Set up in 2013, as part of European Schoolnet’s Future Classroom Lab, the Interactive Classroom Working Group (ICWG) group comprises representatives of seven European Ministries of Education, including Ireland.
The ICWG explores common areas of interest on the integration of a wide range of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment, such as Makerspaces, BYOD and Learning Spaces.
Makerspaces in Schools
ICWG work on this topic includes:
- research of projects conducted by the Italian government’s National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research (INDIRE).
- case studies of makerspaces in primary schools conducted in nine countries, including Ireland.
- research of makerspaces in other countries.
The results of the above activities include two publications:
Makerspaces in Schools, Practical Guidelines for school leaders and teachers
15 case studies documenting experiences in eight different countries.
Our thanks to the two Irish schools, who took part in this initiative and participated in the case studies, documenting their experiences with Makerspaces:
- Scoil Íde, Corbally, Limerick
- Alexandra College, Junior School
All of the above, including the case studies, can be accessed on the European Schoolnet webpage for this initiative.
BYOD (Bring your own Device)
The work on BYOD between 2015 and 2017 resulted in the publication of a full report on the topic, case studies from several countries including Ireland and 4 short guides for schools:
- Bring your own device for schools: Technical Advice for School Leaders (October 2017)
- 4 x pocket guides for schools on BYOD.
You can access all of these on the BYOD webpage of European Schoolnet.
Learning Space Design
In 2017 the ICWG group produced a publication on the topic of learning spaces in schools, and how best to maximise and adapt these to facilitate innovative pedagogies.
Featuring practical advice for schools on developing and adapting learning spaces to effectively use digital technologies and adopt collaborative approaches to teaching and learning, the report also includes case studies and experiences from member ministries, including Ireland.
The guidelines can be downloaded from the Learning Spaces webpage of European Schoolnet.
