How to run Online Training Seminars

Our European team!Rute Baptista (CSS)

For the CSS, is running the first official «Webinar» on the eTwinning LearningLab

Val Brooks (Ambassador UK) With Susie Arnott and other ambassadors, are promoting interactive sessions in UK to train beginners and to present free tools which can support school partnership

Antonella Ciriello (Ambassador Italy) and Massimiliano D’Innocenzo (NSS Italy)With other ambassadors, they offer online seminars for beginners and on the TwinSpace in Italy

Laimute Vidauskiene (Lithuania)With other ambassadors offer online workshops for beginners and advanced eTwinning teachers in Lithuania

Sari Auramo (Finland)Offers online workshops for Finnish teachers in 2 weeks: how to start in eTwinning and then focus on her projects

Olá! Hello! Ciao! Sveiki! Hei!

● We are able to keep in touch and train more people

● Sharing Ambassadors’ competences

● Involve teachers in using new technologies

● To make a face-to-face meeting more effective by holding online seminars for follow-up activities

A workshop on online training, why?

Content of the Workshop

How to plan, organize and deliver an online seminar (on eTwinning or other topics linked to eTwinning)

Starting from our real experiences…we will expect you will be involved in discussion and brainstorming…

in order to identify advices, tips and rules…

useful for you, Ambassadors and NSS members, who would like to offer online training!

• Planning an online seminar

• Promoting and launching an online seminar

• During an online seminar

• After an online seminar

Based on our experiences we identified some common steps:

a) Planning online seminars

1) Identification of the audience:● Beginners (All): For everyone is important to offer

training on eTwinning platform, examples of best practices, in order to help new users and prevent inactivity.

● Advanced (All): A further step is offering training on TwinSpace and/or free collaborative tools available on the web

TIP think about your audience before designing your training!

2) Number of participants:

• Beginners: many participants (40 to 300)

• Advanced: only 30-40 participants to practice online

• All invite registered participants, this is managed by NSSs

• Fi: teachers are free to invite new participants

TIP According to the numbers, you can manage in different ways your audience!

3) Moderators’ team

● Uk: NSS for beginners, 2 ambassadors for advanced training

● CSS: moderator + expert

● It/Lit: a group of 4-5 ambassadors + NSS

TIP even the most experienced moderator

should not and cannot work alone!

4) Moderators’ sharing & practice

● UK/It: meet using the tool to teach themselves by doing

● It: emails, googledoc, skype…

● Lit: face to face

TIP good collaboration between moderators is a key

point!

5) Tool and licences:

• UK/It: Webex

• UK/It (past): Blackboard Collaborate

• Fi: Adobe Connect

• All licences belong to NSS

TIP ask your NSS in order to know more about available

licences!

6) Participants and tool to be used:

• UK/It: only easy functions for beginners

• Lit: they need practice

• CSS/Fi: no particular issues

TIP Make it simple and easy, don’t scare your audience!

Planning online seminars: our tips!• Think about your audience before designing your

training• According to the numbers, you can manage your

audience in different ways • Even the most experienced moderator should not

and cannot work alone• Good collaboration between moderators is a key

point• Ask your NSS in order to know more about available

licences• Make it simple and easy, don’t scare your audience

Promote and launch online seminars

1) How to promote events

● All: on the national website and newsletters● Uk/It: using social media● Lit: on other educational websites

TIP Combine your personal contacts to a more comprehensive range of

promotionals, contact your NSS!

2) Participants’ registration

● CSS/UK/It/Lit: online formCSS/It: SurveyMonkey

UK: Wufoo

● Fi: by email to NSS or Ambassadors

TIP Use an online form and ask your NSS, for them your data are

very important!

3) Useful information about the audience

Through the registration form: ● All:

- Region (to give details about the closest ambassadors)

- Experience in eTwinning- School level and subject

● It/CSS: motivation to participate

TIP ask simple questions in order to know better your

audience!

4) Just before starting…• UK: joining and preparation instructions sent to

participants 3 days before the session

• UK/It/Fi: joining instructions sent to participants just before the session

• UK/It/Fi: host/presenter joins and prepares half an hour before the start

TIP be sure all the audience will

be able to reach the session!

