ECML Training and Consultancy “Action Research for Language Teachers”
Organisation: Vytautas Magnus University, Education Academy, Institute of Teacher Professional Development, Lithuania
Training period: 28 September 2020 - 12 December 2020
Participants: 21 gymnasium language teachers, university researchers

Research on the improvement of pedagogical activities, by its nature and methodological features, encourages teachers to look for new forms and methods of teaching. Its essence is collaborative learning, which allows participants to systematically take action to solve specific teaching / learning problems that arise in the educational process. It is a team work that emancipates the communication between teachers and students, frees them from certain stereotypical relationships. because not only the teacher but also the student has to identify a problematic area of learning and choose a reasoned solution. The pedagogical improvement research activities and the results encourage teachers and students to reflect on their experiences with other colleagues, a wider circle of specialists. In this way, this research becomes useful not only for the personal development of the teacher and her/ his students, but also for the whole school community, including parents. The research data obtained can also be useful in developing new educational strategies, principles of educational policy.

The moderators of the seminar focused on developing the competence of language teachers. However, all the above-mentioned aspects of pedagogical improvement research were addressed. Taking into account the pandemic situation, the moderators, proposed new IT solutions, providing consultations, discussions and reflections on theoretical material, and involving project presentations from the participants. An excellent rapport was established between the teachers and participants of the workshop, and the teachers received answers to their questions. It proved  a truly theoretically, technologically and practically relevant educational event that meets the needs of the educational community.

Contact: Nijolė Čiučiulkienė, Vice-Head of the Institute of Teacher Professional Development, Education Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, e-mail: Nijole.ciuciulkiene@vdu.lt

• More information about the ECML training and consultancy activity "Enhancing language learning and teaching through action research communities for language teachers"

Lithuanian version

Pedagoginės veiklos tobulinimo tyrimas kalbų mokytojams: seminarai ir konsultacijos

Pedagoginės veiklos tobulinimo tyrimas savo prigimtimi ir metodologinėmis savybėmis skatina mokytojus ieškoti naujų mokymo(si) formų ir metodų. Jo esmė - bendradarbiavimu grįstas mokyma(sis), leidžiantis proceso dalyviams sistemingai imtis veiksmų sprendžiant ugdymo procese kylančias specifines mokymo (si) problemas. Tai - komandinis darbas, kuris emancipuoja mokytojų ir studentų bendravimą, išlaisvina iš tam tikrų stereotipinių mokytojo "visažinio" ir mokio "tuščio stiklainio" santykių, nes ne tik mokytojas, bet ir pats mokinys turi nustatyti probleminę mokymosi sritį ir pasirinkti argumentuotą jos sprendimą. Pedagoginės veiklos tobulinimo tyrimo veikla ir gauti rezultatai skatina mokytojus ir jame dalyvavusius mokinius reflektyviai pasidalinti savo patirtimi su kitais kolegomis, platesniu specialistų ratu. Tokiu būdu šis tyrimas tampa naudingas ne tik mokytojo ir jo mokinių asmeniniam tobulėjimui, bet ir visai mokyklos bendruomenei, įskaitant tėvus. Gauti tyrimo duomenys taip pat gali būti naudingi, kuriant naujas švietimo strategijas, švietimo politikos principus.

Seminaro rengėjai daugiausia dėmesio skyrė kalbos mokytojų kompetencijos ugdymui. Vis dėlto, buvo paliesti visi, aukščiau minėti pedagoginės veiklos tobulinimo tyrimo aspektai. Seminaro organizatoriai, atsižvelgdami į pandemijos situaciją, pasiūlė naujus IT sprendimus, teikiant konsultacijas, diskusijas ir teorinės medžiagos apmąstymus, dalyvių projekto pristatymus. Taigi, seminaro dėstytojų ir dalyvių santykiai buvo glaudūs, ir mokytojai gavo atsakymus į jiems rūpimus klausimus. Tai tikrai teoriškai, technologiškai ir praktiškai aktualus, švietimo bendruomenės poreikius atliepiantis edukacinis renginys.

Doc. dr. Nijolė Čiučiulkienė
VDU Švietimo Akademijos,
Profesinio tobulėjimo Instituto vadovės pavaduotoja
Nijole.ciuciulkiene@vdu.lt

The ARC-Team carried out two official training and activity events organised by Ana Kanareva-Dimitrovska, University of Aarhus in Denmark, and Nijolė Čiučiulkiene, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas in Lithuania. We were also able to run bonus sessions organised by Tita Mihaiu, Institute for CPD for German Teachers, Sibiu/Hermannstadt, Romania.

Despite initial scepticism that online-only would not be possible, in the end, in the situation we managed to run all sessions online.

