Lõiming ja koostöö
Start date: Jun 1, 2016,
End date: Sep 30, 2017
PROJECT
FINISHED
Audentes School has focused in depth on the development of its employees since the establishment of the institution. The school is always seeking to provide means for development via in-house training and courses organised by professional associations and other Estonian educational institutions. The purpose of this study mobility project, however, is to make it possible for our motivated staff to seek opportunities for self-improvement abroad and support their professional and personal growth. Participating in this project is an exceptional opportunity to analyse one’s competence, as well as acquire some experience in planning and carrying out a project. This, in turn, will help teachers implement a larger variety of approaches and techniques and contribute to the development of the school, both in terms of teaching and management. All of this makes Audentes a more attractive educational institution for Estonian and international students alike. Acquiring new international contacts will also help create and expand pan-European cooperative networks. Our list of participants in the study mobility project consists of teachers and supporting staff, including a mathematics teacher and a history teacher from our basic school, a biology teacher, geography teacher and English teachers from our upper secondary school.The prerequisite for initiating and implementing the project is compiling an application and identifying the participants’ needs for training which must be relevant and in accord with Audentes’ plan for development. All employees are equally welcome to file their applications and participate in all stages of the project. Training agreements are signed and a detailed newsletter is sent to all participants after all applications have been considered and a decision has been made. The latest date for the final decision is one month before the beginning of the first training course. Audentes’ project includes different mobility projects, such as an international conference, participating in subject-centred courses and courses focusing on integrating several subjects. All courses aim to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, equip participants with practical solutions and methods applicable in classrooms, and improve language and communication skills. Participants also have an opportunity to experience cultural diversity and share valuable experiences of teaching science and languages.When the course is finished, the most important part of the project is sharing the acquired knowledge, experiences and best practices with colleagues and implementing new methods and materials. It is also essential that mobility projects be promoted in meetings, in-house training courses and also publicly. Filling in a feedback form about the mobility course is mandatory for the participants in order to conclude the project.The project is monitored and supervised by a project manager who is well versed in Estonian and English and has significant experience in international training and travel. The project manager considers participants’ individual needs for development and also the work and development plans devised by the school’s management and teaching staff. Participants are monitored by means of systematic communication and required to give regular reports. All changes regarding the content or financing of the project must be approved by the project manager and, if needed, by the management of the school or Archimedes Foundation.The efficiency of the mobility project is assessed in several ways. Firstly, the participants’ self-examination reports and feedback on the school’s training and development plans are analysed. Secondly, development interviews with participants are conducted and finally, feedback from students and other teachers is gathered to evaluate changes in study results and student participation in class. Also, participants’ own feedback on the project is examined as well as whether the aims described by the participants (in p. I.1; F.1; D) have been reached.Due to the study mobility project, Audentes becomes better known internationally and becomes more attractive in the ever-changing sphere of education in Estonia and the whole of Europe, which creates an opportunity to initiate new cooperation projects.As a result of the project, the school and teachers have acquired new international contacts, knowledge and practical skills concerning their subject, and broadened their horizons. An important aspect is also the expected satisfaction and internal motivation of the participants subsequent to the course. A teacher who knows one’s requirements for development and appreciates one’s competences is a role model and an inspiration for the whole school, including the students and parents. The latter, in turn, sense the school’s aim to be an innovator and a promoter of lifelong learning. This can be all achieved with the current study mobility project, Integration and Cooperation.