This document outlines a continuous professional development (CPD) program for secondary education teachers to help them adopt next-generation digital learning platforms. The CPD program was implemented across eight European countries as part of the Up2University project. The three module CPD program aimed to empower teachers to integrate student-centered teaching methods and technology. Initial results from Greece found that teachers found the first module helpful and applicable to their teaching, and would recommend it to others. The conclusions note that large-scale CPDs require a flexible approach when implemented across multiple countries.

1. Continuous Professional Development for
Secondary Education Teachers to adopt Next
Generation Digital Learning Environment
Platforms
D. Pantazatos1, M. Grammatikou1, I. Barth2, S. Lariccia3, V. Maglaris1
1 National Technical University of Athens (GREECE)
2 Tel Aviv University (ISRAEL)
3 Sapienza Università di Roma (ITALY)
EDUCON2020 – IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference
29/04/2020

2. What is a CPD for teachers?
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for teachers is a planned,
continuous and lifelong process whereby teachers try to develop their
personal and professional qualities and to improve their professional
knowledge and skills.
A ‘well-structured CPD can lead to successful changes in teachers’
practice, school improvement and improvements in students'
achievements.
Although the benefits, status and effectiveness of CPD have been well-
documented, it was observed that it is important to understand not just
whether benefits or changes occur, but who benefits and how these
benefits accrue, and not just what is effective, but who is defining effective
and by what measure. As a result, they differentiate between three types
of impacts of the possible benefits of CPD:
CPD that leads to changes in students', teachers' or school practices seen as
desirable by either teachers or head teachers is understood as having direct impacts.
CPD that enhances a teacher's status or career prospects, and even salary, is
considered as imparting indirect benefits to teachers.
CPD that increases recruitment or retention is considered as imparting indirect
benefits to the school.
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3. Aspects of the implemented CPD
It was designed to help high school teachers to bridge the High
School – University gaps as part of the Up2University (Up2U)
European Commission innovation project.
It focused on a comprehensive e-learning platform based in the
NGDLE architecture as a potentially powerful way to enhance
teaching and learning, as well as to develop the skills and digital
competencies that students need in order to better prepare for
university.
It was implemented as part of the pilot activities of the Up2U project in
eight countries to date (Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania,
Poland, Portugal and Spain) by the project partners.
Although key aspects of proposed CPD were identical for all
participating countries, each project partner was free to modify the
proposed structure, based on each country’s local context and needs.
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4. First Steps towards developing
the CPD
As a first step towards identifying which skills and
competencies are needed for bridging the High School –
University gaps, we collected and cross-referenced the views of
school teachers and university lecturers (275 high school
teachers and 97 University lecturers), across eight countries to
identify in which areas they perceived the widest gaps.
The general picture that emerged from this survey in the
schools, is a lack of adequate preparation and dissemination of
innovative practices that effectively exploit digital technologies
to enhance teaching and learning.
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5. CPD Goals & Target Population
CPD Goals
Empowerment of high school teachers to make informed decisions about how to
integrate student-centered teaching methods and technological tools in order to help their
students acquire core competencies they need to succeed at university.
Motivation of teachers to become involved and contribute to the development of the
learning platform.
Demonstration of effective ways of expanding learning beyond the classroom by
integrating formal and informal learning, for example, by utilizing video-based instruction
and curating OERs to support flipped classroom models (DigCompEdu Area 2).
Encouragement of teachers to create communities of practice where ideas for the project
and best practices can be shared across curriculum areas, schools and countries
(DigCompEdu Area 1 - 1.2)
Target Population
The target was differentiated according to their attitudes towards integrating new
technologies and teaching models in their classrooms:
Reluctant to move out of their comfort zones, try new teaching methods and trust new
technologies (DigCompEdu A Levels).
Moderately motivated to use and/or experiment with the above (DigCompEdu B levels).
Very motivated to use and/or experiment with the above (DigCompEdu C Levels).
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6. CPD Structure
Module 1 – Introduction and Orientation to main components of
the NGDLE
Module 2 – Hands-on implementation and practice: Teachers
who have chosen to continue to the second module, applied
what they learned in Module 1 in their own classrooms, with
their own students.
Module 3 – Teachers who submitted their Module 2 assignment
for assessment are able to proceed to the third and final
module. This module follows a Cascade or ‘train-the-trainer’
model to facilitate scaling up to the project’s goal of reaching
1,500 high schools across participating EU countries and
beyond.
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7. Evaluation of the CPD
Tools for direct and indirect assessment of CPD participants were
designed and developed by the project partners in collaboration
with internationally recognized experts in the field of assessment
in order to investigate the impact of two large-size pilots on
students and teachers in the pilot countries.
Teachers’ assignments
Learning Analytics – Moodle tracking of CPD participants
Teacher questionnaires before and after CPD
Pre-CPD questionnaire
Post-CPD questionnaire
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8. Teachers’ Participation in Module
1 Activities
Teachers Participated in Module 1 Activities
since the beginning of the project
Country Schools Teachers
Germany 2 10
Greece 70 220
Hungary 14 75
Italy 86 124
Lithuania 370 790
Poland 56 70
Portugal 7 50
Spain 15 30
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Visits in the central e-learning platform
instance from 1st of September 2019 to 15th
of December 2019
Visits in the Lithuanian e-learning platform
from September 2019 to 15th of December
2019

9. First Evaluation Results from the
CPD Module 1 activities
The first module of the first large-scale iteration of the CPD activities was
in progress until the COVID19 crisis.
However, some initial results from the pre- and post-CPD questionnaires
for the first module are available from Greece. The responses were scaled
to a Likert scale from 1 to 5 (1-not at all, 5-extremely).
25 School teachers have answered pre- and post- CPD questionnaires,
According to the participants, their experience from the first module of the
CPD activities can be described as follows:
The training learning content and support materials, were both helpful (4.6 out of 5 in
the Likert scale) and applicable to their classroom teaching (4.0)
Regarding the learning approach and methods, the participants found them helpful
(4.5) and also applicable to their classroom teaching (4.1)
Regarding the CPD training, teachers think that it provided enough hands-on
opportunities to use the learning platform (4.0). It also seems that this training has
provided a considerable amount of opportunities to exchange ideas with people who
teach the same subject areas (3.5) and solutions to closing high school gaps that are
practical and doable in terms of time and effort that need to be invested. (3.8).
Their overall experience with the CPD Module 1 was quite good (4.2 out of 5) while
the 91% of the participants would recommend this module to somebody else.
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10. Conclusions
A large-scale CPD requires a scalable and flexible strategy,
especially when it is organized in different countries.
The initial results, after the end of the first CPD Module, are
quite encouraging regarding the successful implementation of
the large-scale CPD activities.
Final evaluation data from all the pilot countries will provide a
comprehensive view of the strengths and possible
weaknesses.
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11. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!
dpantazatos@netmode.ntua.gr
#up2universe
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