PDW Helsinki, My Take on Things

Helsinki Rocks!

 

I just got back from an all expenses paid 3 day trip to the capital of one of the coolest countries in the world, where they speak a truly wonderful sounding language, Helsinki, Finland!

 

After watching all those Aki Kauismaki movies I finally made it to his homeland, nice long cold winters, great ice-hockey, pulla and those eyes, oh, those eyes.

 

But I digress. I was there for work on the EU’s dime so I will hold my course and discuss work.

 

E-twinning is an EU sponsored set up that has two primary functions. 1. to help teachers match up, find partners (twinning) for virtual exchange programs and 2. to help teachers learn more and more about using ITC in the class room.

 

The Finn eTw team held a Professional Development Workshop (PDW) on Digital Media for 100 teachers from across Europe. The point being to show us participants how to use a variety of ITC tools in the classroom.

 

There were several new ideas and very hands on. Sure, there were some theoretical presentations/lectures on how the mind works for instance. However, for the better part of the weekend it was practical.

 

What was particularly interesting is that were three different workshops and you had to spend a session in each and they seamlessly linked! Each one was interesting in and of its own but at the end of each one we all had new project ideas and partners in the works.

 

Since coming back Sunday night I have already been approved to do one project that will have up to 8 countries in it. There are 7 or 8 others in the pipes at the moment.

 

All in all it was a great weekend and very educational and useful. Hopefully all the project ideas will come to fruition and upwards of 8 more classes/groups in Poli be involved in international projects.