Credit points: 15 ECTS

Students hours: 420

Intensive Programme: Active Learning in Higher Education

Course Team:

Coordinator: Prof. Dainuvite Bluma, University of Latvia

Module Team:
Prof. Hilbert Meyer, Oldenburg University (DE)
Prof. Alison Hudson, Sheffield Hallam University (UK)
Prof.Larissa Joggi, Tallinn University (EE)
Prof.Margarita Tereseviciene, Kaunas V.Magnas University (LT)
Prof. Alenka Polak, Ljubljana University (SL)
Prof. Siegfried Kiefer, State College of Teacher Education (Linz, AT)

1. RATIONALE

This module is intended to enable a critical understanding of comparison of higher education strategies and technologies in partner countries.

The aims of this module are intended to learn critically analyse the potential of comparative education and comparative education policy analysis for higher education improvement in general and necessary teacher education reforms in particular. In parallel, students will get opportunity to develop constructive competences to improve teaching and learning based on broad European perspectives.

2. SUMMARY OF AIMS

This Intensive programme aims to and promote the professional development of the programme participants as university 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.

3. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES

By the end of this module participants should be able:

• To analyse critically a number of education policies in European/OECD societies in a comparative perspective;

• To analyse basic strategies of education governance and administration;

• To analyse critically the different conceptions of professionalisation (of teaching and teacher education);

• To have basic competence in education consultancy

4. LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGIES AND METHODS, INCLUDING RESOURCES

The module 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.

5. ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK STRATEGY AND METHODS

A critical study of an aspect of teaching/learning in higher education that is appropriate to the module participant’s working context, including a discussion of relevant literature and research in this area, the title and focus of which are to be negotiated with tutors (6000 words)

Evidence of:

• A critical understanding of the different approaches to teaching/learning theories in higher education in the context of a common European space in education;

• A critical analysis of underlying assumption and philosophies in teaching/learning in higher education, positive and negative aspects in developments in education;

• A critical examination of the relationship between theory and practice in teaching/learning in higher education analysis;

• An appropriate standard of presentation, expression and citation

6. INDICATIVE CONTEXT, READING AND RESOURCES

6.1. Indicative context

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.

6.2. Indicative reading:

1. Buchberger, F., Campos, B., Kallos, D., Stephenson, J. (2000) Green Paper on Teacher Education in Europe. Umea: TNTEE

2. Campos, B. (ed) (2000) Teacher Education Policies in the European Union. Lisbon: INAFOP.

3. OECD (2003) Education at a Glance. Paris: OECD

4. OECD (2003) Education Policy Analysis. Paris: OECD

5. OECD (2003) Networks of Innovation. Towards New Models for Managing Schools and Systems. Paris: OECD.

6. European Journal of Teacher Education. 2002 – 2004.

7. Education in a New Era (2000) Ed. Ronald S. Brandt USA Association ofr Supervision and Curriculum Development

8. Teacher Development and Educational Change. (1992) Ed. M. Fullan, A. Hargreaves, Falmer Press, 1992.

9. Evans T., Nation D. Changing University Teaching. Kogan Page (2000)

10. Trends 2003. Progress towards the European Higher Education Area

11. Tuning Educational Structures in Europe (2003)