Sharing VET practice to support quality improvement in teaching, assessment, use of ICT and

management of VET

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication

[communication] reflects the views only of the author and the Commission cannot be held

responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

2015

Agnieszka Mielczarek

Output 6. Part 3: Teaching

and learning methodologies used

by VET tutors

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Table of Content

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 3

Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 4

Teaching and learning methodologies used by VET teachers ........................................................................... 5

A) Hungary ....................................................................................................................................................... 5

B) Ireland ......................................................................................................................................................... 8

C) Lithuania .................................................................................................................................................... 12

D) Poland ....................................................................................................................................................... 14

E) United Kingdom ......................................................................................................................................... 17

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Introduction

Key words: CPD (Continuing Professional Development), recognition of CPD, rewarding CPD, formal, informal

and non-formal learning, VET teachers, VET learning champions.

In 2008 the European Parliament and the Council adopted the Recommendation on the European Qualifications

Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF) which enables the comparison of qualifications and qualification levels of different

countries. The framework is learning outcomes orientated and therefore encompass formal, non-formal and informal

learning as well. Such an approach proves to be beneficial for learners and facilitates their further mobility and lifelong

learning.

There is a growing need for such an approach designed for teachers too. Sharing and exchanging one’s experiences

creates mutual trust, cooperation and builds relation between teachers. The importance and role of such practices are not

properly recognized and rewarded despite the fact that they lead to improvement in teaching.

This document is the third of four that present the result of transnational workshops that are conducted during

International Partners meetings. Transnational Workshops Presentations on VET Themes enable the project consortium

to share VET practice to support quality improvement in teaching, assessment, use of ICT and management of VET. The

transnational meetings offer an opportunity to share informal learning around pre-agreed themes to support quality

improvement to meet the needs of PISA 2014 report, Europe 2020 targets and the VET mission to support learners in

acquiring knowledge, skills and competences to successfully enter the world of work.

Each of the Transnational meetings has a parallel workshop dedicated to a different theme:

IT methodologies used by VET tutors in each county in February 2015 at Meeting 2 in Dublin, Ireland;

assessment methodologies used by VET tutors and the VET management strategies to support the embedding

of ICT and reduction in early leavers in each country in June 2015 at Meeting 3 in Kaunas, Lithuania;

teaching and learning methodologies used by VET tutors in each county in October 2015 at Meeting 4 in Lodz,

Poland;

classroom management approaches used by VET tutors in each county in February 2016 at Meeting 5 in

Kaunas, Lithuania to support a reduction in early leavers.

Each country prepares and delivers a presentation on the selected theme prior to every international partners’ meeting,

presented case studies are included in the report on Output 6.

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Summary

This annex includes case studies and good practices in teaching and learning methodologies used by VET tutors

prepared by each project partner. Vast number and variety of good practices of teaching nad learning methodologies

were indicated by partners. The methodologies embrace formal, informal and non-formal learning activities.

In some countries quality in teaching and learning is supported by national organisations that encourage undertaking

such activities and provide guidance, for example Further Education Support Service (FESS) or Krajowy Ośrodek

Wspierania Edukacji Zawodowej i Ustawicznej (KOWEZIU). Moreover typically educational organisation provide

additional support in terms of teaching and learning by founding departments within the organisation that fulfill that tasks.

All methodologies in explicit way support active learning and student-centered approach. They emphasize the role

of engaging a learner, allowing the learner to set his/her own learning goals, embrace different learning styles and

sensory modalities.

One of the methodology more broadly explained was mentor- training, which allows participants to work together in a very

informal way, share experiences and deepen awareness of one‘s competences, skills, attitudes and link with co-workers.

Moreover the training strengthen the willingness to further learning, understanding the learner perspective, expectations

and needs better.

Another methodology is Problem – Based Learning (PBL), that encourage learner to look for a solution to a presented

problem in a creative way. It not only allows to gain new knowledge and develop skills connected with the problem itself,

but also develops generic competences such as self-directed learning, effective collaboration skills, problem solving skills.

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Teaching and learning methodologies used by VET teachers

This annex includes case studies and good practices in teaching and learning methodologies used by VET tutors

prepared by each project partner.

