What is the V-PAL Platform?
The V-PAL platform is under construction. It is a platform where you as a teacher are able to share your Peer Practice videos and get didactic feedback from other teachers. You will also find Peer Practice videos from other teachers and be able to give them didactic feedback. Thus the V-PAL Platform offers a possibility to share didactical reflections, get inspiration to your teaching practice etc.
The videos will be sorted by themes. It will be possible to rate the videos. You will have the possibility to get a notification when somebody has commented on your video.
Training
When will the teacher training take place?
The face-to-face teacher training Event takes place 12th to 14th November 2019 in Vejle.
The online teacher training Events take place
10th October 2019 10.00 – 12.00 CET
15th January 2020 10.00 – 12.00 CET
Which language will be used during the training course?
English will be used for communication during the Teacher Training Event – face-to-face and online.
You will also have to give didactic feedback in English during the Teacher Training Event and in the period, where you produce and work with the Peer Practice videos.
You can use your mothertongue in your Peer Practice-video, but will then have to have English subtitles.
When will the training sessions take place?
Hidden content
How much time do I have to use in the Teacher Training Event?
If you participate in the face-to-face Teacher Training Event in Vejle 12th – 14th November 2019 you must expect to use 5 days in total – Traveling 11th November, participating in the training 12th to 14th November and traveling back 15th November (unless you live in Denmark – then only 3 days).
The online teacher training event are scheduled to two times of maximum 2 hours.
What are the benefits and what can I expect to learn from taking part?
By taking part in the V-PAL Teacher Training you will grow as a teacher. You will develop your awareness of own teaching strengths and weaknesses and of your didactic choices. You will get inspiration and useful didactic feedback from teachers within your country and from the V-PAL partner countries (Denmark, Germany, Romania, Spain and Cyprus)
Who will participate in the V-PAL Teacher Training?
In total 50 teachers from the five V-PAL partner countries (Denmark, Germany, Romania, Spain and Cyprus) will participate.
25 teachers (5 from each V-PAL partner country) will take part in the face-to-face Teacher Training Event in Vejle, Denmark, in November 2019.
How will be decided who will participate in V-PAL Teacher Training Event in Denmark?
Your local organizer will decide who will participate from your country in the V-PAL Teacher Training Event in Denmark. She/he will take into consideration:
- Your ability to travel
- Your teaching experience
- Your English level
- Your digital skills
- Your willingness and possibility to teach and work together with a colleague on the production of Peer Practice videos after the Teacher Training Event in Denmark
Your local organizer will take these matters into consideration to form the best possible group with different kinds of experience and strengths to go to Denmark.
How will the 25 teachers (not participating in the Teacher Training Event in Denmark) be trained / obtain the qualifications to make videos?
The 25 teachers who do not take part in the Teacher Training Event in Denmark will be trained briefly only and by their local colleagues who took part in the Teacher Training Event in Denmark.
Before the Teacher Training Event in Denmark all participating teachers will attend an online Teacher Training Event. This will set the scene for the whole training and what is expected from you – both as a teacher participating in the Teacher Training Event in Denmark and as a teacher who will not attend the Teacher Training Event in Denmark.
In January 2020 all teachers in the V-PAL Teacher Training will meet only to share experiences, get advices from Nicolai Seest (the teacher in producing the Peer Practice videos) etc.
During the V-PAL Teacher Training you will get access to online videos giving advice on how to make the videos. Locally you will work in buddy pairs to produce videos.
What does it cost to take part in the teacher training?
You do not have to pay for the teaching.
You have to be willing to use the indicated time (see…..) though.
Who will pay for the travel to and accommodation in Vejle during the face-to-face Teacher Training Event?
Your local organizer will have a certain amount to pay for your travel and accommodation.
Video production
Will the videos have to cover a special kind of teaching method?
The videos will cover a wide range of teaching methods. The V-PAL partner group will (beginning of August 2019 at the latest) decide on 2 – 3 themes/subjects that will be the focus for the videos. It could be teaching oral communication, teaching writing, listening or reading skills. It could be combining the language teaching with everyday life activities (work, leisure time activities etc.). When you have been promised to participate in the Teacher Training you will get the chance to indicate your preferred themes/subjects within a limited possibilities given by the V-PAL partner group.
