Project description

The new two-year project ELFE 2 will build on the conclusion of various studies and projects (mainly on its predecessor ELFE 1), that the use of ICT in education brings particular benefits for learning and teaching. Concerning learning processes and learners, benefits are indicated particularly on motivation, skills, independence and teamwork. Regarding teaching processes and teachers, an increased enthusiasm, efficiency and best collaboration have been pointed out as skills enhanced when using of ICT. However, barriers still exist preventing these simple benefits from evolving into a solid added value for teaching and learning models. ELFE 2 will deal particularly with identifying the methodologies used to optimise these benefits. The project will also try to transpose its research findings into clear recommendations on how to implement ICT in schools and higher (teacher) education institutions in a coordinated way.

1. To identify methodologies used in schools and teacher education institutions in order to favour a use of ICT that promotes the added value of using ICT in education in terms of teaching and learning models (by building on the ELFE 1 findings);
2. To develop recommendations addressed to policy-makers, to schools and teacher education institutions and to trade union leaders on the three priority areas identified in ELFE 1 (ICT and teacher education, ICT and school management, ICT and strategic use of available financial means).
    

The ELFE 1 project objectives were: 

To create a European eLearning Forum for Education (ELFE) whose main task was to achieve a better understanding of the strengths and the weaknesses of using ICT in primary and secondary education. Through peer reviewing of previous experiences of eLearning pilot projects carried out in five different European countries (Denmark, UK, Germany, Norway and Portugal), the European eLearning Forum was aimed at:

1. Analysing and sharing good experiences and identify good practices in different countries implementing eLearning methods in their education systems;
2. Studying the possibilities to transfer these good practices to other European countries and the way this transfer could be done; and
3. Creating a wide debate on how the European eLearning Policy should be - from a pedagogical point of view - taking into consideration the social effects and the political approach to deal with in future education plans.
    

In order to successfully achieve its objectives, the ELFE 2 project includes several activities which will take place during the two-year implementation period. For more information, please check section “Events in ELFE 2”.

For more detailed information on the ELFE 2 project aims, approach, activities and partners, you can download the project description section of the application document below.