2ND AHEAD NEWSLETTER MAY 2010

The Newsletter Issue 2 is part of the informative material concerning the aims and activities of the project and it intends to disseminate and promote the main project outcomes.

AHEAD Need Analysis Report

The Need analysis report has been published on the project web site (www.aheadproject.eu ). The need analysis has been undertaken in each partners country (Italy, Poland, Greek, Malta, Turkey). The Need Analysis Report has been conducting during the first phase of the AHEAD project activities. The main objectives of this deliverable were to: Define the training needs of high school headmasters in each country; Identify the training contents for the AHEAD curriculum definition; Clarify the learning topics of the foreseen activities; Gather information regarding the management of EU Funding Programmes among schools in each partners countries; Identify and analyse National and European overviews of management approaches in the area of EU Programmes. The research aimed at carrying out the training need analysis of EU high schools through the defining of the needs and problems of headmasters in building and managing a research staff. The needs analysis was addressed to partners, target group, beneficiaries (head masters/teachers of EU high schools, etc.). The way to collect data was the interview, because in this phase the research had to highlight the qualitative aspects. The main task in interviewing was to understand the meaning of what the interviewees say. The interviews were particularly
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useful for understanding better the participants experience. The interviewer could pursue indepth information around the topic.

The results of Need Analysis Report On the base of the collected data from the interviews stands out that: a. most of the interviewees have low experience in managing the school; b. the size of the schools managed is included in a wide range, which extremes are Poland (the widest) and Greece the smallest. Nevertheless the whole group shows sufficient experience in the EU field managing EU projects, except to four of them, even if they have met different kinds of difficulties. Analysing the numbers of EU projects done, the budget amounts granted and the number of the people involved, the sample underlines that they have always dealt with small projects, granted of National Agencies. We put this down to the difficulties met in the different phases of a project life-time, from the proposal submission to the compilation of the application form, and from the drawing up of the budget to the Partners cooperation. The research shows that the headmasters need to update their skills and expertises about all the project process, from the submission to the project realisation, both management and administrative matters. Even if the school staff is involved in the project activities and the headmasters declare to work mostly in team, the research shows that there is dispersion of lesson time and attention of teachers to the classroom activities. This means that the headmasters need to update their skills and to acquire new competences in the building and working group in order to combine better the school everyday activities with those connected to the EU project. Concerning the ICT needs, the headmasters competences are enough high on the whole, as well as the software applications are frequently used during the everyday work and their usefulness and effectiveness are recognized by each interviewer. The weakest point is focused on the E-learning platform e the PBL methodology, where the percentages show the lowest level of skills and competences.

AHEAD Methodological Instruction Book

The AHEAD Methodological Instruction Book has been published on the project web site (www.aheadproject.eu).
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This report represents the instruction tool for the project partners in order to develop the AHEAD didactic model. It intends to explain the AHEAD educational model based on the web based Problem-based Learning (PBL) and peer training methodology. On the base of this model, the partners will be provided with the instructions to develop the cases/scenarios and the executive project aimed at producing the self-learning toolkit. The designing of AHEAD methodology aims at drawing up the project e-course instructional design handbook according to the previous needs analysis Training need analysis report and consequently AHEAD curriculum developed. The Instructional design handbook is divided into two sections. The first section is focused on the description and the explanation of the AHEAD didactic model and tools that combine a web based PBL approach with a peer training methodology for promoting the ongoing updating of headmasters practical skills. The PBL method is based on real cases/scenarios to stimulate learners critical thinking for the problem solution, individually and working group, allowing a peer education among learners who will share data for finding out solutions. While the second section is focused on the description of PBL repository of cases/scenarios carried out by the headmasters based on their own real experiences through the self-learning toolkit as tool to support them in using the model and tools, and to promote the model exploitation among European secondary schools thanks to a peer-training approach.
The AHEAD educational model is developed taking into account the three educational theories and methodologies described in the first part of this document by merging them into an integrated training methodology supported by use of the ICT tools. In detail the AHEAD didactic model intends to apply the three methodologies, as follow: 1. Problem-based Learning (PBL): to increase headmasters practical skills by delivering the AHEAD e-course and virtual PBL sessions through the AHEAD e-learning platform. 2. Peer-to-peer learning: to increase headmasters lifelong learning opportunities by creating a community of practice through the PBL repository as on line environment where headmasters can upload scenarios/cases based on their own real experience, sharing their experiences with other headmasters who can help them to solve the problem. 3. Self-direct learning: to promote headmasters self learning by providing them the
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necessary instruction and useful utility tools to apply the AHEAD didactic model, develop cases/scenarios, as well as to arrange further PBL sessions autonomously through the Selflearning toolkit for headmasters.

AHEAD activities: state of the art Actually the project partners are working on the Work Package 4 which consists of the productions activity. The technological team are implementing the project e-learning platform and its integration with the section of the PBL repository. At the same time the Didactical team are beginning the development of all the course Learning Objects (audio lessons, lecture notes, etc.) and the case studios/scenarios for the PBL sessions. The first virtual meeting among partners is going to be arranged on Friday 14th of May, 2010.

Dissemination and Promotion events Michela Tramonti and Susanna Correnti, For.Com. Project Managers, attended the GUIDE 2010, New Challenges for E-learning in cultural, scientific and socio-economic development, 18-19 March 2010, Rome (Italy). http://www.guideassociation.org/guide_2010/indexa9.php?id=27 Susanna Correnti, For.Com. Project Manager, presented the project during the SEEP training session Foresight Methodology and Technology for Blended Learning, 02 December 2009, Rome (Italy). http://www.seepnetwork.eu/

The Consorzio For.Com. will attend the Second International Conference LEADING AHEAD 2010, that will be held in Bolzen (IT) on October 7th- 9th 2010. Participants will have a deeper understanding of the changing framework and the changes in the everyday life of school leaders. Workshops will offer practical guidance. For more details please visit the Conference website www.leadership-in-education.eu