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Comenius Journal l 1

JOURNALAssociation

de l´AssociationComeniusof the

September 2003

JOURNALAssociation

de l´AssociationComeniusof the

No. 16January 2008

2 l Comenius Journal

Journal of the Comenius AssociationJournal de l’Association Comenius

No 16 - January 2008

Chief Editor: Inge Piryns

Language Editors: Urszula Basini (English),Wim Friebel (English and French), Inge Piryns(English and French), Geneviève Laloy (Englishand French)

Editorial Board: Board of Management,Comenius Association

Layout: Maria Felberbauer

The views expressed in this Journal are thesole responsibility of the individual authors.


Presidential Message ...............................5

Perspectives ...............................................7International week - a suitable instrumentfor internationalization?................................7

School experience at the UniversityCollege of Teacher Educationin Vienna .....................................................10

Teaching Practice in Denmark ..................11

Web logs ....................................................13Web logs - a tool for reflecting on schoolpractice during the Erasmus course..........13

From Petra’s Blog.............................13From Sofie’s Blog.............................14From Sandra’s Blog..........................15

Perspectives..............................................17How does field experience influence pre-service teachers’ learning?........................17

A ”Real Life Practicum” in the TeacherTraining Programme in in Stavanger .......20

School experience andinternationalization .....................................22

Visions and Practices.............................25How to deal with school bullying:opportunities for policy learningfrom Norway ...............................................25

La formation pratique à la Haute EcolePédagogique du canton de Vaud(HEP VD) ...................................................27

Beginning teachers reflecting on talk inDenmark and the United Kingdom ..........30

Creating an Interactive Virtual Networkto Mentor and Evaluate Studentson Mobility ..................................................34

Travelling Experiencing andLearning ....................................................36

The path to glory!........................................36

European heritage: Traditional crafts.......40

Comenius Prize 2008 .............................42

Our Institutions ........................................43Initial training of students in Psychologyand Educational Sciences according to theBologna Process in the West University ofTimisoara ....................................................43

Table of Contents


MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMENIUS ASSOCIATION

MAN CANNOT DISCOVER NEW OCEANS UNLESS HE HAS THE COURAGE TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE SHORE

ANDRÉ GIDE

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he hasthe courage to lose sight of the shore

André Gide

Inge Piryns

Arteveldehogeschool GentBelgium

MAN CANNOT DISCOVER NEWAsk any teacher or teacher trainee, oran ex-member in one or both categories,to describe his or her school experiencesas a teacher or trainee, you’ll be amazedat the variety of answers you will get.You might consider that the best way todescribe your findings would be:‘anything ranging from pure theory tomere practice, in a constant effort to findthe right balance between academicknowledge and practical experience’.Most likely that wouldn’t be too remotefrom reality. It certainly would match myown experiences as a teacher trainee andstarting teacher. They date from the early1990s, and I recall especially two schoolexperiences which were part of myacademic teacher training programme.

The first one took place in a secondaryschool in my home town, Gent, situatedin the heart of Flanders, the northernregion of Belgium. It was a trueexperience in ‘Internationalisation atHome’ avant la lettre, not that there wereso many children of foreign origins inthose days in this school, but becausea vast number of the children attendingclasses there spoke French 1.

I found myself in a learning environmentwith pupils of different linguistic, socialand cultural backgrounds. To me it wasboth fascinating and challenging at that

time to build bridges with my pupilsand pave the way for understandingand respect for the other. I stillbelieve today that aforementionedcompetences are at the core of alllearning and can best be sharpenedin an intercultural context. When Iwalked into that school, I wasequipped with theoretical knowledge.When I left it, I considered thepractical experience extremelyvaluable and enriching, especiallybecause it turned out to be the bestcounterbalance for and addition tothe theory I had experienced.

The second experience took place ina school situated about 20km fromhome, in a town on the road from Gentto Brussels. My pupils were intechnical education and I got theassignment to teach about a medievalballad, which was written in MiddleDutch (a predecessor of present daystandard Dutch). Poetry was not apart of their life sphere, let alone amedieval poem in a language quiteremote from theirs. Spending timewith my class on this topic, I realizedtwo things; take the subject you treatinto the world of your pupils andstimulate them to step into the worldof your subject; take all of this intoconsideration when developing your

courses. This ‘poem episode’ got myinterest raised in curriculumdevelopment and the impact pupilscould have on it.

Back then, my school experiences werestill based on national curricula. I wasexploring cultural boundaries and gotintrigued by those. It was at that timethat I opted for an Erasmus adventurein France, leading undoubtedly to amore conscious awareness thateducation and learning were all aboutcrossing cultural boundaries. Whetherthat meant frontiers betweennationalities, social classes or othertypes of culture, was beside the point.The school/educational environmentis an excellent setting for installingintercultural communication skills withboth pupils and teachers or teachertrainees. Respecting the other is in myview, the most basic competence forthe teacher and thus the teachereducator. If we want our teachers to bethe best guides in facilitating theirpupils’ progress, irrespective of theirculture or background, we shouldexpose our teacher trainees right fromthe start of their careers to a variety ofschool and both curricular and extracurricular experiences aimed atmaximising intercultural learningpossibilities.


Nowadays employers are very keen ontaking in people with interculturalcompetences, and gaining thosecompetences is consciously stimulatedin the school curricula more and moreand at different levels. It seems thatthe growing presence of children offoreign origins in education has led toan increasing awareness of their addedvalue in intercultural learning. This iswhy ‘Internationalisation at Home’ issomething I can really connect with. Itis not about physical travelling in thefirst place, yet about crossing mentalboundaries when approaching theexperiences, ideas, viewpoints orcultures of others nearby. It istherefore a major key to curriculumdevelopment and greater socialcohesion at large.

In the end, teacher trainingprogrammes must pave the way for theirstudents and teachers to have the bestpossible attitude and competences fora successful and lifelong learning

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMENIUS ASSOCIATION

1The social background of this schoolis one of French speaking Flemishlocals. In 1830 (Belgium became anindependent country), the newBelgian government choseunequivocally for French as theofficial language of government.During the second half of the 19thcentury and the beginning of the20th, the number of bilingual,Gallicised Flemings increased, as aresult of the dominance of French inBelgian public life, to more than 10%of the Flemish population. Untiltoday, French is still being used inthe homes of many of those families.

career in an intercultural context,nationally and/or internationally.School experiences definitelyplay a major role in this story.Because no matter how you turnthings, you never truly learnsomething unless you experienceit yourself.


Monika Becker

PERSPECTIVES

Pädagogische HochschuleSchwäbisch-Gmünd, Germany

En Avril 2007 l’Université Pédagogique de Schwaebisch Gmuend (Allemagne) a organisé pour la première fois une semaineinternationale Comenius. 15 participants internationaux se sont inscrits. Pour la majorité d’entre eux,c’était leur premierséjour en Allemagne.

Le but de la semaine internationale était d’offrir des aspects le plus variés possible du système éducatif et de la viequotidienne en Allemagne. Le deuxième but consistait à créer une ambiance internationale pour tous les participants – soitinternationaux, soit allemands. Troisièmement c’était un test pour voir si un tel projet pouvait être un instrument adéquatepor développer l’internationalisation et la conscience internationale d’une institution.

Le résultat fut positif. L’article suivant essaie de motiver d’autres institutions dans la même situation (peu de resourcespersonnelles et financères, priorité minoritaire donnée aux relations internationales). Plus précisément l’article donnequelques idées pour voir comment utiliser les synergies d’une institution pour développer un esprit international.

In April 2007 the PaedagogischeHochschule Schwäbisch Gmünd –University of Education (PHSG)organised its first Comenius shortexchange. For institutions organisingsuch exchanges since many years, thefollowing ideas will not be new. Butfor the institutions (re-) thinking thisform of internationalization, theperspective of a newcomer might behelpful.

The aim of the International Week 2007at PHSG was to give an overview ofdifferent aspects of German culture andeducational system and to create aninternational atmosphere for the

known – even in Germany, and justunpronouncable for internationalpartners - and an academic calendarhardly matching with those of otherEuropean countries make it difficult forexchange students to come here. Onthe other hand, curricula are denselypacked and not very suitable for therecognition of credits obtained at otherinstitutions. Another obstacle is thefact that international experience doesnot increase the chance to get a job asa teacher. As a consequence, mobilitynumbers stay on a low level – too lowfor future teachers who are supposedto prepare their future pupils for a

International Week – a suitable instrument forInternationalization?

participants. But on another level, ouraim was to test if an International Weekwas a suitable instrument ofinternationalization and to raise aninternational awareness inside theinstitution.

The necessity of newways ofinternationalizationPHSG shares a lot with other membersof the Comenius Association:International mobility is more difficultthan in other institutions: The lesserspoken language, the fact thatSchwäbisch Gmünd is not very well


globalized world and who will beteaching in classes with immigrantchildren. Therefore alternative ways ofexchange have to be created and moremembers of the institution have to beinvolved into international activities tomake the university more aware of thebenefits of internationalization.

With this background the InternationalOffice of PHSG decided to organise anInternational Week in spring 2007 topromote internationalization and totest if such a short exchange might bea suitable way of internationalization -at home and beyond.

Organising anInternational Week –obstacles and ways tosucceed with fewresources

And in fact, the project started withproblems and uncertainties:· Wasn’t all the coordination too muchwork for just one week?· Would we find enough local studentsready to engage in the project?· How to involve teaching staff andschools – and motivate them to doadditional work for free?· How to find accommodation? Themajority of the students live either inthe hall of residence on the campuswhere it is impossible to host anotherperson, or still in their parents’ homes,sometimes 60 km away.· How to use the (wo)manpower of theInternational Office as economically aspossible?

On the 15th of April we would find outhow to cope with all these questions:10 students from different Spanish

institutions and the “regular” incomingexchange students who would stay theentire semester arrived: two girls fromHungary, two from Israel and one fromIndia. All of these students had onething in common: they never came toGermany before!

To keep the schedule flexible until thebeginning of the project, the programmewas intended to be as general aspossible:

The educational system was covered bya presentation and by two morningsspent at (pre-) school. To make theparticipating students familiar withteacher training in Germany, someclasses at PHSG opened for participants:they could follow lectures on “Blackculture in the US”, “Songs and Rhymesin primary schools” and on “Drama inEducation”.

The cultural programme included basicsin German language, an interculturalworkshop, a reception at the town halland an excursion to Stuttgart, a dinner

at a medieval castle and an organ concertby the head of the music department ata very exclusive place: baroque organof the cathedral of Schwäbisch Gmünd

PERSPECTIVES

The ice-breaker was the cookingevening organized on the secondday. Producing “Kaesspaetzle” – alocal kind of pasta with fried onionsand cheese in the kitchen of theuniversity made the barriers melt.This common activity at thebeginning of the project turned outto be a crucial point: after thatevening, the students formed a realcommunity.

Another strong moment was the round-up-session. After the participants hadreceived their certificates, the groupwas creating a European networkconsisting of blue thread with goldenspots in it – and before leavingeverybody cut a piece of this networkto take a part of the project home.


PERSPECTIVES

BUT THERE WAS SOME LUCK AS WELL:The project was funded by the rectorwho was proud to see a big group ofinternational students on his campus.

Right at the beginning of thecoordination phase a new colleaguecame to the International Office, witha lot of experience in the organisationof international groups and a lot ofmotivation and idealism.

A guest lecturer from Turkey just cameat the right time with her topic “Dramain Education” - and who was very gladabout her surprisingly veryinternational audience.

An extraordinary sunny weatherduring the entire International Weekcontributed a lot to the relaxed andsmiling ambience.

How the hostinginstitution benefits froman International WeekA pleasant atmosphere alone is notenough to justify the efforts of anInternational Week. The benefits of theproject for the institution were muchlarger:

· The international students and theactivities of the International Officewere more visible.

· International and local Students couldget into contact easily throughcommon activities.

· A perfect start for the “regular”international exchange students:Integration was made easy for them –which caused less work for theInternational Office.

· A network of students interested ininternational activities, ready toengage into similar projects andfunctioning as multiplicators forinternational questions.

· Departments which otherwise wouldnot be involved in internationalactivities contributed in the project –a door-opener for other activities?

· A successful International Week givesa lot of energy and motivation back tothe team of the International Office!

And what seemed to be a problem orat least a possibility to safe energyfinally turned out to be chance:

· At the beginning of the semester thelocal students still had enough time toparticipate as much as possible.

· The fact that many of our studentsstill live at their parents’ homes allowedto get to know real German family life.

· The intense communication beforeand during the project created anetwork of our local students and localinstitutions with the InternationalOffice.

· The timing of the International Weekforced us to integrate the “regular”incoming exchange students.Therefore the short exchange 2007went far beyond the geographicalborders of the Comenius Association,

Monika Becker

and it was quite likely the firstInternational Week with Indian orIsraeli participation!

As soon as it had become obvious thatthe International Week would be asuccess we decided to do it again –and in a similar way. Funding isguaranteed and the week already fixed(14th – 20th of April 2008). One of thetasks of the International Office untilthen is to keep this international spiritalive.

Resume:No doubt, an International Week costsa lot of time and energy. Nevertheless,I can only encourage institutions tointroduce such a short exchange.Especially for institutions which laybehind in internationalization, it mayturn out to be a good instrumentbecoming more international. It willcertainly not contribute to the solutionof structural problems in ourinstitutions, and students will needother measures of internationalizationactivities as well, e.g. teaching practice.But it creates an internationalawareness among staff and students,which is already a first step into theright direction.


Brigitte Bruschek

Kirchliche PädagogischeHochschule Vienna, Austria

PERSPECTIVES

at the University College of Teacher Education inViennaIn our teacher training schoolexperience is considered to be asubstantial ingredient that is meant togradually develop professionalism inthe authentic setting of the classroom.Together with the experiencedmentoring of a specially trainedteacher of the school and the supportand guidance of a professor from theuniversity college, our students canbenefit from first-hand experienceswhen teaching in class and afterwardsfrom analysis of and reflection on theirperformance.

This process of developing andenlarging essential competences ofteaching starts right at the beginningof the first semester, when studentsobserve lessons in the light offocussed observation tasks. With timethey take over short parts of a lessonuntil, at the end of their first semester,they are responsible for the planningand realising of whole lessons orteaching sequences. This teachingpractice runs through five semesters,taking place one day (or sometimeseven three days) every week, until, inthe sixth semester, our students teachtwo full weeks.

Of course, all practical work in theclassroom is based on lectures andworkshops on methodology,educational science and classroommanagement and accompanied by theprofessional coaching of the mentoringteachers and college professors. Thiscoaching is centred around the ideathat, in the long run, a teacher has tofind his/her own way of dealing withclassroom situations, be it teaching itselfor coping with pupil behaviour.Teachertrainers can certainly give their studentsbasic didactic and theoreticalknowledge and serve as models ofgood practice – and this is what they

responsibly do. But is has to be thestudent him/herself who develops his/her individual strategies and solutionsthat go well with his/her uniquepersonality and ambition.

This is why we abandoned thetraditional “master-apprentice-model”in teacher training in favour of astudent-centred concept of reflectionand coaching that gives our traineesthe chance to activate their personalresources and to develop what iscalled “subjective didactics”.