A) Hungary

PAL - Promoting Accreditation of Learning

Activity O6 – A1

Case- studies template

Case study theme: PAL Toolkit - Methodologies used by PAL Tutors at KJU

Title: Methodologies used by PAL Tutors at KJU: with special reference to Learning Walks

Name of Organisation KJU, Kodolanyi Janos University of Applied Sciences

Country Hungary

Contact person for more information:

Name: Orsolya Hoffmann

Email address: horsolya@kodolanyi.hu

Description:

Two distinct groups of instructors are differentiated by the Act on Higher education in Hungary. One of these involves instructors who can be promoted based on their scientific achievement (not pedagogical) :

college/university professor/ associate professor (főiskolai/egyetemi tanár/docens),

college/university assistant professor (főiskolai/egyetemi adjunktus),

college/university teaching assistant (főiskolai/egyetemi tanársegéd).

The other group comprises instructors who are not promoted:

language teacher (nyelvtanár), physical education teacher (testnevelőtanár), artist teacher (művész tanár),

There are no further learning facilitator occupations (e.g. mentor, tutor, etc.) in higher education.

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The Centre for Higher Education Methodology and Innovation at KJU is a stand-alone department dedicated to the methodology of higher education, organizes „events”, meetings, prepares further education trainings as a “LEARNING FACILITATOR”:

MENTORS at KJUAC are trained in PAL Methodologies and they use them actively: e.g.: study excursions/learning walks/café style workshop.

A characteristic example for mentor-trainings with strong informal learning effect:

• Methodology „Learning walks”: Sankt Wolfgang Austria, September 2015 • Participant were KJU Mentors and other HE Personal involved in VET:

Krisztina Gruber, Ágnes Schattmann, László Kovács, Christian Kloyber (Host), Anna Majorosi, Edit Kozma, Dóra Mócz, Andrej Ivanenko, Piroska Takács

• BIFEB: Bundesinstitut für Erwachsenenbildung (bifeb.at) Austrian Federal Institute for Adult

Education is the most important organization for adult education in Austria. We had some strategical meeting with the personal, but the main activity was to visit the campus and the area of the institute, which is very beautiful and an excellent place for self-development in formal, non-formal and informal ways. and one of their mission is:

• “… to make non-formal and informal learning visible ...”

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During the study week we could observe a strong informal learning effect about the activities of

BIFEB, about possible ways of validation of prior informal and non-formal learning and working

experiences. This our learning effects belong to the methodology of Learning Walks in the PAL

Toolkit. But this methodology needs a deeper differentiation. My suggestions are:

Put teachers/people together who rarely see each other but depend on each others work!

Remove people from their familiar environment!

Set common goals!

Let them talk!

Ask them to remember!

Strengths of Learning Walks

You can experience a very positive „Aha-effect” - typical for informal learning

Understanding the perspective of learners (participants were trainer)

Impact:

It motivates you for further learning

Trainer understand much more how important „freedom” in time and space is in informal learning for self-development

Differentiation of the methodology „Learning walks”

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B) Ireland

PAL - Promoting Accreditation of Learning

Activity O6 – A1

Case- studies template

Case study theme: Teaching and Learning Methodologies used by VET tutors in Ireland’

Title: ‘Teaching and Learning Methodologies used by VET tutors in Ireland’

Name of Organisation City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB)

Country Ireland

Contact person for more information:

Name: Miriam O’Donoghue Email address: miriam.odonoghue@cdu.cdetb.ie

Name: John Hogan Email address: hoganCPDservices@eircom.net

Theme: ‘Teaching and Learning Methodologies used by VET tutors in Ireland’

Title: Teaching and Learning Active Methodology CPD Support for VET Teachers

Description: Many strategies are used to support VET teachers in the area of teaching and learning.

This report provides one example of CPD support and the types of approaches that are encouraged by the Further Education Support Service (FESS). CDETB is the lead agency for FESS which is managed through the CDETB Curriculum Development Unit.

FESS is a National Support Service in Ireland providing support to providers of programmes at Levels 1-6 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The Support Service is a full-time, year-round consultancy service operating through the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). CDETB is the lead agency.

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FESS offers a calendar of CPD activities on www.fess.ie

Recent CPD held in different locations around Ireland has focused on teaching and learning and has been designed to provide:

• a range of easy to implement active teaching and learning approaches to promote 21st Century skills

and help to: – support group / team work – facilitate enjoyable and interactive learning amongst learners – engage and motivate learners – encourage lateral thinking, critical analysis and reflection

The hands-on CPD has included areas such as:

Why Active Teaching and Learning

Edgar Dales Cone of Experience and learning retention

VARK Learning Styles

Howard Gardiners Multiple Intelligence Theory

21st Century Skills

Transmissive Vs Transformative Approaches

Meeting learner needs– Carpetpatch

Active Teaching and Learning – perceived risk factors

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Hands-On Activities e.g. 2s & 4s, Visual stimuli, activities using photos, applying Blooms Taxonomy to photos, Meet in the middle, Edward De Bono’s PMI, group work, team work, discussion groups, brainstorming, graphic organisers, co-operative learning, vox pops etc.

