2nd Collaboration Meeting of the
“Web TV for Schools” Project
December 20-22, 2003 - Orsay Ville, France
Present Delegates
The delegates that participated in the meeting are listed below:

Dr. Sofoklis Sotiriou, Dr. Manos Apostolakis, Mr. Yannis Stavrakis and Mrs. Nancy
Pyrini from Ellinogermaniki Agogi (EA), GR,

Professor Stella Vosniadou and Mr. Antonis Koukoutsakis from the Department of
Philosophy and History, Cognitive Science Laboratory of the National and
Kapodistrian University of Athens, GR

Professor Yannis Manoussakis from the Research Laboratory on Informatics of the
University of South Paris, FR

Mrs. Madeleine Caroline Schleiss and Mr. Jean-Francois Reveillard from Progress TV,
FR

Ass. Professor Olga Megalakaki from the Department of Psychology of the University
of Picardie Jules Verne, FR

Mrs. Marjaana Rahikainen from the Department of Psychology, Center for Research
on Networked Learning and Knowledge Building University of Helsinki, FI

Mr. Jan Padkjaer and Mr. Ruben Krog from Vejle Handelsskole, DK

Mrs. Virpi Peltoniemi and Mrs. Maritta Riikonen from Juhani Vuorinen Koulu, FI
The Freiherr vom Stein Schule (DE) and the Bundesgymnasium and Bundesrealgymnasium
Schwechat (AT) did not participated in the meeting although they informed the Coordinator
that they have completed the tasks that should have been done by the 2 nd meeting and
committed that they will send their feedback on the results of the meeting as soon as they
would receive the relevant information.
The Lycée Henri Poincaré (FR) did not participate in the meeting. The coordinator will take
the necessary actions to withdraw the partner from the consortium.
December 20, 2003
Welcome and Introduction
On behalf of the Host of the Meeting that was the Research Laboratory on
Informatics of the University of South Paris Dr. J. Manoussakis addressed a
welcome to the participants.
The Coordinator of the Project Dr. M. Apostolakis presented the Agenda of
the Meeting.
Test Run: Schools’ Presentations
The three participating schools from Greece, Denmark and Finland presented
the work done during the Test Run of the Project and the outcomes of their
work:
Ellinogermaniki Agogi, Greece
Presenter: Mr. Yiannis Stavrakis
Mr. Stavrakis is the teacher working with the Web TV students group. He
presented the two productions of the EA Web TV group within the framework
of the Test Run: “The Christmas Fair” and the “Acidification of Milk”.
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2nd Collaboration Meeting of the
“Web TV for Schools” Project
December 20-22, 2003 - Orsay Ville, France
The main difficulty that the teacher faced was to persuade students that they
needed to follow specific steps for producing the videos. Students were
anxious to start shooting and they underestimated the importance of the
script writing and the necessary preparation steps before shooting. The
“Christmas Fair” production that was based on a relatively “free” scenario
made them realise that the script writing is as well important. They did a lot
better with the “Acidification of Milk” production. The teachers from the
schools participating in the meeting reported that they faced the same
problem with their students.
At this stage students are to think and suggest scenarios and as soon as they
will go back to school after the Christmas holidays they will present them to
the Web TV team and they will vote which of them they will finally produce.
Mr. Stavrakis answered to raised questions that the working groups are fixed
and that the scenarios written are about the subject as well as the
production.
Vejle Handelsskole, Denmark
Presenters: Mr. Jan Padkjaer and Mr. Ruben Krog
The teachers’ working group consists of four teachers and their expertise is in
the field of computer science, English and Danish language.
The College has integrated the project as a course in the first year of the
curriculum. The Web TV class participating in the project is a mixed group at
the age of 17-20 years and is divided in four sub groups of a maximum
number of seven students according to the subjects on which they decided to
work on. Students are awarded a diploma for their participation in the Web
TV course. The production presented was on “School Culture in Denmark”.
The school intends to produce another three videos.
Teachers reported that the students enjoyed shooting the film and that it took
them awhile to realize the importance of the others steps for a successful
production.
Presenters answered to raised questions that the time needed for completing
a production is about two months. There was a question concerning how
students are improving themselves in the relevant tasks as each group
produces only one video. Presenters explained that for each production
students are repeating the steps until they achieve the best possible result so
they improve themselves through this process. As regards the students’
previous knowledge and experience the teachers reported that only Simon F.
had previous experience on multimedia. Simon is supporting all working
groups.
Juhani Vuorinen Koulu, Finland
Presenters: Mrs. Virpi Peltoniemi and Mrs. Maritta Riikonen
The Web TV group of the Finish School works as a club. There are three subgroups working on different aspects of the production procedure the
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2nd Collaboration Meeting of the
“Web TV for Schools” Project
December 20-22, 2003 - Orsay Ville, France
technological, the artistic and the planning. The project activities are
considered as extra-curricular activities.
As both the Greek and the Danish Schools reported the Finish students group
is also anxious to start shooting and has a certain difficulty in realizing the
importance of all steps of the production. The shooting of the scenarios has
been delayed due to technical problems that the working group was facing
with their infrastructure. The school has ordered new equipment that they
