Beyond Networking - The MenSI MOOC

31/01/2023

How can advanced practitioners in the use of technology for teaching and learning support other schools in adopting more innovative pedagogical approaches?
What strategies and tools can facilitate peer learning in teachers’ communities of practice?
And what can be done to involve a greater number of schools and teachers on a transformational journey for school improvement?

These have been some key question in the MenSI Project and the “Beyond Networking” MOOC.

Beyond Networking: School-to-School Mentoring for Digital Innovation | European Schoolnet Academy

Hosted on European Schoolnet Academy platform in the months of October/November 2022, the 5.5-week “Beyond Networking” MOOC registered a total of 995 enrolled participants from 50 different countries. Of these, 614 people participated in the MOOC and 186 participants completed the course and received a course certificate.

The course targeted teachers of any subject and level, school leaders, digital learning coordinators and professional development providers interested in exploring innovative whole-school mentoring approaches and networking strategies between teachers and schools through sustained and objective-driven exchanges within communities of practice.
The course was designed around the experiences of schools in six countries participating in the Mentoring for School Improvement project (MenSI) who have been applying a range of mentoring models (e.g. advanced-less advanced, peer to peer, top-down, bottom-up, etc.) within 24 MenSI clusters, each made up of one mentor and four mentee schools.

Learning objectives

• Have a deeper understanding of models of school-to-school mentoring
• Learn about strategies to set up and animate activities across a group of schools
• Be familiar with a range of digital tools to support collaboration and innovation
• Be part of an informed and supportive community of practice
• Find potential partners for school-to-school collaborative activities.

Modules

• Module 1: School-To-School Collaboration: Why and How?
• Module 2: Models of Whole School Mentoring
• Module 3: Designing Effective Mentoring Activities
• Module 4: Making Whole-School Mentoring Work

To evaluate the course results, two surveys were conducted respectively before (pre) and after (post) the course.

According to data collected via the pre-course survey, the majority of course participants were secondary school teachers, female and 36 years old or older. 30% of respondents were mentoring at the time they were taking the course; 36% of respondents had at least 1 year of experience as a mentor.

All 100% rated the overall value of the course as “Good” or “Very good”.

All 89% would recommend this course to a colleague (Agree or Agree strongly).

All 95% Agreed that they will use the ideas and examples presented in the course.

After taking the course, participants’ self-evaluated competence related to the course topic has improved.

Although the MenSI Beyond Networking MOOC is no longer active, anybody interested in learning more about models and strategies for whole school mentoring can still join the course from here and freely review the course content and resources.