Turning university professors into competent learners(or how to interweave a new educational

methodology with a tool for Lifelong Learning)

Eliza Stefanova, Miroslava Ilieva, Nikolina Nikolova, Krassen Stefanov

(University of Sofia)

Content Introduction & Main goals TENCompetence framework I*Teach Methodology Pre-pilot settings Teams and Projects Main challenges Results Conclusions

Introduction

TENCompetence project Role of the pilots Pre-pilots: training how to implement the

real pilots ICT Teacher Training pilot Time schedule: July 2007 Place: Sofia

Main goals

• Find the optimal way to master the I*Teach methodology using the new tool Personal Competence Manager (PCM)

• Search for appropriate methods to present the new methodology and the new tool in the context of both ICT and teaching

• Find the right balance between the face to face and distance training, enabling training on-the-job learning to be implemented

TENCompetence Framework

• Personal Competence Manager (PCM) tool

• Additional Open Source tools planned to be used (Moodle, SLeD)

• Software and documentation mainly with interface in English

• Some bugs and errors still available during the pre-pilot

I*Teach methodology Developed in the frame of the Leonardo

project The Innovative Teacher (I*Teach) For teachers and teacher trainers how to

teach four identified ICT-enhanced skills related to: information, presentation, working in a team, working on a project

Described using learning scenarios based on sequence of learning tasks aimed to achieve specific learning goal (milestone)

Participants• 42 participants

• The youngest was 21 years old

• The oldest was 67 years old

• The ratio between males and females was roughly 1:1 (22:20)

• 30 University lecturers and 12 secondary school teachers

• from areas like computer science, language learning, educational technology, etc.

Participants

The pilot Competence Development Program (CDP)

• ICT-enhanced skills are an extension of soft skills, where ICT is used to enhance the ordinary skill

• Four main competences, each one including set of sub-competences

• Complex map of dependencies between all competences and sub-competences was developed

The Competences addressed

• Teaching information skills using ICT

• Teaching presentation skills using ICT

• Teaching working on a project skills using ICT

• Teaching working in a team skills using ICT

Pilot teaching methodology• continuous, repeatable and gradually

accumulated experiences and expanded activities

• Each activity leads to concrete goals by performing specific tasks in different context

• Educational scenarios are used as a methodological framework

• All scenarios and tasks stored in a central knowledge repository

Basic pilot training scenario

• Start with face-to-face session introducing the methodology and the tools

• Individual learning in authentic environment

• Social networks and communities of practice formed

• Working in a groups and in a team

• Evaluation based on final learning outcomes during the final face-to-face session

Learning approach

• Based on active learning• Strong emphasis on a combination of

project-based and problem-based learning• Main learning curriculum, available in a

form of handbooks, transformed and put into PCM and SLeD tools

• Rich set of learning activities developed in a form of learning scenarios and tasks

Face-to-face worm-up session•Self-presentation and group formation

•Introduction to the I*Teach methodology and setting each group task

•Brainstorming sessions for planning how to solve each group task

•Introduction to PCM and SLeD tools in the context of solving the group tasks

•Final discussion and setting the ground for the distance group working

Main challenges•Team members should distribute their tasks (working on skill working-in-a-team)

•They should develop joint result - competence development plan (like working-on-a-project) with support of technologies

•The groups had to search, find and share knowledge resources (working on information skills) for the learning activities

•They need to present their project (working on the presentation skills)

Additional challenges

• Team members should form their own community and learning network

• They should combine individual competence development with social group working

• They need to master peer-to-per learning and evaluation

• They need to evaluate the pre-pilot itself

Group work sessions

• Building new competences through:– Learning how to apply

new methodology– Learning how to use

new technologies and tools for competence development

Folk dancing competence plan

Learning Path: Time management

Final face-to-face session

• Present the main results achieved

• Discuss the strong and the weak points of each project presented

• Discuss the TENCompetence framework

• Discuss the plans for the further pilot implementation

Time Management community

Home & Family community

• Detailed course with examples for babysitters:

“Massage and gymnastic for full motor motions of babies during their first period of life (from 1st to 4th months) – reflexive movements”

Moodle community

How to learn Bulgarian language

• What competences and skills are needed from a non-Bulgarian person in order to learn to write and publish on the web essay from the Bulgarian history in Bulgarian language

Bulgarian folk dancing

Main results• All groups successfully delivered their projects

• Very good results in applying both I*Teach methodology and TENCompetence tools

• Several errors and bugs in the tools identified

• Very positive attitude from the participants

• Very good training for the real pilot

Conclusions• The results assure us that the approach is right and the tools are very appropriate

• The approach generally validated, with important practical recommendations given from participants

• The mode (mainly distance working with starting and finishing face-to-face workshops) seems to be very practical and useful

• Special attention should be given to participants with limited abilities to read and write in English

• Special attention should be given to usability issues

Questions?