A thoughtful and meaningfull  use of technology was one of the core components of our project.

We can recognize two main aspect:

1. the technology used by teachers to communicate in the project and to disseminate results
2. the approach that teachers adopted to stimulate students to use technology as an instrument to improve their learning and their motivation.

1. How teachers used technology

Technology was used to improve communication between partners and to disseminate the results of the projects.

During the school year we had online meetings and webinar to share contents, ideas, good practices,  give suggestions to let our activities as suitable as possible for our students.

We created a Wapp group to keep in touch and speed our communication. We also used email and the Twinspace chatroom and teacher bulletin to share informations in a more structured way.

At the beginning of the year we used Padlet for a brainstorming to share our ideas on  possible activities and work organization and also to introduce ourselves.

We used Mymap (from Google suite) for creating a project map, where all schools partners could introduce themselves.

We created presentations and infographics using genil.ly,  to give effective communication of the project’s aims and structure.

We also used Google Drive to collaborate and give to all partners the possibility to contribute effectively in the project.

For what concern the dissemination activities, we used social network and social media: we created a Facebook group, a Twitter account, a blog and a website for the project.

Projects partners used a lot of different tools to make presentations of the different tasks and students results: ebooks (created using Storyjumper, Ebook creator, Calameo, Flipsnack, etc..), galleries, photo albums, posters, brochures using emaze.com, Canvas or Pic Collage, videos using Youtube or Vimeo.

We used Linoit and the interactive board Idroo to improve collaborative tasks and Google forms to make and share surveys.

All partners were extremely collaborative, shared good practices, suggested the best tools that could be used for improve communication; they were eager to help and to learn from each other.

We also shared good practices regarding the respect of copyright rules and data protection.

One of the main aim of the project was to give students a correct and stimulating approach to technology: we tried to let them being active when using technological tools.

We started our project tasks in October, participating in the Codeweek. We proposed Pixel art activities, to show that  coding is a way of thinking and solve problem that can be used both using computers and in unplugged activities and that has a strictly connection with real life.

We used web 2.0 tools for increasing communication between students: for example they shared their Happy New Year wishing using Chatterpix

While working with students, we focused our attention on the necessity to protect private informations and respect privacy rules, above because they are minors.

We also organized online meetings, videoconferences, gave them the possibility to share questions and answers using Padlet, but also their feelings and fears in time of Coronavirus: we created an ebook using the drawings they sent at the beginning of lockdown to spread friendship and hope.

We used Mymap to create a treasure Hunt to let them improve their Maths skills and discover Europe.

They all had the possibility to collaborate with all the European partners, share their abilities (for example showing each other videos with Maths Magic tricks or learning from each other how to create geometrical vanishing), challenge each other (for example for the logo contest, but also creating Christmas problems to be shared and solved by partners), collaborate to solve mystery or to create common product (for example for the etwinning day, for the maths Newspaper, etc…).

We are sure that a good use of technology helped our students to feel part of a great learning community: they increased their group identity and built cultural bridges that let all feel friends.

2. Students’ use of technology

One of the main aim of the project was to give students a correct and stimulating approach to technology: we tried to let them being active when using technological tools.

We started our project tasks in October, participating in the Codeweek. We proposed Pixel art activities, to show that  coding is a way of thinking and solve problem that can be used both using computers and in unplugged activities and that has a strictly connection with real life.

We used web 2.0 tools for increasing communication between students: for example they shared their Happy New Year wishing using Chatterpix or create short videos for assesting the project using SpeakPic, Topyy, Picvoice or Chatterkid. They also were invited to create their own avatar using avatar generators apps.While working with students, we focused our attention on the necessity to protect private informations and respect privacy rules, above because they are minors.

We also organized online meetings, videoconferences, gave them the possibility to share questions and answers using Padlet, but also their feelings and fears in time of Coronavirus: we created an ebook using the drawings they sent at the beginning of lockdown to spread friendship and hope.

We used Mymap to create a treasure Hunt to let them improve their Maths skills and discover Europe.

They all had the possibility to collaborate with all the European partners, share their abilities (for example showing each other videos with Maths Magic tricks or learning from each other how to create geometrical vanishing), challenge each other (for example for the logo contest, but also creating Christmas problems to be shared and solved by partners), collaborate to solve mystery or to create common product (for example for the etwinning day, for the maths Newspaper, etc…).

We are sure that a good use of technology helped our students to feel part of a great learning community: they increased their group identity and built cultural bridges that let all feel friends.