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”. 1 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 2 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 3 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. 4 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: 5 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. 6