The Eduko Development Programme for Education Sciences and Teacher Training 2008-2015
WORKING SUCCESSFULLY TOGETHER IN EDUCATION SCIENCES!
We are creating an environment that will make Estonian education and research competitive worldwide. Eduko is part of the programme for “Developing the Priorities for R&D and Innovation and Education” under the umbrella of “Developing the Human Resource for R&D”, in the “Operational Programme for Human Resource Development”.
The Aim of the Programme is to support education sciences in Estonia and ensure a new generation of researchers of education and teaching staff for teacher training. This will help us to create a flexible and integrated teacher training system that supports sustainable social development.
The Programme is Targeted at: -
the teaching staff of teacher training institutions teachers in general schools and vocational schools members of professional organisations and curriculum boards students, teaching staff, researchers and teachers in education research and education sciences
The Programme Will: - ensure there is a sufficient new generation of teaching staff and education researchers for teacher training (activity 1) - improve the research skills of research groups and help them apply for grants (activity 2) - offer flexible choices for teachers to gain qualifications (activity 3) - raise the quality of teacher training by developing teacher training programmes and teaching methods and raising the skills of the teaching staff (activities 3 and 4) - improve and harmonise teacher training management and quality control in universities (activity 5) - make teacher training and teaching as a profession more attractive and encourage cooperation between universities (activity 6)
Activity 1
PHD STUDIES Ensuring a New Generation of Teaching Staff and Promoting PhD Studies 1) Developing PhD studies We will support the development of PhD study programmes and the creation of joint study programmes or study modules involving at least two universities. Funding will follow analysis of the weaknesses of the current study programmes and proposals for improvement. 2) Increasing admissions to PhD studies Alongside the state-funded PhD students, some PhD students will be admitted to studies in education sciences funded on the condition that they participate in a research project funded by the programme, undertake part of their studies and research in a foreign university, and have their theses co-supervised by a member of the
teaching staff of a foreign university. The PhD students will receive a scholarship equal to the Doctoral allowance in Estonia. 3) Making PhD studies more effective Additional funding will be given for the cosupervisors of PhD students of education sciences, including external students. Co-supervisors should be from a foreign university and should advise PhD students on thesis methodology, publication, etc, in order to help students complete and defend their PhD theses. We will support seminars to find ways of making PhD studies in educational sciences more effective.
As a result of activity 1 the quality of PhD studies in education sciences will rise and the number of education researchers with PhDs will increase. More PhD students will complete their studies and more contacts will be established with foreign researchers.
Activity 2
SURVEYS Promoting Education Sciences through Surveys and Analyses 1) Satisfying the need for information and increasing research skills in education sciences
teaching staff, researchers or PhD (and Master) students of teacher training from partner universities.
We will conduct systematic, relevant and reliable education surveys, including surveys of teacher training and schools, and gather the existing surveys together in a unified database.
2) Increasing research skills through training and encouraging the sharing of experience in education sciences
As part of the programme, short-term surveys and analyses will run in parallel with long-term surveys to produce a new generation of researchers and teaching staff for teacher training and improve the quality of research. Surveys will receive funding on the condition that research groups work together with the
Teaching staff and researchers working with the research groups in education sciences funded by the programme will be able to take training courses, share their experiences and make short-term visits to foreign universities or R&D institutions to participate in the working sessions of international research groups, conventions, training courses, or other events for sharing experience.
As a result of activity 2 young teaching staff, students and teachers will be involved in long-term research projects. Their participation will improve the quality of research and publications and increase the number of publications. The ability of research groups to apply for additional funding will also improve.
Activity 3
STUDY PROGRAMMES AND FLEXIBLE CHOICES Analysis and Development of Teacher Training Programmes 1) Analysing the need to change initial training together with universities
3) Making it easier to gain and expand qualifications as a teacher
Cooperation seminars will be held to compare study programmes, study modules and learning outcomes, and to specify and harmonise the learning outcomes, structure and execution of initial teacher training programmes, and the principles of the system for recognising previous studies and work experience (VĂ•TA). The need to change initial training will also be analysed.
It will be made easier to qualify as a teacher in several subjects during the initial training. There will be more continuing education and retraining, and on the job learning will also be developed.
The principles of programmes will be established for different fields of study, the objectives of the study of education sciences, and subject modules, learning outcomes and assessment criteria. 2) Developing study programmes and the organisation of studies in universities Initial training programmes will be revised and changes will be made in the programmes by field of study and in the organisation of studies, including the principles of on the job learning.
