Who doesn’t like playing while learning? Or should we say, learning by playing? Either way, it sounds like a convincing pairing. Playing games in various school subjects is nothing new under the sun, though, now, with the existence of so many new digital tools, both teachers and pupils have a limitless number of options to teach & learn, let’s say, a foreign language in a much more engaging and satisfying way. Fostering this innovative way of learning and new gratifying ways of teaching is what the European Project called PANEL is trying to spread among the school community. PANEL also stands for PANdemic emergency and E-learning as it was throughout the Covid-19 outbreak when we all realised that learning through a screen required a degree of willpower, some IT skills, a lot of patience due to technical setbacks and the need to connect with the subject by means of entertaining and suggestive activities. This is where playing games and interacting playfully plays its role. Are you already intrigued? Let’s break it down into more significant and chewable chunks. 

Is it really feasible to learn English by just playing? Each individual has its own learning predisposition, though why not give it a go, it won’t do us any harm, will it? Therefore, let’s list a number of juicy e-tools that “trendy” teachers are using in their lessons. Don´t hesitate to click on the links to experience it yourself! 

Ready to start the game of learning English with a light-hearted approach? 

• Wouldn’t you love learning (the tedious English) grammar by guessing out loud with your group which of the visually-appealing options is the right choice? Definitely more amusing than grammar book drills. Students can pick the correct option by touching the right colour on the screen themselves. Check out this example. It has a million other formats (hangman for vocab, unjumble to learn word order, flashcards, open surprise boxes etc). Convinced? Then, Wordwall is your tool. 

• What about the always exhausting journey of learning foreign idiomatic expressions? Games4sl, among so many other graded possibilities, (such as quizzes, vocab games etc) found a way to remember idioms through a visual guessing game, take a look at this link.  

• You can learn loads of stuff while having a laugh by listening to jokes, puns & riddles. Not to mention countless games to improve pronunciation, grammar and so on just by clicking on Englishclub.com, there’s even a cute section for babies!!! and a more professional one for busy-as-bee workers who need English to survive!

• GameZone is an amazing website for those true gamers who are looking for an intense virtual experience using the English language as a tool for communicating with other gamers and, needless to say, beating them up by winning the game.

• Who said you can only use English through the subject of English? In Helpfulgames you can also learn biology, history, geography and even other languages through a common link: The English language. 

• Unquestionably, music is magical. Learning a language through the stories told in the lyrics is possible with Lyricstraining. It will definitely enhance your listening skills while singing along to Ed Sheeran’s latest hit. 

• What about using English to help those in need? By clicking on Freerice.com you can take part in their charitable online game and for each correct answer you are contributing with 10 grains of rice donated to the UN food Programme. It can´t get better! 

There are a million and one more other sites we could mention but……. Opps! we have already exceeded the word limit of this article so, this GAME IS OVER but you can always keep on trying, NEVER QUIT just START OVER again, learning, fortunately or unfortunately is a never-ending GAME! 😉

Learning from past mistakes: how to transform the pandemic experience into something positive for education

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the education sector globally. To limit the spread of the virus, many countries have been forced to temporarily close their schools and universities. This has led to a major disruption in educational routines and forced teachers, students and parents to adapt to new ways of learning.

To continue providing access to education, many institutions have had to quickly implement distance learning programs. This required the use of digital technologies. However, whether teachers or learners, it has been complicated for them to transition and train in these technologies.

So, what has the Covid-19 Pandemic taught us about how to teach? How can we transform the online education experience during the pandemic into something positive for the future?

Transforming the online education experience during the pandemic into something positive for the future involves implementing changes and enhancements to ensure quality, accessibility, and effectiveness. 

But how can we achieve this? 

First, the EU governments need to invest in technology and infrastructure in order to ensure that students and educators have access to the necessary technology and a reliable internet connection. This may involve providing devices, improving internet access, and ensuring compatibility with online learning platforms. They also need to make online education accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities. It was one of the greatest weak points during the pandemie. In addition and in connection with technological problems, it is essential to provide training and support for the educators. Indeed, during the pandemie, many educators and teachers didn’t know how to use the online platforms and the technology in itself. This is why we must offer professional development and training for teachers and instructors to effectively navigate online teaching tools and methodologies. This will help them create engaging and interactive virtual learning experiences.

Moreover, educators should design engaging content and curriculum like for example videos, quizzes, interactive simulations, and discussion forums to keep students engaged and facilitate active learning. But most importantly, educators need to focus on student-centered learning and tailor content and assessments to individual needs. It means that the courses need to be adapted according to the level of studies. For example in middle school, the teacher can use Kahoot at the end of the class to interact with the students. For the University of High School levels, the educators can ask for small presentations in groups in each course so that everyone can participate and feel included. 

Finally, one of the most important things in order to tackle social isolation and stress is linked to the online learning method. Teachers should create opportunities for students to connect with each other such as discussion boards, virtual meetups, and collaborative projects to build a sense of community in the online learning environment. An integration of social and emotional learning should be done in online learning in order to address the well-being of students. An incorporation of activities and discussions that promote self-awareness, empathy, and relationship-building is really important to support mental health and wellness of both students and educators.

In conclusion, by implementing these measures, we can transform the online education experience into a positive and effective learning environment, not only during a pandemic but also for the future of education. This approach will help ensure that online education remains a valuable and accessible option for learners of all ages.

MYTHS ABOUT E-LEARNING

The fourth meeting of the PANEL project took place on the 31st of January and 1st of February 2024 in Paris, France, and was attended by representatives of all partners involved in the project consortium. The meeting was hosted by Solution Solidarité & Inclusion and led by ULE, the project’s coordinator.

During the meeting, partners had the time to review the progress of the piloting sessions in the four main areas of the project, ICT, arts, wellbeing, and foreign languages, to discuss the evaluation of those pilotings by the participants as well as coo-design the Trainer’s Guidelines on how to implement successful workshops! Partners also had the opportunity to be given a tour of the Victor Gelez Center, a space for social exchange and conviviality, offering different courses and activities (dance, languages, visual arts, music, science, events) promoting social inclusion!

Stay updated for the final project deliverable, the Trainer’s Guidelines including methodological and emotional aspects of blended and e-learning!

The MDCM Staff has had the honor and pleasure, to participate in an innovative workshop

PANEL PROJECT THIRD MEETING

The third transnational meeting of the “PANEL project – Distance learning during the pandemic: innovative teaching methodologies” (no. 2021-1-IT02-KA220-ADU-000033552) was held in Udine, at the Università delle LiberEtà del FVG on 25^th and 26^th of May 2023.

It was attended by representatives of all partners involved in the project, from Greece, Spain, France and Israel.

The work sessions focused on the implementation of activities for the development of pilot programmes (Projects result 2) and the planning of activities to create guidelines for trainers to implement online courses (Project result 3).

The next meeting will be in Udine again, on 23^rd and 24^th of October 2023 and will be a Learning, Teaching and Training Activity in which all partners will participate involving teachers in activities concerning the 4 areas covered by the project: foreign languages, psycho-physical well-being, ICT and art workshops.

Stay  in touch via the project’s Facebook page for all the news: https://www.facebook.com/PanelEUproject

PANDEMIC EMERGENCY AND E-LEARNING Innovative learning and teaching methodology.