Europe encouraged to learn online

Users will exchange experiences and views

A web event to promote the cultural and educational benefits of new media technologies is expected to attract thousands of participants across Europe.

The Netd@ys Europe 2000 scheme involves schools, universities, museums, libraries and other organisations publishing their educational projects under the umbrella of one website.

We want to help teachers to use the internet more effectively, to support the use of new technology and raise ITC standards

Nathan Dodd, UK project manager

The initiative was set up by the European Commission in 1997.

Last year 15,000 educational and cultural organisations in 35 countries contributed to the website, which attracted five million hits.

Through international link-ups, virtual art exhibitions and concerts, cyber reports, video conferences and web-casts, users will exchange experiences and views.

Contributions are divided into four categories: European cultural identity and diversity, citizenship, equal opportunities and training for improving digital literacy.

The learning projects posted on the site range from science to poetry, from languages to technology.

Virtual oil spill

A virtual oil spill provides pupils with the opportunity to take part in an internet and classroom-based role play, investigating an imaginary oil spill from a range of viewpoints.

The Seven Wonders project collects seven modern-day wonders from every country on Earth. Wonders can be sound, video or text or images of people, places or creatures.

The 'I write, I draw' project encourages children to submit their poems, stories and drawings - written in French - via e-mail, then see them published on the website.

One German initiative - Die Olympischen Spiele (the Olympic Games) - is an international competition, which encourages students to create a website entirely in German.

Jack the teddy bear

Taking a trip to Uganda with Jack the teddy bear will allow pupils to ask questions about life in the country via e-mail.

UK-based organisations contributing to the website are being co-ordinated by the government-funded British Educational Communications and Technology agency (Becta).

Project manager Nathan Dodd said: "It's about encouraging people to register their own website projects, sites and resources."

It was important to show how being online could improve classroom practice, Mr Dodd stressed.

"We want to help teachers to use the internet more effectively, to support the use of new technology and raise ITC standards," he said.

"The interactive nature of the net means we now have the opportunity to ask real questions.

"So we can get more motivated and a better insight just from being online."

Becta is selecting a range of the published Netd@ys projects and posting them on its new Teachers Online website.

The aim is to "slice off what is good for the UK", making it easier for schools to select useful sites and giving co-ordinators more control over keeping the pages updated.