We don’t want them to slavishly followgiven “recipes”, even if these haveproved successful. We want them togain confidence and professionalismby teaching a lot (all six semesters oftheir studies), by trying out things andby making “mistakes”. We offer themappreciation, support and theguidance and advice they ask for. Weprovide them with knowledge, toolsand experience – but it’s them whodecide what is useful for them and howthey want to realize it in class.

School experience (teaching practice)

Brigitte Bruschek


Teaching Practice in DenmarkInterview with Knud Fink Ebbesen, leader of the teaching practice office in Haderslev, CVU Sønderjylland, and chairmanof the Association of Teaching Practice Leaders in Teacher Education in Denmark. Knud Fink Ebbesen (KFE) is beinginterviewed by international coordinator at the college of teacher education in Haderslev, Jette Laursen.

How is the teaching practiceorganised in Danish teachereducation?

KFE: When we are talking about thefuture teachers for the primary andlower secondary schools (- it isdifferent in the pre-primary educationand upper secondary), the teachingpractice periods are integratedthroughout the four years, it takes tobecome a teacher. There are altogether24 weeks of practice, and there are anumber of areas linked to teaching thathave to be covered during the fouryears in a progression of demands.

What is the main idea behind thestructure and organisation?

KFE: The teaching practice isorganised as an integrated part of theeducation and based on the idea ofgetting into a profession: teaching.The practice periods are very importantparts of the programme – actually thecore idea. The teaching practiceconnects the various parts of teachereducation: theory and practice,knowledge and experience. In thereform that we are working on at the

moment, and which will be implementedthis summer (2007), there is even morefocus on the practice in schools.Especially the focus is on how theinvolved partners can work togetherand cooperate: college, school andstudent. There is to be a dynamicrelationship between the theoreticalinput from college – both the generalpedagogical theories and the theoriesand skills linked to the teachingsubjects – between the theoreticalinput and the practice in the realschool world. We need to be better atmaking good connections andcombinations.

How does the college prepare thestudent for practice?

KFE: There is supposed to be an on-going cooperation between the varioussubjects, the college and the practiceschools, and there is a directcooperation between the collegeteacher and practice teacher. Bothbefore, during and after a period ofpractice. The student will have to passthe practice period every year to moveon to the next year. This rule is new in

Denmark. Both the college teacher andthe practice teacher have a say in theevaluation and assessment of thestudent – each with their perspectiveon the teaching.

What criteria is the assessment basedon?

KFE: We do not have a fixed list ofcriteria that we control every year, buta number of Central Knowledge andProficiency Areas – or you might callthem competence areas – e.g.classroom management, organisationof class work, teacher-parentcooperation, consideration ofindividual learners. The local collegedecides the focus areas on the basisof the national areas – we each haveour own syllabus description.

What is the division of labour –between schools and college?

KFE: The college practice office findsthe schools for placement, and then alot of responsibility is placed on theschools. Here we have a practice leaderat the school, who coordinates withadministration. These leaders mostly

Jette Laursen

University College CVU SønderjyllandDenmark

PERSPECTIVES


student will teach. There is not yet ademand here that these teachersshould have special qualifications toguide and give response to thestudent. However, we offer in-servicecourses for these teachers as well asfor the mentors every year and someschools and authorities give greatpriority to this education, whereasother schools do not.

What are the obligations of thecollege?

KFE: Each college teacher has anobligation to integrate practice in hisor her subjects and work – both in thepreparation of the student, by visitingthe student during the practice and/orkeeping up a digital practice journal/web log. There could be a focus onone particular aspect in the nextpractice according to the demands inthe curriculum: e.g. focus onevaluation and assessment – if this isa theme in the next practice – then it isalso the obligation of the teacher toinclude it in the subject of teaching e.g.maths or Danish.

What kind of view on learning andteaching lies behind the way we doteaching practice in Denmark:

KFE: The most important aspect is theidea of integrating the two aspects ofworking in a profession – in a

professional way: combining in adynamic interaction the two parts:theory and practice.

We often ask the question: why is itmeaningful to work with this or thatsubject – where does it lead you /meas a student teacher? How can I beprepared for my future job as a teacher,etc. We want to try to anchoreverything we do at college firmly inthe real world of teaching in theschools – and the ideal is that thecombination goes both ways. We donot use much control in DK – but morethan before in the new reform. Maybewe were not good at showing anddocumenting our work well enoughbefore, and now we need to employmore exact and clear aims of the practiceand teaching, and assess these everyyear. Another important aspect is toshow the students that being a teacheris a very complex job, and all theelements are needed in an overall view.

When we send students abroad forteaching practice - what then?

KFE: We would like to give them thepossibility of getting into studentpractice in a foreign country. It hasbeen rather difficult up until now, andonly in connection with a 3-monthErasmus stay has it been accepted.Now, according to the reform, it ispossible to send students out for 3weeks in practice. They would need tolive up to the Danish syllabus – inwhich they should focus on particularareas for the practice in each year. Theareas are rather general, thus it shouldreally not be a problem. The best timein the new teacher education to goabroad is in the 5th semester, and some

of the central areas in the 5th semesterare: cooperation, the pupil’s learningconditions, support in the classroom,differentiation, observation of specificmethods, etc. Elements I am certain areincluded in other countries’ syllabusesas well.

When we receive Erasmus studentsfrom abroad – what then?

KFE: They will naturally be treated likeDanish students in practice. However,the best thing is if the Erasmusstudents could bring something fromtheir home institution – an assessmentlog or file by which they are to beassessed. If they do not bring anythingspecific from their home institute, theycan get a general evaluation of theirpractice weeks. Normally, it is not aproblem to get the teachers to writethese evaluations – which should thenbe valid in the students’ owncountries.

With the new teacher education reformthere seems to be more possibilities ofboth going out and receiving studentsin our system.

Thank you very much – this is whatwe international coordinators hopefor!

Jette Laursen

PERSPECTIVES

have a short Diploma course inteaching practice and take care of theadministration of the practice. After thereform we are working with mentors aswell – especially trained teachers whowill be the student’s key counsellor atthe school . Furthermore, there are the

individual teachers whose classes the


This year the Erasmus students inHaderslev created their own web-logsto keep track of the many impressionsand experiences during their threemonths abroad. The web-logs alsofunctioned as documentation of thework done during the course alongwith a portfolio folder for creativeproducts.

One of the headings for the web-logwas naturally the teaching practiceweeks. Below you will find some of theentries for the web-logs by threestudents from the course, and theextracts are reflections, not necessarilyfinished essays:

Practice weeks:From Petra’s Blog: PetraBreuer, PädagogischeHochschule, Vienna: http://petraaustria.blogspot.com/One week before the Easter holidayswe had the first practice week. Judithand I were teaching at HaderslevRealskole in Haderslev. We had a 7thgrade for the whole practice period.The pupils are about 13 years old andin our class we had 20 students. It wasa really nice class, and during the twoweeks we had a very good relationshipwith the pupils.

We had to teach 3 different subjects in

German - German, History andGeography.The English lessons ofcourse were in English, and I had toteach Biology too and the classroomlanguage was English during mybiology lessons. Instead of BiologyJudith observed lessons inneedlework.

Totally, we had to teach 12 lessons perweek, and we were really busy becauseof preparing good materials. Theproblem we had was the language. Weare native speakers in German, and wecould see how difficult it is to teach amother tongue. The pupils were goodin German, but they have learned it justa year and a half so it was quite hardfor them to follow all the time.

In German, History and Geography wetried to focus on Austria, and the pupilsreally liked our programme. Some ofthem are now better in Austrian Historyand Geography than some of ourpupils at home!

In English we did a project and somegroup work. The pupils are really goodat speaking English. We always had avery creative starter, and you could seehow the children enjoyed doing thegames and icebreakers. In every lessonthe groups had time to work on aproject. Our topic for the 2 weeks was“Travelling”. At the end every groupdid a presentation about a country(including general information, typesof accommodation and types ofholidays like sightseeing, sportholidays...). They prepared interestinginformation; orally the pupils are reallygood. As well, they prepared lovelyfolders or posters of the country theyhave chosen.

I was a little bit shocked with theirwriting skills. They were not really ableto write whole sentences without amistake. Compared to Austria they arebetter in speaking, but in writing theAustrian pupils are really good. InAustria we try to focus on speaking,because a lot of pupils are too shy.Here in Denmark the pupils are openand not afraid of communicating inEnglish. It was a pleasure!

Only once a boy did not want to speakand present his work. It was in the firstweek, and the teacher Lisbeth told usthat it is acceptable, and if he did not

WEBLOGS

Web logs – a tool for reflecting onteaching practice during the Erasmuscourse “Living and Learning Together”2007 in Haderslev, CVU Sønderjylland,Denmark


like to speak then he did not have todo it. Interestingly the boy at the endof the two weeks was speaking thewhole time, and I really liked that. Itgave me the impression that he feltcomfortable.

The climate in the staff room wasexcellent in this school. Every teacherwas friendly and helpful. What I wasfascinated with was that the teachersmake a lot of photo copies. Comparedto Austria we try to copy less, becausewe have good books in every subjectwhich are used well. Here in Denmarkyou see pupils hardly using text books.Of course they have them too, but whatI have seen is that they use them lesson order to give the pupils a certainamount of freedom.

In Biology I decided to teach aboutthe different kinds of behaviour ofanimals and human beings. The teacherliked it, although it is a topic, which istaught, in higher grades. The week afterEaster the teacher was ill, so I managedto teach the pupils on my own. I didsome group work, and in the secondlesson we watched a movie aboutanimal behaviour and basic instincts.

It was a real pleasure teaching thisclass! I got a lot of new experiencesand I saw something different fromwhat I have seen before! Some of thisknowledge I can certainly use inAustria.

From Sofie’s blog: Sofie vanLeemputten: Karel de Grote,Belgium:http://fiepie.blogspot.com/

On Monday the 26th of March 2007we started our practice here inHaderslev at the Favrdalskolen. We

knew the school because we went therethe first time we visited a school herein Haderslev. It was very nice to comeback to the school that we really fell inlove with the first time we visited.

We got our schedule a few days beforegoing on our practice, so we alreadyknew where we had to be and what wehad to do. We had to follow the firstgrade in their Danish lessons. Thechildren are 6 or 7 years old in Denmarkin the first grade. Because as we allknow, the mother tongue is reallyimportant to learn at that age and sothat is the subject they have mostlessons.

We also had to follow the third gradeand their Danish classes, historyclasses and art classes. That wassomething totally different, but nice tosee. Because then we could see howthe children respond to the fact thatthey have more than one teacher.That’s something really different withthe school system of primary schoolin Belgium.

In the first week of practice we hadmany observations. We could not doa lot in the first grade because thechildren did not speak English. But wehad a connection with them becauseevery day they had home work to dothat needed evaluating: We had tolearn the names of the children whichwe got right every day! So those weregood points for us...

In the third grade we helped a little bit,because the children could not speakEnglish well so we could not do a lotwith them.. We had to observe only.But we learnt some new things fromthat as well. It was still fun to do.

In the week after the holidays we could

finally do something with the children.We taught the children of the thirdgrade something about Belgium. Theycould ask us everything they wantedto know about Belgium or about us.Maybe this would have been better inthe first week of our practice. But Ithink the teacher did not know what todo with us the first week, soobservation was the best option foreveryone.

We also got to do a role-play with thechildren of the third grade. They reallylove to do this. That is the same as inBelgium. They love to show us whatthey can do.

This school is in a very greenenvironment. This is fine when theweather is sunny as the children getthe opportunity to work outside. Thisis what they did last Friday when theyhad art. It was the same task they goton the Friday before Easter. So theyalready knew what they had to do.

As you can see in the picture: thechildren are working outside theclassroom, doing what they have todo.

In the first grade we taught a Flemishsong. “Een hoedje van papier”. Thechildren loved it. The next day theywanted to sing it again. We also taughtthem to count in Flemish. We helped

WEBLOGS


them when they had to makesomething. They asked us to help themin Danish which we tried, not knowingwhat they meant. But most of the timeit was the right thing. So it worked outwell.

Here are the children talking to theirteacher in Danish:

Every Friday the first grade workstogether with the other first grade.This is very common in Belgium. But itis the first time I saw it here in Denmark.Perhaps it is because other gradeclasses are not supportive of thissystem and therefore do not do it aswell.

I have really enjoyed these two weeksof practice here in Denmark. Thank youfor that!

Teaching Practice at theGerman SchoolFrom Sandra’s blog: SandraSchleck, ISELL, Liege,Belgium: http://sandra-Denmark. blogspot.com/

For two weeks I have attended theGerman School in Haderslev. I am tofollow a teacher of German and English.

In the final week I observed her way of

teaching for some lessons and hereare some of the things I noticed andexperienced:

- Wanderdiktat: (Wandering dictation)The text hangs outside the classroomand the pupils have to go, look at thetext, memorize it and come back to theclassroom to write it down on a sheetof paper. I think it’s a funny way oforganise a dictation. The pupils canmove and work at their own pace.-When the pupils have to presentsomething orally (dialogue, poem…),the other pupils have the opportunityto react by justifying their opinion.Then the one who has spoken canchoose the next person who is goingto present his work.

- When a teacher is sick, anotherteacher substitutes for him. I had theopportunity to give one lesson to a5th grade. It was not planned at all so Ihad to improvise a lesson. I started byasking them if they knew some Frenchwords, and I was quite surprisedbecause they knew a few words likeMerci, bonjour, mademoiselle, pardonand one could say Omelette aufromage!

Then I taught them a song “Tête,épaules et genoux pieds”. They alsolearnt this song in English. So it waseasier to teach them because theyalready knew the melody.

Finally we played a game called “Stadt,Land, Fluss”. I really enjoyed it, andthe pupils were very nice and friendly.

-I gave one French lesson today. It wasgreat. The pupils were interested in thisnew language. I introduced someuseful sentences like how to introduceoneself, and then we sang “Aux

Champs-Elysées”. I really enjoyed thislesson. It was the first time that I taughtFrench. During the preparation I was abit worried because I did not know howto start and what to teach them. But Ithink I made the right choice.

-When a pupil has his birthday, all thepupils stand up, and they sing a song.I think it is a great ritual to mark thisspecial day.

-They use text books quite often, anddo not photocopy that much. They havean exercise book where they writedown the answers from the book.-The activities are often in pairs or atleast they have the choice. They oftenhave to write dialogues in English andthem to read them aloud in front of theclass.

-To introduce a grammar point theyalso try to make the pupils find out therule by themselves, like in Belgium.-They have homework to do for thenext session. Usually it is a written task.-They had a discussion in the 7thgrade because an overhead projectorwas broken, and I think the teacher hada good attitude in solving the problem.The pupils are polite and able to waittill one finishes talking before tellingwhat they know.

-When they have to work in groupsthey are allowed to go outside or to thelibrary to work. The teacher goesaround seeing if they are reallyworking and discussing their work withthem.

-They regularly have to write a test,especially after a unit or a grammarpoint. The vocabulary test consists ofa word list. They have to translate itinto English. For the weaker pupilsthere is a list with the answers at the

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end of the sheet.

-They had to present a book(summary+ read an extract+ opinion)It is a good activity to make them readbooks and go to a library, but I think itis not really interesting for the rest ofthe class because they are not reallylistening during the presentation, andthe teacher doesn’t really correct theirmistakes.

-The municipality/school alsoorganizes visits to the dentist or thedoctor. Sometimes a nurse comes tothe school. The only negative point isthat if you do not live in Haderslev,then you do not go together with theother pupils. You have to make the visitin your own municipality. For theteacher it is not easy because at thesetimes one part of the class is missing.It is the same problem with theconfirmation lessons. The pupils donot go to the same priest.

