1st INTERNATIONAL BALKAN CONGRESS
I. ULUSLARARASI BALKAN KONGRESI
24th - 26th September 2012 / 24 - 26 Eylül 2012
Editors / Editörler
Fatih IYIOL
I. ULUSLARARASI BALKAN KONGRESI
24th - 26th September 2012 / 24 - 26 Eylül 2012
Editors / Editörler
Fatih IYIOL
Oguz URAS
Istanbul-2012
Turkey
Turkey
ISBN: 978-605-63388-0-9
Teachers and Interactive Technologies
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yanka R. Totseva/Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vance S. Bojkov
(рр. 946-966)
Abstract: The interest in
acquiring skills for using interactive technologies by teachers has increased
rapidly in Bulgaria and Serbia for the past few years. Favourable preconditions
were created by facilitating technology in schools.
Also mass campaigns
for computer literacy were
conducted among teachers.
Usage of multimedia technology in learning process has
raised a number of pedagogical issues, most of which have not yet received
responses.
The interest of
teachers is analysed in two ways – using and creating original multimedia
products, and participation in training activities on topics
related to interactive technologies.
The paper also
analyses the most popular educational portal in Bulgaria known as the
‘Community Primary Education’. The
authors evaluate the level of interest and present good
practices in the use of interactive multimedia technologies by
Bulgarian teachers and their involvement in paid forms of qualification
activities.
Key words: teachers, interactive
technologies, educational portals
Effective training is
one in which students obtain new knowledge,
play, form social skills, work individually and in groups and look forward to
returning to the next session. Every person whose
vocation is teaching, seeks options to make an ongoing activity (lecture,
seminar, discussion) first attractive and impressive, then interesting,
challenging, attractive and, of course, useful.
The concept of lifelong
learning has emerged as one of the key ideas for the twenty-first century. It
exceeds traditional distinction between basic and continuing education and
faces the challenges of a rapidly changing world, as is justified by the need of
people to learn to cope with new situations arising in their personal and
working life. This need today is real and growing. The only way
to satisfy it is for everyone to learn how to study effectively and
productively.
Research on learning
outcomes and learning in adults indicate that more than three days you can
remember: 10% of what is read; 20% of what is heard; 30% of what is seen; 50%
of what is seen and heard; 70% of what is said; 90% of what is done if they
used interactive methods and / or multimedia program.
Interactive methods require partnerships, dialogue type
communication (based on pre-specified arrangements and procedures) among the
students, between students and interactive media, between the learner/student
and teacher. (Гюрова и др.,
2006: 44)
Distinctive features of
interactive methods are:
- Intensive
communication between students in the school group (class) as well as between
teacher and student - building a positive atmosphere of mutual acceptance and
trust;
- Frequent change of
activities;
- Emotional intensity
of the process - focusing on feelings, not only on rational understanding and
processing information;
- Reflection on their
activities and behavior and the process of interaction;
- Feedback. (Цветанска, 2006:
18)
The interest in
acquiring skills for using interactive technologies by teachers has increased
rapidly in Bulgaria and in Serbia
for the past few years. Favorable preconditions
were created 4-5 years ago as technology facilities in schools were improved
and mass campaigns for computer literacy among teachers were conducted.
Since the beginning of
change, teachers have expressed special interest towards the multimedia
technology that can be defined as modern information technology that allows you
to combine text, sound, speech, pictures, computer graphics, video and
animation. It is a combination of audio and video technology, united by
interactive software.
When talking about interactive technologies in Bulgaria, most of the teachers
understand primarily multimedia technologies.
Dimensions of the
didactic use of these technologies and their impact on effectiveness and
efficiency of the educational process, however, are serious issues for both
researchers and teachers. Unfortunately we cannot give definite and supported
by empirical research answers of the issues mentioned
above. It is however indisputable fact that teachers and students are
increasingly interested in multimedia technologies both during schooling, but
also in their spare time.
Multimedia educational
programs have significant advantages over traditional training and technical
aids and devices, but their use raises some very serious questions that have
not yet been answered:
- What is the
relationship between a teacher, a student and a computer program?
- What is the optimal
distribution of functions between the teacher and the computer?
- How to combine
traditional learning with multimedia?
- What is the role of
the teacher in constructing multimedia products?
- Are we giving up the traditional static visual devices and start to use only computer and multimedia technologies?
- Are teachers prepared
to cope with the new information environment and their new roles in the
classroom?
- The teachers must to be only users, or are expected to be creators?
