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Description
The main objective of the project is the professional development of staff working in the field of formal and non-formal education, in particular teaching staff of university and seconday school teachers in the scope of distance learning using on-line tools (e-learning and blended learning), through the preparation of 12 distance learning courses and their pilot implementation within institutional cooperation between Polish(WSB and EDULABOR) and Icelandic(UNAK) educational establishments. Final recipients to whom outcomes of the project will be directed are: seconday school teachers and acad.lecturers.Plan of the proj.include actions:1.In-depth analysis of the Applicant, Partners and its environment in terms of strengths and weaknesses of distance learning;2.Preparation of assumptions and programmes of the courses;3.Development of content for 12 on-line courses covering 7 topics for school teachers and acad.lecturers to improve their competences in using modern tools and techniques supporting them in dist.learning;4.Production of 12 on-line courses;5.Test-based implementation of the produced on-line courses by school teachers and acad.lecturers;6.Propagation of project results.Proj.results: creation and testing of 12 on-line courses covering 7 topics:-Use of interactive “collaborative whiteboards” platforms to conduct interactive classes in dist.learning;-Use of interactive quiz tools to activate students during dist.learning classes;-The Oxford Debate as a method of teaching in dist.learning;-How to conduct classes and involve students by asking the right questions in dist.learning?-Gamification of the teaching process-How to convert on-line classes into a game process?-Evaluation of pupils’ and students’ progress in dist.learning;-Tools supporting teachers and lecturers in solving conflicts in the conditions of dist.learning.The proj.will bring long-term effects in the implementation of distance learning in WSB,UNAK,EDULABOR.
Summary of project results
The project a response to the lack of competences among teaching staff in secondary and higher education institutions, specifically in the following areas: designing and conducting distance learning classes, applying modern techniques, tools, and methods for online teaching tailored to the needs of contemporary students and learners, using modern technologies in distance teaching, based on learning outcomes and modern, learning-oriented education.
These problems were underscored by the Covid-19 pandemic, which permanently transformed the education market, pushing it towards the adoption of online tools for teaching. This creates a constant need for educators to enhance their competencies in this area.
As a results of the project, a total of 12 online courses were developed (7 in Polish and 5 in English) covering 7 topics. These programs were based on a pre-project needs analysis and updated through the "In-depth analysis of the project partners and their environment in terms of strengths and weaknesses of distance education" (a project result). Developed courses - project outcomes:
1. Use of Miro collaborative whiteboards for interactive distance teaching: PL /ENG.
2. Gamification of online classes using AI tools: PL.
3. Use of interactive quizzing tools to engage students during distance classes: PL /ENG.
4. Oxford style debates as a method of distance teaching: PL /ENG.
5. The importance of learning community in online courses: PL /ENG.
6. Online assessment: PL/ENG
7. Mediation as a tool to support teachers and lecturers in resolving conflicts in distance learning: PL.
The courses were implemented on the decicated TEDIS Moodle platform.
168 Polish and Icelandic teachers and lecturers participated in the pilot testing of the courses (133 completed them). In a post-course survey, they rated the courses on a scale of 1-5 as follows: practical: 4,27, innovative: 4.06, in useful - online form: 4.63. All participants acknowledged that the courses improved their competencies in using modern online techniques and tools for teaching by 86%. The project''s results have been disseminated at partner universities and schools in Poland and abroad and are constantly available to all teachers, educators and lecturers. Currently, several teachers and lecturers from Poland and other countries are participating in the courses to improve their online teaching competences.
Link to the courses and project results: https://tedis.pl/
Summary of bilateral results
Having the University of Akureyri (UNAK), as a project partner was very essential for the project. UNAK for more than 20 years has been the leading university in Iceland in the field of distance learning. . Due to this, the university has extensive experience in developing and supporting its lecturers in distance learning. The university structures include the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and IT, whose aim is to provide professional support to teaching staff in developing their teaching competencies. The specialists from the Centre for Teaching, Learning and IT were members of the project team. Their knowledge and experience, combined with many years of knowledge and experience of WSB in the field of distance learning and creating online courses, resulted in the creation of very good quality online courses. The exchange of knowledge and experience between UNAK, WSB, and Edulabor during the project team meetings concerning: the ways of conducting distance education, cooperation with lecturers in creating and conducting online courses, activating and developing the competencies of teaching staff was also very beneficial to all project members.This excellent cooperation between the partners was the result of ten years of fruitful mutual collaboration in previous projects.The partners intend to continue to cooperate in the dissemination and use of the project results - online courses by offering them to their teaching staff.Good cooperation between the partners in this project enhances the willingness to further collaborate in joint projects (with the possible participation of other universities and educational institutions from Iceland or Norway). At the last project partners meeting, potential areas of further cooperation were proposed: ex.: the development of the intercultural competencies of teaching staff, university eco and social responsibility, the improvement of the quality of management at the university, etc.