Within the frame of Erasmus+ PRINTeL project in February-March, 2019 a Teacher Training (TT) Course directed at retraining GTU teaching staff members is programmed to take place at Georgian Technical University (GTU).

The trainers of the TT Course who participated 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 outlined trainings on teaching and learning in innovative methods and have planned to share with their GTU colleague teachers all the experience they got after passing the abovementioned ToT courses. 

The TT courses are going to be delivered by the 11 ToT courses participants from GTU and up to 110 GTU lecturers will pass the TT course.  

During the course GTU teaching staff members are going to be trained in a number of fields related to innovative technology-enhanced teaching and learning.

TT Course #11 „Video as a Learning Tool for Teachers & Students “

Trainer: Professor Nino Chkhartishvili (GTU Faculty of Agricultural science and biosystems engineering)

On March 21-26, Professor Nino Chkhartishvili from the Faculty of Agricultural Science and Biosystems Engineering carried out a certified Teacher Training Course “Video as a learning tool for teachers and students” at Georgian Technical University, in the framework of EU funded ERASMUS+ Program PRINTeL Project. 17 trainees from 3 different departments attended the course.

The goal of internal TT course was the popularization and development of innovative pedagogic elements thus offering additional opportunities for the professors’ professional development. Prof. Chkhartishvili attended the training session with the same title at the University of Porto, Portugal in November 2018 within PRINTeL project.

The five-day training on innovative learning envisaged 10 hours presented in 2 hours per day for 5 days of classroom work and 20 hours of individual work (1 ECTS Credit).

The trainees were introduced with the agenda, syllabus and the main issues of the training. During the course the participants discussed about the advantages and disadvantages of the video lectures, determined how to use videos during their lectures and practical learnings. The participants were informed about the educational videos and their species. They got knowledge about flipped classroom and its importance during the educational process.

They were presented the information about the Porto University’s experience in innovative teaching and learning tools and were also informed about the PANOPTO program, that has been adopted for years in Porto University.

The TT course participants got knowledge about programs: "Explain everything" and "Movie Maker". They participated in video planning. In order to examine the above-mentioned programs, the participants were divided into groups and worked on the programs. Some of them tried to work individually.

The trainees especially liked the program “explain Everything”.

At the end of the training, the participants presented the completed tasks to the trainer and other participants and evaluated giving feedbacks about the TT course.

TT Course #10 “Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom”

Trainer: Associate Professor Manuchar Shishinashvili (GTU Faculty of Civil Engineering)

Within the framework of ERASMUS+ PRINTeL project a Teacher Training course titled “Innovative pedagogy method: Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom Method” was conducted at Georgian Technical University on 11-15 March, 2019.

The course was conducted by Associate Professor Manuchar Shishinashvili (GTU Faculty of Civil Engineering), who had previously completed a similar ToT course in Linköping University (Sweden) within the frame of the Project.

The duration of the TT course was 5 days, with 2 hour-long sessions per each training. The main topics of training-seminars included: the innovative pedagogical, teaching and learning method of Flipped Classroom and developing relevant skills required for this method, models of Flipped Classroom teaching, necessary skills and competencies to access open online sources, principles of sli.do Interactive Software and creating video lectures with the help of MS PowerPoint.

10 working hours were sufficiently overloaded and intensive, entirely based on the experience of Linköping University and other partners within the Project consortium.

The academic staff of GTU attended the trainings, and all those participants who completed the course were awarded with bilingual certificates.

The TT training courses within project PRINTeL in GTU were conducted in partnership with GTU Innovations Center, Center of Teachers’ Professional Development (which was established on the basis of PRINTel capacity building context) and GTU Center of Professional Development.

TT Course #9 “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning”

Trainer: Assistant Professor Nino Kholuashvili (GTU Faculty of Law and International Relations, Departament Of Private Law)

On 11-15 March, 2019 at Georgian Technical University (Georgia) an internal Teacher Training (TT) course on Innovative pedagogy method: “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning” method was conducted within the framework of EU funded Erasmus+ program PRINTeL project.  

TT course was conducted by Assist. Prof. Nino Kholuashvili who took part in ToT course with the same title provided in the framework of the Project at EU partner FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences in Graz, Austria in November 2018.

