Network name: eTwinning
Network Description:
eTwinning in the Republic of North Macedonia
The eTwinning platform in the Republic of North Macedonia started its operations in 2014 as part of the e-learning program and was co-funded by Erasmus+, the European program for education, training, youth, and sports.
In 2022, the eTwinning platform and the European School Education Platform were merged into a new platform called ESEP (Europan School educational Platform)
What is eTwinning as part of the ESEP platform, and who is it intended for?
eTwinning is a virtual online platform specially designed for kindergartens, primary, and secondary schools that enable employees to connect with their students and colleagues from other European countries and work together on national and European projects. This platform provides participants with access to free resources and tools for creating virtual projects, as well as developing their professional skills through free online courses.
With eTwinning, teachers, professors, and educators can work with their students and create virtual projects on various topics, including culture, history, science, art, music, and many others. Through these projects, students can learn about different cultures and traditions, learn new languages, and develop their skills in digital technologies.
How to join?
Before you can start using the eTwinning platform, you need to create an EU login or download the existing EU login that you created for the needs of the Erasmus+ projects. The EU login will allow you to access various EU services with one password.
Once you have your EU login, you can register on the eTwinning platform and create your eTwinning profile. This includes creating a username and password, as well as providing information about your institution and contact details.
After creating your eTwinning profile, you can join the eTwinning community and start communicating with colleagues from all over Europe, find project ideas, and participate in collaborative projects with students and teachers from other countries.
Why use eTwinning?
Networking and collaboration
One of the most important elements of eTwinning is collaboration among teachers, students, schools, parents, and local authorities. In eTwinning, teachers work together and organize activities for their students. They have an active role, communicate, explore, make decisions, respect each other, and learn 21st-century skills. Projects in eTwinning contribute to each team member.
Professional Development
One of the most significant advantages of ESEP is that this platform provides free courses, webinars, events, and conferences led by experts in various fields and aimed at employees in the education sector.
These courses, webinars, events, and conferences can help you improve your knowledge and skills in specific areas, expand your network of contacts, get acquainted with new trends, and acquire the practical knowledge you need to be successful in your professional career.
Recognition
In eTwinning, the work of the teacher is highly valued and deserves to be recognized and published not only locally but also at national and European levels. The eTwinning platform recognizes and values the efforts of teachers, students, and schools and offers different ways to promote their work:
●National Quality Label (The National Quality Labels confirm the quality of the projects of students and teachers within the eTwinning framework)
●European Quality Label (The European Quality Label is awarded to teachers and schools demonstrating exceptional quality in their work in eTwinning projects at the international level)
●eTwinning European Prizes (eTwinning European Prizes are awarded to projects and initiatives that stand out for their creativity, innovation, and impact in the community)
●eTwinning Schools (a designation for schools that become part of a global network of schools dedicated to improving the quality of teaching and learning through innovative methods and ICT tools. These schools work closely with other schools in Europe to improve the quality of teaching and learning and keep up with the latest developments in education.
●European Language Label (awarded to schools that include multilingual dimensions in their projects and support their students to learn and preserve their mother tongue)
●Erasmus Accreditation Label (recognizes and acknowledges the international and European experience and engagement of schools, teachers, and students in education and training)
Facts and figures about the network:
eTwinning started its work in 2005 and since then, more than 220,000 schools and 900,000 teachers have made eTwinning the most attractive community of teachers in the world, with more than 124,000 projects and millions of students of all ages involved.
Currently, eTwinning includes the countries of the European Union, as well as North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Kosovo, Montenegro and seven countries from the European Neighbourhood - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, as well as part of the Eastern Partnerships, Tunisia, and Jordan, which are part of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.
eTwinning is an integral part of the EU's Erasmus+ program, and its main goals are to help teachers make collaborative projects with colleagues from other countries and to participate in activities for professional development.
North Macedonia has been part of eTwinning since 2014 and currently has:
● 2366 teachers
● 494 schools
● 3475 projects
(This number is changing daily)
Link to the official website of the ESEP platform:
https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en
"The eTwinning activities in the school where I work are highly accepted, as evidenced by numerous successful projects and participation in online workshops and seminars that enable professional development of teachers. As an eTwinning ambassador, I contribute to the active role of teachers and students in these projects, encouraging communication and collaboration, exploration, creativity and imagination, decision-making, mutual respect, and teaching 21st-century skills. Oljica Bajaljeva - OOU "Petar Pop Arsov", Skopje
"eTwinning is an educational platform of the present and future. Through the eTwinning platform, I connected with teachers and students from all over Europe, virtually entered the classrooms of many teachers, and learned many new teaching methods and techniques. Through the eTwinning platform, I found new partners for Erasmus projects and learned the values and cultures of Europe. For me and my students, eTwinning is part of the most exciting learning community in Europe. eTwinning made me a better person, a better teacher, and an equal citizen of Europe."
Gabriela Ilievska - OOU "Joakim Krchovski", Kriva Palanka
For additional information:
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: Etwinning North Macedonia
https://www.facebook.com/etwinningmk/