E-STEPhermes.westgate.gr/estep/wp-includes/document/book_e-step.pdf · Ms Brigitte Haider from European Parents’ Association made an interesting presentation about the parental

E-STEP Project Conference and Proceedings

November 7, 2015

Ellinogermaniki AgogiPallini, Attica, Greece

Author: Evangelia Boufardea, Computer Technology Institute and Press “Diophantus”

Printed by EPINOIA S.A.

ISBN: 978-960-473-679-9

Acknowledgement: This work is part of Work Package 5 of the E-STEP project and has been partly funded by the European Commission through E-STEP project (Grant Agreement N° 2013-3698/001-001, Project Number 539498-LLP-1-2013-1-GR-COMENIUS-CMP 2013-3698). The authors wish to acknowledge the Commission for their support.

Table of Indexes

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5

Preparation for the E-STEP conference ............................................................................................................ 6

The E-STEP conference .................................................................................................................................................... 7

Summary .................................................................................................................................................................................. 16

Appendix I ................................................................................................................................................................................. 17

4 E-STEP | Project Conference and Proceedings

Figure 1: E-STEP conference in

the frame of 8th International

Conference in Open and Distance

Learning

E-STEP | Project Conference and Proceedings 5

Introduction

At the end of the E-STEP project an International Conference was organized in

order to demonstrate the main outcomes of the project to a wider audience

interested in the topic of parental engagement through the use of social

networking tools. The E-STEP Conference, as it was called, aimed at the

participation of key stakeholders and decision makers and gave the chance

to the consortium to present the outcomes of the project, its findings and

recommendations to a large, international and much targeted audience.

The E-STEP Conference was hosted by the 8th International Conference in

Open and Distance Learning 2015 “Innovation and Research in Open & Dis-

tance Learning and in Information Communications Technology”. CTI and EA

were responsible for the organization of the event in Athens on 7th Novem-

ber 2015 and all partners contributed by inviting people from their countries to

share their experience from their participation in the project. Upon registration,

the participants were provided with conference materials and conference pro-

ceedings in digital format, leaflets, the E-STEP Exploitation Guide, etc. At the

end of the conference, certifications of attendance were given to participants.

The conference also facilitated the E-STEP consortium to design possible fu-

ture exploitation scenarios from the activities and products developed during

the E-STEP life cycle.


The organization of the E-STEP conference started 4 months beforehand. After the 6th project meeting in Athens, the preparations started. An electronic invitation (Figure 2) was prepared in order to advertise the event.The e-invitation was uploaded onto the E-STEP home page of the website, as well as posted on the news section, on the E-STEP Facebook page and on the website of the 8th ICODL Conference. Only in case of Greece the E-STEP conference was announced in the following informative websites: 1. http://www.openet.gr/8th-international-conference-in-open-and-distance-learning-icodl-2015/e-step/ 2. http://www.sch.gr/96-announces/3307-2015-10-14-06-29-51 3. http://www.diorismos.gr/sunedria/22867/sunedrio-xtizontas-sxeseis-sunergasias-sxoleiou-gonewn-mesw-twn-newn-texnologiwn 4. http://www.palo.gr/ekpaideush-nea/synedrio-xtizontas-sxeseis-synergasias-sxoleioy-gonewn-mesw-twn-newn-

texnologiwn/13589599/ 5. http://www.ipaideia.gr/diethnes-sinedrio-xtizontas-epoikodomitikes-sxeseis-sinergasias-sxoleiou-goneon-meso-ton-neon.html 6. http://2gym-paralias.blogspot.gr/p/blog-page_30.html 7. http://ergasia.dynamicsoftworks.gr/ 8. http://www.aaaa.gr/%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B5%CE%B8%CE%BD%CE%AD%CF%82-%CF%83%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%AD%CE%B4%C

F%81%CE%B9%CE%BF-%CF%87%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%B6%CE%BF%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%82-%CE%B5%CF%80%CE%BF%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%B4%CE%BF/

9. http://asekpkoz.blogspot.gr/2015/10/13-10-2015-16102015-13102015.html 10. http://www.syllogosgoneon4dsd.gr/2013/05/blog-post.html

11. http://www.rejoin.gr/education/news-education/3122-diethnes-synedrio-xtizontas-epikodomitikes-sxeseis-synergasias-sxoleiou-goneon-mesw-twn-newn-texnologiwn

12. http://community.linc-project.eu/blog/2015/10/15/8th-international-conference-in-open-and-distance-learning/

13. http://tritogymnasionf.blogspot.gr/2015_10_01_archive.html

14. http://www.e-paideia.org/aggregator/sources/8

15. http://www.greekinformatics.gr/events/

Figure 2: E-STEP Conference e-invitation

Preparation for the E-STEP conference


Moreover, all partners sent the invitation to their stakeholders’ mailing list. A separate section about the E-STEP conference was created to the website (http://www.estep-project.eu/?page_id=257), providing more information for the upcoming event, such as conference program, topics, etc. A registration form for attending the E-STEP workshop was provided to the website in order to know the exact number of the attendants for better organization of the event.There was also live streaming of the conference in order to be attended by stakeholders who couldn’t attend the conference in Athens.