5-day-training course was attended by 40  lecturers from 14 different departments of GTU 5 Faculties (Faculty of Engineering Ecconomic, Media Technology and Social Sciences; Faculty of Law and International Relations; Faculty of Architecture, Urban Planing and Design; Faculty of Informatics and Control Systems; Faculty of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy). 

The training was structured in five modules: first - the introduction of theories of blended learning that was followed by discussions about the strengths and potential risks of the approach and practical tasks.

In other modules (E-Moderation, Project-based Learning, E-portfolio, Multimedia) the attendees had a chance to work at different online platforms like Moodle, Trello, Google Sites, etc., they also were introduced to the basics of applying multimedia tools like editing videos in EdPuzzle.

The five day training envisaged 10 hours presented in 2 hours per day for 5 days of classroom work and 20 hours of individual work (1 ECTS Credit).

The final day of the course was devoted to the presentations of the assigned tasks and giving the feedbacks.

After the successful completion of the course the participants were awarded with appropriate Certificates.

Internal TT training courses within the project PRINTeL at GTU were conducted in partnership with GTU Innovations Center, Center of Teachers’ Professional Development, established on the basis of PRINTeL capacity building context.

TT Course #8 “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning”

Trainer: Professor Zaza Tsotniashvili (GTU Faculty of Engineering Economic, Media Technology and Social Sciences)

On 11-15 March, 2019 at Georgian Technical University (Georgia) an internal Teacher Training (TT) course on Innovative pedagogy method: “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning” method was conducted within the framework of EU funded Erasmus+ program PRINTeL project.

The TT course was conducted by Prof. Zaza Tsotniashvili who had completed ToT course with the same title provided in the framework of the Project at EU partner FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences in Graz, Austria in November 2018.

The 5-day-training course was attended by 36 lecturers from GTU 7 different departments of 3 Faculties, including humanties and engineering fields.

The training was structured in five modules. The first was the introduction of theories of blended learning that was followed by discussion about the strengths and potential risks of the approach and practical tasks.

In other modules (E-Moderation, Project-based Learning, E-portfolio, Multimedia) the TT course participants had a chance to work in different online platforms like Moodle, Trello, Google Sites, etc., they also were introduced to the basics of applying multimedia tools like editing videos in EdPuzzle.

The five day TT training course envisaged 10 hours presented in 2 hours per day for 5 days of classroom work and 20 hours of individual work (1 ECTS Credit).

The final day of the course was devoted to the presentations of the assigned tasks and giving the feedbacks about the course.

The TT training courses within project PRINTeL at GTU were conducted in partnership with GTU Innovations Center, Center of Teachers’ Professional Development, established on the basis of PRINTeL capacity building context.

TT Course #7 “Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom”

Trainer: Associate Professor Boris Gitolendia (GTU Faculty of Transportation and Mechanical Engineering)

Within the framework of PRINTeL project a Teacher Training course entitled “Innovative pedagogy method: Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom Method” was conducted at Georgian Technical University on 11-15 March, 2019.

The course was delivered by Associate Professor Boris Gitolendia (GTU Faculty of Transportation and Mechanical Engineering), who previously completed a similar ToT course in Linköping University (Sweden) within PRINTeL project.

The trainings lasted 5 days, each of them with 2 hour-long sessions. 10 sufficiently overloaded and intensive working hours included different activities like sessions and lectures, practical and group workshops, team and individual presentations and role games.

The trainings also included redesigning of lecture courses and practical works in creating video lectures with MS PowerPoint.

The training course was entirely based on the experience of Linköping University and other international partners. GTU academic staff attended the trainings and all those participants who completed the course were awarded with corresponding Certificates.

The trainings were conducted in partnership with Teaching Staff Development Center of GTU Innovations Center (founded on the basis of PRINTel capacity building context) and GTU Center of Professional Development.

TT Course #6 „Video as a Learning Tool for Teachers & Students“

Trainer: Associated Professor Dali  Sekhniashvili (GTU Faculty of Engineering Economics, Media Technologies and Social Sciences)

The trainer Assoc. Prof. Dali Sekhniashvili (GTU Faculty of Engineering Economics, Media Technologies and Social Sciences), in framework of the PRINTeL Project (EU funded ERASMUS+ CBHE programme), attended the ToT training course “Video as a Learning tool for teachers and students” in Porto, Portugal, at University of Porto in November 12 - 16, 2018. In order to promote greater awareness on the types and methods of innovative and technology-enhanced T&L and to disseminate best practices within Georgian Technical University staff, she led a five-day training course in innovative learning (Video as a Learning tool for teachers and students) at GTU. The training envisaged 10 hours presented in 2 hours per day for 5 days of classroom work and 20 hours of individual work (1 ECTS Credit).