Denmark

9 November 2020: Pre-workshop session
7-8 December 2020: Main workshop
March/early April 2021: Follow-up session

Lithuania

8 June 2020, 15:15 - 16:45: Taster
28 September 2020, 15:15-16:45: Preparatory workshop
5 November 2020, 15:15-16:00: Q&A session
10-11 December 2020, 16:00-18:00 on both days: Main workshop
28 January 2021, 16:00-16:40: Voluntary Q&A session
4 February 2021, 16:00-17:45: Follow-up session with participant presentations
Contact & support by e-mail throughout the process

Additional ARC-based sessions for German teachers in Romania

2 parallel groups
Session 1, beginning of October: Introduction to action research
Session 2, second week of October: Content pack - Moving in the (online) language classroom
Project phase supported by local organiser Tita Mihaiu
Session 3, mid-November: Reflection
Session 4, end of November: Evaluation of action research process
https://www.zfl.ro/veranstaltungen.php?tip=3&ans=2020_2021

Through the process that required a lot of replanning and rethinking we learnt about adjusting pedagogical approaches that online sessions require trainers to work in a strictly focused way and to be very clear about aims. Very precise planning is extremely important, and it is essential to do everything possible to understand the concerns of participants and to react in a flexible way.

We valued co-operation with local organisers who helped clarify who does what, coordinated with participants and explained expectations and concerns to trainers, taking on responsibility for the group and ensuring that participants received CPD recognition.

And we found out how important it is to exploit all online facilities available not only communicating through a learning platform, but also using resources such as Padlet and Google docs as a back-up for materials.

In the end we were surprised how everything fitted together, for example the way online discussions in breakout rooms were much easier than anticipated.

For the future we will be aiming towards blended approaches. It is very much hoped that 2021 will provide opportunities to hold face-to-face workshops, but these will be backed-up by online pre-workshops and follow-up sessions as online support throughout the process.

Project developments presented at conferences and published from late 2019 to early 2021:

• Presentation at CARN Conference in Split
• CARN Bulletin no. 23 (after the conference in Split in October 2019):

   Christine Lechner (Pädagogische Hochschule Tirol, Austria) and  Angela Gallagher-Brett (University for the Creative Arts, United Kingdom), "

  Action Research Communities for Language Teachers: Starting off"

• CARN DACH Conference FU Bozen (17-18 January 2020), focus on languages and action research: programme (available in German)
• Publication FU Bozen - Title: The challenge of language in pre-school, school and university
  Six points as set out in the article Zanin/Lechner "Das ARC Training und Consultancy-Projekt" by REnata Zanin and Christine Lechner
  1. Setting up a learning platform
  2. Getting to know the group - coordinating with local organiser
  3. Identifying and publishing aims of sessions & local organisers
  4. Provision of materials and links for participants' use
  5. Formulating and communicating tasks clearly
  6. Presentations of participants' work
• CARN Online, October 2020: Angela Gallagher-Brett & Christine Lechner, "Getting teachers' voices heard across language and cultural barriers in an online action research community of practice"
• CARN DACH Online Conference, January 2021: presentations and abstracts

Action research workshop for German teachers in Romania organised by the Centrul pentru formarea Continua in Limba Germana (CPD)

Action research carried out by dedicated teachers leads to innovation in classrooms, enhanced teacher efficacy and helps learners to reach their potential.

Until very recently, for many European action researchers, it had always seemed that face-to-face meetings are an absolute necessity to get teachers involved in action research. However, we are currently making new experiences and discoveries.

The CPD Centre for German teachers in Sibiu/Hermannstadt is running a series of training activities on action research based on the ECML project “Action research communities for language teachers” (ARC). The framework for the activities is:

• 90-minute session on action research for German teachers organised by the Centre and held by members of ARC team
• 90-minute session on an innovative didactic approach held by an expert from Germany
• Teachers embark on small action research projects supported by a member of the ARC team at the Centre
• Theme: Moving around in the language classroom - even in times of online learning
• Online presentations of projects by participants

What we are finding out:

• The web-based tools developed by the project www.ecml.at/actionresearch are particularly suitable to be shown online!
• It is necessary to reduce timeslots, which, in turn, means precise preparation.
• Teachers from different parts of the country were surprised by the invitation to participate and grateful for the opportunity.
• It is really important that the communication platform for the events is well-organised and offers the functionality to:
  • chat and record the chat;
  • allow participants to speak;
  • see everyone present during the session;
  • show materials through screenshare moving flexibly from PowerPoint to pictures and websites;
  • allow work in breakout rooms with easy transfer into breakout rooms and back again to plenary.

