Our 23rd ESP conference took place in Tartu, Estonia, from March 4 to March 8, 2009.

“Connecting Schools for a Sustainable Society”

The theme of the conference was not only focused on the efforts of the collaborative contribution for the social and cultural competences needed in a sustainable society, but also on the dimensions of local and global ecological sustainability.

If young people are educated towards global citizenship and start to respect each other and the environment also, more authentic learning is required. For this process a direct interaction with peers abroad is essential and helps them understand the world’s problems.

The concept of a Sustainable Society was one of the leading ideas for designing different collaborative projects. A sustainable society is a place where adults put forward the needs and welfare of the children as their highest priority. In such a society, schools have responsibilities:

• to teach students the basic principles of the people and their environment;

• to recognize their responsibilities as Global Citizens;

• to develop schools in a sustainable way.

The conference programme served as Comenius In-Service Education Seminar, as it was organised by former Coordinators of Comenius3 Thematic Networks COMPACT and ECOLE. The conference was also a place to start an e-Twinning project.

During the conference many workshops were held for teachers and by teachers. The topics ranged from E-Journals to Digital Portfolios, from Learning Objects to Electronic Learning Environments, etcetera, for Newbies and Pioneers, for Primary – Secondary – Vocational Education - Teacher Education.