Along with these
questions we can’t overlook, however, some objective facts and disadvantages –
still too expensive hardware (equipments) that not every school can afford to
buy with its budget if it is not provided by a project; lower computer culture by teachers; difficulty of designing multimedia products – need
to work in a team of many specialists and hence their high price.
The use of educational
software in training for the purposes of visualization in the near future will
increase.
Modern
multimedia information technologies create opportunities for full and complete
acceptance of new and unknown knowledge and skills, without causing
difficulties for the learners who are able to control and select the format and
type of information which they received, depending on their personal resources
and preferences.
Another key element in
multimedia is interactivity. Many media do not allow the audience to control the course
of information and thus be more actively involved in this kind of
"dialogue". The linear presentation is the result of the desire of the
compiler to "approximate" the entire audience, which has its
weaknesses as a situation where the student works "in person" with a
computer and can be expected to place some control, to influence the course of flow of
information to become a participant in the event, to relive it - either with
the keyboard, mouse or other input device is radically different and more
desirable. This is interactivity, which is intrinsically inherent in
multimedia. Therefore quality multimedia products rely primarily on
user activity - to choose the method of operation, adopt one or another option,
even wrong and fix it, go back and learn additional information about a
question and an answer, and why not additional motivational incentives,
etc.
Interactivity is a key
element in multimedia presentation that is most often made by teachers and used
in the training.
Bulgarian
Teachers and interactive technologies
All Bulgarian teachers
were invited to participate in organized by the Ministry of Education and
Science short-term courses in computer literacy for free. Decision
of the Council
of Ministers № 81 of 09.02.2005 has
approved the National Strategy for ICT in Bulgarian schools and the Plan for
the introduction of ICT in Bulgarian schools in 2005-2007, and then the work
continued on the National Program "Information and communication
technologies (ICT) in schools."
3173 computer labs were
equipped in schools throughout the country. There is a broadband Internet
connection in 1050 schools, local area networks to access resources on the
Internet and distance learning opportunities.
The equipment and the teacher training made possible a change in the educational
environment in the classroom where the teacher as a bearer of new knowledge
could now benefit from the opportunities of computer information and
communication technologies. Many teachers take up this challenge and began
using technology in education to achieve different didactic goals.
One of the most popular educational portals is http://www.teacher.bg. It was created with the support of Microsoft and reflects the
views of the teachers from the network of teacher innovators. The registered
portal users can find a wide range of resources - news conferences and events,
educational presentations, drafts of plan lessons, multimedia
software and library of legal documents, video lessons, parties, shows,
concerts and other school events. It has a forum for exchange of views and
sharing of experiences and best practices. To enrich the computer culture of
teachers the site has a virtual school which offers free online training on the
latest technologies, methods and programs for introducing e-learning content in
the classroom. Training is conducted by predefined topics and speakers include
professors from leading Bulgarian schools, approved as leading specialists in
the field of electronic content as well as experts in various technologies.
Virtual learning is organized within the framework of the working week,
repeating themes regularly to cover all willing to go through the training. The
training is free for all registered users that completed a full profile on the
site. It certainly is innovative and unique for Bulgaria. The initiative aims
to contribute and to increase the motivation and the qualification of Bulgarian
teachers to actively use new information and communication technologies in
their daily work with students, and their personal career.
Good opportunity to
find some answers gives us a blog called "Community Education", which
can be found at: http://bglog.net/Obrazovanie/. The blog is created and maintained by BlogHau Consulting. This is a
company focused its activities in development and maintenance of the First
Bulgarian portal BgLOG.net, but in practice is the result of free creativity of
the Bulgarian teachers.
This text will focus on
the community, "Primary education", which can be found at: http://bglog.net/nachobrazovanie/ , and will try to determine the impact of Internet-based
educational resources upon the creative approach of the teacher-innovators, working with interactive computer
technology in the primary school.
The first publications
in this community were made in early 2008. Their total number to 27. 08. 2012 is over 12 000 and responses to them are over 84 200. The
registered users are approximately 9 250.
This community is much
more active than other teacher communities not only in terms of number of
users, but also in number of publications and comments.
The community blog
"Primary education" has statistics on active users, the most popular
posts, recent comments, the most discussed publications, publications with a
maximum rating, and also read, discussed, and a maximum active rating authors. It allows
you to search by keyword or label, but also maintains an archive of all
publications.
Each publication is
presented by the author's name (nickname) and the date. Every user
can see the number of reads and the number of comments. Publications
can be seen as useful or not and so formed their rating.
Registration is quick
and easy and gives access to resources, but also the right to publish both the
comments and opinions as well as presenting for debate author’s multimedia
products and/or share freely distributed on the network.