My activities: 5th Grade: LanguagePortraits: each pupil had to draw hisown language portrait. Then thevolunteers could present it to the wholeclass. I think it’s a good way to knowmore about the pupils and theirlanguage background (if they speakDanish/German at home/anotherlanguage…) I taught again the song“tête; épaules, genoux pieds” It wasfunny and the pupils were enthusiasticagain. Then we thought about thedifferent languages, which are spokenamong the classmates. I found thelyrics of “Brother John” in a lot ofdifferent languages. They could singit to show to the others how theirlanguage sounds. Then I divided theclass into 3 groups, and each groupwas responsible for one language(French, German and Danish), and they

sang all together (canon).I had a lot of fun, and I think the pupilsdid as well. I really like this age (12years) because they are alwaysmotivated to do activities, and they arecurious to learn more.Link: Brother John in all the languages:http://ingeb.org/Lieder/bruderja.html

7th Grade: Lesson Plan-Brainstorming about Belgium ingroups: they didn’t know a lot aboutit. Here are their answers: Belgianwaffles, Brussels, different languages,Liège, chocolate, German minority, EUParliament.

-Presentation of Belgium (powerpoint): I tried to show them the mostimportant aspects of my country.-Game: Questions. 10 questions inteams - then we corrected themtogether.

-Chocolate-tasting session

I think it was interesting for thembecause they could realise thatBelgium is not so far away from theirhome, but they didn’t know a lot aboutit. I hope they have learnt somethingas a result of my work in the Germanschool.

Sandra working on herweblog.

The languageportraits

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PERSPECTIVES

Cet article cherche à éclairer les possibilités d’apprentissage à travers uneexpérience sur le terrain dans un contexte norvégien. Notre première préoccupationest de savoir comment l’expérience sur le terrain pourrait contribuer au processusd’apprentissage des étudiants-professeurs.

The criticism of general teachereducation in Norway may besummarized in one short sentence: Theeducation does not live up to nationalexpectations. Research andassessments indicate that initialteacher education is not highly valuedand that teachers commonly perceivea gap between theory and practice inteacher education (Klette, 2002;NOKUT, 2006). This is also our ownexperience as teacher educators andas mentors for newly qualified teachersentering schools as qualifiedpractitioners for the first time, and it isalso accounted for through our ownresearch (Munthe and Østrem 2001,2002; Østrem 2007). But the gapbetween theory and practice is not onlya Norwegian phenomenon and mayconstitute a challenge for teachereducation all over the world (see forinstance OECD 2005 for a review). Inthis paper, we wish to address thequestion of how field experience orclinical practice in schools mayinfluence pre-service teachers’

Field experience inNorwegian teachereducation

Most teacher education programmesthroughout the world comprise fieldexperience (teaching practice, schoolexperience) and this component is seenas an essential element to teacherpreparation. In Norway 20% of the totalgeneral teacher education programmeconsists of field practice. Pre-serviceteachers take part in field experiencesessions right at the beginning of theirfirst semester and are expected to teachdiverse students in all subjects. Eachfield experience session lasts two tofive weeks and takes place over fouryears. The teacher students are alwaysorganized in groups consisting of threeto five teacher students, and this leadsto fewer lessons being prepared perstudent during their practice sessions

than in-service teachers do in any givenweek. Also, because the fieldexperience sessions only last 2-5 weekseach time, the pre-service teachers donot experience long-term planning andimplementation. Throughout the periodof practice the students are undersupervision of the experiencedteachers that normally teach theclasses they come to. The supervisorsare given courses in guidance and theyalso take part in meetings and seminarsarranged by the university or thecollege that is responsible for theteacher education programme. Thesesupervisors are regarded as teachereducators like the other differentsubject teachers at the college/university. Field experience also hasits own plan in the national curriculumprovided by the government.

Recently there has been a change inhow field experience supervisors arerecruited and employed. While theywere employed individually before, itis now the school headed by theheadmaster that is recruited. Thisplaces more responsibility on all staffmembers at the school including theheadmaster. The practice schools andsupervising teachers, in cooperationwith subject matter teachers at thecolleges / universities along with thestudents determine how the nationalprinciples of field experience can bestbe expressed in practice and in howthe goals can be met within theframework of the nationaladministrative documents.

How does field experience influence pre-service teachers’ learning?

Sissel Østrem, ElaineMunthe and Brit Hanssen

learning.

Abstract

University of StavangerNorway


1st YearStudents are at the same school in the fall and springFall: 4 weeks at elementary or middle schoolSpring: 4 weeks at elementary or middle school2nd YearFall: 5 weeks at an elementary or middle schoolSpring . 3 weeks field experience where students take

over a whole school3rd YearFall: 2 weeks general/ subject area practiceSpring : 2 weeks optional advanced alternative

practice• elementary school• middle school• upper secondary school• kindergarten• practice in after-school programs• practice in an Educational and

Psychological School Services office• training centre• camp• cultural and musical school• museum practicum• practice abroad• private schools• other placement, determined by subject

teacher4th YearIs the same as for the 3rd year. (This is for students who havechosen a subject specialism

8 weeks/40 days 8 weeks/40 days 4 weeks/20 days dependent upon major

1st year of studies 2nd year of studies 3rd year of studies 4th year of studies

Students receive a formal evaluation after each fieldexperience period, along with a grade of pass or fail. Forstudents who fail field experience, it is possible to repeatonce. All field experience periods are obligatory and count

For more than twenty years the guidance model developedby Handal and Lauvaas (1987) has been the ideal inNorway. These scholars stress that all guidance has tostart from where the student is in his or her own thinkingabout practice, and the guidance aims at developingthinking about practice in more sophisticated ways.Theoretically, the model of guidance assumes relationshipsbetween thought and behaviour. The major assumptionis therefore that guidance, which allows for carefulconsideration and reflection will have an effect onpractices. Supervising teachers provide guidance onstudents’ lesson plans, observe the actual lesson, andprovide guidance after the lesson has been carried out.Pre-service teachers in Norway appear to value these periodsof practice or field experience as the most influential partof their teacher education (Jordell 1986, Østrem 2007).When describing in what ways practice has contributedto their learning processes teacher students tell that theyget the opportunity to “see what’s its like out there” andto study how everything “sticks together”. Theyespecially mention the opportunity to observe otherteachers and their ways of communicating with theirpupils, which makes it possible for them to reflect uponwho they themselves want to be. They also stress theimportance of learning about themselves through action.

as an oral examination according to 1995 regulations.Throughout the school practice period students shouldreceive clear feedback on how they are being evaluated.Students in danger of not passing the practicum must bewarned in writing mid-way through the practice.

According to national standards and regulations, allresponsible parties in the general teacher education programshould continuously evaluate each student’s suitability forthe teaching profession. Teacher educators and fellowstudents are responsible for reporting any concerns aboutstudents’ capabilities and suitability for teaching.

Supervision

Evaluation

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“ I have learnt about my strengths and weaknesses, and Iunderstand more about what I have to work with to becomethe teacher I want to be”, one student says in an interviewat the end of her teacher education course (Østrem 2007).Teacher trainees also seem to value the supervision theyget during their field experience more than the teachingthey receive at college/university because their supervisorsoften stress how they can improve. Field experience is notregarded as free from conflict, simplistic or unproblematic.Students report deliberating whether to quit teachereducation following field experience due to feelings ofshortcoming, lack of solutions to problems, andhelplessness (op.cit. 2007). Even though it is viewed asvaluable, field experience can also be a frighteningexperience to students.

Discussion

Unfortunately, the question of how field experienceinfluences students’ learning is a very difficult question toanswer – but it is nonetheless a necessary question to study.We know very little about the effects of field experience andmentoring for Norwegian students’ classroom practices.Though students may seem to value these experienceshighly, we do not know whether this experience contributesto conceptual or practical development, or whether fieldexperience simply manifests previous attitudes and practice.Lortie (1975) drew attention to the fact that pre-serviceteachers (teacher students) have been engaged in an“apprenticeship of observation” during all of their previousyears as pupils in schools. During this time they, often tacitly,form their understandings of teaching and learning anddevelop expectations for themselves and for the profession.We need to know more about what these understandingsand expectations are, and how field experience influenceschange or development that can also be observed in practice.Sundli (2002) questions whether the mentoring provided topre-service teachers in Norway contributes to reflection –or to control. In a small scale qualititative study that shecarried out at one college in Norway, she found thatscholastic models were merely transferred from supervisorsto student teachers, directly and uncritically. Shehypothesizes that this may in part be due to the studentteachers’ needs to feel accepted and be a part of the schoolsystem. A recent review of research on methods courses

and field practice understanding of these factors. To doso, teacher educators need to engage in longitudinalresearch using multiple methods.

ReferencesCalderhead, J. & Shorrock, B. (1997), Understanding TeacherEducation, London, Falmer PressClift, R.T. & Brady, P. (2005), Research on methods coursesand field experiences. In M.Cochran-Smith & K.M. Zeichner (Eds). Studying teachereducation. Mahwah, NJ:Lawrence Erlbaum Associates / AERA.Handal, G. and Lauvaas, P.(1987). Promoting ReflectiveTeaching, Milton Keyes, Open University PressGorodetsky, M., Barak, J., Harari, H. (2007, in print). A cultural-ecological edge: A model for a collaborative community ofpractice, in M. Zellermayer and E. Munthe (Eds) TeachersLearning in Communities, Amsterdam & Singapore: SensePublishers.Jordell, K. Ø. (1986), Fra pult til kateter, Tromsø, universiteteti TromsøKlette, K. (2002), What are Norwegian Teachers meant toknow? Norwegian Teachers Talking, in K. Klette, I. Carlgren,J. Rasmussen, and J. Simola (eds.) Restructuring NordicTeachers: Analysis of Interviews with Danish, Finnish,Swedish and Norwegian Teachers, Institute for EducationalResearch, University of OsloLortie, D. (1975). School teacher, Chicago: ChicagoUniversity Press.Munthe, E., Østrem, S. (2001) Rapport nr. 1: Resultater fraspørreundersøkelsen utførtblant 3. og 4. års lærerstudenterved Høgskole nr. 1, Høgskolen i Stavanger: StavangerMunthe, E. & Østrem, S. (2002) Rapport nr. 2: Resultater fraen spørreundersøkelse blant 3. års studenter iallmennlærerutdanningen på to høgskoler (NFR prosjekt nr.143515/520) Høgskolen i Stavanger: StavangerNOKUT (2006). Evaluering av allmennlærerutdanningen iNorge 2006, Oslo: Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurancein EducationOECD (2005). Teachers Matter. Attracting, developing andretaining effective teachers, Paris, OECDPublishingSundli, L. (2001). Veiledning i lærerutdanningens praksis –mellom refleksjon og kontroll.HiO Report no. 15, Oslo: Oslo University College.Østrem, S. (2007). En umulig utdanning til et umulig yrke?Thesis for the Ph.d. degree, University of Roskilde,unpublished

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A “Real Life Practicum” inTeacher Training Programmein Stavanger

Vibeke Kvamsø MydlandSecond year student in the Teacher TrainingProgramme for Primary and Lower secondaryschools at the University of Stavangere-mail: [email protected] of Education, University ofStavanger, N 4036 Stavanger, Norway

Abstract:Dans cet article, un étudiant norvégien présente une variante d’un stage pratique organisé pour les étudiants de l’Universitéde Stavanger. Dans ce genre de stage les aspirants étudiants remplacent tout le personnel de l’école pendant une semaineet ce faisant, ils font l’expérience de la vie réelle de l’école et de la responsabilité des professeurs. A la différence de ce quis’est fait jusqu’alors, les étudiants découvrent l’école en tant qu’organisation et voient comment celle-ci fonctionne del’intérieur. Cette variante du stage pratique est appréciée comme une expérience précieuse avec beaucoup de travail, desdéfis, de la coopération et du plaisir qui aident les étudiants à devenir meilleurs professeurs.

In this article a Norwegian studentoutlines an alternative practicum whichis arranged for local students at theUniversity of Stavanger. In this kindof practicum the student teachersreplace all the staff of the school forone week and doing so, they encounterreal school life and the responsibilityof teachers. Students learn about theschool as an organisation and see howit works from the inside in a totaldifferent way than before. Thisalternative practicum is regarded as avaluable experience full of hard work,challenges, cooperation and joy,

Introduction:

preparing students to become betterteachers.

The second-year students at teacherprogramme at the University ofStavanger have in spring a 3 weekspracticum that differs from otherpracticums in the programme. Thestudents actually take over the wholeschool while the teachers travel awayto do in-service training.

The principal of the school, the viceheadmaster and all the teachers leaveto take a course and/or travel for studyvisits. Then the students come andtake their role for a week. When we didthis, we were at the school four daysto watch and learn, and then we workedthere on our own for a week. Normallythe students are at the practicumschool nine or ten days observing inadvance, and then they teach and runthe school for one week.

I was at a school outside Stavanger. Itwas a big school with pupils from firstto tenth grade, 660 all together. Wewere 55 students there.

To do this requires a lot of preparation,from the university, the students andthe school. We did this in February,but the preparation (for us students)started in the beginning of October.The principals came and spoke to usabout their school. We had to applyfor jobs as principal and vice principal.All the others who intended to work

as teachers did not have to apply. InDecember we had a meeting with theprincipal and the student-principal. Wechoose which class we should teachin and got the timetable of the teacherwe would “be” (replace). I was in firstgrade with another student (there arealways two teachers in first grade, inall the other grades there is only oneteacher per class).

During this alternative practicum thestudent teachers are expected to do allwork at the school and this means alsoto discuss internal problemsconcerning teaching or pupils’behaviour within the team of studentteachers. The group of studentteachers has to manage everything ontheir own. If case of major problems(real crisis or danger) there are routinesof how to handle them by asking forsupport from the principal of aneighbourhood school. As far as I

PERSPECTIVES


should do in class. When they left, Iand my partner student felt ready tostep in to the classroom and face theclass alone. Every class is different. Wewere lucky and felt it went really well.That is only thanks to our pupils whowere as angels all the time, and to ourteachers who had helped us beforethey left. Of course we had somechallenging episodes along the way,but in my class they were few. I knowother students struggled with a lotbigger problems then me.

When you have a traditional practicumduring your teacher programme youare always used to have the realteacher watching you. This has itspositive and negative effects.Somebody is always watching everystep you take and every word you say.You are never alone, if anythinghappens there’s someone there to helpyou out. When you have a practicumlike this, that skilled person isn’t thereanymore. Every challenge coming up,you have to deal with it; every changethat needs to be done, you do it. If fivekids starts going in five different

directions you must choose whichone to follow. During this you learna lot about yourself as the personin charge in the room. You are nowthe one to solve a conflict, end adiscussion, help, care, and be therefor the kid when it comes to you.During that week you are theteacher, the one 23 pupils relay onand come to if anything happens.Doing this, teaches us more abutbeing out there as teachers in theschool. You learn to take moreresponsibility, work with manypeople and cooperate with them. Meand my student partner had workedtogether before and knew eachother and our way of doing things.We cooperated really well all the

know, this has never been necessary.

