Objectives, context and setup of ALHE IP

This Intensive programme aims to promote the professional development of the programme participants as university teacher educators, to develop a new professional identity. This IP aims address both the need to know more about high quality study process in higher education and action research based professional development of teacher educators.

The objectives of the IP are to enable students to:

• analyse and reflect critically on various theories of learning, approaches to learning, learner’s roles;

• reflect critically on the convergence of various teaching/learning methods in new diverse learning environments, management of knowledge;

• reflect critically on theories and identify the relevant kinds of student support;

• develop new professional competences of a university lecturer in general and a teacher educator in particular, new skills how to update knowledge;

• practice and reflect on one’s own abilities and development process.

• develop a course syllabus, implement it and critically evaluate it results;

• promote interculture dialogue and understanding between partner institutions by creating European learning environment.

The seminar will adopt the following three teaching/learning designs:

• Independent studies and/or traditional seminars at the different sites;

• Open and distance learning via a learning and content management system supported by a tutorial system;

• Independent studies of sources and fulfilment of assignment;

• Intensive programme of a duration of 10 days. Participants will prepare a workshop on a selected issue on the teaching/learning process in higher education to be discussed during the Intensive Programme and finalise an article based on these discussion.

Indicative context will be divided into five clusters:

• Description and analysis of teaching/learning theories and practice in higher education;

• Tendencies of developments in higher education in the context of the common European Higher Education Area;

• Lifelong learning: old and new challenges for higher education;

• The roles of students and educators in the teaching/learning process in higher education;

• Methods, techniques, technologies, ICT in diverse learning environments, systems and modes;

Description and analysis of teaching/learning theories and practice in higher education (cluster 1) will deal with the following issues:

• The developing science of learning (what is learning, learning skills, style of learning?);

• Various theories of teaching, teaching styles in higher education;

• Cohesion of theory and practice in various countries;

• The nature of good teaching in higher education.

Tendencies of development in higher education in the context of the common European Higher Education Area (cluster 2) will deal with the following issues:

• 20^th century advances in instruction;

• progressive education in the 21^st century;

• change of paradigms in higher education;

• competence-based teaching/learning in higher education;

• assessment and performance quality;

• enhancement of the European dimension of higher education.

Lifelong learning: old and new challenges for higher education (cluster 3) will deal with the following issues:

• the growing demands of a lifelong learning society (what is the role of higher education institution?)

• the bases for change (pressures on higher education in the information age, cultivating internal readiness for change, new learning needs etc.);

• recreating higher education: scenarious and models.

The roles of students and educators in the teaching/learning process in higher education (cluster 4) will deal with the following issues:

• students as adults, students’ readiness for studies;

• active learning and students’ qualifications;

• lecturers’ professional pedagogical competences

• building of new pedagogical processes: relations and attitudes of students and lecturers: methods, techniques, technologies, ICT in diverse learning environments, systems and modes (cluster 5) will deal with the following issues;

• teaching/learning environments;

• teaching strategies for effective learning;

• the strength and weaknesses of ICT in the teaching/learning process;

• the concept of interactivity and interplay in the teaching/learning process;

• management of knowledge and management of learning with the focus on active learning.

Students may opt for one of these issues and give a workshop on it based on their current research and development work. Students are expected to submit a research paper on their topic before the seminar and to post it into the Content Management System. Title of presentations have to be submitted with the registration form.

Staff will give workshops on selected issues presenting state of the art knowledge on e-learning (with a focus on learning).

After registration has ended (30^th April) Prof. D.Bluma, prof. H.Meyer and prof. A.Hudson will prepare the final programme.

Learning environment

6 hours a day except Sunday are devoted to academic work. Academic work will consist of:

• workshops

• key note lectures

• discussions

• work in special interest groups

• special consulting hours with selected staff

In addition, Riga and Jurmala are nice places of leisure activities.

Academic recognition

Students may get up to 7,5 ECTS credits for successful participation in ALHE recognised at each participation institution.

Publications

Students as well as staff will get opportunity to publish their contributions both as hard copy (at the University of Latvia) and as an electronic publication (in the Future College Electronic Publications Series)