It is noteworthy that
some users have registered with real name and surname, other only with personal name, and others with a nickname. From the
comments it becomes clear that part of registered with nicknames, are familiar
to others who turn to them using their personal real names.
The main topics to be
discussed are related to direct employment of teachers in individual subjects.
They share their experiences or seek help with when face difficulties. Many
publications have more categories and keywords to help you find the necessary
information from other user-teachers.
In addition to sharing
experiences and ideas, users offer to their colleague multimedia products,
which are created from themselves by them or can be found for free in the
network. So in fact this blog builds a rich pool
of Internet-based resources. Part of the materials is protected and cannot be
modified, but can be used while others - are not protected.
Participants offered
several types of materials:
• Syllabus of lessons
• Lessons-presentations
• Presentations that
can be used in lessons in combination with other methods
• Scenarios for
celebrations
• Methodological
studies on specific topics that can be implemented in one or more consecutive
lessons
• Distribution
of topics in optional
subjects
• Links to products,
software, interesting materials, prepared presentations and more.
Some of the materials
are presented directly in the blog itself, but other links are for download.
The first applies to copyrighted materials, but some of them are hosted in
another place and the path to these materials is shown.
Most read and discussed
are publications concerning methodical problems in curriculum on the Bulgarian
language and literature, mathematics, science and nature. Overall, the tone of
comments is positive and constructive-critical. In rare
cases there is controversy or disagreement on the discussed topics.
Very often admiration
and gratitude for providing multimedia product are expressed. Some teachers
share their experiences of using materials taken from the database of the blog. Others write that they expect the moment to take advantage
of them. Emotional reactions are loaded with positive energy, expressed support
and give a high evaluation of proposals.
From didactic point of
view, it is worth to consider the risk of use of materials and presentations
made from somebody else's, that could lead to the multiplication of
certain methodological models and structures that are not always adequate to
level of preparation, interests and current capabilities of young students.
It is important to know
that there is a small core of active writing authors and commentators and the
vast majority of users, who only read. It is important to be noted that, for
less than a week, some materials are read by more than 1000 users.
Furthermore, in virtual reality, blog users participate in various forums and
initiatives engaged in social
interpersonal communication.
Communication that
started over the Internet has become the basis for meetings and personal
contacts. Professional affiliation, shared common interests and desire for
creative work become the basis for the formation of virtual and possibly start
a real community of teachers who have the ambition to change the style of work
in school using innovative interactive technology.
Multimedia technologies
are the most attractive part of developed and approved by teachers in
technology education. The review of blog "Primary education" gives us
reason to be optimistic about the reality of change happening in the IT
environment in the classrooms in Bulgaria.
Serbian
Teachers and interactive technologies
Serbia
has a Strategy for the Development of Education in 2020, which occupies the
central issues related to information technology.
Currently
Serbia has about 12,500 practitioners in the area of information and
communication technology, and according to the strategy in 2020 their number
should be 50,000. To achieve these objectives schools work very active. All
schools have access to the Internet. Every single school regardless of whether
it is primary or secondary is equipped with computer labs. Computer science is
taught as an optional subject from 5 to grade 8 and obligatory in all four high
school grades.
Teachers
in Serbia are using a range of information and communication technologies, but
mostly multimedia. In every school there are computers and multimedia
projectors. Unfortunately, older teachers avoid the use of new technologies,
because they don’t feel confident and lack technical skills to create and use
educational resources.
In
Serbia, there are many educational portals, which are designed to help
teachers. Among the most popular we can mention:
-
www.edu-soft.rs
is an educational site with many features and over 2,000 links. A huge variety
of models of global and operational plans, methodological guidance plan
syllabus and preparatory materials for classes, a large amount of worksheets,
tests, multimedia presentations, audio and video materials, many scenarios for
holidays and creative ideas, examples of good practice can be found there;
-
www.enastavnik.com
is an educational portal that offers curriculum for different types of schools,
a wide range of educational services, presentations, tests, manuals, e-books;
-
www.moodle.abakus.edu.rs
is an educational portal for professional development of teachers through
e-courses;
-
www.otvorenaskola.mpn.gov.rs
is a portal created by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological
Development of Republic of Serbia. It's called "Open School" and its
purpose is to improve the school practice by sharing best practices and sharing
of pedagogical situations effectively held in class. The portal allows teachers
to provide educational materials to the site and present them on "Open
School". Materials and examples of good practice are expected to
contribute to improving the quality of the educational process and to enrich the
work of teachers in classrooms using ICT. On this portal are published
interactive teaching materials lesson activities, workshops and seminars that
teachers have visited and to help other teachers with new ideas to improve the
quality of education and to be active participants in the process of innovating
the teaching practice;
-
www.ceo.edu.rs
is the website of the Institute to assess the quality of education and
upbringing. This is one professional institution with professional attitude
towards education successfully conducted development educational policy of the
National Council of the Republic of Serbia that shall promptly meet the
expectations of schools and carries out a full consultation with all
stakeholders in the education system;
-
www.zuov.gov.rs/novisajt2012/index.html
is the site of the Institute for promotion of education and upbringing. It was
created in 2004 to solve problems of monitoring, evaluating, securing and
improving the quality and development of the Serbian education system.
