Exploring the ECML ICT-REV Inventory and Creating Together!
Returning home from Larissa about a week ago, I feel inspired, energized and truly grateful for having been part of an amazing professional development experience! The two-day experiential training workshop “Use of ICT in support of language teaching and learning (ICT-REV)”, organized by the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML/CELV) of the Council of Europe in collaboration with Greek educational authorities, was a wonderful opportunity to learn, reflect, exchange ideas and, above all, connect with colleagues who share the same passion for teaching and learning! The workshop took place on 1–2 October 2026 in Larissa and brought together educators from Thessaly, Central Greece and Epirus. It was a rich experience that combined theoretical input, practical exploration of digital resources, collaborative task design and meaningful professional dialogue. And, as is often the case with the best learning experiences, I returned home with so many new ideas, a long list of things to explore and the desire to share everything with my colleagues!
Before we met in Larissa: Getting to know the ECML and one another
Our learning journey started before we even arrived at the workshop venue! Through an asynchronous Moodle learning environment, we had the opportunity to become familiar with the work of the European Centre for Modern Languages and the main themes of the ICT-REV initiative. This preparatory phase was much more than an introduction to the workshop content. We introduced ourselves, shared our professional backgrounds and expectations, and started getting to know one another. It was lovely to build a learning community online before meeting face-to-face! We arrived in Larissa already having taken the first steps towards collaboration!
Day 1: Discovering the ECML ICT-REV Inventory
The first day began in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The workshop was officially opened by Dr. Aikaterini Karagiorgou, Director of Primary Education of Larissa and head organizer of the event, whose contribution to the organization of this important professional development opportunity deserves special recognition. Online greetings were also extended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, including Panagiotis Passas, Head of the General Directorate of Human Resources, and Aikaterini Mpompetsi, from the Directorate of European and International Affairs. Local representatives Vassilios Simos, from the Region of Thessaly, and Christos Agoritsas, from the Municipality of Larissa, also welcomed the initiative.
We were then introduced to the work of the ECML and the ICT-REV initiative, which promotes the pedagogically sound use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and open educational resources in language teaching and learning. And this is where things got really interesting! Our main focus was the ECML Inventory of ICT tools, a valuable resource designed to help language educators discover digital tools and consider how they can be used meaningfully in their teaching.
Of course, most of us were already familiar with a considerable number of digital tools. We have been exploring and using technology in our classrooms for years, experimenting with different platforms, applications and resources to make our lessons more engaging and effective. However, exploring the ECML inventory opened up a whole new world of possibilities! There were so many interesting tools to discover, including resources that we had not encountered before and others that could be used in ways we had not previously considered. The inventory offered us a curated starting point for exploring digital tools in relation to our pedagogical needs and learning objectives.
And this is what I particularly appreciated: the focus was not simply on technology, but on the ways technology can support language learning! A tool is not valuable just because it is digital or innovative! What really matters is what our learners can do with it, how it supports interaction and communication, and how it contributes to achieving our learning objectives. If you are a language teacher looking for fresh ideas, I strongly encourage you to explore the inventory here: ECML ICT-REV Inventory of ICT tools. You may already know and use many of the tools included there, but I am quite sure you will discover some new ones, too!
Day 2: From exploring tools to creating learning activities
If Day 1 was about exploring possibilities, Day 2 was about putting ideas into practice! Working collaboratively in teams, we focused on organizing tasks, designing learning activities and reflecting on our teaching practices. We explored how digital tools can support meaningful language learning in face-to-face, online and blended learning environments. For me, this was one of the most rewarding aspects of the workshop. Rather than simply discussing tools and their features, we had the opportunity to think about actual classroom situations and design activities that could be used with our learners.We exchanged ideas, discussed different approaches, considered the needs of our students and worked together to develop learning activities for the ECML learning activities platform.
The process involved much more than choosing a tool and deciding how to use it. We had to think about the learning objectives, the learners, the sequence of tasks, the kind of interaction we wanted to encourage and the learning outcomes we hoped to achieve. We also reflected on the challenges that language teachers face today, including the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in education and the need to make informed pedagogical decisions when integrating digital technologies into our practice.
I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to step back from our everyday teaching routines and look at our practice through a more reflective lens. Sometimes, collaborating with colleagues who bring different experiences and perspectives helps us reconsider familiar practices and see new possibilities where we had not noticed them before. And that is the beauty of collaborative professional learning: we do not simply collect ideas; we build on one another’s ideas and turn them into something new!
Why not contribute your own learning activity?
One of the most exciting outcomes of the workshop was discovering that the ECML platform is not just a place to find digital tools. It also provides a space for sharing learning activities designed around those tools. The ECML ICT learning activities platform is an excellent starting point for educators who would like to explore examples of classroom practice and contribute their own ideas. Imagine taking an activity you have successfully tried in your classroom, refining it, discussing it with a colleague and sharing it with other teachers across Europe and beyond! You do not need to invent something entirely new or use the most sophisticated digital tool available. A simple, well-designed activity that encourages learners to communicate, collaborate, create, reflect or give one another feedback can be extremely valuable. And, believe me, designing learning activities collaboratively can be a creative and rewarding process in itself!
