27/10/2005

More than 200 pupils and teachers assisted the awarding of the first ever Greek "eTwinning" prizes, the Inter-European action for the virtual fraternisation of schools from all over Europe via the Internet, which took place on October 14th 2005 in Athens.

The pioneering eTwinning action is one of the four axes of the eLearning initiative which aims at the complete, systematic and continuous cooperation between European schools, as well as the promotion of the European multilingual and multicultural social model. The activity has already attracted 7,935 schools from 27 European states, while 519 partnerships are currently in progress. Greece is in the top ten of countries in numbers of schools involved.

Within the eTwinning framework, pupils and teachers are given the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the education culture of other nations, to learn in cooperation and to forge friendships. In parallel, the young pupils are enabled to practice their IT skills which boost the educational process and add value to conventional education.

The initiatives of Greek schools presented at the abovementioned event, with awards of a total value of 17,000 euros that included, among others, interactive boards, technological equipment and educational software. The partnerships awarded were the following:

- Pedagogical Innovation

1st Prize: "Values in School Life and School Celebrations", 2nd Primary School of P. Phaliro, CEIP – Tucci, Spain

2nd Prize: "Library activities", 2nd Secondary School of Kozani, Hojby Skole, Denmark

- School Collaboration Prize

1st Prize: "Magna Greacia", 1st Unified Experimental High School, Athens, Liceo Scientifico "F. La Cava", Italy

2nd Prize: "We mustn't forget", Secondary School of Kavasila, Imathia, Gymnasium Ceska Lipa, Czech Republic

- Digital Resources Prize

1st Prize: "Culture and Traditions of our Homeland", 2nd TEE N. Smyrni, ICES LEON HUREZ, Belgium

2nd Prize: "Olive tree - Olive oil", 8th Unified High School of Patra, IPSIA, Italy

- Special mention: Multi-level cooperation between Secondary School of Kavasila, Imathia, and School Unit in the Czech Republic.

It should be noted that the ceremony for the eTwinning prizes will take place on January 13th, 2006, in Linz, Austria