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.

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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.

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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"