Which part of my teaching do I have to show in the Peer Practice video?
Focus for the Peer Practice video will be “useful” practice. This means, that you choose a minor part of your teaching practice to show. It can be a practice that you have great success in using. It can be a practice that you struggle on to get it work the way you want it to. The point is, that it should be useful and inspiration for your or your peers to discuss and learn from. Do also see ….. (document about Peer Practice)
Who will be in the videos?
You as a teacher will have to be in the video – both in a “portrait style” and in your teaching situation.
Your students will have to be in the video in the teaching situation.
Can I participate, if my students do not want to be on the videos?
You will need to have some students, who are willing to be in the videos. It is important for others to see your teaching and how the students work and respond to the teaching practice.
Who will own the videos I produce?
You will be the owner of the video. You will have to be willing to share them publicly with other language teachers. Your videos will be given a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license, which means that the videos can be shared as long as you are credited, and that the videos cannot be used commercially by third party.
You will have to agree to have them shared for at least 5 years.
Which language will / can be used in the videos?
When producing the videos you will have to use English in your didactic reflections. You will show your teaching practice in the language you normally use. You will have to be willing to make subtitles to the part of your Peer Practice videos that are produced in your mother tongue.
What will happen to my videos?
Your Peer Practice videos will be shared in the V-PAL Platform. In the V-PAL Platform teachers will be able to rate your videos and to give didactic feedback on them. During the V-PAL project period the V-PAL Platform will only be open for teachers participating in the V-PAL Teacher Training. After the project period the V-PAL Platform will be open for all.
Who is the audience of the videos?
The audience of the videos is your teacher colleagues – at your school/organisation, at other schools in your country and from other countries. During the V-PAL project period it will be the participating teachers from the other partner countries (Denmark, Germany, Romania, Spain and Cyprus).
How do V-PAL and the Peer Practice videos take issues of GDPR into consideration?
Both you as a teacher and your students – who appear in the Peer Practice videos – will have to fill in a consent form to confirm, that you – and they – agree to have the video shared publicly.
Who will produce the consent forms used in relation to the Peer Practice videos?
The V-PAL partner group will produce consent forms in: English, German, Spanish, Greek, Hungarian/Romanian and Danish. As a teacher yourself and your students will fill in the consent form in the language that suits you the best.
Is it possible to see the consent form before I decide to take part in the V-PAL Teacher Training?
Yes – you find the consent from here….. (link to consent form in the different languages)
How much time should I expect to use in total during the course and for producing the videos?
Besides the Teacher Training Events (see…..) you should expect to use in average
5 producing each of the videos (3 videos in total)
6 hours (in total) giving didactic feedback to peers.
The estimated time includes planning your recordings, recording, editing and sharing. Expect to use most time the first time – and then less the more you practice.
Skills
Do I need to have some special kind of experiences to participate?
em>You need to teach adults a second – or foreign – language.
You can be new into teaching or very experienced.
Do I need special technical skills to participate?
You need to be literate in the use of technical devices. This means that you’re open for trying and learning new things in relation to video recording and editing. You don’t need to be a technical super user, but you need to be familiar with the use of a smartphone or a tablet, take photos and find them on your device etc.
Do I need to be an experienced video producer to participate?
You can participate no matter if you are used to produce videos or not.
During the Teacher Training Event – or from your colleague – you will get guidance on how to produce Peer Practice videos.
You will be taught how to plan the recording, how to make good recording and how to edit your video.You will learn it, while doing it.
Do I need some special equipment to participate?
You will need a smartphone or a tablet with enough free storage capacity to record and edit videos.
It can be your own device or one you have free access to from the school/institution you work for.
What is expected of me when I take part in the V-PAL Teacher Training?
You are expected to be open minded, to be willing to learn, to share your teaching to give feedback and be inspired by other teachers. You are also expected to be willing to evaluate on the Teacher Training and the V-PAL Platform.
