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Empowering teachers for student-centred approach
Start date: Sep 1, 2014, End date: Aug 31, 2016 PROJECT  FINISHED 

A number of relevant scientists report that universities, especially in the U.S.A. (Saulnier, Landry, Herbert in Wagner, 2008) have been developing student-centred learning. Within this approach teachers mainly focus upon what students should learn and emphasize why (Bransford, Vye & Bateman, 2002), they take into account the already existing knowledge of students (Bransford, Brown, Cocking, 2000; Protheroe, 2007), provide different opportunities for students to learn, often change teaching methods, help students who have troubles and consider their background. Teachers discuss with students which study activities lead to good results, expose students to looking for alternatives and trying to find their own solutions. Examination questions refer to real situation and do not lead to categorizing students with regard to their marks. Aslan in Reigeluth (2013) state that modern educational systems should address the needs of the contemporary students, facilitate the study process and prepare students for social life. Each educational system should look at each individual student as a student with special needs and should not require that all students learn in the same way. This project intends to make a research of the student-centred and personalized approach in several European countries, prepare a handbook of good practices for teachers and thus contribute to the modernisation of Europe’s higher education systems, to a reduction in the number of low-skilled adults who study at universities, revise and strengthen the professional capacities of teachers and improve the attainment of young people and the organizational culture of universities. There are four participants from four European countries, three HEIs and one research and development SME specialized in development and support of programmes and courses for teachers and trainers. The main activities of the project are a large-scale research on the theory and practice of the student-centred learning, a teachers' handbook on good practices from student-centred learning, three scientific articles, dissemination of results and a short follow-up study. The project methodology includes a large-scale research (survey of literature, questionnaires to teachers, data analysis, guidelines, conclusions) and uses the research methods of the social sciences. The tasks are equally devided among all the partners. The most important results of the project: the research study, several scientific articles, the handbook for teachers, online training course and other different ways of dissemination will contribute to a better awareness of the benefits of the student-centred learning and will empower teachers to use this approach. The potential longer term benefits are spreading of the student-centred learning paradigm to more HEIs and thus contribute to a more friendly atmosphere at the universities.
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