Real teaching in a realschool:In February we went out and startedthe practicum. The first days werereally busy. My class had 23 wonderfulpupils and we had some great dayswhen we got to know them. We alsolearned all the routines at the school,their rules; simply their way of doingthings. Our teachers were great, theyreally prepared us for the work we

time. We learned a lot abpout schoolas an organisation and realised howit works at the inside in a totallydifferent way than we had imaginedbefore.

This practicum was an experience fullof hard work, challenges,cooperation, fun, joy and eepisodeswith the kids you’ll remember for life.It is a good and different way ofhaving a practicum and in my opinionit helps you to become and preparesyou to be a better teacher.

Vibeke Kvamso Mydland

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Lia Frederickx

Katholike Hogeschool Mechelen

Belgium

When students participate in an international exchange program, school experience is always part of the deal. Howeverthis item is organised differently in the various countries (let it be observation, participation or actually teaching), youcan’t ignore the value of it. Of course students all want to go ‘into practice’ and have a look for themselves in the ‘realschool life’, they want to meet children or youngsters of the other country, they are curious how school life will be like.Nevertheless they sometimes doubt their own capacity to effectively teach themselves in a context with a ‘foreignlanguage’. This article gives an impression on the experiences of three Erasmusstudents: two of them are students atKatholieke Hogeschool Mechelen, the third one came to Mechelen as an Erasmusstudent.

Bien sur que les étudiants participant aux programmes d’échange Erasmus savent que la pratique fait partie de leur travaildans le pays étranger. Les stages sont organisés différemment dans chaque institut, c.à.d. que l’accent est mis soit surl’observation, la participation, soit sur l’enseignement. Aussi la durée peut varier. Mais l’expérience de chaque étudiantest toujours claire sur le point de ce stage: la valeur d’avoir eu la chance de goûter a la vie quotidienne d’une école àl’étranger, de voir les différences, de remarquer que les enfants sont les mêmes autour du monde, cette valeur lesaccompagnera pour le reste de leur vie. Dans cet article vous trouverez les expériences de trois étudiants Erasmus: deuxétudiants de Katholieke Hogeschool Mechelen (Belgique) et une venant de la République Slovaque qui était chez nouspour son Erasmus.

Abstract

Gerrit is in his last year Bachelor ofprimary education. He went toStavanger, Norway on Erasmus forthree months and however his schoolexperience took only a week, theseobservations were of important valueto him.

As a future teacher on Erasmus inNorway, it was interesting to comparethe way of teaching both at theuniversity and in primary school.Reflecting upon my experiences being

a student at the University ofStavanger and doing practice as ateacher provided me with new ideas Ican use in my own teaching.

First of all I could notice thateverything runs a lot slower than inmy own country. Teachers in Norwaytake their time to explain certain topics.The general atmosphere is morerelaxed. In kindergarten, children geta lot of free time to play. Most of thetime children in kindergarten play

cognitive goals during one day. Mostof the time children play by themselvesor play with their peers.

From the observations I did in Haga

outside, despite any weatherconditions. After all, Norwegian mottosays: ‘There is no bad weather, onlybad clothes’. Talking with otherBelgian students studying to becomea preschool teacher, they also had theimpression that children inkindergarten have to obtain very few

PERSPECTIVES

School experience and internationalization


Skole, a primary school in Tananger, Icould notice the same. I did myobservations in the fifth grade. Therewere 20 pupils in the class. Thingsrun way much slower than in Belgium.In addition to this, children only haveto go to school until two o’clock in theafternoon. There isn’t any form ofassessment as we know it in primaryschool. Children receive no grades andevery child of the same cohort can passto the next year despite of theircognitive level. This doesn’t mean thatchildren don’t get any feedback ontheir achievements. The process seemsto be more important than the resultsor the products.

I noticed more emphasize is being puton training children in social skills.They get a lot of opportunities to playwith each other and to reflect upontheir relationships with peers.Something very interesting andsomething I’m going to take home withme, is the fact that the teacher of myclass arranged every Friday free spacein her schedule to give the children thechance to talk about things that wentwrong or problems they had. Theywould sit together in a circle anddiscuss anything concerning socialrelationships with peers and teacher.This is a great opportunity for thechildren to gain skills in socialbehaving. Fights between children arebeing solved in a proper way and thechildren get the chance to make thereown suggestions about there ownlearning process.

For me this was a good example of myteachers’ way of organizing herteaching. Having this talk every week,at the same time, makes it clear for

children: this moment will come andthere will be time for us to talk anddiscuss. On top of this, the teacheralso makes sure to rearrange theclassroom and create an appropriateclimate to talk about the concerns ofthe children. The setting in whichthese talks take place is very importantin order to succeed.

Ellen is a colleague of Gerrit. She wentto Madrid, Spain on Erasmusexchange and had the opportunity todo four weeks of practice. Herconclusion: ‘The teaching practicehad a positive influence on my self-confidence, my perseverance, myflexibility and my creativity’.

During the four weeks of my practice, Ibecame more self-confident. It was abig challenge for me to teach inanother language and in a differenteducational system. During the firstdays I needed some time to get usedto teach in English and to speakSpanish with the children. I also hadto get to know the Spanish schoolsystem. In the beginning I was a littlebit scared to teach in English andSpanish, because it was not easy tofind the right words to express myself.Sometimes I had the feeling that thechildren did not understand my Englishexplanation and I could not answer allof their questions in Spanish. I used alot of gestures to make clear what Iwanted to say. Thanks to myperseverance I succeeded in solvingthese language problems. After a fewdays I really enjoyed teaching Englishand practicing my Spanish by talkingwith pupils and teachers.

PERSPECTIVES

I believe that I improved my own workpoint ‘creating more discipline in aclassroom’ during this practice. Tokeep pupils quiet during the lesson isnot a quality of me. That is the reasonwhy my aim for this practice was:‘keeping the class under control whenI am teaching’. So during the first weekI made a few class rules and discussedthem with the children, e.g. you needto raise your hand when you want tosay something. I used a traffic light inorder to arrange the rules. Green lightmeant that rules were respected. Ichanged it to orange if pupils startedto talk amongst themselves. Red lightmeant too much noise in the class.This traffic light really helped me toget the attention of the children,because the aim was: ‘trying to let thegreen light burn during most of thetime.

Thanks to the experience of teachingin a foreign language and in a differentschool system, I became more selfconfident. During this practice I alsolearned to be flexible. When my mentorwas ill for three days, I suddenly hadto replace him. In the beginning of theday I received the subjects of thelessons that I had to give during theabsence of my mentor, so I really hadto be creative. I had to think aboutsuitable and interesting activities.When we finished earlier then expectedI had to improvise. Now I also dare totake more initiative. I didn’t want todo mainly observations, so I asked mymentor if I could teach as well and if Icould do some activities for my finalwork in Belgium. At the end of thepractice my mentor told me he learneda lot from me. It was very nice to hear


that he appreciated my work and effort.

Zuzana Vlnkova was one of theErasmus students in teacher trainingof Katholieke Hogeschool Mechelen,coming from Slovakia and studyingto become a language and art teacher.Her reflections on her schoolexperience are like a mirror for us:as a stranger coming into our schoolsystem she observed things startingfrom a different framework, pointingout some strengths and weaknesses ofhow we organise education in asecondary school.

It is worldwide known that the best wayhow to learn something is to practiceit! And teaching is not an exception. Ifyou want to learn how to teach youhave to teach, practice teaching. Ofcourse background knowledge is alsoimportant but practice is practice andalways will be.

I was very glad to have the chance toexperience “life” in a regular school inBelgium. It was a great opportunity forme to be able to teach in secondaryschool, it is a very valuable experiencefor me. When I first made contact withthe school I was very pleased with thereaction of the teachers of English.They all were very nice and interestedin having me in their class for bothobservation and teaching. It put meon ease and made me more stressedabout teaching, of course. They madeall the arrangements and they alwaysgave me a choice. It was a very warmwelcome to the school.

The most visible differences betweensecondary school in Slovakia andBelgium are of course school and

classroom management. I found it verystrange that students did not havetheir own class, but moved from classto class depending on the subject ofthe class. In Slovakia most of thesubjects are taught in one class that islike a base for the students. They stayin the class; they have their classes inthat classroom and they spend theirbreaks in their classroom. Exceptionsare classes like chemistry and biologyand geography – that is when studentsmove to specially arranged classroomsthat have all the required aids andmaterials to work with.

The same situation is for the teachers.In every Slovak school there is a onebig teachers’ room that is used formeetings of all teachers and all thepaperwork is kept there. Besides thatroom every teacher has his/her owncabinet – little room shared with oneor two more teachers, where the teacherhas his/her desk and own space towork in and to spend breaks in. I findit very convenient and comfortable asopposed to Belgium were teachers arewanderers. I also noticed that teachersgo to school with extremely large bags,mostly on wheel because they have totransport all their books and material –this is probably caused by the fact thatthey don’t have a place in the schoolwhere they could store it. The fate ofthe teacher in Belgium is very hard.

These are some aspects that you cansee at first sight. Of course there isanotheraspect and that is educationalprocess itself. I had a chance toobserve a couple of classes given byseveral teachers, so I can say that whatam I going to write, discuss and/or

compare should be objective.

I can’t help the feeling that classes inBelgium are more practical then inSlovakia where students are made tomemorize a lot. Of course this ischanging nowadays. Still more andmore young teachers bring new lightinto the class, but there are still theolder ones who keep on their out offashion style.

Teachers in Belgium are moreaccessible; they interfere withstudents more than teachers do inSlovakia. Belgian teacher, I would say,fulfil more if not all, of the requirementsthat are nowadays assigned toteachers.

Students do a lot of group work andother methods that I have only seendescribed in books before. Cornerwork, cooperative learning – I can’t saythat we have never heard of it inSlovakia, it’s just it’s not that common.That of course is a pity because it haslots of benefits for students and evenfor teachers. Students in Belgium areassigned to do more work, but the workis not as difficult and most of the timeis fun.

Mrs. Trunchbull said in one of RoaldDahl stories: “When you’re having fun,you are not learning!” Every teacherhas to know that when you’re havingfun (when you’re highly involved)you learn the most! Teachers inSlovakia are aware of it but are afraidto use it. Teachers in Belgium makesure that students “are having fun”.

Lia Frederickx

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Paul Stephens PhD

University of Stavanger, Norway

How to deal with school bullying: opportunities forpolicy learning from Norway

Abstract

Dans cet article, je confirme avoir été reçu comme lecteur à l’Académie pédagogique de Vienne en janvier 2006. Lesprofesseurs Maria Felberbauer et Brigitte Bruschek ont été mes hôtes et m’ont témoigné beaucoup d’affabilité. Durantmon séjour à l’Académie, j’ai donné des cours et j’ai dirigé des ateliers afin de partager l’expérience acquise à l’issuede deux programmes anti-brimades, programmes menés en Norvège et dont les résultats furent satisfaisants. L’idéeprincipale de ces deux interventions était de mobiliser l’énergie morale potentielle qu’on trouverait chez les spectateurspassifs en les invitant (et l’école toute entière) à dire « Non aux brimades » d’une manière collective.

In this short article, I document my visit as a guest lecturer to the Pedagogic Academy of Vienna in January 2006.Professor Maria Felberbauer and Professor Brigitte Bruschek, who hosted my stay, offered me every kindness. Duringmy time at the Academy, I lectured and held workshops on the promise of lesson-drawing from two successful anti-schoolbullying programmes that were developed in Norway. The Big Idea in both of these interventions is to mobilise thepotential moral energy that is to be found in passive onlookers by getting them (and the school as a whole) to saycollectively ‘No to bullying’.

In the lecture hall, I often tell studentteachers that a new and promisingsurgical technique is ‘culture-proof’ inthat, if implemented properly, it can becarried out successfully anywhere inthe world. I also tell them that such israrely the case when seeking to‘transplant’ a pedagogical intervention(e.g. an anti-school bullyingprogramme) from one country toanother country. Cultural variationsmake it difficult to graft a ‘one-size-fits-all’ pedagogical intervention ontounique local or national settings(Stephens et al, 2004; Stephens et al,2005).

Notwithstanding, it would be wrong

to think that lessons cannot be learntfrom a little intelligent and selectivepolicy borrowing, provided that the‘home’ country is prepared to lookelsewhere, and to do so critically, fornew solutions to old problems to besolved at ‘home’ (Phillips & Ochs,2004).

I was therefore delighted to accept aninvitation from Professors MariaFelberbauer and Brigitte Bruschek, atPädagogische Akademie derErzdiözese in Vienna, to see if Austriamight be interested in ‘borrowing’ (andadapting) some policy and practiceideas from two home-grown,Norwegian, anti-school bullying

programmes:

1. Project Zero, developed by mycolleague, Professor Erling Roland, atthe University of Stavanger;

2. The Olweus Programmefamously named after its founder,Professor Dan Olweus, at theUniversity of Bergen.

So, in January 2006, I packed my bagsand travelled from a very coldNorwegian winter to an even colderAustrian winter, made up for, I mustadd, by the very warm reception Ireceived from the two kind Austrianprofessors, their colleagues and theirstudents. My mission, courtesy of the

VISIONS AND PRACTICES


professors, I presented one of the BigIdeas to be found in both Project Zeroand the Olweus Programme –unlocking the Good Samaritan Effect.Let me explain.

While most pupils have seen otherpupils being bullied, many bystanderstry not to get involved (Smith & Shu,2000). In addition, a passive audiencemay inadvertently ‘reward’ theaggressive behaviour of bullies, manyof whom like put their reputation onpublic display (see Andreou et al,2005).

Project Zero and the OlweusProgramme set out to encourage‘neutral’ pupils to react againstbullying by, for example, reporting thebehaviour to adults and by offeringcomfort to the victim. Bothinterventions promote classroomactivities that help to heighten pupils’concerns for the victims of bullying,thereby encouraging neutral peers toshield victims and to say “No” tobullying.

By mobilising empathetic (andsympathetic) peer support for thevictims of physical and social violence,schools can unlock the Good Samaritanin the onlooker and foster a moreprotective school and classroomclimate for everyone. How this is to bedone will vary from country to countryand from school to school. But gettingpupils to be kind to each other mustsurely be a universal aim.What do you and your students think,Brigitte and Maria? Oh, and before Iforget, thank you very much for lookingafter me so generously during my stayin the beautiful city of Vienna. I’ll beback!

ReferencesAndreou, E., Vlachou, A. & Didaskalou,E. (2005). The Roles of Self-Efficacy,Peer Interactions and Attitudes inBully-Victim Incidents. SchoolPsychology International, 26(5), 545-562.

Phillips, D. & Ochs, K. (2004).Researching policy borrowing: somemethodological challenges incomparative education. BritishEducational Research Journal, 30(6),773-784.

Smith, P. K. & Shu, S. (2000). WhatGood Schools can do about Bullying:Findings from a survey in Englishschools after a decade of research andaction, Childhood, 7(2), 193-212.

Stephens, P., Tønnessen, F. E., &Kyriacou, C. (2004). Teacher trainingand teacher education in England andNorway: a comparative study of policygoals. Comparative Education, 40(1),111-132.

Stephens, P., Kyriacou, C., &Tønnessen, F. E. (2005). StudentTeachers’ Views of Pupil Misbehaviourin Classrooms: A Norwegian and anEnglish setting compared.Scandinavian Journal of EducationalResearch, 49(2), 111-132.

Paul Stephens


Last but not least, I must thank mycolleague, Associate Professor MonikaRøthle, at the University of Stavanger,for her unstinting help and support inmaking this teacher exchange happen.