On 4-9 March, 2019, a 5-day-training course, “Video as a Learning Tool for Teachers and Students”, were attended by 23 lecturers from 6 different Faculties (Faculty of Business Technology, Faculty of Engineering Economic, Media Technology and Social Sciences, Faculty of Mining and Geology, Faculty of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Faculty of Transportation and Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Informatics and Control Systems) at Georgian Technical University’s Professional Development Center. Among the participants there were 6 trainers from the Professional Development Center of GTU.

The first day started with a course introduction and a presentation about using video in teaching and learning. Participants recognized the importance of using video in teaching and learning processes and understood the significance and added value of video in teaching and learning in different scenarios.

After the discussion session the trainees made the conclusion that there is strong evidence that video reporting can inspire and engage students when incorporated into student-focused learning activities through: increased student motivation, enhanced learning experience, higher marks, development potential for deeper learning of the subject, development of learner autonomy, enhanced team working and communication skills, opportunities for staff development and etc.

It was emphasized that the use of videos in teaching and learning serves to not only benefit students, but also teachers and their affiliated institutions. Educational institutions can gain great autonomy by using videos to reach their broad audience. They can be used to keep potential, current and former students involved and engaged.

The trainees were introduced with several specific Teaching & Learning scenarios on how to use video as a learning tool with practical cases, both in class as outside class, and there were examples of tools that teachers can use to motivate and engage students by increasing the quality of their learning process. The trainees learned tips and tricks for video recording, identified different sets and contexts where video can be used effectively.

Before starting to work on the course project, there were defined groups of participants based on their ideas, and then groups started to plan the project and sketched its contents, then captured images and videos for their project and worked on hands-on video production. Each group captured and created video materials.

The final day of the course was devoted to the presentation of videos made by participants and giving feedback.

After the successful completion of the course the participants were awarded with appropriate Certificates.

The trainings were conducted in partnership with Teaching Staff Development Center of GTU Innovations Center (founded on the basis of PRINTel capacity building context) and GTU Center of Professional Development.

TT Course #5 “Active learning and ICT-enhanced teaching: M-learning and gamification”

Trainer: Associate Professor Tamar Loladze (GTU Faculty of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy. Department of Metallurgy, Materials Science and Metal Treatment)

On March 4-9, 2019, in the framework of EU funded ERASMUS+ Program PRINTeL Project,  an internal Teacher Training Course “Active learning and ICT-enhanced teaching: M-learning and gamification” was conducted at the Professional Development Center of Georgian Technical University. The trainer was Assoc. Prof. Tamar Loladze from GTU Faculty of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, who attended the TOT Training session “Active learning and ICT-enhanced teaching: M-learning and gamification” at the EU Project partner University of Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain in December, 2018.

The five-day training was attended by 63 participants on I day, II day – 62, III day – 62, IV day– 44 and V day – 44. All five-day trainings were attended by 43 lecturers from 7 different departments of GTU 3 Faculties (Faculty of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Faculty of Law and International Relations, Faculty of Engineering Economic, Media Technology and Social Sciences) and one lecturer was from Caucasus International University (Faculty of Social Sciences).

The training was aimed at the popularization and development of innovative pedagogic elements.

It was a discussion-based course including lectures and seminars, as well as individual and small group work. The course was very practical in nature, putting participants in the role of learners so that they could reflect on the teaching procedures later.

They were introduced with digital competence for educators and different tools for teaching and learning: Slido, Poll everywhere, using QR codes for assignments, creating badges, making posters and spark video. They designed gamified lectures of their own teaching courses.

During the training, the participants designed individual teaching intervention based on m-learning and gamification. The participants of the training discussed how to design gamified class activities and how to make use of mobile devices in class and outside class to activate students learning.

The final day of the TT course was devoted to the discussion of the course, gained skills and knowledge, presentations of the assigned tasks and giving feedbacks.

After the successful completion of the course the participants were awarded with appropriate Certificates.