Here are a few suggestions if you would like to get started:
- Explore: Browse the ICT tools inventory and identify a tool that could serve a specific learning objective.
- Reflect: Consider your learners’ needs, their language level and the skills you would like them to develop.
- Collaborate: Invite a colleague to brainstorm ideas and co-design an activity. Different perspectives can make a real difference!
- Create: Develop clear instructions, define the stages of the activity and decide how learners will interact and demonstrate their learning.
- Share: Visit the ECML ICT learning activities platform and consult its submission guidance to find out how you can contribute your work.
Your activity does not have to be perfect or groundbreaking! What matters is that it has a clear pedagogical purpose and that sharing it can help another teacher discover a new possibility for their classroom. Let’s make our ideas visible, exchange our experiences and contribute to a community of educators who learn from one another!
The people who made this experience so special
A professional development workshop is much more than its programme, materials and activities. It is also about the people who bring it to life, the atmosphere they create and the opportunities they offer participants to learn, experiment and collaborate. I would like to express my warmest congratulations and sincere thanks to our wonderful trainers: Pauline Ernest, Dr. Ursula Stickler and Dr. Sarah Heiser from The Open University, UK, who facilitated this workshop in collaboration with the ECML! They were knowledgeable, approachable, encouraging and incredibly supportive throughout the two days! They created a positive learning environment in which we felt comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, experimenting and being creative. Their guidance helped us move from exploring resources to thinking critically about their pedagogical potential and developing our own learning activities. Thank you for your enthusiasm, your encouragement and the wonderful atmosphere you created! It was a pleasure learning with and from you.
My heartfelt congratulations and thanks also go to the Directorate of Primary Education of Larissa and its Director, Dr. Aikaterini Karagiorgou, for taking the initiative and ensuring the successful organization of this event. Warm thanks are also due to the Directorate of European and International Affairs, International Relations Department, of the Greek Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, and to the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML/CELV) of the Council of Europe for their collaboration and commitment to supporting language education and teacher professional development. The excellent organization, the carefully designed programme and the supportive learning environment made these two days truly meaningful.
Congratulations to everyone involved, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to be part of such a valuable experience!
Beyond the workshop: The power of connecting with colleagues
There is one more aspect of the experience that I cannot leave unmentioned: the people! The workshop brought together 35 selected education professionals, including Education Consultants, Quality Supervisors, foreign language teachers, philologists and primary school teachers from Thessaly, Central Greece and Epirus. We came from different educational contexts and had different experiences, responsibilities and perspectives. Yet, we shared a common interest in improving our teaching practices and exploring new ways to support our learners!
We exchanged experiences, inspired one another, discussed challenges, worked together and discovered how much we can learn from colleagues who approach familiar questions from different perspectives. On a more personal note, one of the highlights for me was finally meeting face-to-face colleagues whom I had known for years only through social media and our online professional networks! It is always wonderful when digital connections turn into real conversations, shared laughter and the beginnings of new friendships and professional collaborations. These encounters reminded me once again that, while technology can bring us together, it is the human connection that makes professional learning truly memorable!
I returned home feeling grateful not only for everything I had learned, but also for all the wonderful people I had the chance to meet.
Final thoughts: Let’s explore, create and share!
Looking back on these two days in Larissa, I realize that the most valuable professional development experiences are those that combine new knowledge with reflection, experimentation and collaboration. The ICT-REV workshop gave us the opportunity to explore a valuable European resource, discover new digital tools, reconsider familiar teaching practices, design collaborative learning activities and connect with colleagues who are equally eager to learn and grow. It also reminded me that we do not have to do everything on our own. We can learn from one another, co-design activities, exchange ideas and share the resources we create. Something that begins as a small classroom experiment can become an inspiring idea for another teacher somewhere else in Europe!
So, if you are a language teacher, I encourage you to take a look at the ECML resources. Explore the ICT tools inventory, discover tools you may not have used before, reflect on how they could enrich your teaching and, why not, contribute a learning activity of your own! Start with a tool that interests you. Think of a learning objective. Invite a colleague to work with you. Experiment, discuss, improve and share. You may discover that the process is just as rewarding as the final result!
I am leaving this experience with new ideas, renewed enthusiasm and a strong desire to put what I have learned into practice and share it with my educational community. Because professional learning becomes even more meaningful when we share what we learn. And because, together, we can create learning experiences that inspire both teachers and learners! Thank you, Larissa, for an unforgettable experience! And thank you to everyone who made these two days so special. I hope this is the beginning of many more opportunities to learn, create and collaborate together!
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