Promote and launch online seminars: our tips!

• Combine your personal contacts to a more comprehensive range of promotionals, contact your NSS

• Use an online form and ask your NSS, for them your data are very important

• Ask simple questions in order to know better your audience

• Be sure all the audience will be able to reach the session

…and your tips???

Now it’s your turn!

Discuss with your group about how to plan, promote and launch

an online seminar and write down your tips

on this Titan Pad:

http://bit.ly/cataniatips  

1) Reception / Icebreaking activities ● All: introduce ourselves● All: presentation of the topics● All: general information about the tool (audio,

raising hands, posts in chat…)● CSS and UK: pre-activity (such as a poll)● All: stay relaxed and smiling!

TIP be relaxed and create a relaxing atmosphere!

During an online seminar

2) Managing chat, latecomers, posts etc…

• Uk: two presenters, taking turns

• It/Lit: working in group, flexible to change role

• CSS: only one presenter + moderator in the chat

• Fi: NSS takes this role, while ambassadors presents

TIP moderators’ flexibility and availability are

important to maintain the audience attention high!

3) Active participation of the Audience:

● UK: chat/audio for discussion, giving control of application/polling and breakout rooms

● CSS/Lit/Fi: asking questions, involve in discussion

● It: chat/microphone to communicate, exercises on TwinSpace to practise

TIP the audience should be an active part of the seminar!

4) Managing problems:

● UK: making sure to practise the tool in advance

● CSS/It/Lit/Fi: flexibility and patience

TIP you and your audience will face some problems, be

prepared!

During an online seminar: our tips!

• Be relaxed and create a relaxing atmosphere

• Moderators’ flexibility and availability are important to maintain the audience attention high

• The audience should be an active part of the seminar

• You and your audience will face some problems, be prepared

…and your tips???

Quick Demonstration

Interactivity aids learning, so here are a couple of activities that allow participants to really get involved in the online seminar

1. Use of a poll2. Application share and giving control3. Use of web content for surveys

Now it’s your turn again!

Discuss with your group about some activities

you can offer in an online seminar and write down your tips

on this TitanPad:

http://bit.ly/cataniatips  

After an online seminar1) Evaluation:• CSS/UK/It send evaluation questionnaires (Wufoo,

Survey Monkey)

• Lit: opinions and reviews collected in the webinar’s website

• Fi: discussion among NSS and Ambassador, participants can send emails, the second part of training in 2 weeks

TIP ask for a feedback to your audience, it will help you in the

future!

2) Monitoring and help after● All: giving contact details● CSS/UK/It: sending the recorded session● CSS/UK/It: contact via email with those who did

not joint ● It: a training TwinSpace is equipped with exercises

is made available to practise afterwards ● FI: the training is in 2 parts, with 2 weeks in

between

TIP do not leave your audience alone, the webinar should be

only a start!

After an online seminar: our tips!

• Ask for a feedback to your audience, it will help you in the future

• Do not leave your audience alone, the webinar should be only a start

…and your tips???Remember…http://bit.ly/cataniatips 

Suggestions for the future • Training for ambassadors who would like to

present webinars (a Learning Event – style course?)

• Discussion with NSS to develop similar processes across eTwinning

• Share ideas for possible content (e.g. eTwinning portal, free tools, project ideas etc)

• New presenters could join online seminars of an experienced presenter and learn that way.

• …

Obrigado! Thank you! Grazie! Dėkoju! Kiitos!

Val Brooks United Kingdom - Ambassadorval@vbrooks.co.uk

Massimiliano D’Innocenzo Italy - NSSm.dinnocenzo@indire.it

Laimute Vidauskiene Lithuania - Ambassadorslaimavid@gmail.com

Rute BaptistaPortugal - CSSrute.baptista@eun.org

Antonella Ciriello Italy - Ambassadoralerossi10@tin.it

Sari Auramo Finland - Ambassadorssari.auramo@mantsala.fi