The course - Laura Bassi

The context

For the implementation in my school I've chosen the PBL Course (already closed but whose materials are still available) for some reasons:

Teaching practice is still quite "old-fashioned" among the majority of teachers (both newly appointed and experienced ones)
PBL approach is engaging, motivating and helps changing teaching point of view
Taking the PBL course allows me to start from the Italian version of PBL eTwinning Learning Event which helps teachers to feel more confident about these topics and enter more "smoothly" into the contents (most of the teachers are not very competent in English nor in using technology)
Once they have grasped the "basics" of the PBL, we can switch to the PBL course of Teacher Academy and follow the activities in a more relaxed way

eTwinning Learning Lab

Teacher Academy

Before the end of the school year (2018-19):

End of April: I've talked with the headteacher and got her approval
Beginning of May: I've informed the staff and department coordinators; News on the school bulletin
Mid-May: I've explained the project at school teachers’ meeting and opened the applications
End of May: We've reached a group of 20 teachers who wanted to join the course
Beginning of June: I've sent them a first mail to explain the project more in details and give them the links to eTwinning Learning Lab and Teacher Academy

2019 - 2020 school year

During the first school teachers' meeting at the beginning of September I've re-opened the application to allow new teachers to join the project:

5th of September: final call to the group of participants who will take the course
A group of 31 enthusiastic teachers is formed!
17th of September: first meeting to define the framework of the Pilot and the tasks to be realized
The group is made up of 25 actual participants (it can be considered a record for the training activities of our school, I'm very proud of it!)
From 17th of September to 19th of November: regular meetings to develop the 4 modules of the course and think about the activity to implement in class

Colleagues accepting the challenge!

All the participants agree that taking the course together and having some F2F meetings is the added value
Having the opportunity to speak/write in Italian helps a lot those teachers who don't feel at ease with English or ICT
Meeting F2F helps to carry out the activities and tasks. Teachers are very busy in this period and most of them cannot do the "homework" assigned
Meeting F2F encourages teachers to express themselves, to exchange ideas on teaching practice and to plan class activities together
Teachers say that they need to feel less isolated (we are a high school, we're not used to work together and share) in their teaching practice

All the participants have reflected on the developing of the course and we have found the following:

It has been important to meet together to follow the course.
Time constraints both at school and at personal level often prevent the completion of the activities, even if the interest is sincere and the desire to complete the course is authentic.
The need to remodel the path, however, has turned into an opportunity for reflection on the activities to be carried out personally, which have therefore benefited from an "extra" of reflectivity on the part of the participants.
Working together is, without a doubt, much more enjoyable and productive! If I have an idea and you have another idea, we don't have an idea each, but we have gained two ideas together!

Not everything has obviously been positive. But for different reasons. Here are a few:

The face-to-face meetings were aimed at framing the problem, reflecting on general themes, discussing the theoretical framework and launching ideas to carry on the work at home.
This did not happen for the majority of the participants.
Some of them did their work independently at home, but most of them, overwhelmed by their professional and personal commitments, came to the meetings without having done their "homework".
This led to the need for a reshaping of the path, also providing time for the development of activities during the meeting itself.
English is a problem! Not for everyone, but for many, yes.
ICT is a problem! Not for everyone, but for many, yes (and maybe even more than English...)!

Teachers who expressed willingness to take the course (May 2019): 31

Teachers who confirmed their participation in the course (September 2019): 27

Teachers who started the course (first meeting): 24

Teachers who completed the course: 16

Silvia, Roberta & Marta

Patrizia

Elena & Giorgio

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