
In-House Teacher Training (TT) Course at Belarusian State University (BSU)
08 Feb 2019
Internal Teacher Training Courses
Within the frameworks of Erasmus+ PRINTeL project in February-March, 2019 a Teacher Training (TT) Course aimed at retraining teaching staff members is programmed to be held at Belarusian State University (BSU).
The BSU trainers of the TT Course who took part in the ToT (Training of Teachers) courses at 5 EU Project partner universities (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Universitat de Barcelona, Universidade do Porto, Linköpings Universitet, FH Joanneum Gesellschaft mbH) have prepared training courses on teaching and learning in innovative methods for BSU teaching staff members and have planned to share with them all the experience they have previously gained during the abovementioned ToT courses.
The TT courses are going to be delivered by the 15 ToT courses participants from TeSaU. It is envisaged that up to 150 BSU teaching staff members will pass the course.
During the course BSU lecturers are going to be trained in a number of fields related to innovative technology-enhanced teaching and learning.
TT Course #15 “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning"
Trainer: Senior Teacher Oksana Tozik (BSU Philological Faculty, English Linguistics Chair)
Within the framework of the Erasmus + PRINTeL project, the representatives of the academic teaching staff of BSU participated in the TT Course “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning” (April 1-5).
In total 23 participants from the Faculty of Philology, Faculty of Law, Faculty of International Relations, Educational and methodical laboratory of innovations in education, National Institute for Higher Education attended the training seminars.
During training week participants had the opportunity to learn such an innovative approach as Blended learning, as well as developed their skills in use of LMS Moodle and other online tools in class and outside class.
In addition, the attendees improved their skills in computer technologies and application of computers for teaching and learning.
Training started with the presentation of the concept of PRINTeL project. Oksana Tozik gave a short overview of the project methodology and expected outcomes for the BSU academic community.
Trainees were working in the computer lab and learning how to use and implement IT into traditional teaching and learning practices at their home faculties.
The brainstorming session aimed at generating ideas on blended learning was followed by the work in Moodle in order to learn its opportunities, services and functionality. The seminar was aimed at the incorporation of Moodle-based technologies into the classroom by developing online-Portfolios to support students’ reflection processes.
All the participants were awarded with PRINTeL certificates.
For videos of the TT course, please, refer to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rspJ9IJAHs4&list=PLuK1Dqu4Ra0KFPUspHVeLFJlWThooXg7H&index=3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3ug9R4ITVk&list=PLuK1Dqu4Ra0KFPUspHVeLFJlWThooXg7H&index=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM8F7pO-gAE&list=PLuK1Dqu4Ra0KFPUspHVeLFJlWThooXg7H&index=1
TT Course #14 “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning”
Trainer: Associate Professor Vasily Grinev (BSU Faculty of Biology)
In accordance with the planned activities of the Erasmus+ PRINTeL project, the representatives of the academic teaching staff of the BSU participated in the TT Course on “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning”. This course was held at the Faculty of Biology for one week, April 1-5, 2019. In total, 19 participants attended the training seminars. These participants represent seven departments of the Faculty of Biology (Department of Biochemistry, Department of Cell Biology and Bioengineering of Plants, Department of General Ecology and Teaching Methodology in Biology, Department of Genetics, Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Department of Zoology), two departments of the International Sakharov Environmental Institute of BSU (Department of Immunology and Ecological Epidemiology, Educational and Methodical Laboratory of Environmental Education), Department of General and Clinical Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Department of English for Humanities Faculties and four departments from the Republican Institute of Higher Education of BSU (Department of Educational Systems Design, Department of General and Clinical Psychology, Department of Modern Life Sciences, Department of Psychology and Pedagogical Skills).
The training week covered all main topics of blended learning: from basics of blended approach in teaching and learning to e-portfolio process. Each seminar included lecture presentation, tutorial, practical tasks for participants, reflections and group discussions.
Participants presented and discussed their own vision concerning the advantages and disadvantages of blended teaching and learning.
Vasily Grinev presented the peculiarities of usage of video lectures in blended learning and used his own original video lecture as an example.
Trainees worked in small groups and developed e-tivities for their own university’s educational courses.
During the TT Course the functionality, features, advantages and disadvantages of the Moodle platform in blended learning were discussed with particular attention.
At the end of the TT course all the participants who attended full program of seminar were awarded with Certificate of PRINTeL project.
TT Course #13 “Hybrid/Blended Learning and Teaching”
Trainer: Senior Lecturer Natalya Sayanova (BSU Faculty of Journalism)
Within the framework of the Erasmus + PRINTeL project, the representatives of the academic teaching staff of BSU participated in the TT Course “Hybrid/Blended Learning and Teaching” (April 1-5, 2019).
22 participants from the Faculty of International Relations, Faculty of Pre-university Education, Faculty of Journalism, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Republican Institute of Higher Education, Economic Faculty, Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Business of BSU, Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science attended the training seminars.
During the training week participants got acquainted with technologies and methods of hybrid/blended teaching and learning, such as Moodle platform, E-portfolios, online open courses and online tools for creating a content of the disciplines, project oriented activity. Reflection as part of blended learning was also used during the seminars.
During the training such an element of innovative learning as Mooc platform was introduced to the trainees as concept of supplementary information for self-education. The TT course participants learnt about new forms of communication with students via online Learning Management System Moodle and got experience in elaborating E-portfolio which is an example of learning, scientific and professional mobility.
Trainees presented their homework projects with respect to the resources of blended teaching which can be applied during their teaching courses
The participants who attended full program of trainings have been awarded with Certificate of PRINTeL project.