La formation pratique à la HauteEcole Pédagogique du canton deVaud (HEP VD)

Irene Lys

Résumé

Cet article est divisé en cinq parties qui présentent chacune une perspective différente de la formation pratique à la HEPVD. La première partie énonce successivement les prescriptions nationales par rapport à son volume en regard de celuide la formation entière pour les différentes filières d’études. Puis, nous aborderons l’inscription de la formation pratiquedans le cadre d’un référentiel des compétences professionnelles qui éclaire les finalités, assure la cohérence et balisel’évaluation de toutes les facettes de la formation initiale et continue des enseignants(es) du canton de Vaud. Latroisième partie envisage les modalités de l’alternance intégrative entre la formation théorique et la formation pratiqueet la quatrième partie s’intéresse à l’évaluation des compétences professionnelles acquises. Finalement, la cinquièmepartie présente brièvement en exemple les trois phases de formation pratique des futurs(es) enseignants(es) préscolaireset primaires.

Summary

This article is divided into five parts which present each one a different aspect from the teaching practice trainingprogramme at the HEP VD. The first successively states the national standards of its volume compared to that of thewhole training programme for the various school-levels. In the second part we will approach the inscription of theteaching practice programme within the reference frame of professional competences which clarifies the aims andobjectives, ensures coherence and marks out the evaluation of all the facets of the initial and continuous teachertraining of the canton of Vaud. The third part considers the methods of integrated alternation between the training ineducational theory and didactics and teaching practice, and the fourth part is interested in the evaluation of acquiredprofessional competences. Finally, the fifth part briefly presents in example the three phases of the professional teachertraining of future pre-school and primary teachers.


Suisse

Sa part dans le volumeglobal de la formation : lesdirectives à l’échellenationaleLa Haute Ecole Pédagogique ducanton de Vaud (HEP VD) est une des15 hautes écoles pédagogiques qui,depuis le début de ce siècle, prennenten charge la formation desenseignantes et enseignants en Suisseà différents niveaux. Bienqu’essentiellement du ressort descantons, la Conférence suisse desDirecteurs cantonaux de l’InstructionPublique (CDIP) est l’instance qui règlela reconnaissance des différentes

filières d’études sur l’ensemble dupays en définissant les conditionsminimales de cette formation à l’échellenationale.

Ainsi, les 13 hautes écolespédagogiques qui offrent la filièred’études Bachelor of arts menantgénéralement à l’enseignementpréscolaire et primaire doiventconsacrer 36 à 54 des 180 points ECTSà la formation pratique (42 points ECTSà la HEP VD). La formation menant àun Master en enseignementsecondaire 1 qui est proposée par huithautes écoles pédagogiques, deuxinstituts universitaires et une autreinstitution du niveau tertiaire,

correspond à un total de 270 à 300points ECTS. Dans chacune desdisciplines didactiques, cette formationdoit comprendre au moins 48 pointsECTS pour la formation pratiqueprofessionnelle (50 points ECTS à laHEP VD). Finalement, dans les neufinstitutions qui, consécutif à un Masterou diplôme(s) équivalent(s) attesté(s),proposent une formation Master ofadvanced studies menant àl’enseignement au secondaire 2, laformation pratique doit comprendre aumoins15 des 60 points ECTS (20 pointsECTS à la HEP VD, partagés entrestages, séminaires d’intégration et unepartie du mémoire professionnel).


retours d’informations sont offerts àl’étudiant sur le niveau de sesacquisitions par rapport au contrat destage : les praticiennes formatrices oupraticiens formateurs transmettent àl’étudiant une évaluation formativedans le document de suivi formatif desstages. Ce document, géré parl’étudiant(e), est conçu de manière àce que l’étudiant(e) puisse seconstituer, tout au long de ses études,un dossier de formation pratique,dossier dans lequel il(elle) auraconstruit son processus de formationpratique en regard du référentiel decompétences commun, de ses besoinsparticuliers de formation et sur la basedes recommandations faites à l’issuedes précédents stages.

A l’issue de chaque phase, l’évaluationcertificative détermine l’attribution descrédits ECTS du stage. Cetteévaluation sommative mesure l’atteintedes niveaux de maîtrise descompétences professionnelles fixés parle plan d’études et mentionnés dans ledescriptif du stage, en relation avecchacune des compétences travaillées.Le résultat de l’évaluation certificativeest communiqué aux étudiants(es)sous forme de notes correspondant àl’échelle européenne de A à F.

Un exemple : stages dansles trois phases deformation de la filièreBachelor Préscolaire –Primaire1e phase : Sensibilisation (1e année)

Les stages de la première phase ontpour but de donner l’occasion àl’étudiant(e) de découvrir laprofession, d’identifier différentesmodalités d’enseignement et


Son cadre : le référentieldes compétences pro-fessionnellesLa HEP VD a choisi d’inscrire tous sesparcours de formation dans le cadred’un référentiel de compétencesprofessionnelles qui comprend onzecompétences-clés d’un(e)enseignant(e) expert(e) et leurscomposantes. Elaboré par l’ensembledes formateurs et formatrices encompatibilité avec le référentiel encours de développement au plansuisse romand et avec les standardsinternationaux, ce référentiel veutenglober toutes les dimensions de laprofession.

Ainsi, il détermine aussi bien lesdimensions théoriques de la formationinitiale et continue que leurs élémentspratiques. Différencié par niveaux demaîtrise, le référentiel dicte égalementle principe général de l’évaluation desacquis théoriques et pratiques tout aulong de la formation initiale.

Son profil : l’alternanceintégrative entre théorie etpratique tout au long duparcours de formationDans la HEP VD, la formation pratiques’effectue en trois phases moyennantdes stages- blocs et des stages-filésdans les « établissements partenairesde formation » (EPF) sous la directionde praticiennes formatrices et depraticiens formateurs engagés par laHEP. L’alternance entre la formationthéorique et pratique permet àl’étudiant(e) de structurerprogressivement ses compétences enprenant appui sur les apports propresà chacun des pôles de formation : le «

terrain « devient objet d’analyse, laréflexion théorique se propose d’êtrel’activateur des pratiques de classe,leur articulation étant ainsi un élémentmoteur d’une pratique réfléchie.

Les professionnels(les) del’enseignement sont chargés(es) del’accueil des étudiants(es), de leurformation pratique progressive sur labase d’un contrat de stage établi avecl’étudiant(e) au début de chaque stage,de l’évaluation formative continue ainsique du bilan certificatif à la fin dechaque phase de formation.

Plusieurs éléments visent à articuler lespratiques effectuées dans lesétablissements partenaires deformation et les modules de cours enHEP . Voici quelques exemples:

- les objectifs, thématiques etconsignes des stages sont élaborés encollaboration avec les praticiennesformatrices ou praticiens formateurspour favoriser les allers-retours avecle terrain ;

- certaines activités plus ponctuelles àréaliser en stage pour des didactiquesspécifiques sont préparées avec lesformatrices et formateurs de la HEP ;

- des récoltes de données effectuées etdes travaux produits durant les stagessont exploités et évalués dans le cadrede modules de formation.

Son évaluation : l’auto-évaluation, l’évaluationformative et certificative enregard de niveaux demaîtrise différenciés selonchacune des phases deformationEn cours de stage, un ou plusieurs



d’expérimenter des dispositifsd’enseignement. Ces premiers stagespermettent à l’étudiant(e) de découvrirle champ professionnel, d’entraîner lesgestes professionnels de base etd’explorer d’autres cyclesd’enseignement. Ces stages sontorganisés sous la forme de stages-blocs d’une ou plusieurs semaine(s) ettotalisent 12 crédits ECTS.

2e phase : Pratique guidée (2e année)

Les stages de la deuxième phasepermettent à l’étudiant(e) de mettre enoeuvre des principes didactiques etd’intégrer les aspects transversaux del’enseignement. Ces stages amènentl’étudiant(e) à lier didactiques etaspects transversaux , à observer etanalyser une procédure de décision età réaliser une à deux études de terrain.Ces stages sont organisés sous laforme de « stages-blocs » et de «stages-filés » (un jour par semaine surtoute l’année scolaire). Ils totalisent 12

1 Cet article est une compilation de diff•rentsdocuments qui peuvent (en partie) •tre

t•l•charg•s sur Internet.- Conf•rence suisse des recteurs des

hautes •coles p•dagogiques(CSHEP), 2006 Etudier en Suisse –Hautes Žcoles pŽdagogiques .Berne (premi•re •dition). http://www.cshep.ch/

- HEP Vaud, Formation desenseignants - RŽfŽrent ie l decompŽtences professionnelles.http://www.hepl.ch

- DIFF• RENTS DOCUMENTS NONPUBLICS DE LA HEP VAUD (JUILLET006 - V 5), FORMATIONS INITIALES ̂L’ENSEIGNEMENT - DOCUMENTS DESUIVI DES STAGES POUR LES

DIFF• RENTES FILI• RES

Irene Lys

crédits ECTS.

3e phase : Pratique autonome (3e

année)

Deux stages « professionnels »permettent d’exercer la gestioncomplète de la classe dans unenseignement à temps partiel de30 à 50%. Selon les places de stagedisponibles et le plan de formationde l’étudiant(e), ce(cette)dernier(ère) peut accomplir cestage dans des classes tenues pardes praticiennes formatrices oudes praticiens formateurs ou tenirune classe en remplacement d’uneenseignant(e), sous la supervisiond’une praticienne formatrice oud’un praticien formateur. Lesstages de dernière année sontorganisés sous la forme de «stages filés » (plusieurs journéespar semaine sur toute l’annéescolaire) et totalisent 42 créditsECTS.


'Now we are a big group together with me in the chain' Danish student teacher

What do beginning teachers think about talk in the classroom? This articledescribes some attempts to reflect on talk with undergraduate students in Denmarkand the UK around four main areas. Teacher talk and how to get lessons started,the challenges involved in promoting small group work and how to organise theplenary or feedback at the end of a lesson. The teachers were also asked tocomment on what measures might assist them in promoting small group learning.

The trainee teachers completed these questionnaires in Denmark, at CVUSonderjylland, during an Erasmus teacher exchange in October 2006, and in theUnited Kingdom, at Kingston University, in October and November 2006.

"Maintenant, nous sommes un grand groupe tous ensemble avec moi" Unefuture enseignante danoise, ”Que doit dire l'enseignant aux étudiants”, lorsqu'ilcommence sa leçon ? Cet article décrit les points de réflexion à discuter avec lesétudiants aux Danemark et en Grande Bretagne. Quatre domaines sont abordés.La parole de l'enseignant et comment commencer une leçon, les défis del'organisation du travail en petits groupes, comment prévoir le retour en grandgroupe à la fin de la leçon. Les professeurs ont été également invités à réfléchirsur les mesures qui pourraient les aider dans la promotion de l'apprentissage enpetits groupes.

Les futurs enseignants ont complété ces questionnaires au Danemark, au CVUSonderjylland, durant un échange d'étudiant Erasmus en octobre 2006, et enGrande Bretagne, à l'Université de Kingston, en octobre et novembre 2006.

Valerie Coultas

Kingston UniversityUnited Kingdom

‘Children can be sitting in groups but notnecessarily working in groups’ BeginningTeachers reflecting on talk in Denmark andthe United Kingdom.

What do beginning teachers thinkabout talk in the classroom? Thisarticle describes some attempts toreflect on talk with undergraduatestudents in Denmark and the UKaround four main areas. Teacher talkand how to get lessons started, thechallenges involved in promotingsmall group work and how toorganise the plenary or feedback atthe end of a lesson. The teachers werealso asked to comment on whatmeasures might assist them inpromoting small group learning.

The trainee teachers completed thesequestionnaires in Denmark, at CVUSonderjylland, during an Erasmusteacher exchange in October 2006,and in the United Kingdom, atKingston University, in October andNovember 2006.

Danish schools / theFolkeskoleDanish children start school at 6 andleave that school for a new school at16. Primary schools and Secondaryschools are joined together andcalled Folkeskole. The school Ivisited in Haderslev, Favrdalskolen,was divided into 3 houses or blocksfor the different age groups but theteachers taught their specialistsubjects to the full age range ofchildren.

The atmosphere in the school wasvery relaxed and informal. Theteachers were called by their firstnames in all teaching groups. Thechildren wore no uniform, a featureof all schools in Denmark. The moodin the classroom was friendly and



Grade 8. Some of the pupils expresseda little dismay about this. There are noexams in Denmark until Grade 9 (14/15year olds) but there is great interest inpupil reflection and evaluation andchildren are encouraged to set theirown targets.

ChangeThe Danish government is makingsome changes to teacher education,amalgamating colleges andencouraging teachers to specialise infewer subjects. The soft Danisheducation system is being subjectedto closer evaluation and management.There are European wide influences onteacher education and schools that arepresent in Denmark. One Danishstudent, writing during an Erasmusexchange to Kingston University,suggested that there was pressure onHigher Education in Denmark to bemore self- financing, that kindergartensand nursery and reception classeswere being pressured to have astronger instructional/educationalfocus rather than an educational focusbased on play and that a debate onsetting children by ability wasbeginning similar to the debates inBritain. ‘Pupils,’ she argues, ‘ from agovernment perspective are observedas future investments’ (2005).

Issues involved inreflection on talkMy experience as a teacher in severalLondon schools stimulated my interestin pupil reflection on talk as a way ofstudents gaining more knowledge ofdifferent talk repertoires and a deeperunderstanding of how we really learn.Sustained talk tasks and reflection ontalk seemed to have a positive effecton student self-confidence,strengthening group identity and trust

relationships were good andconfrontations seemed rare. This wasa school in a small town. Others havealso commented on the informalrelationships in Scandinavian schools(Simpson, K and Haydon, B, 2006) whovisited a school in Kristineholm, southof Stockholm, point out that ' Swedenis a long way further down the road todeveloping children's responsibility forlearning than we are in the UK'.

The standards of English spoken bythe children in the main stream Grade 7class (12/13 year olds) were high. Theteacher started her English languagelesson by talking to the children abouttheir weekend and their football teamand getting them all to introducethemselves to me before focusing onwhat the children were going to do,which was a creative writing task. Theteacher spoke for quite a long time andthen the pupils asked lots of questionsabout the task and they appeared setup for the week. The approach waschild centred and relaxed, the staccatorhythms and voices of the secondaryclassrooms I am more familiar with inurban settings were absent. Theatmosphere reminded me more of arelaxed Year 6 classroom before theSATS era. Some of the female childrenwere very confident in speakingEnglish and came over to talk to meabout fashions of school wear and howI felt about the tube bombings inLondon.

The small special needs group of four14/15 year olds was preparing a powerpoint about themselves and theirambitions and they were able toconstruct simple sentences in English.

The pupils in Grade 7 had completed aReading test and were told that theyhad all done well but no grades wereawarded. Grades are not given until


amongst students and betweenstudents and teachers (See Coultas,2006 a).

Teacher trainees in the UK and inDenmark also seemed to welcome theidea of more reflection on talk. InDenmark the lecturers were veryinterested in the concept of pupil andstudent reflection, as self-evaluationhas become an important theme ofdiscussion in debates on assessment.Encouraging pupils to reflectreinforces the idea of children takingresponsibility for their own learning.

