Abstract

This study investigated the effect of an eTwinning teacher training program on eighth-grade teachers' instructional practices. It involved 15 in-service EFL teachers from seven public schools in Al-Korah Directorate. On the eTwinning platform, a three-day in-person and ten-hour online training program was attended by the teachers. Questionnaires, classroom observation checklists, and interviews were used to evaluate the effect of training on teachers' practices. Findings reported that the program considerably improved teachers' instructional practices, resulting in effective teaching methods, assessment strategies, technology integration, and classroom management. Continuous professional development for teachers, employing communicative language teaching approaches, and allocating resources were recommended.

Keywords

  • EFL Setting eTwinning Platform Instructional Practices

References

  1. Acar, S., & Peker, B. (2021). What are the purposes of teachers for using the eTwinning platform and the effects of the platform on teachers?. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 14(1), 91-103. DOI: 10.24193/adn.14.1.7
  2. Adamyan, S. (2022). eTwinning in Armenian EFL teachers’ teaching and students’ learning practices in the light of 21st Century skills (Master's dissertation). American University of Armenia.
  3. Retrieved from https://dspace.aua.am/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/2280/Sona%20Adamyan%20Thesis.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  4. Akdemir, A. S. (2017). eTwinning in language learning: The perspectives of successful teachers. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(10), 182-190
  5. Akıncı, B., & Sağ, R. (2019). The contribution of eTwinning project practices on students’ Englısh learning process. Electronic Journal of Education Sciences, 8(16). 152-171
  6. Amara, T. M. (2020). In-service teacher training programs in Libya: EFL teachers’ perceptions and training efficiency. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 4(11), 378-385.
  7. Ayçiçek, B., & Yanpar Yelken, T. (2018). The effect of flipped classroom model on students' classroom engagement in teaching English. International Journal of Instruction, 11(2), 385-398. https://doi.org/10.12973/iji.2018.11226a
  8. Al-Wreikat, Y. A. A. S., & Bin Abdullah, M. K. K. (2010). An evaluation of Jordanian EFL teachers' in-service training courses teaching techniques effectiveness. English Language Teaching, 3(4), 18-27.
  9. Bedir, H. (2019). Pre-service ELT teachers’ beliefs and perceptions on 21st century learning and innovation skills (4Cs). Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 15(1), 231-246.
  10. Camiller, R. A. (2016). Global education and intercultural awareness in eTwinning . Cogent Education, 3(1), 1-13, 1210489 https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2016.1210489
  11. Crişan, G. I. (2014). How do Romanian teachers capitalize the experience of curriculum integration gained through participation in eTwinning project?. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 7(1), 31-37
  12. Demir, N., & Kayaoğlu, M. N. (2022). Multi-dimensional foreign language education: The case of an eTwinning project in Turkey. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(9), 2201-2238. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1871027
  13. Gajek, E. (2018). Curriculum integration in distance learning at primary and secondary educational levels on the example of eTwinning projects. Education Sciences, 8(1), 1
  14. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8010001
  15. Giannis, T. (2022). Interpreting the statistics of eTwinning : European quality label. International Journal of Educational Innovation, 4(2), 5-15.
  16. Gökbulut, B. (2023). A study to determine the eTwinning -related views of the teachers in the eTwinning network countries, and their digital literacy levels. Journal of Teacher Education and Lifelong Learning, 5(1), 18-37.
  17. Gouseti, A. (2013). ‘Old Wine in Even Newer Bottles’: the uneasy relationship between web 2.0 technologies and European school collaboration. European Journal of Education, 48(4), 570-585. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12051
  18. Han, F., Ellis, R. A., & Guan, E. (2023). Patterns of students' collaborations by variations in their learning orientations in blended course designs: How is it associated with academic achievement?. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 39(1), 286-299. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12747
  19. Holmes, B. (2013). School teachers' continuous professional development in an online learning community: Lessons from a case study of an eTwinning learning event. European Journal of Education, 48(1), 97-112. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12015
  20. Huertas-Abril, C. A., Palacios-Hidalgo, F. J., & Guardeño-Carrasquilla, M. A. (2025). eTwinning ambassadors’ perceptions about the use of eTwinning as a collaborative platform to improve English as a foreign language skills. Reflections, 32(1), 356-373.
  21. Kedia, P., & Mishra, L. (2023). Exploring the factors influencing the effectiveness of online learning: A study on college students. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 8(1), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100559
  22. Kizilaslan, Ş., & Baskan, P. E. (2023). EFL Teachers’ experiences about eTwinning and its effects on professional development. Marmara Üniversitesi Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, 58(58), 41-58. DOI: https://10.15285/maruaebd.1232410
  23. Kovalchuck, V., & Vorotnykova, I. (2017). E-coaching, e-mentoring for lifelong professional development of teachers within the system of post-graduate pedagogical education. Turkish online journal of distance education, 18(3), 214-227. https://doi.org/10.17718/tojde.328956
  24. La Marca, A., & Gulbay, E. (2021). Enhancing innovative pedagogical practices in initial teacher education: eTwinning . Nuova Second aria, 7, 3-12. https://hdl.handle.net/10447/486173
  25. Lantorf, J. P., Thorne, S. L., & Poehner, M. E. (2014). Sociocultural theory and second language development. In Theories in second language acquisition (pp. 221-240). Routledge.‏
  26. Le, H., Janssen, J., & Wubbels, T. (2018). Collaborative learning practices: teacher and student perceived obstacles to effective student collaboration. Cambridge Journal of Education, 48(1), 103-122. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2016.1259389
  27. Leto, E. (2018). eTwinning and the project based learning approach. In Future Education Conference Proceedings, Libreria Universitaria (pp. 237-239).
  28. Milner, H. R. (2021). Start where you are, but don't stay there: Understanding diversity, opportunity gaps, and teaching in today's classrooms. Harvard Education Press.
  29. Mislia, M., Alim, A., Usuf, E., Tamsah, H. & Yusriadi, Y. (2021). The effect of training and education and teacher certification allowances on teachers. Cypriot Journal of Educational Science. 16(4), 1368-1383 https://doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v16i4.5986
  30. Popova, A., Evans, D. K., Breeding, M. E., & Arancibia, V. (2022). Teacher professional development around the world: The gap between evidence and practice. The World Bank Research Observer, 37(1), 107-136. https://doi.org/10.1093/wbro/lkab006
  31. Reid, E. M. (2023). Understanding micro cognition using SGOMS/ACT-R predictions of a SGOMS based mobile application (Doctoral dissertation, Carleton University). Ottawa, Canada.
  32. Sun, H., Xie, Y., & Lavonen, J. (2022). Effects of the use of ICT in schools on students’ science higher-order thinking skills: Comparative study of China and Finland. Research in Science & Technological Education, 1-18.
  33. Tonner-Saunders, S., & Shimi, J. (2021). Exploring student teachers’ experiences of engaging in hands of the world, a contextualized global intercultural eTwinning project. International Journal of Higher Education Pedagogies, 2(4), 10- 20.
  34. Ureña-Rodríguez, M. (2017). An intercultural approach in language teaching: Using eTwinning in secondary education (Master’s dissertation, Universidad de Jaén). Universidad de Jaén. https://crea.ujaen.es/bitstream/10953.1/6477/1/Urena%20Rodriguez%20Miriam%20Master%20Thesis%20%28OMiES%29.pdf
  35. Uršej, K. (2019). Digital literacy in the first three years of primary school: Case study in Slovenia. International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning, 1, 61-77.