Conference:
ECER 2005
Format:
Paper
Session Information
Session 7A, Learning Organisations and Communities
Papers
Time:
2005-09-09
09:00-10:30
Room:
Arts G109
Chair:
Contribution
The paper outlines the most important innovations in the Italian teacher training, stemming from the new school system reform (law 53/2003), and from the need to keep up with the new technologies. The framework of the paper consists of an empirical research, undertaken by the Regional School Service, USR Lombardia ("Progetto SpAzi: "Executive Summary Report for the month October 2004"), concerning the web views of the site devoted to the Italian teacher training: www.puntoedu.indire.it. In fact, one of the most innovative issues is the introduction of a Virtual Learning Environment like a social space, addressed to in- service Italian Teacher Training: "Puntoedu". It is based on a Learning Content Management System including an authoring tool, to create and reuse learning objects; a dynamic delivery interface and an administrative application to manage trainees' records and track their activities. The objectives of this operation are: Fostering interaction between teachers, leading towards communities of practice Experimenting a new solution of training specific for teachers Individualizing learning paths, according to interests and needs. The Web Based Training offered, was structured according to a blended solution, which joins the theoretical framework of Moore's theory of Transactional Distance, with the principles of the Cooperative Learning. It is aimed at mixing and integrating different learning delivery approaches, basically through the interaction of on line activities, monitored and supported by a mentor, and face- to-face meetings. As a matter of fact, the blended model seems to guarantee uniform contents and levels all over the Country and gives the opportunity to share experience and cooperate among teachers from different regions and school contexts. The key issue is what the students/trainees actually do with the activity available in the virtual learning environment. In this way the technical integration supports the pedagogical integration. Hence, the pedagogical challenge is to integrate face-to-face interactions, with different communication functionalities that are effective in virtual learning environments. To fulfil this aim, a basic role is played by the e-tutor, the new character of the teacher training. The e-tutor can guarantee a link between on site and on line training. His/her functions are: Supporting teachers Organizing individualized training Stimulating sharing and discussion of ideas Suggesting resources and strategies Stimulating the organization of groupwork ("laboratories") Moderating the virtual classroom Following the trainees' activities through the class register. The model also includes a variety of forums through which trainees/teachers can exchange experiences and difficulties. The final production of each learning path will be collected in a sort of "e-library" inside the web site. In the light of these innovations, the present paper means to analyze the outcomes of the above mentioned research, led by USR Lombardia, regarding the web views of the site www.puntoedu.indire.it, referring to October 2004, in order to gain useful results to apply and take into account in the teaching field. The high number of visits has been recorded according to different variables, ex: browser; referring URL; search engine; title and page visited. As for the search phrase, teachers are evidently mostly concerned with the "unità di apprendimento", the "learning object", which is actually, one of the strongest innovation introduced by the reform. You will be astonished at the figures: the number of hits shows how interested teachers are in their own professional development and enrichment. These considerations suggested us the echo of Oscar Wilde's words: " You know more than you think you know, just as you know less than you want to know".
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