In the lectures on collaborativelearning and whole class dialogue, Iwas able to use a training loop thatallowed participants to identify andanalyse the methods used to teachthem. This training loop involvesparticipants taking part in anexperience, an example of group workor a whole class discussion, and thenreflecting and thinking about how touse this model in devising talk-basedlessons for children.

The planning frames and models fortalk used in the lectures was thereforemade very explicit. This includedexamining the five stages ofengagement; exploration, trans-formation and review in planning foreffective talk. This model is based onthe work of the National Oracy Project,(See Norman, K, 2002), and isdeveloped in Chapter 11 ofConstructive Talk in ChallengingClassrooms (Coultas, V, 2006b) whereTraining Teachers for Talk isdiscussed. These frames and modelsof learning are not restrictive. They areaimed at empowering teachers to planfor interactive lessons using thepupil's prior knowledge, directexperience, building on anddeveloping pupils' existing skills in


Context of this enquiryThe lecturer was an active participantin the process of discussion and theelicitation of students’ responses to thesemi-structured questions. The themesof the lectures will therefore haveinfluenced some of the answers. Giventhe scope of the investigation it wasnot possible to observe thesestudents teaching. It was clear,however, that some of the Year 3undergraduates had tried to promotelearning in small groups during severalschool placements.

While it would have been preferable,from the point of view of a fullresponse, if the Danish could havebeen placed alongside the English, theDanish lecturers welcomed the ‘real’reading and writing opportunity forstudents studying English as a Foreignlanguage.

The questions that prompted studentsto reflect on talk included aconsideration of the problems thatstudents and others encounter ingetting the attention of the whole class.This is an area that has not featuredcentrally in the literature on smallgroup learning and dialogic talk.

Implications for beginningteachersTeacher TalkOff task talk was the key problem forboth groups of students in getting theattention of the class. Englishbeginning teachers tended toemphasise the use of formal cueingsystems. Danish students placed moreemphasis on ‘being authentic’ or‘using the teacher’s gaze’ ‘loweringyour voice’ highlighting thepsychological dimension of teacherself-confidence. Whilst the Danish

students were studying Rhetoric todevelop their skills in oral presentationand the English students hadexperienced storytelling and drama, allthe students were interested inlearning more about developing themost effective modes of teachercommunication in the classroom.

Small group learningOverall the response of beginningteachers in both countries revealedstrong support for promoting smallgroup learning and a realisticunderstanding of some of the problemsthat this type of learning can present.

The problems students identified inpromoting small group talk included‘the class teacher’s attitude’ and thefact that ‘there is little evidence of oralwork’ because of its transitory nature.Students from both countries reiteratedthe point that pupils were oftenreluctant to work outside theirfriendship groups and that some pupilshad poor social skills. Some studentsin the UK said that they had had tolook outside the literacy hour foropportunities for collaborative andexplorative talk using discussions inscience and circle time.

Students from the UK and Denmarkdemonstrated a shrewd understandingof what constitutes ‘real’ group work,where the children have to negotiatemeanings, discuss, decide and givereasons for their choices and opinions.The Danish students suggested thetask had to be an exciting one and thatthe children needed to be given theindependence to find things out ontheir own. UK students noted thathaving children sitting in groups didnot necessarily constitute real groupwork. Both groups of students focusedon the need to teach pupils to work in

spoken language.

A range of strategiesA range of strategies was suggestedfor promoting group work in schoolsand classrooms by both groups ofstudents.

Collaborative planning andreflection by teachers:

- Careful planning for group work,including visual cues whereappropriate

- Planning with another adult/teacherto make group work more effective

- Breaking up teacher talk with partnertalk to make the introduction moreinteractive

- Teacher choosing the groups andcreating mixed ability groups for sometasks

- Clear learning outcomes for thegroups

- Telling pupils in advance that theywill be presenting in the plenary

Rehearsal and practice bystudents and teachers:

- Making group work a regular featureof lessons

- Rehearsal of group work

- Thinking prompts to promote equalparticipation in group discussion

- Explicitly teaching sharing skills,

groups effectively.

The UK students mentioned the roleof the teacher in managing the groupsas they were working and alsodiscussed the role of a second adult insupporting and developing group workfor example for assessment.



modelling group or pair work, usingpraise and rewards for good listeningand co-operation in groups

Whole school approaches:

- A whole school approach/ethos tospeaking and listening e.g. commoncueing systems, talking heads, anappreciation that promoting smallgroup talk was not a sign that theteacher was not in control of the class

- More action research in this area tosupport teachers in developing thismode of pedagogy

The PlenaryFor the plenary there were manycommon responses. The theme ofbringing the pupils together andsharing knowledge so that pupils couldlearn from each other was strong inboth groups of students. Open-endedquestions were advocated and pupilled plenaries were favoured. Strategiesfor the plenary mainly focused onplanning for open-ended discussionthrough questioning. The students didnot develop this into a closerdiscussion of the types of talk availableto the teacher at the end of a sessionfor example speculative comments orthe teacher playing devil's advocate orencouraging the pupils to generatequestions.

For Teachers in InitialTeacher EducationThe Danish lecturers I met during myexchange were eager to discuss themodels for learning in small groups,the issues posed in the questionnaire

in terms of their own pedagogy inlectures and the challenges ofpromoting small group work in urbanschools. The 3 lecturers I spoke withall used group work in their sessionsand they often asked students tochoose a point that they would like todiscuss with other students. Toimprove conditions for the use of thistype of pedagogy in universities, theywanted enough room for group work,similar approaches from othercolleagues and better tools fordeveloping activities for English as aForeign Language students to talk insmall groups.

Valerie Coultas

BibliographyCoultas, V (2007) Constructive Talk inChallenging Classrooms Routledge

Coultas, V (2006) Investigating Talk inChallenging Classrooms-Boys enjoythe power of talk English in EducationSummer 2006

Danish student (2005) Danish andEnglish Schools in ComparisonUnpublished Essay

DFES (2006) Primary NationalStrategy Framework for LiteracyDFES

Haydon, B and Simpson, (2006) KSwedish exchange: Kent toKristinehold, April 2006 English 4-11Autumn 2006

Norman, K (Ed)(2002) ThinkingVoices-The work of the National OracyProject

Hodder and Stoughton



Creating an Interactive Virtual Network to Mentor andEvaluate Students on Mobility

Irene VerdeJoan Maria Senent

University of Valencia

IntroductionWithin the European Union, theSorbonne (1998) and Bologna (1999)Declarations have started the processto promote the convergence betweeneducational national systems that willallow the creation of the EuropeanSpace for Higher Education before2010. The Communicate of Prague(2001) signed by 32 countries supportsthe mentioned goal, putting togetherconclusions from the meetingorganised by the CRUE (SpanishUniversity Rector ’s Conference,Salamanca, 2001), the Student’sConvention (Goteborg, 2001) and theEUA (European UniversityAssociation). Some of the main points

to take account of will be the adoptionof a system of easily readable andcomparable degrees and theimplementation of the Diplomasupplement based on three cycles(Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate, thelast two being at the Postgraduatelevel) in order to promote Europeancitizens employability and theinternational competitiveness of theEuropean Higher Education Space.

Most would recognise the importancewithin all this process to stress theUniversities’ central role in developingEuropean cultural dimensions throughmobility promotion and eliminatingbarriers to reach the freedom to choosefor students, certified staff and non-certified personnel.

Since the beginning of the mobilityprogrammes the University of Valencia(Erasmus, Séneca-SICUE, mobility inLatin America, Leonardo, etc.), hasactively participated in all of theprogrammes and after many years ofsatisfactory experiences, we haveproved that is a real priority to promoteEuropean cooperation to ensure a levelof quality to develop comparablecriteria and methodologies. Thequantitative evolution of the mobilityhas permitted within the last ten yearsthat we have passed from twelvestudents, zero professors and twocoordinators in 1996 to the currentsituation in 2006 of a campuscoordinator, five different careercoordinators, more than one hundred


Les Déclarations de Sorbonne (1998) et Bolonia (1999) ont été un point de départ dans la création d’un Espace Européenpour l’Education Superieure qui doit atteindre avant le 2010.

Notre université, et plus concrètement notre Faculté, a participé activement depuis le début dans des programmes demobilité. Après beaucoup d’années d’expériences satisfaisantes, on aperçait l’importance d’une coopération entre lesinstitutions universitaires d’Europe.

On a lancé un projet, dans lequel on travaille déjà, pour faciliter la mobilité internationale à travers l’utilisation de nouvellestechnologies. Utilisant une website virtuelle on veut établir plus de canals de communication interactive entre les élèves,professeurs et coordinateurs internationaux qui offrent des lien d’intéret et la possibilité d’ouvrir des forums.

Pour Septembre 2008 on pourra offrir une avance du projet pour qu’elle soie d’utilisation commune pour tous les membresde l’Association Comenius.


fifty students and a tenth of professorsamong Erasmus, Leonardo, SICUE, andthe Latin America mobility. Thisevolution, highly positive from thepoint of view of participation increase,makes us think about many questionsand also causes some issues,especially related to the impossibilityof paying attention and carefullyfollowing the student’s progress fromcoordinators. This has generated extrawork during the last few years and hasraised the difficult issue of doingqualitative evaluation that enablesdevising adequate programmes suitedto our student’s needs.

Our proposal with this project is theuse of new technologies taking as abase our virtual classroom platform tofacilitate from a socio-constructivistperspective, the integration ofstudents and staff who arrive to ourinstitution as well as the mentoring andevaluation of members of ouruniversity who are abroad.

Providing this tool, we think we willimprove the teaching-learning processincorporating the use of technologicalsupport in our institution’s life, havingas a priority individual attention ofstudents who present “special needs”due to the fact of being in a differentcultural and linguistic atmosphere.

INTRODUCTIONAims of the project1. Promote international mobilityimproving the quality of theeducational process through the usageof new technologies.

2. Reach better student and staffintegration at the hosting Universities.

3. Use the virtual network as amultilingual support to incorporateECTS through its adaptation and thecreation of virtual community groups

in terms of mentoring the mobility ofstudents’ adaptation and progress.

4. Facilitate first survivalinformation abroad and academiccounselling using institution resourcesand other interesting links through thevirtual network.

5. Allow coordinators and staffbetter supervision of mobilitystudents’ academic achievement bycreating some tools for qualitativeevaluation of students.

6. Create channels tocommunicate, especially chat-roomswhere students and staff can contactand participate in discussions aboutdiverse academic topics.

7. Integrate in virtual foldersdifferent documents and relevantstudents’ information (contract,learning agreement, student’s personaldata, mailing, etc) in order to facilitatethe coordinator’s job.

8. Create a multilingual bank ofresources from which students andstaff in mobility can benefit whereverthey are, according to the documentsused more by incoming and outgoingstudents: policies, guides of diverseprogrammes of studies, interestinglinks, etc.

PROPOSED ACTION TO BE TAKEN:

a). Technical phase:

This first part will take place duringJune to September 2007 and it willconsist in the adaptation of ourinstitution’s virtual class room systemin order to create our internationalnetwork. We will depend on theprofessionals of the new technologiesworking at our campus.

b). Pedagogical phase :

This second part of the project willstart once we will be able to use the

virtual system. We will offer onlineresources, fora and more interactivecommunication.

Conclusion:By September 2008 we will be able tooffer a first draft online tool that willbe used by any member of theComenius Association in order toimprove our personal and professionalinternational interaction.

Bibliography:

MECD :

El proceso de Bolonia. http://mec.es/universidades/eees/index.html-

CRUE:

Espacio Europeo de EducaciónSuperior. http://crue.org/espaeuro/euroindex.htm

Irene VerdeJoan Maria Senent

TRAVELLING, EXPERIENCING AND LEARNING


Rachel LabeyeISELL Sainte-CroixBelgium

The Path to Glory!

After having stayed in Norway for fourmonths (from 16th January to 20th May2006), if I had to play the game« TABOO 1 » and would pick up thecard “Norway”, I wouldn’t have anydifficulties anymore of people guessingthis magic and marvellous word that willbe engraved forever on my mind.

FIRSTLY, I would cry out «Equality».This concept is indeed found back inseveral aspects of the Norwegianeveryday life.

Undoubtedly, equality is the key wordof the Education System in Norway,which is better known under the nameof “Inclusive Education”. Coming fromBelgium, I was completely innocentabout this Education Policy. However,I have benefited greatly by the course«Inclusive Education» offered in theNorwegian programme. Starting fromtheoretical researches enriched by anexperience on the field really helped meto gather some relevant and fruitfulinformation about the EducationSystem that can sometimes be a realbrain-teaser.

In fact to distinguish “Inclusion” and

“Integration” is not as simple as thatfor outside education. To explain it insimple terms, integration involvescoming from the outside. Integrationprograms aim to involve children withdiverse abilities into the existingclasses and structures within a school.They attempt to “normalise”, i.e. tohelp a child to fit into a pre-existingmodel of schooling. Inclusion differsin that it assumes that humandifferences are normal and that allchildren are from the beginning ofschooling a part of the regular schoolsystem. The need, therefore, forchildren to adapt to a school settingis not an issue as they are already apart of that system.

In this connection, a metaphor hasparticularly attracted my attention:while integration (cf. picture1) is thesquare peg struggling to fit the roundholes, inclusion (cf. picture2) is asquare containing many differentshapes and sizes, all interrelatingwith the whole, and with a captionreading “Come in. We celebratedifferences here. You can be yourselfand not struggle to fit in!”2

Moreover, the understanding of the

assumption that says that “all pupils”should be included in the same schoolis also ambiguous.

To put it plainly, this statement meansthat schools should offer equalopportunities by accommodating allpupils whatever their age, gender,ethnicity, race, colour, disability,religion, nationality, attainment orbackground, regardless of theirphysical, intellectual, emotional,social, linguistic, or othercharacteristics. This is based on theSalamanca3 Statement and Frameworkfor Action (UNESCO, 1994) that re-affirms the right to education of everyindividual, regardless of individualdifferences.

I am full of admiration for the great dealof energy and willpower that is usedto offer equal opportunities byaccommodating all pupils whatevertheir characteristics. In fact, in Belgiumthere is still a strong tradition ofspecial schools and the resistance toInclusive Education is still very high4

in our country. The only system knownin our country is the system of‘integrative-education’ wherechildren with certain limitations can be

Winner of the Comenius Prize 2007



integrated from the special school-system to the regular school-system.However, the idea of inclusiveeducation is becoming more widelyaccepted throughout the country.Mostly, inclusive education has beenprovided for persons with motor, visualor auditory disabilities. Yet, moreemphasis needs to be placed oninclusive education for persons withan intellectual disability.

Furthermore, equality is present in therelationship between the teacher andthe pupils. This topic became thesubject of my practice-based report,after one-month school experience asan extension module at Gosen Skole inStavanger with the supervisor,Professor Bjørg Toril Klokk from theUniversity of Stavanger and thementor, Randi Andersen from GosenSkole.

Very quickly after my arrival in thecountry of the Vikings, I understoodthat the relationship between theteacher and the pupils was totallydifferent from the one encountered inBelgium.

The classroom management style ofNorwegian teachers is in fact that ofan “indulgent persuader” rather than“sergeant major”. In Norway, there isindeed a consensus that to be ateacher is to be a member of a caringprofession rather than a strictdisciplinarian. There is also a culturethat seems to support non-combativeclass management and to place moreemphasis on cultivating empathy withstudents than on discipline andcontrol.