Institute carried out development, consulting and research in pre-school,
primary and secondary education and training, and other activities in line with
its status and educational legislation. Institute for the promotion of
education and upbringing is involved in preparing the regulations of the
education and upbringing of the competence of the Ministry of Education,
Science and Technological Development, the National Council for Education and
the Council for special education and adult education. On his site outlines
plans, curricula and courses, which reflect the state education policy;
-
www.portal.ceo.edu.rs/
is a portal for teachers who emphasise on educational standards. All visitors
to this site can see the complete list of standards and sample tasks that check
the compliance with the standards. To use the resources you need to register,
which allows full access to the materials;
-
www.e-pismen.rs
portal is aimed at improving support for teachers to use information
technology. It created the project "Online training arrived in our city
..." The project provides free, accredited by the Ministry of Education,
Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia 24 hour online
seminar "Electronic School for Beginners” – creating distance learning
courses through Internet aimed at training teachers to create educational
content on the Internet using the Moodle platform. Activities for the workshop
require participants to have a computer with internet access and a web browser
– a program for viewing Internet content (Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer,
Google Chrome). To
participate in the workshop you need to have sufficient computer literacy,
complete the questionnaire and send a cover letter;
-
www.aemdl.com
is an educational portal with materials in pedagogy, math, literature, social
sciences, linguistics, computer science, business;
-
www.klikdoznanja.edu.rs
is an educational portal with a rich database of different options for training
activities, seminars, conferences, didactic materials. There are links to many
educational resources. Materials are available in different subjects, as well
as on issues of pedagogy, psychology and andragogy. There are links to
educational blogs, webinars, forums, libraries, utility programs, manuals,
electronic encyclopaedias’, samples of administrative records for school
purposes, competitions for teachers and students;
-
www.uchaportal.com
is in the early stages of development and presentation according to the team of
creators. Here you can find information targeted to support and monitor the
activities of the participants in accredited programs: ‘Web portals for
preparation and implementation of training’ and ‘How to use interactive
educational software”. All participants in these programs can teach online,
asking subjects to be included in discussions by meeting and so continue to be
active after the end of training. Continuous team
is in a contact with the participants, enrich the topics and
provides/offers help. The goal is
all participants in the program to participate in a virtual community whose
goal is to destroy the temporal and spatial constraints. Since 2011 this portal
is enriched by “Teach-school” which allows using of accredited online programs
for special improvements on the topic “How to use interactive educational
software”. Furthermore, e-seminars, the site can be found curious e-courses and
teaching materials for young people, students, teachers, special school staff,
directors and all those who in any way participate in the realization of
educational process;
-
www.e-studije.com is an
educational portal that has existed since 2011, following the contemporary
training requirements for its creators, who are a group of teachers, present their
knowledge and experience in education as preparing electronic courses, which
may be involved in any time and from any place. The courses are in the field of
multimedia production, graphic design, mailing and banking technology and
telecommunications;
-
www.oet.etspupin.edu.rs
is a specialized educational portal for teachers who teach fundamentals of
electrical engineering.
Summary and conclusions of the experiences in the two neighboring
countries:
In early 2005
Bulgaria has developed a National Strategy and Action Plan for Introducing ICT
in Bulgarian Schools for 2005-2007, and then work has continued under the
National Programme "Information and communications technologies (ICT) in
school";
As part of the implementation
of activities under these strategic documents the vast majority of Bulgarian
teachers participated in short courses on computer literacy and use of
educational software;
Serbia has developed its
strategy later, but it has a clear long-term objectives and parameters at the
national level;
Interest in the use of
interactive computer-based instructional technology is constantly increasing in
both countries, as evidenced by the many educational portals that offer online
training, resources, forums for sharing, exchange of best practices and
educational software;
In both countries there is
resistance on the part of the older teachers in the use of interactive methods
and information technologies;
For educational portals, it is
noteworthy that the Bulgarian Blog "Education" is a space for sharing
among teachers and administrators and have no restrictive features. Perhaps
this is part of the reason for its immense popularity and attendance;
Educational portals in Serbia and
in Bulgaria are developed by teachers, as well as initiatives triggered by
project activities, and also a part of the state education policy.
