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COMP@CT (Comenius Multimedia Projects and Communication Technologies)Principle purpose of a COMP@CT, a European Educational Network
The main aim of the Comenius 3 network is to help Comenius schools to make better use of ICT in their project work. The main target group consists of teachers at all levels of the educational system and in all types of educational institution. The project time is from October 2001 to September 2004.
The activities engage also evaluators and researchers in the project work. The development of Comp@ct tools is a continuing process implemented by project partners. The teachers are encouraged to give continuous feedback and express their needs and hopes and to actively contribute to the development of products, thus ensuring direct relevance of the project’s outcomes to the schools involved.
Network base and aim
This working culture originates from prior CoMuNet, PICT and Peda.net experiences. Access to Comp@ct tools will be via Service portal. The aim of the COMP@CT network is to promote integration of new information technology in collaborative learning environments to enhance the quality of learning and teaching. Also the integration of isolated zones through ICT tools is promoted.
The aim of the network is also to examine the change in teacher's roles during different computer-supported collaborative learning projects. Furthermore, the aim of the project is to evaluate and create innovative pedagogical practices.
Special Interest Groups
The COMP@CT network has three Special Interest Groups (SIGs). The SIGs will advise on and support, both online and through training and seminars, to new ICT-based projects. They also function as a reference and test group for tools developed and made available by COMP@CT.
[More information of the SIGs]
The main outcomes of COMP@CT were to promote the integration of new information technology into collaborative learning environments and evaluate and create innovative pedagogical practices.
The objectives achieved include:
1 Providing access to advice, support and training for teachers in institutions at all levels of the educational system involved in Comenius projects
In thematic conferences, existing and, mostly, future Comenius 1 projects (and some Comenius 2.1 projects) and other international school projects were equipped with eLearning tools and models of pedagogical methods, while in-service teacher training institutions and representatives of Socrates National Agencies were given new models for the ICT-based implementation of educational projects.
2 Creating a virtual base for sharing experiences and ideas among teachers, raising their awareness of ICT, and promoting innovation
The Comenius projects were invited to use the Comp@ct Collaboration Space and the Asynchronous and Synchronous Communication (SIG 1) and Emerging Technologies (SIG 2) special interest group websites to share their examples of good practice. Comp@ct has been running a Forum at (http://www.eduprojects.net/forum/) with wide-ranging discussion areas that have been bringing in other educational networks to share experiences, ideas and innovations.
3 Researching experiences with new collaborative learning technologies and their impact on school practices
The training events made it possible to explore and follow up the various project products and the usage of the Comp@ct web tools. The Lithuanian partner prepared a study of Educator‘s ICT Competence and Possibilities. The history and development of collaborative learning and e-learning in Europe and the lessons learned were reviewed by professor Päivi Häkkinen from the Institute for Educational Research (FI). Klaipeda University (LT) carried out, in 2004, a study commissioned by Comp@ct of the recent state of the art in ICT usage in Comenius schools
4 Dissemination of the outcomes of innovative results and projects.
The two Comp@ct thematic conferences and the contact seminars, the SIG seminars and other transnational or national training and dissemination events have been the main means of sharing the innovations and good practices to emerge in the thematic field.
The Comp@ct publications Comp@ct – Connecting Comenius Schools and Educational Cooperation and collaboration target prospective teachers, teacher educators and educational policy-makers with a view to providing them with details and more in-depth knowledge about the main outcomes of Comp@ct and interesting examples of good practice from Comenius 1 and 2.1 projects.
The Comenius 2.2 courses resulting from Comp@ct will be available in the Comenius 2.2 course catalogue in 2005 and 2006. The joint conference with ECOLE and the European Schools Project in Finland in March 2005 and the next one in 2006 in The Netherlands will similarly disseminate the project results. There are future plans for collaboration on training events and tools with many Socrates national Agencies. Dissemination of outcomes of innovative results and projects.
The eJournalism project-work method developed by Comp@ct is a contribution to partner projects in the Socrates action programme, especially to Comenius 1 and 2 projects. In this way Comp@ct has offered Comenius schools and institutions concrete support in the design and implementation of project work and enhanced the ICT skills and pedagogical methods of the teachers involved in transnational projects, thus improving the quality of teaching and learning not only in Comenius projects but also in the daily work of schools.
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