That is how I was surprised on several

different occasions by the teacher-student relationship. The icing on thecake was when I heard the studentscall their teachers by their first name.In my home country, the relationshipbetween teachers and students isindeed hierarchical and teachers areperceived as superior. A student mightbe rebuked for calling them by theirfirst name.

Consequently, the relationshipbetween the teacher and the studentsis much closer than in Belgium. Theaccent seems especially put on theaffective level, which I think is of theuppermost importance since theaffective is the starting point of thecognitive. In fact, feeling well in theschool environment, feeling secure,equal and confident are powerfulaffective factors in human learning.

I would like to mention here a statementfrom the Principal of Gosen Skole,Ingrid Rønneberg, which I think isreally relevant to explain their schoolsystem “If they can’t reach me, howcan they teach me?”

SECONDLY, I would try to have peopleguess the word “Norway” with theword “Nature Loving”. In fact,Norwegians live surrounded by amagnificent landscape shaped withimpressive mountains and sheer cliffs,scattered with lakes, beaches,waterfalls, and offering uncountableother unrestricted views. But what Iparticularly admire is their gratefulnessfor this majestic environment. From thisviewpoint, Stavanger will be elected asthe capital of nature in 2008!

Moreover, children are put in contactwith nature from their earlier ages sincein “barnehager”, they usually spendup to 60% of the time playing outside -whatever the weather! - and even havea nap outdoors after lunch! I think thatmost of the Belgians would get scaredat the thought of allowing their lovelylittle defenceless offspring to beoutside in so many hours of cold.Belgians are indeed overprotective.However, I am convinced now that it’sa very positive aspect of theNorwegian mentality to trust thechildren, to let them experience andovercome obstacles by themselves. Itis the best way to learn.

THIRDLY, I would simply say “Aperson who is holding a beer (even twoor three!) in one hand, a piece of pizzain the other hand and shouting “I liketo party!”.

I have never seen people able to eat somany pizzas in one week and drink somany beers in one minute! By the way,I think it is profitable, especially forforeigners, that they can drink so manybeers. In fact, Norwegians are quitereserved people but fortunately,alcohol brings them out of their shellsand you can finally get to know themand uncover very friendly and helpfulpersonalities ... as I discovered myNorwegian boyfriend!

FINALLY, after four months, I cameback to Belgium with a mind full ofrewarding and unforgettable memories,idyllic pictures but also and above allwith a miracle cure that is simply themost used motto in Norway: “ Slapp



av!” which means “Relax”. This lastattempt to have people guess the word“Norway” would certainly put thosetaking part in the game “Taboo” on theright track!

As a very stressed person, I think Iwas told that expression ten times aday. In fact, many Belgian people needto learn to live in a calmer way. In oursociety, performance, pressure andhard working are indeed centralelements.

However, I do not want to completelyadopt their level of relaxation especiallyin the classroom. In fact, it is notuncommon to see pupils with their feeton the benches or their hoods or capson. You can also see teachers andpupils in slippers. They work on theprinciple that everybody should feelin the best conditions to work properly.So if a pupil needs to listen to music tobe able to concentrate better on thetest, why should we forbid that pupilto use his or her iPod?

I still do think that the teacher shouldshow that he is still in charge of theclass and that there should be somestrict rules. The discipline in theNorwegian classrooms was indeed inmy view too often missing. Pupils areallowed so much freedom that they arehardly ever reprimanded!

However, I admire the atmosphere theytry to give to their schools: music towelcome the students in the morning,flowers in the corridors, no bell toindicate the beginning or the end ofthe lessons in order to remove theseverity of the school aspect, openclassrooms so they feel at home,newspapers at their disposal every

morning, benches and tables in thehalls so that the pupils can sit in smallgroups and learn to socialize. Therebythey are also more prepared to dialoguewith the teachers.

In conclusion, there are positive andnegative elements to both sides. Manytimes in life, one has to just find abalance. I think that it is what we haveto do here in Belgium. We can takesome elements from both pedagogicalapproaches. The most important, Ithink, is to be aware all the time of thereasons why we are opting for thattype of method or behaviour in theclassroom. To teach is to learn twice.You learn about yourself and you learnabout others. So you should take thatinto consideration, to questionyourself all the time in order to improveand to teach as effectively as possible.But you also have to accept that toteach is never done without errors anddefeat... Every artist was at first anamateur!

LOOKING BACK ... THE START OF ANEVER ENDING DREAM...

When I decided to become a LanguageTeacher, in my mind, I only wanted tobecome a Dutch teacher. Thatlanguage had always been myfavourite. Unfortunately, I was obligedto choose two languages and I choseEnglish. That was my first sacrifice...

Then, there was another condition tofulfil those studies: going abroad forthree months in the third year in thecountry of your weakest language ... itwas a foregone conclusion. I was forsure going to stay in an English-

speaking country ... great! Don’t youhave farther than English-speakingcountries? That was my secondsacrifice...

Icing on the cake ... My Dutch teacher,Mrs Emmanuel, proposed me to stayfour months instead of three to havethe possibility to go on one-monthpracticum. “You will be the first onegoing through that experience!” shesaid very excited! “Great ... thanks tobe used as a guinea-pig” I thought atthat time. Saying “No” to a teacher isnever a good idea ... “Of course! Greatidea” was my answer. That was mythird sacrifice...

But, be assured that there weren’t onlysacrifices. The fairy tale was only goingto start from then on!

Among several destinations, there wasNorway. I didn’t know anything aboutthat country except the fact thatScandinavian countries are said to bebeautiful and that studies (e.g.: PISA)have proved that they have a verygood Educational System. I also knewabout the delicious salmon but mygluttony couldn’t be a reason tomotivate my choice on the applicationform!

Beginning of September, my requestto go to Norway and Alone – toimmerse myself better in the foreignlanguage and to be forced to open upmyself more – had been taken intoconsideration. It was now an absolutecertainty, I was going to Norway! Thatwas my first delight. ...

Besides, I lived in Ugleveien, which isa nice village with thirteen lovely



yellow wooden two-level houses withInternational students as well asNorwegian students and situatedseven minutes by bus from theUniversity!

My biggest fear of staying in a foreigncountry was being far away from myfamily and friends. I was more anxiousabout not learning enough from mystay in term of culture and language.But this proved quite easy toimplement. I wanted to learn a lot and Iconsider I did even more than Ithought. I encountered the Norwegianculture and language (21 hours to learnthe everyday expressions in order tobe able to cope in the shops andstreets) but also many other culturesfrom all over the world: Denmark,Ireland, Austria, Czech Republic,Pakistan, Romania, Germany, Spain,America, Sweden, Finland,Madagascar, China, ... Nevertheless,I’m still craving to learn more and more.That was my second relief.

... AND AN ENDLESS EXPERIENCE.

Only back to Belgium for nine days, Ireceived an email from Monika Röthle,the International Coordinator at the

University of Stavanger. Sheannounced that several of my teachersat UIS and my mentor at Gosen Skolehad agreed to say that I was the bestErasmus Student they had ever had.They therefore wanted to nominate meas a candidate for the Comenius Prize2006-2007. It was of course an honourfor me to accept to take part in thatcontest. Since the prize uses thenotion of “Research”, the assignmentsbased on observations in schools hadto be given the priority and I chose: “Inclusive Education” and “ Pupil-teacher relationship in the Norwegianclassroom”.

Seven months later, during theChristmas period, I recieved a letterfrom the Comenius Association, writtenby Wim Friebel, the foreman of the Juryof the Comenius Prize, letting me knowthat the Jury had decided to award methe Prize. He also proposed to hand itto me personally with a delegation ofmy family and friends on 31st Januaryat the ISELL Institution. That is how,as a big family, we took part in thatceremony and drank a toast tofriendship!

My favourite supporter and fan was ofcourse there to represent themarvellous country, that is and willalways be Norway!

Notes:

1 Board game very well known inBelgium. The aim of this game is tomake guess a word without telling it.

2 Inclusive Education, Policy, Contextsand Comparative Perspectives, F.Armstrong, D. Armstrong & L. Barton,Great Britain, 2000 (p.133)

3 In June 1994, representatives of 92governments and 25 internationalorganizations formed the WorldConference on Special NeedsEducation, held in Salamanca, Spain.This report called for Inclusion to bethe norm.

4 Approximately 3.90% of children ofthe primary school and 3.40% of thechildren of the secondary school arevisiting special schools (OECD 1995,p.41).



European Heritage:Traditional Crafts

Professors:Amparo Alcaraz (La Salle) Mª Montserrat Pastor (ESCUNI)Spain

Students:Pablo Moreno and Valentín López (ESCUNI); Irene Rodriguez-Manzaneque and Juan Jose Zapater (La Salle) Spain

The Intensive Program “EuropeanHeritage”, consisted of three coursesof a two week duration, starting inLouvain la-Neuve (Belgium) andending in CVU Sønderjylland inHaderslev in the east of Denmark from19th to 30th of March of 2007.Participants were from Universities ofProfessional Education in Belgium,Rumania, Denmark, Norway, Portugaland Spain.

The program, coordinated by BirgitSchultz (Denmark) and Anne Deroitte(Belgium), had as its main objectivesan analysis of and knowledge of theaspects of our European Heritagethough the exploration of andparticipation in traditional crafts.

The program proposed characterlearning under the motto: “to learnthrough our own body”. The activitiesbegan through working with our bodiesand its senses, using traditional tools,modeling native materials and makingcommon every day objects that are acultural and aesthetic part of ourheritage.

On the first day, Tove Heidemann, theDirector of the InternationalDepartment at CVU Sønderjylland,welcomed all the participants of thecourse and presented the four mainconcepts of Heritage.

Biological Heritage, that makesreference to the biodiversity.

Natural Heritage, that includes termslike geologic or geographic accidents.

Cultural Material Heritage is thereference to elements like buildings ortools i.e. man made.

Immaterial Heritage, that includes thetraditional Philosophy or celebrations.

Having settled down in their newenvironment, the participants workedon a visual representation of the cityby exploring their environs on footlooking for the four elements ofHeritage ending up with a visit to theCity Museum

The second day focused on searchingfor a definition of the concept ofHeritage by research into different

methodologies, the different ideas andopinions flowed to create anamalgamation of diverse points of view.

On the third day a visit to the VehicleMuseum was made (SchleswigscheWagensammlung). This visit showedthe evolution of the vehicle throughhistory, its functions, technology andaesthetic value. The museum offeredother activities like the manualassembly of a carriage, and a guidedinvestigation into other details of themuseum.

The last days of the week werededicated to traditional handmade



SPECULATIVE COMMENTS OR THE

TEACHER PLAYING DEVIL’S

ADVOCATE OR ENCOURAGING THE

jewelry and wickerwork, by learningthrough our own bodies and senses,using natural materials (silver andwillows) and tools.

The afternoons were dedicated tofinding out about the Natural andCultural Material Heritage by travelingthrough a fiord, exploring the DanishBaltic Coast, and visiting the city ofHaderslev and its cathedral.

During the second week the programwas centered on the Danish Iron AgeWay of Life in the Historical WorkCenter of Vingsted (VingstedHistoriske Værksted). We worked asthe Vikings had done so long ago inthe forge, making knifes, logging trees,carving wooden spoons and makingbenches.

The last days were dedicated tocreating teaching materials andpresenting an exhibition that showedall we had learnt during the programme.The team from Madrid (Spain) createdan educational game based on

Vygotsky’s learning theories.

Every evening the group evaluated theday’s activities presenting them in apictorial way. All participants wereencouraged to present their feelingsin answer to three questions. What didI learn? How did I learn it? How can I

teach it?

It was not all intellectual work, everyevening the participants from adifferent country presented theirculture through a range of activitiesand the tasting of traditional foods.

The Spanish group presented the cityof Toledo and the route of Don Quixoteas Material Heritage and “Las Fallas”as Immaterial Heritage, as well asshowing traditional games, tongue

twisters and traditional dances. Thepresentation ended in full flavour withthe tasting of Manchego cheese, IrianHam, traditional Spanish potato omelet,sweets washed down by Sangria.

We have noticed that the mostimportant thing about Heritage ispeople; there is no Heritage withoutpeople. We want to thank the Danishpeople for their hospitality and theirwarmth to the participants, because themost important part of the program wasliving together and working really hardin groups. Now, we are people whohave learned what friendship meansand that is really meaningful learning.



Comenius Prize 2008

Who can win?

Each year the Comenius Association offers two prizes offive hundred Euros each to students who have displayedintercultural competences by producing a piece of workof high quality in the field of education.

There will be one prize of 500 euros for each of thefollowing categories:

Short Exchange Programmes (2 to 4 weeks): ComeniusShort Exchanges, the so-called International Weeks, orIntensive Programmes.

Erasmus Programmes (13 weeks to 1 year).

Rules and Conditions

The prizes are awarded to students responding to thefollowing criteria:

1. Their work should be based on the students’international experiences in one of the partner institutionsof the Comenius Association or in their own institutionthrough cooperation and contacts with incoming students.

2. Both their home and host institution are official partnersof the Comenius Association.

3. They present a study, essay or piece of applied researchof publishable standard related to intercultural educationalpractices. This may be individual or group work.

4. In the case of Intensive Programmes and ErasmusProgrammes their work must be produced during theacademic year 2007 – 2008. The Comenius Short Exchanges(International Weeks) are normally of two weeks durationspread over two academic years. In the case of the ComeniusShort Exchanges the work should be based on the twoconsecutive years in which the exchanges have taken place:the academic year 2006 - 2007 and 2007 – 2008.

5. Three copies should be sent to the Chair of the AwardingPanel of the Comenius Association, Offenbachstraat 31, NL– 1817 JA, The Netherlands

6. The final date for submission is June 1st 2008.

7. The submission may be done in the form that best suitsthe work: essay, video/DVD, CD-ROM.

8. Formal criteria:

• Word processed documents: 5000-10.000 words in English,French, German or Spanish. Accompanied by a one to twopage summary in the native language.

• Video/DVD/CD-ROM: Playing time 15 to 30 minutesmaximum.Accompanied by: a suitable commentary inEnglish, French, German or Spanish to help theunderstanding of the images and a one to two page summaryin the native language.

9. A letter of recommendation by a member of staff of thehome-institution responsible for the exchange must beincluded. Other letters of recommendation may be added aswell, but not instead of.

10. A CV in which at least birthdate and birthplace, fullhome and institute’s address, telephone number and e-mailaddress are mentioned must be included as well.

11.The Awarding Panel, composed ofeducationalists, will take into account:- the technical quality of the work linked to the objectives ofthe mobility programmes of the Comenius Association- the originality of the work: innovative, critical, reflective,daring, ….- the link between theory/research and own experiences ofthe author(s)- the educational orientation- the intercultural dimension- the degree in which it is useful or inspiring to educationalists12. The official decision concerning the winners will beannounced during the first semester of the academic year2008 - 2009.

13. All candidates will be informed on the results of thejudgement by the Awarding Panel. Appeal against thedecision of the awarding panel is not possible nor will anyfurther correspondence be entered into.

14. An article on the winning contributions will be publishedin the official Comenius Journal, which appears annually.

Do not hesitate to consult the international coordinator ofyour home or host institution for further information onthe Comenius Prize. Take a look atwww.associationcomenius.org for the exact conditionsand criteria on the Comenius Prize .