expect to receive by the middle of January so they trust that they will be able
to complete at least the first two productions by the end of January.
Technical Aspects
Mr. Jean-Francois Reveillard on behalf of the Progress TV group presented in
every detail the Web TV Platform.
Discussion followed on the technical aspect of the Test Run. The raised
questions referred to the size and the quality of the productions that could be
uploaded. Mr. Reveillard suggested specific software to be used for
compressing the files that provides a very good quality and suggested to offer
teachers a seminar on the use of the software. Another issue was the
communication tools available between the schools. Mr. Reveillard mentioned
that the online chat is available and that the Discussion Forum would be
improved and available since it was requested.
Generally, the Web TV Platform is functioning, schools had no problems using
it and the fact that there are already productions uploaded proves that from
the technical point of view the project may move forward to the stage of the
Final Run.
Pedagogical Aspect of the Test Run – Evaluation: Preliminary
Results of the Pre-Tests
Mr. Antonis Koukoutsakis on behalf of the National and Kapodistrian
University of Athens presented the pedagogical framework of the project and
related the pedagogical framework with the evaluation instruments
(Questionnaires). Mr. Koukoutsakis presented the results of the Pre-tests and
discussed the conclusions that came up.
Professor Stella Vosniadou and Mrs. Marjaana Rahikainen presented the
Questionnaires and explained to teachers what types of activities enhance the
pedagogical framework set. Professor Vosniadou insisted that schools
implementing the project on an extra-curricular basis should strengthen the
connection between the practises of the project and the schools’ regular
practises in order to help students understand that the learning procedures
followed within the framework of the project can be transferred in many
different disciplines and thematic areas.
The Coordinator asked the Pedagogical Team to prepare an interim evaluation
report on the Test-Run and if necessary to adjust the Pedagogical Framework
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2nd Collaboration Meeting of the
“Web TV for Schools” Project
December 20-22, 2003 - Orsay Ville, France
according to the needs of the schools as concluded by the results of the PreTests.
The Pedagogical Team and the school-teachers agreed on having a meeting
the next day in order to discuss in detail the optimization of the pedagogical
framework and the evaluation methodology, instruments and procedures
before the Final Run.
The Technological team of the project arranged to have a meeting at the
same time in order to discuss the optimization of the Web TV Platform before
the Final Run.
December 21, 2003
Meeting of the Pedagogical Team
The Pedagogical Team discussed the pedagogical framework and specific
examples of activities either implemented during the Test-Run or suggested
by the experts that enhance the aims and objectives of the project and would
maximise the expected impact on the target groups.
The productions “The Christmas Fair” and “School Culture in Denmark” can be
used as stimuli for an intercultural dialogue between the virtual classmates in
order to better understand the culture and the customs of the participating
countries.
Professor Vosniadou stressed how important it is to integrate the informal
learning activities in the formal educational environment. The case of
Denmark that the school curriculum is flexible and the Web TV activities were
integrated as a course in the first year of studies is an excellent example. In
Greece and in Finland major interventions in the official school curriculum are
not possible so most of the project activities are taking place out of the official
school program. For this reason teachers need to ensure that students will be
able to transfer the effective and flexible strategies employed within the
framework of the project’s activities to the “regular school activities”.
All students are working in groups and although the planning in each school
environment is different in all cases collaborative learning is stimulated. The
fact that students undertake specific tasks and roles in the working group
ensures active participation of all students.
The feedback from schools in terms of the pedagogical approach during the
Test Run shows that the proposed pedagogical approach has been applied
successfully so far.
The enhancement of the visual classmates’ communication was raised by Mrs.
Pyrini and Mr. Padkjaer suggested that as soon as all schools upload their
productions students’ will immediately be motivated to respond to their visual
classmates contributions. Teachers agreed that all schools should upload at
least one production by the end of January 2004 in order to provide stimuli
for dialogue to students. The Web TV Magazines are also expected to
encourage students’ communication.
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2nd Collaboration Meeting of the
“Web TV for Schools” Project
December 20-22, 2003 - Orsay Ville, France
Professor Vosniadou presented the evaluation instruments to be used during
the Final Run of the projects (teachers logs, videos, interviews and Post-tests)
and explained in detail to teachers how each instrument or method will be
used.
Teachers were asked to send to the Pedagogical Team information on how
they implemented the project during the Test-Run. The Pedagogical and
Evaluation Team of the project will use the data from schools in order to
prepare an Interim Evaluation Report.
Meeting of the Technological Team
The experts in technology participating in the meeting discussed the
modifications that could be applied in order to improve the web site of the
project and the platform.
Final Run
The pedagogical and the technological teams of the project discussed the
outcomes of the concurrent meetings:
Pedagogical Team

