Stefanini and Coletti schools: teacher's questionnaires
 

Questionnaire n.1

Here are collected together the teachers' questionnaires of Coletti school and Stefanini school.

Questionnaire n.2: Coletti

Questionnaire n.2: Stefanini

Stefanini teachers’ reflection on the project

 
  • Are you satisfied in general with the implementation of the project

All the teachers are satisfied and they think that the project has been interesting.

  • Did you reach your goals? What aims did you reach?

Yes we have reached our goals: new activities in maths and in experimental sciences (especially dynamic geometry, physics and the integrated activities on the climate changes- the cycle of CO2 in nature e in our everyday life).
We have cooperated with the other European schools (CO2 exchange data – common discussion between teachers to organize this cooperative didactic experience).
We have found very interesting the discussions during the meetings on maths and science: some difference in the school systems but a common language in methodology and didactic research.

  • What was not achieved?

Some of us think that the language is the problem number one for the exchange and the communication between the pupils because the Italian pupils begin to study English during our three school years, so the pupils’ communication was limited.

  • What was a surprise?

Someone of us has found a big difference between the Italian curricula in Science and the Curricula of other countries where biology, chemistry.... are teached by different teachers.

How pupils worked in the activities of SMILe project: in very active way...

The warm welcome during all the meetings.

  • Are you satisfied with what was achieved?

Yes…

  • What went well?

Very Interesting the relationships between teachers during the meetings and the knowledge of the various countries, the CO2 cooperative work. Someone of us acquired new teaching instruments.

  • Which problems arose?

During the school year, sometimes it is difficult to maintain contact with the other teachers because there are a lot of tasks in our schools.

Some one of us had difficulties with the English language.

  • What do you think your students learned?

The pupils have felt the "European character" of some their activities, that permitted them to have exchange with peers.

We think that our students have learned how to analyse an integrated problem (like climate changes), how to study a geometric problem with different tools, how to organize a lab experience by their selves, and how it is necessary to know foreign language to communicate with other European people.

  • Has there been any effect on teaching and learning styles in your classroom?

We have searched new experiences in order to be out of the ordinary: teachers need new stimulating and motivating activities to prepare new approaches in their work.

  • Has there been any effect on teaching and learning styles in your school?

The taking part in the SMILe project was a strong stimulus to use the ICT technology of our school and to search newer instruments.

The project has influenced  the work styles of each of us, because we saw that the European schools have some same  common problems but the teachers have, also, some common capacities to resolve the difficulties of teaching-learning processes.

 

Coletti teachers’ reflection on the project
  • Are you satisfied in general with the implementation of the project
Yes.
  • Did you reach your goals? What aims did you reach?

All the aims of the project have been reached.  Particularly

    1. We had the opportunity to know school systems and curricula of the other countries  especially during the meeting, both trough the presentations of the colleagues and the visits of schools. There were also exchanges of didactic experiences.
    2. In some classes of our school we planned and realized didactic units in Mathematics and Science that were effective in involving and motivating students, with a positive effect on the learning
    3. Particularly interesting and stimulating was the videoconference between students of the Coletti school and the Gymnasium in Trikala (Greece). This was the moment when the students felt really involved in the project. They had the opportunity to test their language, compare customs and habits, get in touch with a new technical tool, their motivation was enhanced.
    4. ll the participating countries gave their contribution to the study on the CO2 emissions and their consequences on the environment. This activity was very stimulating both for teachers and  students..
    • What was not achieved?

    Almost all the goals have been achieved.

    • What was a surprise?

    The active participation of the students, their will to be directly involved in the learning process and the ability of some of them  to master the language.

    • Are you satisfied with what was achieved?

    Yes…

    • What went well?

    The meetings, the CO2 activity and the videoconference.

    • Which problems arose?

    The communication with some countries could have been better.

    • What do you think your students learned?

    Students learned to be part of the European community, to perceive the importance of a multifield approach to study of an issue, to be protagonist in their learning process, to understand the importance to be effective in the communication.

    • Has there been any effect on teaching and learning styles in your classroom?

    Yes, every new experience somehow influences teaching and learning styles.

    • Has there been any effect on teaching and learning styles in your school?

    The project has influenced  the teaching/learning process in the classes involved; we hope that it could give stimuli also to the other teachers and classes in the future, thanks to the skills acquired and the materials produced.
 
  • Video conference: positive aspects of the experience
  1. Students had the chance to try real communication with partners more or less the same age as they are, so with similar interests and language experiences and that was good to enhance motivation.
  2. They had the opportunity to test their language level. They had to focus attention on what was being said and making themselves understood and that’s a goal as far as communication in a foreign language is concerned
  3. Students fully realized the importance of learning a foreign language not only in the field of daily conversation, but also of technical conversation.
  4. When teaching( all subjects, but especially a language) , the more tools you have at your disposal, the more possibilities you have to get students involved in the learning process. and technology appeals to students and it’ a common means of communication for them.
  5. Speaking to students from other countries and getting to know something about their background, the problems in their countries and how they solve or try to solve them, is a good opportunity to compare habits and customs finding out similarities and differences. So the experience was a sort of geography lesson through a real experience.
  6. Students had previously taken notes of the topic they were going to talk about in the conference, but they hadn’t fully realized how different is oral production from written production, and that was fully clear to them when they had to interact and adapt what they had prepared in advance to what was going on in real conversation.
  7. The exchange of information about such a relevant topic as “reducing CO2 emissions” had great value to make students aware of the necessity to find out common solutions and behaviours to face growing environmental problems and other problems linked to modernity and globalization.
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