Acer and European Schoolnet to Reward the Best Collaborative Learning Projects With the eLearning Awards

BRUSSELS, September 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Acer and European Schoolnet are happy to announce their partnership on the Collaborative Learning Award. This category will reward the best use of web 2.0 learning activities, such as the use of wikis, blogs and social networks for learning.

The eLearning Awards, Europe's leading competition to reward excellence for the best use of technology in education, is organised for the 10th consecutive year by European Schoolnet. It aims to recognise and spread the practices of innovative teachers, and show how ICT helps improve methodology and work in the classroom and positively impacts on children's learning. "It is essential to encourage teachers to adopt 21st century teaching and learning: ICT has now as crucial role to play in all sectors of society and education should not be left apart," said Marc Durando, Executive Director of European Schoolnet.

Highly involved in educational issues, Acer considers that today's students must be taught 21st century skills like creativity, problem solving, communication, and analytical thinking to compete in the global, increasingly digital marketplace. In this context, Acer wishes to contribute to the training of young students by providing support to teachers and schools and allow students from all situations to benefit from a modern and stimulating pedagogy: "Technology helps to overcome physical limitations that prevent equal opportunities in some situations," explains Emanuele Accolla, Acer EMEA Vice President for Business Educational. "In schools this aspect is even more intensified and evident. We are convinced that in this setting, ICT can make an enormous contribution to tearing down barriers that would otherwise limit individuals."

The winner will receive a prize for its school (cash prize and/or ICT equipment) and an invitation to the prize-giving ceremony. Winning entry will be made available for the whole of Europe via the Learning Resource Exchange.

The prize-giving ceremony, which will be followed by a gala dinner, will take place in Copenhagen on 8 November 2010, during the annual EMINENT conference. The EMINENT conference is a major European event in education, which brings together ICT policy makers from Agencies and Ministries of Education, experts, researchers and leading eLearning suppliers from the commercial sector.

This year, EMINENT is associated to the Uddanelsesforum, a national forum on education organised by UNI-C, the Danish agency for ICT in education, to held the first EMINENT for teachers. This special event aims to encourage the sharing of best practices among teachers and highlights the opportunities offered by ICT to improve pedagogy and learning.

To register for the eLearning Awards and submit your entry, visit:

http://elearningawards.eun.org. Please note the deadline for submission is 28 September 2010.

About Acer

Acer, the second player worldwide in the PC market, has given the green light to its education project aiming at introducing schools to a new kind of interaction between teachers and students through the use of technology. In partnership with European Schoolnet, an initial pilot will be carried out in six different European Countries. The collaboration with European Schoolnet moves precisely towards better understanding Acer's future contribution to this area, relying on valuable feedback from those directly involved in education, beginning with the teachers.

About the eLearning awards

Since 2001, the eLearning Awards competition ( http://elearningawards.eun.org) has been run by European Schoolnet and supported by key industry partners. Ten years after its launch, the eLearning Awards remain Europe's leading competition to reward excellence for the best use of technology in education. Entries can be submitted until the 28 September 2010.

About European Schoolnet

European Schoolnet (http://www.europeanschoolnet.org) is a network of 31 Ministries of Education in Europe and beyond. EUN was created more than 10 years ago with the aim to bring about innovation in teaching and learning through the use of ICT for its key stakeholders: Ministries of Education, schools, teachers and researchers.

SOURCE European Schoolnet