​*****

German version

Aktionsforschungsworkshop für DeutschlehrerInnen in Rumänien, organisiert vom Centrul pentru Formarea Continua in Limba Germana (CFCLG) / Zentrum für Lehrerfortbildung in deutscher Sprache 

Aktionsforschung, die von engagierten LehrerInnen durchgeführt wird, führt zu Innovationen im Klassenzimmer, erhöht die Effizienz der LehrerInnen und hilft den Lernenden, ihr Potenzial auszuschöpfen.

Bis vor kurzem schien es vielen europäischen AktionsforscherInnen, dass persönliche Treffen eine absolute Notwendigkeit sind, um LehrerInnen in die Aktionsforschung einzubeziehen. Zurzeit machen wir jedoch ganz neue Erfahrungen und Entdeckungen.

Das Fortbildungszentrum für Deutschlehrerinnen und -lehrer in Sibiu/Hermannstadt, führt auf der Grundlage des Projekts „Aktionsforschungsnetzwerke für SprachenlehrerInnen“ Fortbildungen zur Aktionsforschung durch.

Es wurde folgender Ablauf geplant:

• 90-minütige Sitzung zur Aktionsforschung für DeutschlehrerInnen, organisiert vom Zentrum und durchgeführt von Mitgliedern des ARC-Teams
• 90-minütige Sitzung über einen innovativen didaktischen Ansatz, unter der Leitung einer Expertin aus Deutschland
• LehrerInnen beginnen mit kleinen Aktionsforschungsprojekten, die von einem Mitglied des ARC-Teams im Zentrum unterstützt werden
  • Thema: sich im Sprachunterricht bewegen - auch in Zeiten des Online-Lernens
  • Online-Präsentationen von Projekten durch TeilnehmerInnen

Was wir gerade entdecken:

• Die vom Projekt www.ecml.at/actionresearch entwickelten Online-Tools sind für den Online-Einsatz besonders gut geeignet.
• Es ist notwendig, die Zeitfenster zu verkürzen, was wiederum eine präzise Vorbereitung bedeutet.
• Lehrerinnen und Lehrer aus verschiedenen Teilen des Landes waren von der Einladung zur Teilnahme überrascht und dankbar für die Gelegenheit.
• Es ist wichtig,
  • dass die Plattform gut organisiert ist und Funktionen auf dem neuesten Stand der Technik bietet;
  • dass es eine Chatmöglichkeit gibt und dass der Chat aufgezeichnet werden kann;
  • dass man den TeilnehmerInnen das Wort erteilen kann;
  • dass man alle während des Treffens sehen kann;
  • dass man Materialien durch Teilen des Bildschirmes zeigen kann;
  • dass man flexibel von PowerPoint zu Bildern und Webseiten wechseln kann;
  • dass Gespräche in den Breakout-Räumen möglich sind, mit reibungslosem Hin- und Herschalten zwischen den Breakout-Räume und dem Plenum.

The European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) of the Council of Europe is pleased to announce the completion in both English and German of its ARC resource website “Action research communities for language teachers” (www.ecml.at/actionresearch), an output of the ECML programme “Languages at the heart of learning” (2016-2019).

This website offers resources to support language teachers use action research as a tool for the development of reflective classroom practice, taking them step-by-step through the process of engaging in action research in their respective contexts. It also provides materials for teacher educators in initial teacher education.

Given the challenges teachers and learners have faced during lockdown and the challenges ahead as schools across Europe attempt to return to some kind of normality, the need for teachers to reflect on their practice and to benefit from professional learning communities is greater than ever. These new resources can strengthen teacher development and the provision of quality inclusive language education.

*****

Calling all teachers and teacher educators!

Are you a pre-service teacher who is interested in learning about action research and its benefits for your future teaching practice? Are you a teacher at primary, secondary or tertiary education level who would like to develop reflective classroom practice by linking professional networks, academic expertise and good practice in your language classroom, and thereby to enhance the quality of your teaching? Are you looking for impulses to engage in action research and a step by step reference tool which helps set out on your action research journey? Are you a teacher educator or a training provider looking for ways to develop teachers’ professional skills in this area and for training materials which can be used in a flexible way? If so, this new open-access resource website, developed in English and German through expert cooperation in the field of language education across geographic Europe and beyond, is most definitely for you.

Action research communities for language teachers www.ecml.at/actionresearch

Click on the links below to go directly to the different resources: A step-by-step guide for action research A workshop template promoting action research to teachers A dialogue sheet for initiating action research activities Success stories illustrating how teachers can work on research questions in their specific contexts Publication flyer

A two-day training workshop had been planned to take place at the Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania at the beginning of May. Due to travel restrictions this was impossible.

However, on the 8th of June members of the ARC team were able to run an online session organised by Nijolė Čiučiulkienė to speak about the ARC project on Action research communities for language teachers and to announce the training workshop now planned for the end of the year.

• More information about the ECML training and consultancy activity "Enhancing language learning and teaching through action research communities for language teachers"