Figure 3: E-STEP conference program

The E-STEP conference The E-STEP conference program (Figure 3) “was built” based on the topics of interest including the vibrant areas of parental engagement research and the use of social media.

Apart from the keynote speeches, the conference included one session and a workshop at the end.


Figure 4: Prof. Alex Kendall during her keynote speech Figure 5: Prof. Alex Kendall from BCU in the E-STEP conference

Figure 6: Prof. John Garofalakis is presenting the E-STEP project Figure 7: Prof. John Garofalakis during its presentation

After the end of keynote speeches a parallel session dedicated to E-STEP took place. Prof. John Garofalakis from Computer Technology Institute & Press “Diophantus”, project coordinator of the E-STEP project made an initial presentation about “The E-STEP project” (Figure 6 & 7), its aims and its general results. A video from E-STEP moments was shown reminding the most important moments from each implementation phase of the project and especially from the training workshops and summer schools with teachers and parents.

Concerning the E-STEP conference, Prof. Alex Kendall from Birmingham City University (BCU) gave a keynote speech in a large audience of teachers (Figure 4 & 5), presenting the necessity of parental engagement and how the social media can contribute to improving parents’ and teachers’ collaboration.


Figure 8: Ms Brigitte Haider from EPA Figure 9: Ms Brigitte Haider during her presentation

Figure 10: Ms Eleni Chelioti presenting E-STEP implementation

Ms Eleni Chelioti from Ellinogermaniki Agogi presented the core of the E-STEP project “E-STEP implementation” (Figure 10) such as the Training Framework, the Trainee’s Guide and the Implementation plan giving a spherical picture of the work that has been done and its main results.The second part of the E-STEP session was dedicated to the teachers’ perception for E-STEP project. It was really interesting and exciting part since teachers from all partners’ countries shared their experience from their participation in E-STEP project and demonstrated their activities and the results of them. Below you will find the presentations from

• Ms Erika Graner and Ms Herta Pichler from Austria

• Ms Eleonora Lilova and Mr Asen Alexandrov from

Bulgaria

• Ms Marilena Kroustalli and Emmanouel Hatzielefheriou

from Greece

• Mr Gerry Diver from Ireland and

• Ms Anna Cowcher from UK

Ms Brigitte Haider from European Parents’ Association made an interesting presentation about the parental engagement “The European perspective on parental engagement in schools” after an intense warm up (Figure 8 & 9).


Ms Erika Graner from Austria

Ms Herta Pichler from Austria


Ms Eleonora Lilova from Bulgaria

Ms Eleonora Lilova and

Mr Alexandrov from Bulgaria


Ms Marilena Kroustalli from Greece

Ms Marilena Kroustalli &

Emmanouel Hatzielefheriou from

Greece


Mr Gerry Diver from Ireland

Mr Gerry Diver from Ireland


Ms Anna Cowcher from UK

Ms Anna Cowcher from UK


The E-STEP conference closed with a workshop from Mr Dave Harte from Birmingham City University with topic “Introducing/exploring social media platforms”

Figure 11: Mr Dave Harte giving a

presentation for social media

Figure 12: Mr Dave Harte during

the workshop


Summary

The E-STEP conference was attended by more of 150 people from the beginning up to the end of the conference. At the end of the conference certificates of attendance were granted to all who attended, and certificates of participation with a contribution to those who made a presetnation. From the E-STEP conference new ideas came up for further exploitation of the project. The whole video of the conference is available here. The E-STEP deliverables in all partners’ languages are available here.

Figure 13: E-STEP poster


Appendix I

Kendall, A., “It’s all about trying to meet the needs of your community”: a digital literacies approach to engaging parents through social media, Birmingham City University.


















Garofalakis, J., “The E-STEP project”, Computer Technology Institute & Press “Diophantus”





Haider, B., “The European perspective on parental engagement in schools”, European Parents’ Association (EPA).







Chelioti, E., “Implementing the E-STEP approach in real school settings across Europe”, Ellinogermaniki Agogi.






Graner, E., “Parental training on the platform LMS”, teacher, Austria.





Pitchler, H., “LMS – a learning management system for cooperation: students – parents –teachers”, teacher, Austria.







Lilova, E., Alexandrov A., “E-STEP – the advantages of using technology for engaging parents in the school life”, teachers, Bulgaria.












Kroustalli, M., Hatzielefheriou, E., “Stepping on the planet of parental engagement. A small step for us, a giant leap for our school! ”, teachers, Greece.







Diver, G., “E-STEP experience”, teacher, Ireland.





Cowcher, A., “Pilot users’ perception”, teacher, UK.






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E-STEPhermes.westgate.gr/estep/wp-includes/document/book_e-step.pdf · Ms Brigitte Haider from European Parents’ Association made an interesting presentation about the parental