THE ETWINNING EXPERIENCE: BEYOND SCHOOL CLASSROOMS

eTwinning has become a learning laboratory for the application of Innovation and Communication Technology (ICT) across classrooms in Europe. Initial teacher (ITT) training institutions are aware of the impact ICT is having on students’ lives at all levels of our education system. eTwinning has the potential to restructure traditional models of education and some universities such as the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) are introducing eTwinning as part of their curriculum to make sound pedagogical use of ICT. In this study, we present a descriptive analysis of URJC students perceptions about the use of eTwinning in the higher education classroom. A group URJC college students (n = 15) participated in this study. These students included prospective elementary and high school teachers. An online questionnaire-based survey was conducted to assess students’ perceptions. Findings suggests that eTwinning promotes collaboration and teamwork, stimulates students’ interest and improves critical thinking skills. Results also indicate that eTwinning can influence the prospective teachers’ work with students.