DIGI-SCHOOL
Developments in the world are accelerating daily. Change and differentiation can no longer be observed. When children finish school, the profession they studied may disappear. The borders between countries are slowly disappearing. This is why a large global society is emerging, in which many need to find job. Added to these facts is the coronavirus crisis, which is among the biggest challenges of 2020. It is very difficult to predict the long-term effects of this crisis. However, there is a need for a strategy that takes into account the direct operational effects and focuses on the future in terms of the current situation. The coronavirus crisis also demonstrates the importance of lifelong learning for teachers who have to respond flexibly to the created conditions and find appropriate solutions for the benefit of students in the teaching process.
According to the International Teaching and Learning Research (TALIS) 2018 Conceptual Framework, although teachers participate in in-service training, they are still considered to need more training in the skills and competencies expected for the education required by the 21st century. They are required to acquire various competencies such as the teaching of cross-curricular skills, the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in multicultural or multilingual environments. In each partner country, teachers use online teaching tools to varying degrees and at different levels. The partnership identified the most common problems, as teachers' digital competencies were not sufficient. Different access to the Internet, different skills in managing online communication, different technical and human barriers to using computer and online space at a given time, motivation level in individuals, different family background (sense of security), family climate, age-appropriate communication, incomplete or harmful interaction of children in peer groups, schools as an area where children can escape from problems in the family, parents' disregard for home education are among these problems.
Individual school systems are different in European countries and in Turkey, therefore, international cooperation of actors from different sectors, exchange of experience, and finding examples of good practice in the current ever-changing period are of great importance in the field of online pedagogical methods. At the same time, it is important to benefit from various experiences in the field of solving the problems that have arisen as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Main Objectives of the Project
- Supporting and developing intersectoral international cooperation providing consultancy and training services for universities, schools and adults, creation of virtual partner networks,
- Developing teachers' digital competencies in line with the needs of today's ever-changing era,
- Dissemination of digital technology in primary schools with adequate teaching and learning materials to develop students' learning potential, and
- Supporting teachers' lifelong learning.
Organizing DIGI-SCHOOL workshops with relevant stakeholders in partner countries in order to achieve the above objectives is among the project objectives. In addition, organizing DIGI-SCHOOL trainings to increase teachers' digital skills is within the scope of the project. The website: digischoolproject.com was launched for networking and exchange of good practices. It is aimed to disseminate the project with DIGI-SCHOOL leaflet. Gathering and disseminating twenty six (26) best practices from the EU and Turkiye, and dissemination through social networks, leaflet and newsletters in all partner countries are among our goals. Primary school teachers and lecturers are directly among the target groups. Indirect target groups are universities, primary and secondary schools, students, parents, educational institutions providing training to teachers, and consultancy institutions. The partners will provide the necessary planning by holding project meetings. Partners will implement effective end-to-end strategies through any dissemination tool. To ensure the long-term efficiency of the project, the community will be involved as much as possible. In this context, local government institutions, schools and umbrella organizations will be included in the project process.