BIOTALENT Multiplier Event and Transnational Project Meeting
Date: 5-7 September 2018
Venue: EduFor Training Centre, Mangualde, PT
In early September, the BIOTALENT consortium once again convened to advance their e-learning project on climate change and biodiversity. This time, the blended e-learning programme was put to the test: In the BIOTALENT Multiplier Event for teachers and educators committed to the protection of life on Earth, participants used the BIOTALENT course modules for the first time. This one-day event was a crucial event to test the platform, the learning method and the modules before the start of the course registration on 19 September 2018.
On 5 September 2018, this large workshop for teachers took place in Mangualde, PT. Local hosts EduFor did a great job of recruiting teachers from Portugal leading to over 100 participants! In the morning they listened to presentations by José Miguel Sousa and Carlos Rodrigues of EduFor introducing the ERASMUS+ programme and the BIOTALENT e-learning platform. They were joined by project coordinator Isabella Van de Velde from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences who introduced the teachers to the BIOTALENT project and Catherina Voreadou from the Natural History Museum of Crete explaining the innovative educational approach being employed during the project, Inquiry-Based Learning.
The presentations were:
- José Miguel Sousa, EduFor - Erasmus+ the EU's programme to support Education and Training in Europe (in Portuguese)
- Isabella Van de Velde, RBINS - The BIOTALENT Project
- Carlos Rodrigues, EduFor - The BIOTALENT e-learning platform (in Portuguese, no power point presentation)
- Catherina Voreadou, NHMC - The Inquiry-based learning (IBL) approach implemented in the BIOTALENT Course
You can watch them in the video below:
In the afternoon, the BIOTALENT course modules underwent a first stress test conducted by the participants. They tested the first course module on biodiversity and climate change. Their insights provided to the BIOTALENT staff on site and their questions will help tremendously putting the finishing touches on the course and improve the usability of the platform. The offices of EduFor are specifically suited to host this event as their courses usually directed to the integration of technologies in classroom context and Special Education offering a wide educational response to a differentiated educational route.
The feedback provided by the participants - obtained via a questionnaire - was overwhelmingly positive. All participants agreed that the course module was clearly structured and the materials of good quality.
Following the BIOTALENT Multiplier Event, the BIOTALENT project partners convened on 6-7 September to assess the progress made, discuss the course contents and plan out the next steps in their Transnational Project Meeting.
The two full days of intense discussions included the reports of all activity poles by the partners, an evaluation of the project progress and an assessment of the workshop held on 5 September. The most time was devoted to the discussion of the course platform and content to make sure the course participants will learn with the best course materials.
The next steps will include the opening of the course registration in September 2018 followed by the actual start of the course in January 2019.
You can download the presentations of the activity poles here:
- POLE 1 - Management and Administration
- POLE 2 - Architecture and Programme Development (no Power Point used)
- POLE 3 - Open Educational Resources
- POLE 4 - Quality Assurance and Validation
- POLE 5 - Project Dissemination and Valorisation
Below you can find a few impressions of the three days.
