Presented during the European Virtual Schools Colloquium that took place on 22nd-24th May 2012 in Sheffield, UK.

1. VIRTUAL SCHOOLS
COLLOQUIUM
Sheffield, UK
may, 2012
a distance learning project
for itinerant children and
adolescents in Portugal
fernando albuquerque costa | fc@ie.ul.pt

2. edi.blog.dgidc.min-edu.pt
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

3. Description of the project
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

4. Reasons for establishing the virtual school
EDI is a project designed to answer to the needs
of students from traveller families of showmen
and circus artists and workers.
Students who would otherwise have to change
schools throughout the year as a result of their
families' professional activities.
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

5. The target group
Children and adolescents
(aged 10-17, from grades 5 to 12)
The project can also cover other
specific disadvantaged situations, such
as hospitalized children or teenage
mothers.
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

6. Goals
The goal is mainly directed towards the
conclusion of compulsory education…
Also to prepare students for the
challenges of the digital age…
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

7. The curriculum structure
The different subjects of the Portuguese national curriculum
are taught online following a similar timetable organization as
it is done in the brick and mortar schools.
In order to provide opportunities for success and prevent early
dropout, curriculum design, instruction and assessment
are adjusted to the students' specific learning needs.
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

8. The pedagogy
The pedagogy followed
is student- – interdisciplinary subject areas…
centered, aiming at – creation of tutoring periods…
personalized learning – close articulation between
based on continuous teachers and tutors…
feedback...
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

9. The pedagogy
The teaching activities are fully provided
through online communication.
Interaction have as basis a set of
resources developed by teachers
themselves addressing subject-based
and cross-curricular competencies.
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

10. The pedagogy
Students have to be online according to a timetable
organized by year/class.
They interact synchronously with teachers and mates
through chats and forums for analysis and discussion.
Learning takes place during synchronous
classes, and also in an asynchronous way when they
are free to use ICT tools (e.g.
YouTube, blogging, etc..) and other available digital
resources.
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

11. The pedagogy
In order to avoid isolation and promote
interpersonal competencies, itinerant
students are also encouraged to take their
laptops to the nearest school’s resource
center or library – where their families are
working at that moment – and access the
virtual platform from there.
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

12. The future...
Some issues prompted by the practice
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

13. Some issues and questions
It will be possible to transfer all the knowledge we have about adult
distance learning when the target group is young people ?
Given the specificity of the target group, is it possible to guarantee a
stable, regular and effective learning process using online distance
learning?
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

14. Issues and questions
Given the instability of their lives, what can be done to focus
students in school activities?
Should they have the same curriculum requirements and being
assessed with the same criteria of the regular students?
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

15. Issues and questions
What kind of materials and learning resources fit better the
learning needs of these students?
Can a constructivist approach be adequate in this case?
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

16. Issues and questions
How can staff be supported to develop the required skills and
competences to deal with this very particular group?
Is it just a question to help them teaching online?
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens

17. Thank you!
fc@ie.ul.pt
Distance Learning Project for Itinerant Students in Portugal aprendercom.org/miragens