We will support the creation of extra modules to fit with the development of the national curriculum and other key areas.
As a result of activity 3 uniform goals will be established in initial teacher training for studies in education sciences and subject-based studies, learning outcomes, the principles for assessing skills and VĂ•TA. A system for continuing education and retraining will be set up as a route to becoming a qualified teacher.
Activity 4
TEACHING METHODS AND COURSE CONTENT Revising Teaching Methods and Course Content and Developing Human Resources 1) Training and continuing education for teaching staff and other specialists The teaching staff is encouraged to learn from the best practices in teacher training in Estonian and foreign R&D institutions, and to participate in training courses and conventions, seminars, and summer and winter schools on the specifics of teacher training (including those organised in Estonia).
and professional organisations in and outside Estonia. The cooperation may include shortterm work with foreign specialists and short visits by teaching staff, researchers and students to educational institutions in other countries. 4) Developing a counselling service for student teachers and teachers We will work in three areas:
2) Study materials, study environments and instructions
1. support for teachers’ self-reflection and professional development during the initial training and induction year;
We will support the creation of study environments and the compilation or revision of study materials, instructions and methodological materials for student teachers, teaching staff, teaching practice supervisors and mentors.
2. subject-based and methodological counselling of students in teaching practice, teachers and, if necessary, other specialists in cooperation with subject didactics specialists and mentors;
3) Developing academic cooperation networks in teacher training
3. career counselling for teachers, including career planning during the initial training or induction year and help for teachers with retraining and continuing education.
We will encourage cooperation between teaching staff and researchers, schools, universities
As a result of activity 4 there will be systems to support teachers’ professional development and a network for subjectbased and methodological counselling and feedback. The quality of studies will improve. The number of teacher trainers who have worked as teachers will increase, and graduate teachers will be more professional. Universities will improve their counselling systems for teachers.
Activity 5
MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL Developing Management and Quality Control for Teacher Training 1) Developing criteria for quality control together with universities
proposals for necessary changes and improvements.
Surveys and analyses of the processes and quality of teacher training will be mapped. Goals will be set for quality control in teacher training, as will criteria for measuring the quality of teacher training programmes and studies.
In partner universities, the existing regulations will be revised and proposals will be made for quality control in teacher training and for giving feedback.
2) Developing the evaluation of study processes in universities The criteria for quality control will be used to evaluate the quality of teacher training in universities. This will help to increase the capacity of curriculum boards, gather feedback and make
3) Developing teacher training systems and management in universities We will help to organise training courses and seminars and to develop management models for teacher training in universities in order to promote teacher training.
As a result of activity 5 universities will have effective management and quality control systems for teacher training. A high value will be placed on teacher training and it will be developed systematically. Earlier surveys and analyses of the quality of teacher training will be mapped, gathered in a unified database and made available for everyone.
Activity 6
DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION Encouraging Dissemination of Information and Cooperation 1) Publishing information about the programme We will create a communication network to encourage cooperation between partners and organise the collection, publishing and dissemination of information, publications and webbased materials related to the programme. We will publish information on the internet about training courses and seminars, research results, experience sharing, study programme development, new study opportunities and other relevant topics. 2) Making teacher training more popular We will encourage the formation of communi-
ties interested in teacher training and initiatives by student teachers and young teachers in their induction year. We will support the organisation of thematic courses and seminars for young teachers and student teachers. We will fund public information projects to make teacher training more visible and a career as a teacher more attractive. 3) Facilitating cooperation and training for working groups We will ensure consistency between the different parts of the programme and keep the working groups of the programme informed by sharing information and experience, and through training courses and seminars.
As a result of activity 6 the outcomes of the programme will be published on the web. The target groups of teacher training will be informed of the opportunities offered by the programme. Communication between the teaching staff of different teacher training institutions and cooperation within and between universities will improve.
The Development of Teacher Training is Based on the Development of Education Sciences COOPERATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Activity 5
MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL Activity 4
Activity 6
TEACHING METHODS AND COURSE CONTENT
DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION
Activity 3
STUDY PROGRAMMES AND FLEXIBLE CHOICES
Activity 1
Activity 2
PHD STUDIES
SURVEYS
The programme is run by the Archimedes Foundation Eduko Unit Koidula 13a, 10125 Tallinn Phone: +372 699 9396 E-mail: eduko@archimedes.ee More information about the programme and funding terms: www.archimedes.ee/eduko
These parties work together to achieve the goals of the programme: