Georgian Technical University is participating in EU funded Erasmus+ project PRINTeL - “Change in Classroom: Promoting Innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries” (#585760-EPP-12017-1-AM-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP), offering additional opportunities for the academic staff professional development.

It should be noted that in the framework of the PRINTeL project, 11 academic staff (selected through the competition held at Georgian Technical University two years ago) participated in 5-day Training of Trainers (TT) courses offered by PRINTeL project European partners and undertook appropriate trainings at European universities: Leuven Catholic University (Belgium), University of Barcelona (Spain), Porto University (Portugal), Linköping University (Sweden) and FH Joanneum Gesellschaft mbH (Austria).

 Starting from the first half of 2019-2020 academic year GTU trained trainers started conduction of training courses related to innovative pedagogy in order to promote greater awareness on the types and methods of innovative and technology enhanced teaching and learning and to share the best practices gained within PRINTeL project at Georgian Technical University staff.

The total number of trained teachers as of spring 2019 was 385.

Training activities continued and during the spring semester of 2020 academic year trained trainers conducted TT courses promoting innovative teaching and learning that especially became of great importance during the Pandemic (COVID – 19 situation).

The trainings started face to face in February, 2020 then due to the Pandemic, the trainings were conducted via the Zoom Online Video Communications platform (May-June, 2020).

The total number of trained teachers as of spring-summer 2020 was 264. Hence starting from spring 2019, the total number of trained teachers is 649. Among them are some participants from another Georgian University (Caucasus International University) who are interested in the trainings related to innovative pedagogy.

The TT training courses within PRINTeL project at GTU have been conducted in partnership with GTU Innovations Center. It should be noted that mentioned training courses are in line with the courses offered by the project consortium partner European universities and the training courses are based on the experience and best practices of European universities’ professional development training centers.

These TT courses were conducted in the Georgian language and included the topics such as: “Active Learning and ICT-Enhanced Teaching: M-learning and Gamification”; “Use of Modern Communication Technologies in Distance Learning”; “Method of Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom and Open Educational Resources (OER) in Innovative Pedagogy”; “Video - Using in Higher Educational Institutions”; “Hybrid/Blended Learning and Teaching Role in Pandemics”; “The Integration of the Modern Technology in the Active Learning”; “The Use of Video in the Classroom”; “Active Learning with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning”; “Video as a Learning Tool for Teachers and Students”.

After the finish of training course, the participants filled and submitted the course evaluation forms. Based on such feedbacks were conducted TT course evaluation reports and surveys as well.

Due to the surveys most of the participants were agreed that they had got new skills on innovative technology-enhanced teaching and they recommended this course to others.

Herewith after the successful completion of the training, participants were awarded with appropriate Certificates (1 ECTS credit).

Refer below for the timetable of GTU TSDC regular teacher training courses.