TT Course #12 “Active Learning and ICT-enhanced teaching: M-learning and gamification”
Trainer: Associate Prof. Tatiana Pavlova (BSU Faculty of International relations, Chair of International Law, Associate Professor)
Within the framework of the Erasmus + PRINTeL project, the representatives of the academic teaching staff of the BSU participated in the TT Course on " Active Learning and ICT-enhanced teaching: M-learning and gamification" (March 25-29).
In total 22 participants from the different faculties (international relations, economics, mechanics and mathematics, geography, history, economic Informatics, physical education and sports and etc.) attended the trainings.
During the training the participants took part in a number of theoretical and practical classes on active learning methods: m-learning and gamification strategy. All the participants have mastered a number of methods of active use of mobile apps in different types of classes.
Tatiana Pavlova presented how active teaching methods would allow a teacher to deeply include the student audience in the learning process: the difference between involve and engage.
In the course of the training courses the participants learnt how to exploit such apps as Kahoot, Socrative App., Mentimeter, Canva Inforgraphics, etc.
Tatiana Pavlova put emphasis on the cascade theory of the flow of information that is a part of the strategy of gamification.
During the training the following issues were also discussed: gamification strategies and techniques, the elements of gamification used in the educational process, as well as M-learning tools in teaching process.
The trainees presented their final projects with gamification intervention and m-learning components.
All participants who attended the full program of the trainings and prepared presentations and implementation of the gamification strategy and mobile tools in the process of their own educational courses were awarded with the Certificate of PRINTeL project.
TT Course # 11 “Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom”
Trainer: Head of the Department Sviatlana Kharytonava (BSU Faculty of Journalism, Department of “Periodical Press & Web-Journalism”)
Within the framework of the Erasmus + PRINTeL project, the representatives of the academic teaching staff of the BSU participated in the TT Course “Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom” (March 25-29).
In total 32 participants from the Faculty of Journalism, Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Faculty of International Relations, Faculty of Law, College of law, Faculty of Humanities, National Institute for Higher Education, Institution of Sakharov attended the training seminars.
During training week participants got acquainted with a specific expertise in designing inside class activities and preparing outside class material. Additionally, teacher trained to use tools for interaction inside class, and tools for preparing multimedia presentations.
Training participants got acquainted with the concept of “active learning” and learnt how to plan for group-based problem-solving sessions, tried to apply different tools like backchannels and response systems for interactive collaboration by using their own smartphones.
The TT course participants received handouts (methods of active learning of different levels of complexity and assignments) for self-reflection and further work in groups.
The trainees presented their multimedia lectures and projects in Designing a flipped classroom course.
At the end of the training course all the participants received the Certificates of PRINTeL project.
For video, please refer to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o63yA3qQxYw&list=PLuK1Dqu4Ra0KFPUspHVeLFJlWThooXg7H&index=4
Teacher Training Course # 10 “Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom”
Trainer: Methodist, Teacher, Trainer Karpiyevich Alena (BSU Laboratory of Educational Innovations)
22 participants from the Faculty of Journalism, Faculty of International Relations, Faculty of Economy, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Geography, Faculty of Chemistry, Laboratory of Innovation in Education, National Institute for Higher Education, Institution of Sakharov took part in the course “Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom” (in frames of Erasmus + PRINTeL project, March 25-29).
Teacher Training (TT) Course was implemented in the strategy of active learning and was based on the LMS Moodle. It became possible because the training was organized in the computer class.
During the TT Course the trainees got introduced with the concept of Flipped Classroom. They discussed about the possibilities of using flipped classroom technology in BSU.
Such elements of innovative teaching and learning tools as Padlet and groupwork on the LMS Moodle were also elaborated during the training. By means of other tools, namely the Mentimeter, teachers were able to implement the method of self-reflection and see how it functions in the process of active learning.
During the courses the trainees discussed about the typical course lecture and homework elements and prepared presentations of their own projects.
Upon the successful completion of the TT Course the trainees carried out final evaluation and reflection concerning the training and received the Certificates of the PRINTeL Project.
To see the videos of the TT Course, please, refer to the following links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBHspZk57XY&list=PLuK1Dqu4Ra0KFPUspHVeLFJlWThooXg7H&index=3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXuQBLTvOGI&list=PLuK1Dqu4Ra0KFPUspHVeLFJlWThooXg7H&index=2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGCbbm4skTg&list=PLuK1Dqu4Ra0KFPUspHVeLFJlWThooXg7H&index=1
TT Course #9 “Video as a Learning tool for teachers and students”
Trainer: Dean /Teacher Natalia Mantsurova (BSU Faculty of Advanced Training and Retraining)
Teacher training course «Video as a Learning tool for teachers and students» was conducted for the academic teaching staff of the BSU within the framework of the Erasmus + PRINTeL project (March 18-22).
The group of 14 participants from Faculty of Economics, Faculty of International Relations, Faculty of Law, Mechanics and Mathematics Faculty, Faculty of Geography, English Department of Humanitarian Faculties and representatives from Law College of the Belarusian State University and National Institute of Higher Education of the Belarusian State University took part in the training seminars.
During training week participants got acquainted with Innovative technologies in teaching and learning, types of video, the process of creating video.
Natalia Mantsurova presented practical examples of using video in teaching process and gave some Tips & Tricks about video capturing. Trainees discussed how digital resources can support teaching process and learnt about software tools for creating video.
Trainees presented their assignments - short videos, identifying advantages and disadvantages of using video in teaching and learning, sharing opinions about challenges during video-making.