With confidence we can say
that the teachers in the two Balkan countries have many opportunities to use
the Internet-based educational resources to improve the quality of teaching and
learning in schools in line with modern educational paradigm for the
preparation of a new type of people able to orient in terms of the
globalization of information and communication streams.
Raising the qualifications
of teachers in Bulgaria and Serbia for interactive methods and educational
software.
The review and analysis of educational portals in both countries reveal
potential opportunities to use interactive educational resources, but whether
it will benefit teachers depends primarily on them.
The interest of teachers to interactive
technologies depends also on
what kind
of training and specialization is
included.
Among the factors that determine the readiness of teachers to work with
interactive learning technologies can point to: the level of information and
computer literacy, availability of appropriate educational programs and
products, striving for self-improvement and motivation on innovation.
Ordinance on conditions for qualification of
teaching staff in the education system and procedures for obtaining
professional qualifications is force in Bulgaria since 1997. And recent changes
to it were made in 1999.
In Art. 6. says that "The qualification of teaching staff is to: 1.
to match the social practice, the needs of the education system and the level
of professional competence of the teaching staff, 2. enable to meet the
professional interests of the teaching staff and their professional
development. "(Наредба, 1997: 1).
The Ordinance defines three areas of qualification: "1.
Methodology of Teaching; 2. Theory of education, didactics, pedagogical and age psychology,
special education; 3. Management of education."(Наредба, 1997: 5)
The
Ordinance limits the overall objectives and areas, and provides opportunities
to qualification points in new skills and competencies such as the use of
information and communication technologies in the educational process, but does
not explicitly prescribe that.
Three Departments have the
right to issue certificates obtained professional degrees – Department for Information Qualification and
Lifelong Learning in Varna, which is part of
Konstantin
Preslavsky University of Shumen, Department for information
and in-service teacher training in Stara Zagora which is part of the Trakia University, Department for Information and In-Service Training of Teachers
in Sofia, which is part of the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski ".
A review of the websites of the three Departments allows us to bring the
courses and topics related to teachers' ability to acquire or improve their
skills in the field of interactive technologies:
Department
for Information Qualification and Lifelong Learning in Varna offers the following courses:
1. "Interactive models for the development of personal and social
skills in kindergarten." Course for nursery teachers to be familiar with
interactive models to develop personal and social skills in kindergarten and
improve their didactic and psychological knowledge to construct their own
educational models (programs and technologies), based on the principles of
interactivity and the development of individual potential of child's
personality.
2. "Using interactive technology Envision – a computer mouse a
lot." The course is for teachers from different disciplines and provides
knowledge, skills and methodological guidelines for the use of the software
Envision.
3. "Using the interactive whiteboard in teaching – Technological and
methodological guidelines." The course is for teachers from different
disciplines and provides knowledge, skills and methodological guidelines for
using the interactive whiteboard in the preparation and implementation of the
lesson. Teachers learn the skills to use the basic tools of the software,
working with finished products, acquire skills for a new approach to the
development of the lesson. Development of lesson models.
4. "Development of web-pages." This course is for teachers of
computer science and information technology, and offers a presentation of HTML
and CSS to develop web-pages and consideration of specialized editors for
web-design. Teachers acquire theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to
develop web-pages and methodological guidelines for teaching modules in school.
5. "Programming PHP". This course is for teachers of informatics
and information technologies and offers a presentation of the PHP language for
developing web-based applications, as well as consideration of specialized
environments for web-programming. Teachers acquire theoretical and practical
knowledge and skills to develop web-based applications and interactive
web-sites based on language PHP, and methodological guidelines for teaching
modules in school.
There are also two courses for professional qualification "Teacher
of Informatics and Information Technologies" and qualification
"Teacher of ICT".
Department for information and in-service teacher
training in
Stara Zagora offers the following courses:
1. "Informatics and Information Technology and its application in
education" for mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering and other
disciplines, which upon completion receive additional qualification
"Teacher of Informatics and Information Technologies."
