This e-book is designed to have relevance to all who are interested in and committed to the development of education practice and theory.

It is meant in particular for schools and all who play a part in making them places of learning, equality, enquiry and achievement in dynamic, accessible, enjoyable and aspirational ways. The adaption of relevant techniques also have equal relevance in other group settings, including communities of learning, where individuals can be supported and challenged to achieve their potential regardless of their personal circumstances.

What is it intended to do?

The title of the project gives an indication of what and for whom the outcomes are intended: “European Methodological Framework for Facilitating Teachers’ Collaborative Learning”

This e-book is a compilation of our joint collaborative work during the project, where each contributor offered their experiences, beliefs, attitudes, uncertainties, objectives and knowledge to the joint process of discussion, assessment, trial, reflection, re-formulating, trial again and review at each project stage. A pooling of ideas produced a draft framework of what we as a group agreed to be the essential components of a journey towards Collaborative Learning. Data for this framework was justified and drawn from educational literature, our combined experience and a series of case studies each partner conducted within their own educational system. This included cases focused on i) schools ii) local ii) regional iv) national/international contexts. This then covered the range of people involved in school education. The draft framework was piloted by people working at all of these levels and through a series of evaluations, both internal and external. Following this the project team jointly reviewed the contents of the draft framework and this e-Book is one of the outcomes of the whole undertaking. Its objective is, as the project title says, to “Facilitate Teachers’ Collaborative Learning”. But we hope it is useful not only for practicing teachers in their classrooms and schools. Everyone connected with schools from policy makers in governments, to those with the task of interpreting and putting policies into practice, to local education authorities and their supply and evaluation functions, authors and providers of materials, suppliers of furniture/hardware and software, etc. need to have an awareness and knowledge of the needs of schools and what actually goes on in them.

These are all important functions for the e-book.

Where is this Guide Relevant?

For successful Collaborative Learning to take place and be embedded in any enterprise all those who play a part must be equally committed, share similar goals and honour individual and joint responsibilities. In our context of schooling this includes:

• policy makers;
• managers;
• administrators;
• trainers;
• inspectors;
• suppliers;
• schools teachers;
• non-teaching staff;
• students;
• parents;
• publishers;.
• and the community

These can be at individual, local, district, area and national level involving diverse contexts. We would like to involve participants unfamiliar with the term and practices as well as those well-versed in Collaborative Learning who wish to introduce newcomers or take their programmes to deeper levels and/or share experiences and materials with others.

You can also read about potential outcomes of CTL for different target groups in general, – on local, regional and national level – in the EFFeCT paper, written by the Irish partners, Joan Stephenson and Teresa O'Doherty.