The trainings were conducted in partnership with Teaching Staff Development Center of GTU Innovations Center (founded on the basis of PRINTel capacity building context) and GTU Center of Professional Development.

TT Course #4 “Active learning and ICT-enhanced teaching: M-learning and gamification”

Trainer: Associate Professor Nikoloz Abzianidze (GTUFaculty of Power Engineering and Telecommunications)

On March 4-9, 2019, in the framework of the Erasmus+ program PRINTeL project, funded by the European Union, a certified internal Teacher Training (TT) course on innovative pedagogy “Active Learning and Teaching Using ICT: M-Learning and Gamification” was held in the Georgian Technical University Professional Development Center.

TT course was carried out by Assoc. Prof. Nikoloz Abzianidze from GTU Faculty of Power Engineering and Telecommunications, who prepared the course based on ToT training courses offered by the trainers of the project partner University of Barcelona within project PRINTeL, where Assoc. Prof. Abzianidze had participated in December, 2018.

TT training course lasted 5 days, 2 hours per day. First day meeting covered issues of European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators “DigCompEdu” on the basis of which training courses were prepared.

During practical sessions the issues concerning Active Learning Polling activities and key aspects on Active Learning Digital infographics using “Canva” were discussed. The participants were actively engaged in process creating a variety of engaging content that gets shared. Also during the practical classes software applications as Kahoot, Socrative, Sli.do, Poll Everywhere were implemented.

On the following days of the training the participants were introduced to active learning Activities such as Gamification and M-learning. While discussing Gamification, attention was directed to increase students’ learning motivation issues by, for example, collecting Budges. The audience was offered an app. Budge Builder.

On the final day of the training the participants, based on obtained theoretical and practical skills represented, renewed approaches of their syllabi implementing elements of m-learning and gamification.

All participants took part in online survey prepared in advance thus evaluating and giving the feedbacks about the conducted TT course.

nternal TT course was attended by the academic staff of GTU Faculty of Power Engineering and Telecommunications, totally 45 Professor-teachers, among them 21 female and 24 male participants. 

After successful completion of the course the participants were awarded with appropriate Certificates.

The trainings were conducted in partnership with Teaching Staff Development Center of GTU Innovations Center (founded on the basis of PRINTel capacity building context) and GTU Center of Professional Development.

TT Course  #3 “Active Learning: Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning”

Trainer: Assistant Professor Tamar Kupreishvili (GTU Faculty of Law and International Relations, Department of Politics and International Relations)

On March 4-9, 2019, in the framework of EU funded ERASMUS+ Program PRINTeL Project, offering additional opportunities for the Professors’ professional development, Assistant Professor Tamar Kupreishvili (Faculty of Law and International Relations, Department of Politics and International Relations) carried out a certified Teacher Training course “Active Learning with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning”, promoting innovative teaching and learning.  Tamar Kupreishvili attended the TOT course with similar title at KU Leuven in Leuven, Belgium, in November 2018 within PRINTeL project.

The TT course was attended by 26 lecturers from the different departments of 4 GTU Faculties (Faculty of Law and International Relations, Faculty of Business Technology, Faculty of Engineering Economic, Media Technology and Social Sciences, Faculty of Informatics and Control Systems) at Georgian Technical University.

The training was aimed at the popularization and development of innovative pedagogic elements.

The five day training on innovative learning covered 10 hours presented in 2 hours per day for 5 days of classroom work and 20 hours of individual work (1 ECTS Credit).

The trainees were introduced to the innovative methodology of active learning, theoretical and practical sides of it. They were introduced to TPACK and ADDIE models. The participants were divided into several groups and according to these models, they created their modules.

The participants were introduced to the response systems, Google forms and their working panels. They had worked on Mentimeter to encourage students’ active engagement, technologically-based classroom activities, created there their own accounts and learnt to make presentations.  During the course they were divided into groups and made presentations, finally they presented the presentations by using Mentimeter. 

GTU professor-teachers were actively involved in the training course and finally evaluated the course, giving their feedbacks as well.

After the successful completion of the TT course the participants were awarded with appropriate certificates.

The TT training courses within the PRINTeL project at GTU were conducted in partnership with GTU Innovations Center, Center of Teachers’ Professional Development, established on the basis of PRINTeL capacity building context.