2. "Modern information and communication technologies in the
educational process" is a course for teachers of all disciplines
interested in the use of modern ICT in the learning process. The aim is to
provide conditions for mastering the basics of information technology and on
this basis to allow teachers to apply them in their direct employment. Subjects
covered included basic psycho-pedagogical and methodological issues related to
the management of the learning process. Specialized module provides studying
computer systems and operating environments and their application in modern
school environment. Addressed are options for integrated use of various
electronic resources. There are also elective courses related to general and
private methodological problems.
3. "Information Technology 1–4" qualification form is intended
for primary teachers. The aim is to provide basic training required for
teaching elective and optional information technology in elementary school. The
modules included the curriculum of the Ministry of Education. The contents are
considered intermodal different programming environments suitable for
elementary school. Students acquire knowledge and skills for various
applications of information technology in education – development and
application of electronic test technology for interactive whiteboard - ONFINITY
CM2, LUIDIA eBeam, and methodological options for use in academic subjects.
Successful graduates receive additional qualification "Teacher of
Information Technology 1–4 Class."
4. "Interactive methods and techniques" is a training course
for teachers of various degrees, which aims are to improve the teaching
practice of teachers through access to the latest trends in conducting
interactive training.
Department offers short courses (8 or 16 hours) with the application of
information and communication technologies:
5. "Use of Electronic Resources in Education" for teachers of
all grades. The course provides innovative digital technologies and electronic
resources, capable of application in all grades and all subjects. Emphasis is
placed on the possibilities of using interactive whiteboard – ONFINITY CM2,
LUIDIA eBeam, computer laboratories for science education, Classmate PC and
specialized software Classroom Management.
6. "Technologies for use with an interactive whiteboard – ONFINITY
CM2, LUIDIA eBeam." This course is for teachers who have basic computer
skills. Presents major opportunities and methodological solutions using an
interactive whiteboard to learn Excel, English for children with animations and
replays (English with Training), Practical English Grammar (with translation in
Bulgarian language) and others.
7. "ICT for management of student class" is for teachers who
have basic computer skills. Introduces the basic parameters developed by INTEL Classmate PC program and
Classroom Management.
8. "Working with microcomputer laboratory NOVA 5000" for
teachers teaching subjects of area “Natural Sciences and Ecology" and
"Mathematics and Informatics". The course considers the application
of NOVA 5000 science education, mathematics, computer science and information technology.
Teachers are familiar with the technical characteristics of the microcomputer
laboratory and principles of working with her. There are hours of practice
setting and calibration of the sensors and conducting experiments on different
subjects.
9. "Development and application of an electronic training
course" for teachers who have basic computer skills. Includes:
Introduction to the nature, problems and trends in e-learning; Designing a
course for EC; Conceptual model; Modelling of course – content, objectives, learning
paths, monitoring and evaluation; Diagnosis through a series of tasks designed
in Course Lab; Modelling of complex teaching units.
10. "Use of electronic resources in science education" is
designed for teachers teaching subjects of area “Natural Sciences and Ecology”
and “Mathematics and Informatics”. The course builds on the formulas for the
European reference framework of key competences in science and mathematics.
Emphasis is placed on the possibilities of using some modern electronic
resources for teaching the subjects of area “Natural Sciences and Ecology”.
11. "Formation of basic skills database" is for teachers who
have basic computer skills and presents the main features, activities and
resources for the implementation of ACCESS and maintenance of databases.
Examples are considered related to ASM and some administrative activities at
school.
12. "Preparation of teaching materials in WORD training in various
disciplines" is for teachers who have basic computer skills. It offers
theoretical and practical training to form the structural elements of the
document in WORD.
13. "Preparation of teaching materials with EXCEL training in
various disciplines" is for teachers who have basic computer skills.
Offers theoretical and practical training to prepare tabular data and its
graphical interpretation. Students gain skills in working with different types
of data, use formulas and built-in functions of EXCEL to build databases and
more. Present ideas for preparing training materials for IT training in the
disciplines of Natural cycles, for administrative activities and more.
14. "Technology development and use of presentations for training in
various disciplines" again for teachers who have basic computer skills.
This course has a practical orientation and forms skills for designing and
creating multimedia presentations using a variety of data objects (text,
pictures, drawings, diagrams, tables, videos, and music files) for different
types of learning lessons. Present ideas to implement interactivity in learning
through the use of computer presentations.
15. "Application of Information Technology in teaching children with
special educational needs" is a resource for teachers from different
disciplines (subject areas) and levels who are interested in the issues. The course
includes theoretical and practical training on the use of information
technology to improve access to education and facilitate the education of
children and pupils with disabilities. Through practical training and
skills are formed to work with embedded operating system tools Windows,
supporting access to computer systems and skills development of electronic
learning materials for carrying out various tasks and teaching situations.
