Using information and communication technologies in teaching nowadays is meant to explore the diverse teaching resources that are available on-line and provide concrete data regarding the use of modern teaching methods that respond to the accelerated trend of our digital era.
Implementation in schools of creative e-learning is probably one of the most effective forms of support. In addition to this, it is necessary to help teachers learn how to apply specialized platforms, equipment and software.
It is considered that by offering the teachers the possibilities to extend the discussion around ICT-enabled innovation for teaching and learning and to exchange good practices, networks like eTwinning help to speed up the educational development.
Giving teachers the chance to effectively connect, eTwinning supports them in sharing experiences and collaborating with other schools from abroad. Moreover, eTwinning projects influence teaching and learning practices by involving the students and teachers in activities that foster transversal soft skills related to interculturality and problem solving. Being linked to the curriculum, the eTwinning projects also involve exchanging/working on new educational contents such as worksheets or lesson plans. These projects involve working both on online and offline not only during classes but also during the teachers’ and students’ free time.
When it was launched, in 2005, eTwinning was meant to facilitate partnerships between schools in EU. Romania joined only two years later. The portal www.etwinning.net has become a community of 204586 European schools and brings together almost 650.000 teachers who have worked on 84927 projects. The teachers have to register and then they can create partnerships working on educational projects that are creative, motivating, interesting and dynamic. eTwinning projects provide innovative learning methods, new experiences and teaching practices designed to stimulate students, raise their awareness on the European cultural diversity and to develop their skills and attitudes.
A great aspect in what concerns the eTwinning platform is its interactivity considering the instant communication and the twinspace provided with all its features.
From a wider perspective, it can be understood that technology along with research and theory are important factors in the creation of innovation, development of pedagogical theories, self-directed learning, learning from a distance and collaborative learning.
Pedagogues nowadays have to struggle to cope with the speed in which information and communication technologies advance and it is merely the evolution or change of the pedagogic theories but the invention of new technologies that bring this novelty in education and training.