classrooms activities, based on the theory and teachers’ experience

These are the “classroom resources” (4 activities/best practices such as classroom resources, projects, actions, suggested scenarios….

This group does not include classroom resources and training material, since its outcome is the development of an international report recording current prevalent policies and proposing innovative policies or underlining best policies that emerged from comparison.

Group work methodology

Ways of interaction with school net

While recording existing policies school partners may contribute by sending to their national (NEMED partner) institute all articles, ministry’s legislation archives, relevant rulings referring to multigrade schools.

School partners can also fill e-questionnaires developed by NEMED team forming general picture on parameters like multigrade school national curriculum, multigrade books, tertiary education courses on multigrade schooling, official seminars for multigrade teaching after appointing / nominating teachers on multigrade schools, ICT equipment in multigrade schools…

School partners can also disseminate NEMED’s results to other schools

Most importantly, policies groups will edit and assimilate rest NEMED groups’ results and reports, so that groups’ outcomes and implementations on school net will be affect the development of policies reports.

EVALUATION

EVALUATION PLAN, FUTURE STUDIES LEADING, Participating: Ellinogermaniki Agogi, ORIENTE, UNIVERSITY OF LISBON

NEtwork of Multigrade EDucation

Authors: Sofoklis Sotiriou, Friedrich Scheuermann, Antonio Duarte, Klaus Reich

Supported by European Commission - Programme Socrates – Action Comenius 3

Project Number 114323-CP-1-2004-1-GR-Comenius-C3PP

The rationale of the NEMED network

Multigrade schools play an important role since they provide access to primary education in rural and isolated places of many countries around the world. The existence and operation of such schools increases the chances of the international society to implement the ambitious goal “education for all”. Apart from their social role, multigrade schools constitute a very interesting field of research in educational matters, promoting scientific debate on various educational issues. However, in spite of their importance, these schools, usually operating in underdeveloped areas, form the most abandoned part of the educational system. It is noticeable that multigrade teaching is more common than believed or admitted. And yet only a few Ministries of Education, Curriculum Development Agencies and Teacher Education Institutions take their role into account. Their functioning within the educational system is marginal due to geographical constraints, socioeconomic features, lack of sufficient school equipment and mainly lack of staff. In general, in the field of multigrade schools very little progress has been made. There are theoretical, as well as practical grounds, in support of the view that improving multigrade schools is equivalent to improving educational quality in these areas. At the same time there are grounds in support of the view that these schools could play an important societal role, since they could function as “social community centres”.In the light of the above, it sounds that there are many open questions concerning multigrade schools, hence it is a necessity to work on the development of a network that will bring together educational experts, academic tutors and teachers in a combined effort to enhance education offered by multigrade schools and to reveal their special societal role.

The networks of schools or educational institutions in general, can be considered as groups of institutions that communicate, exchange experiences, knowledge and methodologies, and share the common objective of upgrading education. Through the network the education offered to each participating member is better, quantitatively and qualitatively, from that provided by each school alone. Networking provides (a) access to educational material and databases, (b) chances of participation in educational and cultural activities, (c) opportunities to exchange experiences, indicate paradigms of best teaching practice and (d) professional support, which is particularly needed especially by newly appointed schoolteachers, a very common case for multigrade schools.

It is obvious that the development of such a network is of particular importance for multigrade schools as well as for rural regions. A network of cooperation on multigrade teaching is expected to facilitate the learning process, as far as the students are concerned, and to operate in support the school’s social role at the local community level. The NEMED network, by promoting communication between its members, focuses on disseminating teaching models, good experiences of multigrade teaching practice, developing teaching attitudes and providing educational material appropriate for multigrade teaching. Within the framework of the networking activities, an extended survey on multigrade needs and best multigrade practices is going to be conducted in each of the countries of the participating institutions. The methodology of achieving the above is based on setting different working groups researching in parallel on aspects of multigrade education. The working groups involved in this procedure will investigate such matters as the needs of multigrade teachers, the number of existing multigrade schools in Europe, the national policies concerning these schools, ways for providing educational support etc. Furthermore, the working groups are going to cover specific multigrade teaching and learning aspects that reinforce the effort of upgrading multigrade education. The working concept of the NEMED network is based on the formation of the working groups on aspects of multigrade education, including both face-to-face cooperation and e-meetings (utilizing modern ICT). Moreover, the setup of the networks’ workshops will allow the participants to combine and share first-hand experience