eTwinning in initial teacher education as an international collaboration platform: a scoping review
TL;DR
Analysis of 15 studies reveals evidence that the platform enhances digital competence, intercultural awareness, and professional identity formation among pre-service teachers, and support strategic integration of the platform into teacher preparation programs while identifying urgent research priorities.
Abstract
Initial Teacher Education (ITE) faces a range of challenges to prepare educators for increasingly globalized classrooms. This scoping review examines how eTwinning, Europe’s largest educational collaboration platform, supports pre-service teacher development. We systematically searched peer-reviewed publications through May 2025 across Scopus, Web of Science (WoS) and ERIC. Our analysis of 15 studies reveals evidence that the platform enhances digital competence, intercultural awareness, and professional identity formation among pre-service teachers. The research shows concentrated activity in 2023, highlighting both growing interest and the field’s emerging nature. Key findings demonstrate the effectiveness of eTwinning in developing collaborative pedagogical competence and global educator identity. However, critical gaps persist: no longitudinal studies track long-term impacts, subject-specific research remains limited, and methodological approaches need diversification. These findings support strategic integration of the platform into teacher preparation programs while identifying urgent research priorities.