Schools are following the pedagogical approach suggested by the
project and they did not report any problems so far. Teachers should
pay specific attention in helping students to transfer the strategies
employed within the framework of the project to the regular school
activities.

Communication between the visual classmates should be enhanced.
The best way to motivate students’ communication is by uploading the
soonest possible productions on which discussion will emerge.

Students’ will have to be encouraged to submit contributions to the
Web TV Magazines.

Schools will send data to the Pedagogical/Evaluation Team of the
project on how they implemented the Test Run and the
Pedagogical/Evaluation Team will prepare an Interim Evaluation
Report.
Technical Team
The Technical Team has agreed on the modifications for the optimization of
the web site of the project as well as for the optimization of the Web TV
Platform that need to be done.
Tasks and deadlines
The tasks undertaken by each partner and the respective deadlines were set:
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2nd Collaboration Meeting of the
“Web TV for Schools” Project
December 20-22, 2003 - Orsay Ville, France

Schools will have to prepare a report on the implementation of the
Test Run and send it to the Pedagogical Team to be used as input for
the Interim Evaluation Report by January 15, 2004.

Schools are to upload at least two productions by the end of January
2004 in order to provide students with the necessary input to start
communicating on the productions.

All schools will have to send their contributions concerning their
productions by February 14, 2004 for the Issue IV, by March 31,
2004 for the Issue V and April 30, 2004 for the Issue VI.

The Pedagogical Team is to submit the Interim Evaluation Report to
the Coordinator by the end of January 2004.

By the end of May 2004 schools are to upload their productions as
this is the end of the Final Run.

The measurements and the on-filed observations will have to be
completed by the end of the Final Run as discussed during the
meeting (May 2004).

The optimization of the web site of the project and the Web TV
Platform will have to be completed by the end of January 2004 as
discussed during the respective meeting.

Progress TV indicated as deadline for providing the possibility of adding
subtitles in the productions the end of February 2004. By mid
February 2004 the Progress TV group will inform schools on the
possibilities regarding subtitles in order to prepare the productions
accordingly.
Seminar on Helix Producer Software by Mr. Jean-Francois Reveillard
Mr. Reveillard offered to the teachers participating in the meeting a seminar
on the utilities of the suggested software.
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