16. "Digital technologies in education" is for teachers of all
grades. Give the variants using specialized programs (Windows Movie Maker and
others.) For training and technology and techniques using digital equipment in
educational process. They develop competencies for teachers to prepare
materials with modern digital audio, video, animation, charts, drawings,
diagrams and videos.
Department for Information and In-Service Training of
Teachers in Sofia offers the widest variety of courses and subjects:
1. "Interactive learning techniques" for teaching staff
interested in the issue. Includes: Typology and Classification of interactive
techniques, Traditional and little known but effective interactive techniques,
Suggestopedically techniques, Personal pedagogical techniques, Demonstration of
successful interactive techniques.
2. "Suggestopedically interactive teaching techniques in preventing
information overload students.”
3. "Innovation, interactive methods and information and
communication technologies in the educational process" for school teachers
and principals of kindergartens.
3. "Interactive methods in educational fields "Bulgarian
Language” and "Natural World” in kindergarten."
4. "Using interactive board in the educational process" is a
course that is offered separately for teachers in kindergarten and in primary
school
5. "Development of multimedia and interactive presentations" is
a course that is offered separately for teachers in kindergarten and in primary
school. Includes: Pre-treatment and preparation of multimedia – images, audio
and video. Raster image processing with graphics editor GIMP. Create
interactive presentations with PowerPoint.
6. "Development of educational presentations" is available
separately for teachers in kindergarten and in primary school with basic
knowledge of computing.
7. "Using Web 2.0 tools in foreign language education" is for
French teacher with interest and experience in the application of ICT in
education.
7. "Online games on foreign language learning" involves the
presentation of Web 2.0 and its potential for French teacher.
8. "Innovative educational technology in the teaching of
French."
9. "Application of information technology in teaching history and
civilization in the secondary stage of basic education."
10. "Using Web 2.0 tools in the teaching of history and
civilization."
11. "Interactive techniques for teaching history and
civilization."
12. "Development of a multimedia learning objects of philosophical
cycle."
13. "Active learning using digital tools in humanities
subjects."
14. "The interactive approach to learning."
15. "Information and communication technologies for civic
education."
16. "Information Technology in Art teaching."
17. "The computer in the teaching of Art."
For teachers of all subjects, with basic computer skills and a desire to
grow in the field of computer and information technologies are available:
18. "Using the interactive whiteboard in the learning process."
19. "Development of websites."
20. "Development of multimedia learning content – audio and
video"
21. "Development of multimedia learning content – animation."
22. "Digital photography and image processing."
23. "Editors, computer graphics and animation."
24. "ICT in education – the computer as a tool for training and
presentations."
25. "Application educational software – word processing, presentations,
multimedia and the Internet."
26. "ICT in education – multimedia, internet, antivirus protection,
and telecommunications."
27. "ICT in pre-school and primary education."
28. "Information technology – computer presentations."
29. "Information technology – EXCEL."
30. "Information technology - WORD."
31. "Operating System LINUX."
32. "Web-based Educational ICT for development of Geographic
culture."
33. "Project-based Learning ICT for development of Geographic
culture."
34. "Project-based learning in Physics and Astronomy using
ICT."
35. "Presentation Technology in teaching Physics."
36. "Practical training for designing lessons using ICT in the
professional “Agriculture.”
37. "Presentation of a lesson in a subject specific professional
field of” Engineering and Geodesy" using PowerPoint."
38. "Technology development and use of presentations for the course
of the light industry."
39. "Application of ICT in education in vocational training in the" Transport and
Energy."
Proposed courses and curriculum give
us a very broad picture of the current situation on the training activities offered by the three state institutions that can issue certificates to acquire professional qualifications. Bulgarian teachers, however, may seek other education providers such as private companies
for educational activities
certified by the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training.
A good example might be
the work of RAABE Bulgaria Publishing Ltd, launched in 1996. RAABE Bulgaria is
a member of the Klett group, which is one of the famous publishing houses in
Europe. Klett Group has 71 branches in 16 countries with
approximately 20 of them are located in Germany. All group
members provide their customers with products mainly from the areas: education, taxes and accounting, law and management and
public administration.
There are topics for
teacher training in 13 different areas: Education Management; Educational Psychology; Practical workshops for primary teachers; Working with gifted children; Aggression and dependencies; Working with interactive boards. Lessons with digital content; Interactive teaching methods; Children with SEN and learning difficulties; Working in a multicultural environment; Tests; Seminars for vocational schools; Specialized workshops; Training.
