The major outcomes, conclusions and recommendations from the ITELab (Initial Teacher Education) project (2017-2019) are now published. The project explored how student teachers are being prepared for teaching today and tomorrow, in particular how the digital pedagogical competences required in teaching and learning are being developed in initial teacher education (ITE).
The December ITE Forum brought a fitting conclusion to the ITE 2019 theme of ‘returns to innovative teaching', with its focus on virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and using video for reflection.
Only 43% of teachers felt well or very well prepared to use ICT when they completed their initial education or training, according to the OECD's Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018.
Teacher educators in initial teacher education play an important role in the preparation of student teachers for their future careers, and, indeed, often have a career-long influence on their teaching. But are the teacher educators themselves adequately prepared to play this role as digital technologies impact on both the classroom and the nature of teaching?
This year's conference, EMINENT 2019: Towards a whole school innovation culture, gathered, among other participants, ITELab key stakeholders and partners with the aim of raising constructive discussions around the topic of initial teacher education.
For a few years now, the range of digital tools made available to secondary level schools has been steadily increasing: computers, interactive whiteboards, application software, blogs and websites, tablets, etc. This portfolio is part of a universally engaged program to revamp the entire educational school system: give students the new skills they will need to succeed in their future professional life, teach them how to work differently and collaborate on projects, in addition to setting up new pedagogical models like the flipped classroom, proposing new contents such as coding… In short, adapt to the world of the 21st century.
"Our intelligence is what makes us human, and AI is an extension of that quality." Yann LeCun Continuing the ITE Forum series, connecting industry and university worlds in discussion, October's theme focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning settings.
The September ITE Forum brought together voices from schools, universities and industry to discuss, what really are the benefits for schools and teachers in being innovative?
Are you studying to be a teacher and interested to connect with student teachers in other countries? Are you anxious to experiment with them, as part of your training, with some innovative uses of ICT, apps and tools to encourage active and collaborative learning when you start teaching? By joining the second rerun of the ITELab online course "The Networked Teacher – Teaching in the 21st Century", you will start to build your own personal learning network of future teachers, like you, for mutual support and ongoing professional development. It can also make your first teaching job application stand out.
The Autumn 2019 programme has just been launched, connecting all stakeholders preparing future teachers to be C21st classroom ready. Join the connection with over 40 initial teacher education universities across 15 countries, engaging with student teachers, industry, and policymakers. Connect together in co-teaching opportunities, a ‘Networked Teacher' MOOC, ITE online thematic discussions.