ITILT and SmartVET: 2 EU Projects to Promote Effective Interactive Whiteboard Use in Language and Vocational Education

Abstract

Although the interactive whiteboard (IWB) is becoming increasingly prevalent in classrooms throughout the more affluent parts of the world and research has shown how this tool can increase the effectiveness of teaching and even transform pedagogy (Kennewell & Beauchamp, 2007), research literature overviews (Higgins et al., 2007; Koenraad, 2008) also identify obstacles to the realisation of added value and to the uptake of this technology by teachers in some educational contexts and in language education in particular (Thomas & Cutrim Schmid, 2010; Cutrim Schmid & Whyte, 2012). One such obstacle is the lack of pedagogical quality and sustained support in teacher development and a desire to meet this need has motivated a number of European projects. This paper focuses on two such projects, funded via the Lifelong Learning Programme, which address teacher education and professional development with the IWB. Both based their approach on findings from IWB specific and general professional development research and on needs analysis, using related research instruments. a) iTILT (interactive Technologies In Language Teaching, 2011-2013) This project focuses on foreign language teaching in four educational sectors in six languages and seven European countries, and has produced an open educational resource (OER) at http://itilt.eu including over 250 video examples of classroom activities with teacher and learner commentary, as well as a training manual and sample teaching/training materials, plus a resource library. This paper discusses the process of developing quality OERs and how they can best be exploited in language teacher education (Whyte, Cutrim Schmid, van Hazebrouck Thompson & Oberhofer, 2013). b) SMARTVET (Supporting Continuous Professional Development of VET teachers in the use of Interactive Whiteboards, 2011-2013). SMARTVET addresses issues related to the IWB competence levels of (Irish) teachers in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. The project is developing materials to support a train-the-trainers approach based on the results of local needs analysis research and good practice as identified in international IWB training contexts and initiatives. * Contact author. Tel.: +31611534974 E-mail address: ton.koenraad@gmail.com EUROCALL 2013– 20 years of Eurocall: Learning from the Past, Looking to the Future 2 This paper focuses on the following results of both projects: the outcomes of and recommendations based on needs analysis the design and content of the training models and materials the available final and interim web-based resources reflections on the project-related processes and research results © 2013 EUROCALL All rights reserved