Hi-Globe “Online Joint Staff Training Course – C1” | Erasmus + Project

ENG

During the week between February 22nd and 26th 2021, the Promimpresa Euprojects team led the HI-GLOBE project partnership in delivering the Online Joint Staff Training Course – Learning,Teaching Training Activity C1. The training event, held online, involved more than 18 international participants, 3 per partner organisation among their staff members and collaborators, including professionals of the sector of Adult Education and English teachers.

The Training Course is a milestone for the project lifetime, as it represents both the final stage of IO1 and the first step into IO2. In fact, all partners have come together over the course of 5 days in order to undergo a joint and reciprocal learning process and to establish a common approach for the development of the foreseen materials, to be created, tested and delivered over the upcoming months. These materials are going to constitute the contents of the Intellectual Output 2 “Hi-Globe Modules”: 2 modules of the duration of 40 hours each, one for the A1-A2 level and one for the B1-B2 level.

Even though uncontrollable causes have prevented partners from meeting in-person to implement the training event, under the guidance and leadership of Promimpresa the project partnership delivered a successful and meaningful educational experience to move ahead in pursuing the project’s objectives and achieving its results.

In fact, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Promimpresa has expanded its expertise into online training, both in synchronous and asynchronous format, adapting its existing structures and creating more, innovative solutions to face the challenges of delivering quality training online, thus facilitating the shift into digital distance learning. In this context, Promimpresa has developed a set of in-house branded online platforms: one of these platforms has hosted the HI-GLOBE training, becoming a hub for contents, methodologies, shared files and hyperlinks, resources, activities and more.

The training agenda reflected the common effort of all partners in co-leading the sessions. Throughout the training, the methodology and approach adopted were highly participative, collaborative, interactive, non-formal and, above all, flexible and adaptive to the circumstances and needs emerging from the group.

Day 1 – Introduction & objectives; expectations & team-building; Global Education

The first session was aimed at welcoming participants, introducing the training agenda and objectives, and setting the tone for the upcoming days. All partners led one team-building game and then proceeded to explore expectations, aims, fears and hopes for the training.

 

The second part of the day opened-up a series of partners-led sessions, aimed at reaching a common understanding of different approaches and methodologies to be included in the final modules. PRISM kick-started this series of partners interventions, by sharing the concept and methodologies of Global Education, first through theoretical input and then in a practical session, including common discussion, a video and reflection on the GE values that can be transferred during a language class.

Leaders: Promimpresa and all; PRISM (IT).

Day 2 – Partners-led Sessions

During the second day, participants continued the series of partners-led sessions initiated on the previous day, aiming both at enabling the group to understand the concepts and approaches of the HI-GLOBE methodology, and also at encouraging active participation from each member of the group, thus enabling a common enrichment through the combination of different perspectives and expert contributions.

Topics covered throughout the day:

• TBL – Task-based learning method & Interculturality – Leader: FRAME (PL)
• CLIL – Content and Language Integrated Learning – Leader: PELICAN (CZ)
• ICT, interactive digital tools, blended learning – Leader: BAU (TR)

Day 3 – Partners-led Sessions & Opening of Group Workshops

On the third day, “Phase 1” of the training (i.e. partners-led sessions) was finalised, covering the topic of Individual and cooperative-based learning (Leader: ECQ). After a common discussion to reflect upon the development of the training up to this point, and a brief session aimed at presenting the basic structure and capabilities of the foreseen online platform, the group was ready to move into “Phase 2” (i.e. group workshops).

Promimpresa presented the objectives, purpose and proposed approach to carry out co-production group workshops. Through splitting the group into 2 sub-groups, mirroring the division into partner-trios foreseen for the development of IO2 modules, training participants were encouraged to come up with a prototype lesson, combining GE skills and values, at least one of the methodologies presented during the first portion of the training, and targeting at least one aspect of language learning. The prototype lesson was to be presented and delivered to the other group on the following day.

 

The purpose of this workshop exercise was to envision, experience and refine the process of module development that partners will adopt and replicate over the course of the next months, during the development stage of IO2.

 

In order to ensure a comprehensive assimilation of the contents so far delivered, participants asked to carry out some individual reviewing of the proposed resources for the first part of the afternoon, to then split into groups for the remaining part of the day.

Leaders: ECQ (BG) & Promimpresa

Groups:

• A1-A2 level: PELICAN (CZ) – ECQ (BG) – Promimpresa (IT)
• B1-B2 level: BAU (TR) – FRAME (PL) – PRISM (IT)

Day 4 – Group Workshops

During the morning of Day 4, the groups continued working on their prototype lessons. The afternoon was then dedicated to presenting the approach, tools, process and methodology adopted within each group to the other one, and involving the opposing group as if in a “language class”, delivering some examples of the exercises developed.

 

Leaders: Promimpresa (IT) and all, in groups

Day 5 – Next Steps, Guest Panel and Final Evaluation

The last day was dedicated to discussing the next steps in the development of Intellectual Output 2, including a general action plan, timeline, deadlines, a common implementation approach and rising questions to address.

This session also included a contribution from one of the founders and project managers of the SAME World project, presenting the activities undertaken within the project and its results. The project represents a best practice example for the HI-GLOBE partnership, showing an effective and successful application of GE and blended learning in different educational contexts. It was a chance for participants to get inspiration, ideas and a deeper understanding of Global Education and its potential.

 

To conclude the day and the training, participants carried out an informal evaluation exercise and shared their thoughts and feelings about the experience. Overall, the training has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from all participants: it represented an opportunity for coming together – albeit physically apart – to share knowledge, experiences, methodologies, success stories and a common passion for education, development and language learning.

Follow our social media channels and visit our website to stay tuned for more updates on the HI-GLOBE project. For the moment, here are some pictures of our training participants!