In the field of interactive technology available topics are:
·
Application
of ICT in education;
·
One computer
- many mice. Working with the program Microsoft Mischief;
·
Project-based
learning in primary and secondary school;
·
Work with
Interactive boards;
·
Development
of web pages;
·
Preparation
for creating electronic lessons;
·
Organizing a
comprehensive educational process.
In the field оf interactive teaching
methods:
·
Development,
deployment and use of interactive forms and methods in the educational process;
·
Interactive
learning as an innovative approach to education.
Work
with interactive boards. Lessons with digital content include the
following questions:
• How to present
electronic lesson
• How to develop
electronic content for a lesson
• How to organize the
entire educational process
• How to work with
interactive whiteboard
Workshops
for primary teachers:
·
Interactive
techniques for learning in primary school
·
Preparation
of multimedia lessons in primary school
The total number of
seminars for teachers that took place in 2011 was 305, with 8614 participants.
Topics are related to interactive technology - interactive board, multimedia
lessons, lessons with electronic content are most popular, along perhaps with
topics for children with special educational needs. The second rank preferences
topics are related to Classroom Management and Aggressive behaviour.
In 2011 the publisher
has organized 36 seminars on interactive technologies, which are involved - 996
teachers.
The greatest interest
was towards the work with an interactive whiteboard. 23 courses were conducted
in which participated more than 600 teachers from across the country.
In Serbia since 2005 an Ordinance for continuing professional development and acquisition of title teacher
educator and professional associate is in force. It defines the main objectives
and the ways to achieve them. The Ordinance says: "The continuing
professional development of teachers, educators and specialists is aiming at:
1) Training for greater autonomy in planning and conducting education,
youth work, care and professional services;
2) Acquisition of knowledge and innovation that support continuous
professional development and progress of the work;
3) Development and improvement in:
(1) The organization of educational work,
(2) Monitoring the progress and achievements of children and students
(3) Cooperation in education communication;
4) Consideration of personal characteristics and needs of the child and
children depending on their age;
5) Development of skills and abilities to participate in a team and
communicate effectively to the development and promotion of a climate of
understanding and respect;
6) The development and preparedness training for constant process of
self-assessment, monitoring and improving their own practice;
7) Training and monitoring the implementation of educational technology;
8) Training for parents who are considered partners in achieving the
goals of education and achieving mutual cooperation;
9) Ability to work with the community;
10) Ability to share experiences and promote the profession;
11) Acquisition of knowledge and development of skills and abilities to
deal with the administration and management of kindergartens, primary and
secondary schools and boarding schools. "(Rules, 2005:1-2)
Two of the priorities offer advanced skills in the field of
educational communication and educational technology.
Under the Ordinance, teachers need to regularly participate in training
courses organized by the Ministry of Education, Regional education centers, Special
schools, which train and award qualifications to teachers. Great interest in
the recent years is shown towards courses for teachers of informatics. For
example: Faculty of Electronic Engineering
of the University of Nish has organized dozens of such courses, and currently is
applying for financial support from the European Commission for a project
related to improving the quality of pre-service and in-service training of
teachers in computer science.
The Strategy for the Development of Serbia in 2020 says that "in
recent years there have been actions to equip schools with computers (e.g.
Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Society has organized a campaign
and donated computers to schools in the academic year 2008/2009), many schools,
especially in disadvantaged areas, still do not have computers, no Internet
connection, and the students have no computers at their homes." (Стратегия, 2012: 57)
The strategy making recommendations that can improve the quality of
teacher training is needed "to take advantage of information and
communication technologies and other forms of online learning (e-conference,
themed blogs, discussion forums, electronic testing, etc.) and should be able
to explore the conditions for the use of some forms of distance learning." (Стратегия, 2012: 69). Attention is
drawn to the need for training in using active learning methods and information
and communication technologies. (Стратегия, 2012: 69-70).
In both countries among the priority areas for
professional development related to the development of education are:
communication skills, strengthening the capacity of professional staff,
particularly in the area of innovative teaching methods and management of
schools, the use of information and communication technologies.
Bibliography:
Гюрова, В. и др. (2006) Интерактивността
в учебния процес (или за рибаря, рибките и риболова). София
Департамент за информация
и повишаване на квалификацията
на учителите – Стара Загора http://dipku-sz.net/
Наредба № 5 за
условията за повишаване квалификацията на педагогическите кадри в системата на
народната просвета и реда за придобиване на професионално-квалификационни
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(2012) http://www.mpn.gov.rs
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