COMENIUS PRIZE INFORMATION


Romania as a signatory of the Bologna declaration, in order to ensure high quality, has organized, starting with theacademic year 2005 – 2006, a common programme of study cycles in each academic institution, public or private, in theentire country. The latest regulations were introduced so that the education system in Romania should comply with theEuropean one, namely to the 3+2+3 Bologna system.

Within the West-University of Timisoara, the field of Educational Sciences has been introduced since autumn 2005. Thisis a complex field which consists of 3 specialisms: Teaching –of pre-school and primary school, Special Psycho-Pedagogy and Pedagogy. The 1st academic study year is common to all 3 specializations, whereas at the end of the 1st

year, the students have the possibility to choose the specialism they want to study.

The pedagogical practical training within the specialism of Pedagogy – pre-school and primary school educationtakes place in schools with first to fourth grades and kindergartens (groups of children aged 2-3 years, 3-4 years, 4-5years and 5-6 years - in a school-preparatory group), with qualified personnel, and mentors for practical training. Thesecond year of study is planned for observation. In the third study year the emphasis is set on designing, conducting andevaluation of the lessons, if possible in all disciplines; designing and conducting of certain extra-curricular activities;the use of information and communication technologies in the developing activities; also participation in the processof solving some educational situations by applying negotiation techniques, observation of some child-care and specialeducation units; participation in activities involving educational partnership (families, NGOs, other bodies).

The Professional Training Program, organised by the Psychology Department, is intended to prepare our licensedegree students for a very professional labour market, trying to offer them an informed position based on practicalexperience, alongside their theoretical preparation.

We will emphasize the first semester of our Professional Training Program, which brings a completely new and originalapproach in the Romanian university system. It offers an introductory module of three days (the first three days of theiruniversity career), which allows them to understand and to adapt to the requirements of university life.

OUR INSTITUTIONS

La Roumanie, dans sa qualité de signataire de la déclaration de Bologne, a organisé, à partir de l'année universitaire2005-2006, un programme commun pour les études de licence dans toutes les universités du pays, publiques ou privées.Les réglementations finales de la convention de Bologne ont été introduites pour que notre système universitaired'éducation s'aligne au système européen, dans la formule 3+2+3.

Mona Vintila

West Univerity of TimisoaraRomania

Initial Training of Students in Psychology and EducationalSciences according to the Bologna Process in the WestUniversity of Timisoara

Abstract


The Bologna Declaration is a key-document which marks a turning pointin the development of higher educationat European level, due to the fact thatit has been signed by 29 countries,Romania being one of them.

Each signing country is committed toenforce reform processes within itsacademic education system, so as tocreate a convergent perspective on thiskind of education at European level. Inthis case, it is not about the equalizingor the standardization of thesesystems, but about complying with anumber of fundamental principles,namely AUTONOMY and DIVERSITY.

Romania, in its quality of signer of thebefore mentioned declaration, hasorganized, starting with the academicyear 2005 – 2006, the graduationstudies cycle according to study fieldsin each academic institution, public orprivate, from the entire country. Thelatest regulations were introduced sothat the education system in Romaniashould comply with the European one,namely to the 3+2+3 Bologna system.

The implementation of the BolognaAgreement has imposed a series ofradical changes on the organization ofacademic studies, of the specialistfields and evaluation methods.Academic training undergoes nowthree study cycles: bachelor degree 3years, master’s degree 2 years, PhDdegree 3 years. The academic masterstudies provide the specialism in thefield of the bachelor degree studies orin a field close to them, theenhancement of scientific researchabilities and stand for a compulsorypreparatory basis for the doctoralstudies.

Within the West University ofTimisoara, the field of EducationalSciences has been introduced sinceautumn 2005. This is a complex fieldwhich consists of 3 specialisms:Teaching – at pre-school and primaryschool, Special Psycho-Pedagogy andPedagogy. The first academic studyyear is common to all three specialisms,whereas at the end of the first year, thestudents have the possibility tochoose the specialisms they want to

submit to.

For the specialist Teacher – of pre-school and primary school education,all the candidates, except for thosewho are graduates of the Pedagogicalhigh-school, have to take someeliminatory tests, such as: music,sports, drawing, diction.

The pedagogical practical trainingwithin the specialism of Pedagogy –of pre-school and primary schooleducation takes place in schools withfirst to fourth grades and kindergartens(groups of children aged 2-3 years, 3-4years, 4-5 years and 5-6 years - in aschool-preparatory group), withqualified personnel, and mentors forthe practical training. The secondstudy year is planned for observationpractices, whereas the main categoriesof activities are:

1. Acquaintance with the schooland the kindergarten system :

o Presentation of the schoolfacilities: objectives, social and culturalenvironment, personnel chart,relationships and connections of the

OUR INSTITUTIONS

A partir de l'automne 2005 , l'Université de l'Ouest de Timisoara a introduit, parmi ses études, le domaine des Sciencesde l'Education. C'est un domaine complexe, englobant 3 spécialités : Enseignement pour l'école maternelle et l'écoleprimaire, Psychopédagogie spéciale et Pédagogie. La première année est commune pour toutes les spécialités. A la finde cette première année, les étudiants ont l'opportunité de choisir une de ces trois spécialités.La formation pratique dans le domaine de la Pédagogie se déroule dans les écoles primaires (organisées en 4 degrés)et dans des écoles maternelles (avec des enfants de 2-3 ans, 3-4 ans, 4-5 ans et 5-6 ans). Les étudiants travaillent sousla coordination d'un personnel très spécialisé, dans un système de tutorat. La deuxième année suppose des observationspratiques. Durant la troisième année, les étudiants doivent préparer et soutenir des leçons (si c'est possible, pour toutesles disciplines curriculaires) et faire des évaluations sur leurs activités. De même, ils doivent organiser et conduirecertaines activités extra-curriculaires. Ils doivent utiliser, dans leurs activités, des techniques modernes d'informationet de communication. Ils sont placés dans des situations éducatives pratiques et ils doivent utiliser des techniques denégociation, argumentation et contre-argumentation pour résoudre ces situations. De plus, ils ont également desvisites dans des centres d'éducation spécialisée et travaillent avec d'autres partenaires dans le domaine de l'éducation: famille, ONG, etc.La pratique de la spécialité choisie dans le Département de Psychologie est destinée à préparer les étudiants pour unmarché professionnel exigeant et compétent . La préparation théorique est ainsi complétée par une très bonne formationpratique.Le premier semestre représente une nouveauté absolue dans le système universitaire roumain. La pratique suppose unmodule d'introduction de trois jours (les premiers trois jours de la première année universitaire de chaque étudiant). Cemodule est destiné à faciliter la compréhension du système universitaire et une bonne adaptation aux exigences de cesystème pour chaque étudiant.


the activities developed; implication inthe process of solving someeducational situations by applyingnegotiation techniques, arguments forand against; observing some child-care and special education units;participation at activities involvingeducational partnership (families,NGOs, other bodies).

Within the specialisms in Pedagogy,the practical training takes placeduring one study year, in special units,where it is possible that the futuregraduates can find a proper workingplace. In this respect, the WestUniversity of Timisoara has set upsome partnerships with the followinginstitutions: the Pedagogical HighSchool of Timisoara, where thestudents can teach special disciplines:curricula theory, training theory andmethodology, educational theory; theCounty Center for Psycho-PedagogicalAssistance, a partner for counselingand orientation activities in schoolsfrom urban and rural areas; gymnasiawhere civic education classes are held;various adult education institutionsand organizations from the local area.The students specializing in Pedagogyhave participated as volunteers invarious projects developed byeducational institutions: the CountyOffice for Youth, the “Hope”Foundation, various counselingcenters for parents and pupils etc.

The Psychology Department has beenlaunched in 1990, since than it hasgrown to be the largest Department ofour faculty, having above 1000students in the bachelor years of studyand over 300 in master level studies.

The Professional TrainingProgram, organized by the PsychologyDepartment, is intended (intends) to

prepare our license degree students fora very professional labor market, tryingto offer them teaching practice,alongside their theoretical preparation.

This program is structured on threemodules, corresponding to the firstthree years of study. The first twoyears include 4 semesters of practicalactivity, with 4 hours per week and thethird year includes a compressedpractical program, totalizing 90 hoursof practical activity. After this level inthe master’s program there is specificpractical training according to theirspecialist field

The first two modules are more general,allowing our students to adapt to thescientific and practic demands of theuniversity studies. We are trying to getour students acquainted with a fewbasic psychological abilities (learningand using some importantpsychological assessment methods,team working etc.) or to familiarisethem with the knowledge of projectdesign, for practical reasons indifferent psychological fields.

In the third year of study, the programsupposes the accommodation of thestudents with the main practical fieldsof psychology. The students have theopportunity to practise somepsychological activities in differentinstitutions, corresponding to thesemain fields: Clinical Psychology,Organisational Psychology andEducational Psychology.

We offer a short description ofthe programs for each semester.

The first semester of ourProfessional Training Program bringsa completely new and originalapproach in the Romanian universitysystem. It offers an introductory

o Acknowledgment of the entiresystem of teaching methods pursuedwithin the education unit.

2. Observation and implication insetting up certain school and extra-school activities

o Analysis of the documentselaborated by teachers mentoring thestudent: lesson drafts, lesson plans,psycho-pedagogical charts;

o Attendance to all didacticalactivities performed by the mentor, inall disciplines and categories ofactivities, writing down and keepingrecord of the observations, inaccordance with the indicators givenby the academic coordinator;

o Participation at the sessions oflesson analysis;

o Setting-up of certain didacticalactivities, in cooperation with thementoring teacher.

3. Designing, conducting andevaluation of the didactical activities

o Preparing support-materials forthe didactical activity;

o Designing, conducting andassessing, in cooperation with mentorteachers, of certain sequences of thedidactical activity.

In the third year of study the emphasisis set on designing, conducting andevaluation of the lessons, if possiblein all disciplines; designing andconducting of certain extra-curricularactivities; the use of information andcommunication technologies during

OUR INSTITUTIONS

institution with other bodies from thelocal community;

o Analysis of the curriculardocuments: educational layouts,curricula, alternative handbooks,


module of three days (the first threedays of the first university year/ of theirstudent life), which allows them tounderstand and to adapt to therequirements of the university system.

During these three days, weorganize training for each studentgroup. Our educational objectives are:facilitating the interpersonal relationsbetween the students, understandingthe differences between their previousduties and activities, as pupils, and thenew demands addressing to them asstudents, understanding thescientifical demands of their futureprofession. As well, a basicadministrative organisation is realised(establishing the study groups, findinga common work strategy for the entiregroup, learning of working together).

At the same time, we facilitateour students some meetings withpracticioners from different fields ofpsychology, which present them thespecificity of their activity aspsychologists.

The second semester supposesthe use of some basic methods in thepsychological assessment: thebiographical method, thepsychological observation applied toa child and the psychologicalinterview. Our objectives are todevelop the observational abilities ofour students and to complete theirknowledge in DevelopmentalPsychology.

The students have to observea child, aged between 0 and 7, duringseveral sessions (4 or 5 sessions).They must also use the psychologicalinterview for the parents or otherrelatives or persons involved in thechild’s raising. The purpose of this

interview is to complete theirpsychological information about thechild. Finally, the students have torealize a psychological profile of thechild, following three dimensions: theintellectual development, the socio-relational functioning and the affectivedimension.

For the third semester, theirtask is to realize a comparativepsychological evaluation between twoadults, following some offered criteria.The educational objective of thisactivity is to develop their abilities inworking with adult subjects, assessingand comparing them, by using: thebiographical method, thepsychological interview, psychologicaltests and questionnaires. The designof this study is entirely made by thestudents, following the given criteriain choosing subjects and methods.

The fourth semester brings anew task for the students. They haveto design a prevention or interventionproject, on a psychological topic: forexample, drugs abuse or alcohol abuseat the teenagers etc. Our objectivesare: applying the theoretical knowledgeon this topic in practical activities andlearning to design an eligibleprevention or intervention project, aswell as exercising the team work. Thestudents work in micro groups (3 or 4students in each micro group) and theyhave to create a prevention orintervention project, observing theinternational criteria in project design.The best project is applied in practice,with our department’s financialsupport.

Each semester also assumes avisit to an institution, such as a prison,child protection services, schools,non-governmental institutions etc., in

order to meet psychologists workingin these institutions andunderstanding their work.

The key-person for the students in thisactivity is the mentor of the practicaltraining, usually a young member ofthe academic staff.

The third year of ourProfessional Training Program meansa step forward in the practical activityof our students. The students have topractice psychological activities, for aperiod of three weeks (90 hours), underthe supervision of a practitioner andof a teacher, in an institution whichoffers psychological services. Theycan choose, in accordance with theirprofessional interests: an educationalinstitution, a clinical institution or anorganization in business market.

We do hope that the new organisationsystem of studies included in the initialtraining of the students will ensure aninformed and competitive training ofour students, eligible at national andEuropean level.

Bibliographical references:

1. Implementation of Education&Training 2010 – work programme;progress report, November 2003

2. Catedra de Pedagogie, Universitateade Vest, Planuri de învãþãmânt 2005-2008, Specializarea Pedagogie-Învãþãtori/Educatoare (Dept. ofPedagogy, University of the West,Syllabuses 2005 – 2008, specializationPedagogy – primary school teachers/educators)

3. www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/educ/bologna

OUR INSTITUTIONS

Mona Vintila


Participating Institutions

AUSTRIAKirchliche PädagogischeHochschule in WienWeb site: www.kphvie.at

BELGIUMArteveldehogeschoolWeb site: www.arteveldehs.be

Haute Ecole Léonard deVinciWeb site: www.vinci.be

Ecole normale Catholiquedu Braqbant WallonWeb site: www.encbw.be

Institut Parnasse DeuxAlice www.parnasse-deuxalice.edu

Haute Ecole de Namur -DepartementPédagogique ChampionWeb site: www.henam.be

Institut Supérieurd’Enseignement LibreLiégeois ISELL - SainteCroixWeb site: www.isell.be

Katholieke HogeschoolMechelenWeb site: www.kmh.be

Karel de GroteHogeschoolWeb site: www.kdg.be

DENMARKCVU Sonderjylland - Centrefor Higher EducationWeb site: www.cvusonderjylland.dk

GERMANYPädagogische HochschuleSchwäbisch GmündWeb site: www.ph-gmuend.de

IRELANDSaint Patrick’s CollegeWeb site: www.spd.dcu.ie

THE NETHERLANDSInholland University -School of Education NoordPABO - Haarelm andAlkmaarWeb site: www.inholland.nl

NORWAYUniversity of StavangerWeb site: uis.no

PORTUGALEscola Superior deEducacao de SantareémWeb site: www.eses.pt

ROMANIAUniversitatea de Vest dinTimisoaraWeb site: www.uvt.ro

SPAINCentro Superior deEstudios Universitarios LaSalleWeb site:www.eulasalle.com

Escuni - EscuelaUniversitaria deMagisterioWeb site: www.escuni.comUniversitat Catolica deValencia San VincenteMartirWeb site: www.ucv.es

Universitat de ValenciaWeb site: www.uv.es/filoeduc

Universidad Ramon LullWeb site: www.url.eduwww.blanquerna.url.edu

SWEDENUniversity of GävleWeb site: www.hig.se

University of ÖrebroWeb site: www.oru.se

SWITZERLANDHaute école pédagogiquedu canton de VaudWeb site: www.hepl.ch

UNITED KINGDOMKingston University -School of EducationWeb site: www.kingston.ac.uk

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