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Description
Experiential Learning as Innovative Approach in Education in Public Bodies is a project aiming at supporting public institutions implementing non-formal education by enabling them to reach the appropriate materials (tools monitoring the quality of activities, training modules, a guide for implementing innovative teaching methodologies) and creating new curriculas, as well as usage of samples developed by the consortium.
The project will be implemented through an international partnership, involving organizations from Poland, Iceland, Estonia and Slovenia.
The consortium will include the Youth Cultural Center, which is an example of an institutional beneficiary and a link between other organizations and the environment of Polish public institutions.
The development of appropriate tools, educational materials and training modules as well as curricula as part of the results of intellectual work will allow for their proper implementation during the four learning mobility planned in the project. Thus, it will contribute to the implementation of the project objectives related to the development of teachers'' competences, the development of key competences and interests among young people, increased awareness of the essence of a modern approach to education among decision-makers of educational institutions and the development of intersectoral cooperation on innovative teaching methodologies.
At the same time, the impact of the project will be enhanced by dissemination activities that will allow it to reach a much larger and wider range of stakeholders. Thanks to properly prepared IOs, also this wider group will be able to fully use the products developed in the project and, in the future, develop their own curricula. This gives us the conviction that the project vision will not die after 2 years of its implementation.
Summary of project results
"Experiential Learning as an Innovative Approach in Education in Public Bodies" is a project that supported public institutions engaged in non-formal education, enabling them to access appropriate materials (tools for monitoring the quality of activities, training modules, a guide for implementing innovative teaching methodologies) and to create new educational programs. The consortium also prepared sample educational programs.
The project was implemented through an international partnership involving organizations from Poland, Iceland, and Slovenia. The consortium included the Youth Culture Center, which served as an example of an institutional beneficiary and a link to Polish public institutions. The developed tools, educational materials, training modules, and educational programs were effectively implemented during three educational mobilities planned within the project, as well as a series of dissemination workshops. The project’s implementation contributed to the development of teachers'' competencies and raised awareness among educational decision-makers about the importance of modern educational approaches. It also fostered intersectoral cooperation on innovative teaching methodologies. The impact of the project was further enhanced by dissemination activities that reached a broader range of stakeholders. Thanks to well-prepared intellectual outputs, this wider audience could fully benefit from the project’s products and, in the future, develop their own educational programs. This ensures that the project''s vision will endure beyond the two years of its implementation. The project has improved the quality of education across the entire sector of extracurricular education institutions in Poland, thanks to extensive cooperation with the Polish Association for Extracurricular Education and dozens of institutions affiliated with it. This cooperation will continue after the project’s conclusion, proving the project’s relevance, the ongoing needs of the sector, and the willingness of both parties to collaborate.
The project has produced four key outcomes that have contributed significantly to the development of non-formal education:
Output 1: Theoretical and methodological foundations of experiential learning - This publication presents a theoretical and methodological framework that supports the introduction of experiential learning in public institutions. It includes a detailed discussion of the Kolb cycle and practical tools that teachers can use in their daily work.
Output 2: Training modules for teachers - Two training modules were developed and implemented to provide participants with knowledge on curriculum development and experiential learning methodologies. The trainings were staggered, enabling participants to assimilate and implement the knowledge gained. The second module focused on self-evaluation and the role of evaluation in teachers'' professional development.
Output 3: Guide for teachers to develop educational programmes - This guide offers comprehensive support for teachers, helping them to develop educational programmes in a non-formal context. It emphasises the importance of flexibility and innovation in the design of educational content, and provides tools for self-evaluation.
Output 4: Set of original educational programmes - Five educational programmes created by the participants of the long-term educational programme were produced. Each programme contains 4-5 detailed lesson plans based on the experiential learning methodology. These programmes link closely with the other outputs developed, reinforcing their practical application.
Together, these results form a comprehensive resource that supports teachers in developing modern teaching methods.
Summary of bilateral results
Collaboration with the partner from Iceland (Fræðslumiðstöð Atvinnulífsins) brought unique experience and perspectives in the field of non-formal education, which significantly enriched our activities. Institutions from Donor States, such as Iceland, have a long tradition of applying modern educational methods, including experiential learning, which was a key element of our project. The involvement of this institution enabled us to exchange good practices and methodologies, which in turn contributed to enhancing the quality of the developed outcomes. It was important to have an institution from the Donor States in the project because it allowed us to broaden our knowledge horizons and introduce innovative solutions that would not have been available without this partnership. Cooperation with the Icelandic partner also facilitated the establishment of international relations, which may lead to new projects and initiatives in the future. The cooperation led to an increased understanding of experiential learning and non-formal education management. Thanks to the involvement of the Icelandic partner, we had the opportunity to participate in seminars and expert meetings in Iceland, which enabled us to better understand how to effectively implement these methods in the Polish context. The exchange of experiences with Icelandic experts contributed to improving the quality of our activities, as reflected in the developed educational programs.