Interdisciplinarity in Action through eTwinning

What do English, economics, and artificial intelligence have in common? At first glance, very little. But when 188 students and 18 teachers from five countries collaborate in an eTwinning project, borders between subjects begin to blur, and learning becomes truly interconnected.

Between October 1st, 2024, and March 25th, 2025, the international project M.O.N.E.Y. Matters – Mentoring Our New Economic Youth brought together educators and students from Moldova, Turkey, Italy, Romania, and Portugal. As an English teacher, I found in this project a unique opportunity to transform English classes into vibrant, interdisciplinary workshops, where communication skills met financial literacy, digital citizenship, and creativity.

The main goal of the project was to improve students’ understanding of basic economic concepts and help them develop responsible attitudes toward money management. What made the experience exceptional was the diversity of approaches, the integration of multiple subjects, and the smart use of digital tools.

From the very beginning, tasks were clearly defined and distributed among all partners. We opened a shared TwinSpace page, registered students on the platform, and started building our digital presence. Students and teachers created promotional videos using HeyGen AI and uploaded them to Padlet boards. These initial activities not only introduced us to each other but also set the tone for a professional, creative, and highly collaborative atmosphere.

Our team developed visual presentations using Canva and Genially, conducted online surveys with Google Forms, and documented all dissemination efforts on Padlet. We used Tricider to brainstorm ideas, Slido to schedule online meetings, and Renderforest to create our promotional video. These digital tools didn’t just support the project; they amplified its impact.

In November, we dove into the heart of financial education. Students created financial concept maps with Coggle and contributed to a collaborative financial dictionary in BookCreator. They played interactive games on Wordwall and discussed the consequences of overconsumption after watching thought-provoking short films. With the help of AI-powered tools like Virbo, they recorded video reflections and shared them on Genially platforms.

One of the key strengths of M.O.N.E.Y. Matters was the seamless integration of multiple disciplines. English was the language of communication, but it was also the medium through which students explored economic topics, developed media literacy, and enhanced their digital skills. Economics, ICT, civic education, and foreign languages came together in real-life learning contexts.

Equally important was the project’s emphasis on ethics and safety in the digital environment. Students participated in activities on internet ethics, secure online payment methods, and responsible social media use. This added a critical layer to their learning – one that connected financial education with digital citizenship.

The project was not just student-centered, but also teacher-empowering. We held teacher-student meetings, shared reflections in discussion forums, and coordinated tasks with clarity and mutual respect. The TwinSpace became a living archive of activities, ideas, and outcomes.

What I appreciated most was the fact that the project allowed me, as an English teacher, to step outside the traditional boundaries of language instruction. I was able to guide my students through tasks that involved reading infographics, writing definitions, expressing opinions on ethical dilemmas, and even analyzing video content. Through this process, they not only improved their language skills but also became more informed, financially aware young citizens.

As we approached the final phase of the project, we collected feedback through end-of-project surveys and prepared final products. One of these is a collaborative e-book that highlights student contributions and project milestones.

Nowadays, education is expected to respond to real-life challenges. eTwinning projects like M.O.N.E.Y. Matters offer a model of how interdisciplinarity, digital tools, and international collaboration can come together to create meaningful and lasting learning experiences.

P.S. If you ever feel that your subject is isolated from the real world, join an eTwinning project. You’ll soon discover that English can be the bridge to economics, ethics, technology, and beyond.