Training methodology for education of informatics teaching staff

Training methodology for education of informatics teaching staff in primary and secondary schools Leonid Stoimenov, FEEN Dragan Gejo, RSD

Overview • Background – IT and Education • Facts from Regional School Directorate • Teaching methodology • Conclusion

Background • Information Tecnologies (IT) – are the means that give us a challenge and ample opportunity for social development. – Especially a great challenge for Serbia • Informatics is important part of infrastructure for modern public economy and society development in Serbia*. • The role of IT in education and development will be the central topic in next few years in Serbia*. *according to “Strategy of economic development of Serbia until 2010” given by Serbian government (Ministry of Science Technologies and Development, Belgrade, 2002, authors: group of experts, Edited by Vlastimir Matejic

IT and Education • Rapid changes in informatics need continuous education of teaching staff in primary and secondary schools. • Serbian Ministry of Education and Sports, notes that “…the changes in global economic environment, the needs of economy, technology and development trends demands adequate educated individuals. ”* *Serbian Ministry of Education and Sports, draft document, “Development of politics and strategies for professional education”, 2005 • The same document points out that …”transformation of educational process are an important assumption for the future society and economic development of Serbia”. • Promptness of education of new and existing teaching staff is crucial.

Informatics Education in Serbia • Education in informatics in primary and secondary schools is not at adequate level: – bad equipment and accessibility of computers for the purposes of education, and – low computer literacy of school-teachers. • Serbia is deficient in educated teaching staff for informatics. • The necessity of teacher’s further education has arisen also. – absence of permanent and continuous education of teaching staff in primary and secondary schools* *According to draft document of Serbian Ministry of Education and Sports “Development of politics and strategies for professional education”

Facts from Regional School Directorate (RSD) Niš • RSD covers main cities in Central Serbia (Niš, Prokuplje, Pirot). • There are: – 122 schools • 78 primary and • 44 secondary schools – 299 Informatics teachers • 197 or 66% are in primary schools, and • 102 of them or 34% are in secondary schools.

Facts from RSD – age structure • More than 40% are older than 50, and • even 67% is older than 40. ØSuch age structure implies low level of teacher’s knowledge about new trends and technologies in informatics.

Facts from RSD – teachers education • More than 30% (exactly 98 teachers) don’t have higher education (VI degree according to the Serbian law) • Less than 27% (79 teachers) are educated at faculties probably with informatics in syllabus. – Tehre is not information about their diploma supplement, and – there is not exact information about number of teacher with higher education in informatics. • 40% of teaching staff have higher education inadequate for informatics teachers.

Facts from RSD – Informatics in schools • Informatics as an optional course in primary schools. • There are not syllabuses for informatics courses – an inadequate educated teacher decides what is important for teaching. • There are some results in syllabus definition for secondary schools – a new curriculum for subjects of education in informatics in secondary schools in 2002. – investment in raising awareness and computer literacy with usage of IT. – Government of Serbia, in next two years, is planning to equip 1600 primary and secondary schools with 30. 000 computers, Internet connection and appropriate software* *Serbian Ministry of Finance, National Investment Plan for 2006 -2011, Section “Education”, page 6, item 5. 1.

Training Methodology • Great diversity in education of teaching staff. • A lot of informatics teachers have no adequate professional background. • Younger teachers usually have better informatics education. • Most of current informatics teachers have to reinforce their knowledge. • Our training methodology will be focused on continuous education of Informatics teachers in primary and secondary schools in Serbia.

Training Methodology – blended technique • Schools teachers have obligations in their schools during the semester, and we can not organize intensive and frequent courses for them. • Our blended technique encloses: – – (1) phase of preparation for e-learning; (2) phase of distance learning (e-learning); (3) seminars; (4) and lab practices. • Each trainee passing all four phases.

Training process (1)

Training process (2)

Training process (3)

Prerequisites • We will establish a Center for Continuous Education at the FEEN. • The Center will facilitate e-learning, seminars and workshops with practical work. • We plan to provide continuous education using blended way of learning. • A system for e-learning will be established and the portal for teachers will be developed under the supervision of EU partners.

Seminar on E-learning Selection of Informatics teachers from RSD 120 teachers Seminar on E-learning 1 day

E-learning courses • We will develop courses for informatics teachers • Aim is to innovate their knowledge and make them competent for new technologies. • Teachers should be educated to use modern information technologies and apply them in teaching process • In order to do that we will establish Web based platform for e-learning as a basis for life-long learning.

E-learning courses (cont. ) 120 teachers Computer Architectures and Networks Modern Concepts in Programming Internet Technologies 120 teachers 3 months E-learning – 3 courses

Seminars • After the stage of e-learning • We plan to retrain 120 teachers • In the final stage we will organize – Workshops for small groups with accent on practical work, and – testing of candidates.

Seminars (cont. ) • Instructors from the FEEN will develop a proposal for teaching material and a set for lab practicing. • Work with teachers using blended technique. • Seminars for all teachers: – Computer Architectures and Networks – Modern Concepts in Programming – Internet Technologies • Our plan is to provide materials for all seminar participants • After each seminar, there a distance training, workshop and exam.

Seminars – details • 120 trainees/teachers, • 6 groups, 20 trainee per seminar • 200 working hours: 2 months per trainee, 6 hours per day

Formal Recognition 120 retrained informatics teachers • The pilot program will be carried out with Ministry of Education and Sports for all schools under the RSD Nis. • Seminars and course materials will be accredited by Serbian Ministry of Education and Sports. • We plan to provide certificates for all candidates passing final test. • Certificates will be authorized by FEEN, and approved by Serbian Ministry of Education and Sports.

Conclusion – overview of the methodology • Schools teachers have obligations in their schools during the semester, and we can not organize intensive and frequent courses for them. • Because of that, our blended technique encloses: – – (1) phase of preparation for e-learning; (2) phase of distance learning (e-learning); (3) seminars; and (4) lab practices. • Each trainee passing all four phases. • 120 trainee, 20 per group • 200 working hours: 2 months per trainee, 6 hours per day • The quotient of e-learning in educational process is about 50%.

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