Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational technologies (SELFIE)
What is Selfie?
SELFIE (“Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational technologies”) is a free, multilingual, web-based, self-reflection tool to help primary, secondary and vocational schools in Europe and beyond develop their digital capacity. It can be used by any school – not just those with advanced levels of infrastructure, equipment and technology use.
Who can use Selfie?
SELFIE for Schools anonymously gathers the views of students, teachers and school leaders on how technology is used in their school. This is done using short statements and questions and a simple 1-5 answer scale. Based on this input, the tool generates a report – a snapshot (“SELFIE”) of a school‘s strengths and weaknesses in their use of technology.
SELFIE is a tool for teachers, which has now been adapted accordingly to support also early childhood educators, so that they reflect on how digital tools and technologies can enhance their professional practices.
The tool places emphasis on the safe and responsible use of technology, promoting practices which align with the pedagogical principles and practices in early childhood education.
Educators can start a self-reflection or take the self-reflection as part of a group, such as a group of colleagues in an early childhood school, or on a training programme. The results and feed-back can be used to plan individualised projects.
More precisely, SELFIE for TEACHERS for early childhood educators focuses on:
- Searching and creating digital resources;
- Promoting professional engagement and communication;
- Promoting, documenting and assessing learning and development;
- Empowering children;
- Facilitating children’s digital competence.
SELFIE for Teachers is a new tool which allows teachers to self-assess their digital competence and confidence and to get immediate feedback on strengths and gaps and where they can further develop.
Teams of teachers can also work together to use the tool and develop a training plan.
The SELFIE for work-based learning (WBL) is a new tool that helps to bring VET institutions and companies closer together to jointly discuss how to best embed digital technology in the education and training provided.
SELFIE for work-based learning not only gathers the three perspectives of school leaders, VET teachers and learners, but also adds as a fourth perspective the view of in-company trainers.
Further work on SELFIE for work-based learning will focus on exploring how the tool can support policy monitoring and development at country and EU level. In addition, the impact of SELFIE for WBL on companies should also be further analysed to explore further involvement of companies or to develop further the tool to cover different aspects according to companies’ needs.
More information about SELFIE can be found at the website of the European Commission.