What is eTwinning for future teachers?
eTwinning for future teachers supports the integration of European online collaboration into initial teacher education (ITE) programmes. It connects teacher educators and student teachers across participating countries, encouraging them to design and implement collaborative projects during their studies and school placements. The initiative ensures that future teachers experience international cooperation, digital pedagogy and project-based learning as an integral part of their studies.
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Who can join?
Teacher educators
Teacher educators are professionals involved in training future teachers. They may be university professors, lecturers, teacher trainers, mentors or experienced school teachers appointed to work in higher education. By joining eTwinning for future teachers, they can include eTwinning in any subject or course within their ITE curriculum, e.g. in pedagogy, information and communication technology (ICT), didactics, subject-specific courses or practicum/school placement. They can also create eTwinning projects with other teacher educators to engage their student teachers in more dynamic and hands-on learning experiences.
Student teachers
Student teachers are enrolled in ITE programmes, either at undergraduate or postgraduate level. They can create collaborative eTwinning projects with other student teachers (at local, national and international levels) or with school teachers during their school placement, engaging their pupils.
What are the benefits of eTwinning for ITE?
Embedding eTwinning in ITE gives the opportunity to design and experience international online collaboration during teacher education. According to teacher educators and student teachers, eTwinning can help with:
- integrating international collaboration into teacher education courses and school placements
- designing and implementing collaborative projects that connect pedagogical theory with classroom practice
- developing student teachers’ professional, digital, linguistic and intercultural competences through collaboration with peers across Europe
- working in multicultural teams and exchanging teaching approaches, tools and ideas within a European community
- broadening perspectives on education systems and contributing to the internationalisation of teacher education institutions.
eTwinning for future teachers also offers opportunities for recognition through national labels and a European award, acknowledging the efforts of ITE staff and institutions. Both teacher educators and student teachers have access to a series of online community activities.
How can I join eTwinning for future teachers?
Step 1
Teacher educators and student teachers need to register on the European School Education Platform. For this, they first need an active EU Login account.
Step 2
Both teacher educators and student teachers will then register for the eTwinning community. See registration guidance here.
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