TT Course #2 "Active Learning with Special Focus on Technology Enhance Collaborating Learning"

Trainer: Assistant Professor Darejan Tsutskiridze (GTU Faculty of Engineering Economic, Media Technology and Social Sciences)

On March 4-9, 2019, in the framework of EU funded ERASMUS+ PRINTeL Project, offering additional opportunities for the Professors’ professional development, Assistant Professor Darejan Tsutskiridze (Faculty of Engineering Economic, Media Technology and Social Sciences) carried out a certified Teacher Training course “Active Learning with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning” promoting innovative teaching and learning. Darejan Tsutskiridze was previously trained in a similar TOT course delivered at KU Leuven in Belgium, in November 2018 within PRINTeL project.

The training was aimed at the popularization and development of innovative pedagogy.

The five-day training in innovative teaching and learning envisaged 10 hours presented in 2 hours per day for 5 days of classroom work and 20 hours of individual work (1 ECTS Credit).

The academic staff from GTU 8 departments of 5 Faculties took part in the training (Faculty of Engineering Economic, Media Technology and Social Sciences; Faculty of Law and International Relations; Faculty of Business Technology; Faculty of Informatics and Control Systems; Faculty of Transportation and Mechanical Engineering).

During the training the participants were acquainted with a number of important theoretical and practical issues, namely with the importance of active learning, the essence, the decisive role and importance of engaging students maximally in the modern teaching-learning process; active teaching methods, techniques and practical ways of their implementation.

Particular attention was paid to various ways of group working for small and large classes such as Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, Structure Debated, etc. and the positive aspects of using them. Particular attention was paid to "Concept Map" for re-thinking theoretical issues of active learning.

During the training the importance and necessity of using technologies in the teaching-learning process were particularly emphasized. Professors and teachers learned about the use, necessity and types of online news channels. Special attention was paid to "TPACK" model component (technology, content, pedagogic) relationship.

"ADDIE" model with its phases (analyze, design, development, implimentation, evaluation) and the main components of different phases, such as objectives, environment, audience, students characteristics, etc., were discussed in detail.

The participants studied the response system "Mentimeter" and "Google Forms" and carried out practical work independently. During the course of the training, the professors-teachers were divided in groups. They performed a number of activities, practical group assignments – for example, "TPACK Game".

At the end of TT course all the participants presented their final curricula modified with the newly acquired knowledge, expressed their opinions and evaluated the training course. 

After the successful completion of the course, the participants were awarded with corresponding certificates.

The TT training courses within project PRINTeL in GTU were conducted in partnership with GTU Innovations Center, Center of Teachers’ Professional Development, established on the basis of PRINTel capacity building context.

TT Course #1 "Video as a Learning Tool for Teachers & Students"

Trainer: Associated Professor Natia Kochladze (GTU Faculty of Architecture, Urban planning and Design)

In the framework of the PRINTeL Project a Teacher Training Course entitled “Video as a learning tool for teachers and students” was conducted at Georgian Technical University’s Professional Development Center on March 4-9, 2019. The course was attended by 20 lecturers from 7 different Faculties (engineering and humanities) and 2 members of Professional Development Center’s staff. The trainer was Assoc. Prof. Natia Kochladze from the Faculty of Architecture, Urban planning and Design, who attended the training session with the same title previuosly conducted at the University of Porto, Portugal in November 2018 within PRINTeL project.

The five-day training on innovative teaching and learning envisaged 10 hours presented in 2 hours per day for 5 days of classroom work and 20 hours of individual work (1 ECTS Credit).

The trainees were introduced to the innovative methodology of teaching and learning in the method of video application.

Several special teaching and learning scenarios on how to use video as a learning tool to flip the class were discussed during the training.

In the course of the training it was also highlighted that audiovisual materials can convey and communicate complex information in a more motivating and memorable way thus creating richer learning experiences. The TT course included discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of video lectures as well.

The trainees of the course discussed how to use video both at theoretical and practical levels to motivate and engage students, and how the video could be used in teaching aspects.

The final day of the course was devoted to the presentations of short videos prepared by th participants. The videos covered the trainees’ subjects of teaching and giving feedbacks.

After the successful completion of the course the participants were awarded with corresponding certificates.

The trainings were conducted in partnership with Teaching Staff Development Center of GTU Innovations Center (founded on the basis of PRINTel capacity building context) and GTU Center of Professional Development.