Making the Most of New Technologies, Apps, and Social Media in the Classroom

In recent years, the shift from traditional face-to-face education to online learning has accelerated. This change has made educators rethink their methods and embrace digital tools. New technologies have become a powerful way to create fun, interactive, and effective learning experiences, both online and in-person.
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The most recent training course, “Making the Most of New Technologies, Apps, and Social Media in the Classroom,” focused on these ideas. Held in Bologna from April 13/04/2025 to 19/04/2025. The course brought together teachers from various parts of Europe. Participants included Maria Purificación Morán Huerga and Maria Jesús Riesco Laso from CEIP EL PERAL in Spain; Dr. Michael Peter Hoecke and Anja Howaldt from VHS Aschaffenburg in Germany; Monika Hotanen from Omnia in Finland; and Barbara Haake and Kathrin Plüster from Schule am Schloss in Germany. 

Throughout the week, participants explored new technologies and digital tools designed to enhance both traditional and online teaching. One of the main focuses was preparing multimedia content, whether to introduce a new subject or to sum up an old one in a creative and engaging way. Teachers used user-friendly photo and video editing tools to support these tasks and to create dynamic class materials.
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Another key topic was learning how to build a website, which is especially useful in digital education. Participants developed their own educational websites that could be used for student portfolios, project documentation, or class blogs.​

The course also covered tools for collecting and sharing resources and content, such as videos, images, PDFs, and articles. These platforms help organize and distribute materials efficiently, and they support more interactive learning experiences particularly in scientific subjects and foreign language studies.
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Teachers were introduced to interactive presentation tools that encourage student participation. These tools allow teachers to gather real-time feedback by submitting polls, creating word clouds, and opening discussions that promote student involvement

By the end of the course, participants left Bologna with new knowledge of interactive learning and new technologies. They returned home with a new set of tools and methods that will enrich their lessons and help students become more motivated and engaged in their learning journeys.
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Discover more about this course here.

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