The seminar is part of the Digital Skills Information and Dialogue Cycle, which is implemented by EKT in the framework of the Knowledge and Cooperation Bridges initiative and the National Alliance for Digital Skills and Employment.
1,700 teachers from all over Greece and from Greek schools abroad attended and actively participated in the second webinar of the National Documentation and Electronic Content Centre (EKT) entitled “Discover the digital potential of your school with a… SELFIE”, which was held on Tuesday 16 June 2020 in collaboration with the National Support Service for eTwinning and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC).
In the context of the seminar, participants had the opportunity to obtain valid information and practical information on the development of the digital capacity of schools in general, but also on distance education in particular through the innovative European tool SELFIE. The innovative feature of SELFIE is that it involves school leaders, teachers and students, while schools have full control over the whole process and exclusive access to their results, and can customise the tool by adding their own questions.
SELFIE has already been used by more than 650,000 school leaders, teachers and students from 7,200 schools in 57 countries, and is one of the actions of the European Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan.
From Munich and Brussels, to Prostotsani in Drama, Lamia, Chania, Chania, Corfu and Mytilene, the participants had the opportunity to be trained on SELFIE and the possibilities it offers. During the webinar the audience participated in polls and questions to the speakers, most of which were answered live. The interest of the public was intense and this is evidenced by the approximately 600 comments and questions that were asked. It is worth mentioning that, while before the webinar 90% of the participants had stated that they had no or insufficient knowledge about SELFIE, during the survey that took place, the vast majority (83.1%) of the participating teachers stated their intention to propose to their school’s teachers’ association to test the tool.
In her opening address, Dr Evi Sahini, ECB Director General, said: “Having a coordinating role from the Ministry of Digital Governance for digital skills, we try to find user communities that have a need or a great interest in these topics and meet their requirements. We are interested in teachers’ views so that we can expand these digital skills dialogue cycles we have established with subsequent meetings that meet the needs of the education community.”
Nikos Tzimopoulos, member of the National Support Service for eTwinning noted: “SELFIE is a tool to record digital skills in a school and eTwinning is a tool for action, which helps us to improve the indicators recorded by SELFIE. So we are trying to combine these two flagship actions of the European Union to improve digital skills among Greek teachers and students. Today, eTwinning has 28,300 teachers and is in 8,660 schools and since its launch in 2005, 13,000 projects have been created in Greece.”
Then the representatives of the Human Capital and Employment Unit of the JRC, Panagiotis Kambylis and Nikoleta Giannoutsou, took the floor, who presented the tool that has been developed at the Joint Research Centre, as well as best practices for the development of the digital capacity of schools in general, but also for distance education in particular.
For his part, Panagiotis Kambylissaid: “SELFIE is a free online tool created by the European Commission, available in at least 32 languages including Greek, which can be used by primary, secondary, general and vocational high schools to see where they currently stand in terms of the use of new technologies in teaching and learning. At SELFIE we have the opportunity to put together the perspectives of school leaders, teachers and students and I am particularly pleased that students are attending the seminar today, as students are at the heart of this whole effort.” Watch the presentation of Panagiotis Kampyli on YouTube.
Then Nikoleta Giannoutsou added during her presentation: “In the context of the pandemic, digital technologies are not only a tool to teach but become a vehicle for participation in the educational process. When we were discussing with the team, we found how when students were in the classroom access to the educational process was a given, but when students are in their homes, it is technology that connects them to the school and the educational process. So what needs to change is the way we look at the integration of equipment and how we support students and teachers at the first level technically and then – and most importantly – how we support the pedagogical use of technology.” Watch the presentation of Nikoleta Giannoutsou on YouTube.
The cycle of presentations was completed by Antonis Besios, Headmaster of the 152nd Primary School of Athens, who presented the experience of using the tool in various Greek schools, both primary and secondary. In particular, he said: “Since September 2017, SELFIE has been piloted in schools in Greece. With several difficulties, 22 schools initially accepted to test the tool with the aim of learning about the digital competences of their educational organisation and improving their competences through the feedback they receive from the tool, thus acquiring a culture of reflection. SELFIE can be a lever in the hands of the educational community to improve teaching and learning and the reality in Greek schools by extension.” Watch the presentation of Panagiotis Kampyli on YouTube. Watch the presentation of Antonis Besios on YouTube.
The very interesting discussion was moderated by Dimitris Maragos, Head of the Knowledge and Cooperation Bridges Initiative, which is implemented by EKT.
The speakers’ presentation is available here. You can fill in the seminar evaluation questionnaire here.
The webinar, which was organised in cooperation with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the National Support Service for eTwinning, is part of the Digital Skills Information and Dialogue Cycle. An information cycle launched by EKT about a month ago with the webinar on Digital Capability of individuals and organisations, which is expected to continue in the near future.
Joint Research Centre
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is a scientific service of the European Commission that helps shape the policies of the European Union. Among the Centre’s responsibilities is the exchange of expertise with EU countries, the scientific community and international partners. The Human Capital and Employment Unit of the Joint Research Centre conducts socio-economic research in the areas of education, training, lifelong learning, skills and employment. In this context, the Unit has developed a series of theoretical models and self-assessment and reflection tools for citizens’ digital literacy (DigComp), teachers (DigCompEdu) and educational organisations (DigCompOrg & SELFIE), which are used as reference frameworks for the formulation of policies and action programmes at national and European level.
National Support Service for eTwinning
eTwinning is Europe’s community of schools. eTwinning offers a secure platform for staff working in schools in participating European countries to communicate, collaborate, develop projects, share and in short, feel part of the most exciting learning community in Europe. eTwinning is co-funded by Erasmus+, the European programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport. Around 800,000 teachers, 205,000 schools and around 106,000 collaborative projects have been implemented. More specifically, as far as Greece is concerned, 28,366 teachers are registered in eTwinning, serving in 8,674 primary and secondary education units, and 16,889 collaborative projects have been implemented so far.
ESF and Digital Skills
The National Documentation and Electronic Content Centre (EKT), a supervised body of the Ministry of Digital Governance, has a coordinating role in the“National Alliance for Digital Skills and Employment“. With the Digital Skills webinars, it wants to strengthen the dialogue on the development and practice of digital skills, in cooperation with leading national and European stakeholders, gathering ideas and proposals to improve the response of society and state to the digital challenge. In cooperation with reputable institutions and in constant dialogue with the educational, research and academic community, EKT develops infrastructure and services, promoting knowledge, research and innovation in the digital space.
