As the co-ordinators of the Comenius network WiMi - Wide Minds, we are very pleased to welcome you to our Kaleidoscope online magazine. We hope you will enjoy reading the contents and that you will feel inspired to contribute to future editions. 

WiMi evolved from a team of educational professionals from 7 EU countries previously involved in the highly successful Roots & Wings network, whose strong working relationship had been built up over more than a decade. We have now more than doubled the number of countries to 15 involving universities, schools and training centres from eastern Europe (Cyprus, Turkey), from the more recent member states (Poland) as well as from the traditionally influential countries (France, Spain, Germany).

WiMi is developing as a pan-European forum for innovation and best practice in the area of digital learning. Its partners share the conviction of the benefits of engaging whole school communities in meaningful international projects and believe that providing locally-based training and support as well as holding international conferences will be key to the success of this network.

Through promoting the human face of digital learning, intercultural dialogue and the learning of other languages our school communities now have opportunities to have real experiences of what it is like to be global citizens, thus contributing towards combating prejudice through sharing similarities and respecting and enjoying differences.

The first WiMi conference was held in Elblag, Poland , and was attended by over 70 participants and partners including representatives from 15 Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire schools. This event entitled – “The human face of digital learning” – focused on teachers and headteachers collaborating on creating European projects with their pupils which provide a real context for intercultural dialogue and use of ICT. It included workshops on videoconferencing, film making and animation, and practice in using WiMi’s Moodle-based online learning community.

The conference was agreed by all to have been an overwhelming success. Among the accolades were these comments by two Irish teachers “I have really enjoyed sharing experiences with teachers from different countries. Now I know what Moodle is! It was an opening of minds, a coming together”.
“I think the face of digital learning was definitely humanised this week. I have learnt so much about different cultures and school systems and have made lots of new friends”.
We even managed to extend our network by including Finland as an additional new partner.