Formative assessment, reflection and evaluation

Feedback from teachers has been very positive with teachers eager to try out the methodologies with their own learners.

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Links:

www.fess.ie

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C) Lithuania

PAL - Promoting Accreditation of Learning

Activity O1-A1 and O6 – A1

Case- studies template

Case study theme: Teaching and Learning Methodologies used by VET teachers

Title: Problem based Learning

Contact person for more information:

Name: Daina Gudoniene

Email address: daina@distance.ktu.lt

Description:

Problem-based Learning (PBL) is a great alternative to traditional Learning methods. This learning

method engages students to the presented problem and encourage looking for creative ways for

solving the problem. Since PBL is a student-centered learning method, it makes a learning process

active and engaging. The learners are not passive listeners but creative solvers. This method helps

learners to develop flexible knowledge, effective problem solving skills, self-directed learning,

effective collaboration skills and intrinsic motivation (Hmelo-Silver, Cindy, 2004).

Opportunities:

Examine and try out your knowledge

Discover what you need to learn

Develop team members’ skill for achieving higher performance

Improve your communication skills

State and defend your position with evidences and facts

Become more flexible in processing information and meeting obligations

Practise skills that you will need in future.

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PLB learning method (Resource: www.dailygenius.com/integrating-project-based-learning)

7 steps of PBL (the following steps can be repeated and reviewed as many times as new information

becomes available):

Explore the issue: The teacher introduce the learning with the problem. The problem

statements and its significant parts should be discussed. The learner’s task is to gather more

information, concepts and methods related with the problem which would help to solve the

problem.

Make a list “What do we know?”: It is important to make a list of strengths and capabilities

each of the team member has and what each of them know about the problem. Each of the

team member should make a contribution to the problem solving.

Develop, and write out the problem statement in your words: Each of the statement should

come out from the analysis of team’s knowledge.

Make a list of possible solutions: List all the possible solutions in order from strongest to

weakest. Choose the best solution for problem solving.

Make a timeline of actions: The timeline should involve a list of actions which have to be

made (what do we know about the problem and what do we do to solve it? How do we rank

possible solutions?)

Make a list “what do we need to know?”: Research literature and other resources to prove

your solutions with facts and scientific information. Also, assign the deadlines.

Write up your solutions with its supporting documentation and submit it: The work should

present the finding and recommendations for that problem solving.

Resource: www.studygs.net/pbl.htm

Strengths: Problem-based learning deepens the learners’ knowledge on the specific area. The PBL

method encourage learners to participate in the learning process actively and make a significant

contribution to the team result. In addition, it is easy to implement and works on any field/area.

Besides notable learning results, it also helps to develop learner’s personal and professional soft

skills. The method works well with teams or individuals.

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D) Poland

PAL - Promoting Accreditation of Learning

Activity O6 – A1

Case- studies template

Case study theme: Teaching and learning methodologies used by VET tutors

Title: Teaching and learning methodologies used by VET tutors in Poland

Name of Organisation Universities of Humanities and Economics In Lodz (Akademia Humanistyczno-Ekonomiczna w Łodzi)

Country POLAND

Contact person for more information:

Name: Agnieszka Mielczarek

Email address: amielczarek@ahe.lodz.pl

Description: A vast range of teaching and learning methodologies are being used in Vet schools in Poland. Traditionally, the most typical and popular ones were based on traditional approach to teaching. However due to amendments to educational law and implementing polish qualification framework student- centered learning approach is gaining popularity and more and more teachers are using teaching methods based on that particular approach.

The national organisation that supports VET teachers and learning providers is Krajowy Ośrodek Wspierania Edukacji Zawodowej i Ustawicznej (KOWEZIU). It supports implementing student-centered approach and active learning.

The teaching and learning methods used in Poland may be divided into the following groups:

methods of assimilation of knowledge

methods based on problem –solving approach

educational games

practical methods

The methods of assimilation of knowledge belong to teacher – centered approach and cover: informational lecture, a talk, telling a story or an anecdote, explanation or clarification.

The informational lecture is basically a lecture in which the information presented by a teacher is delivered in a ready to remember way. Thus, it differs from a lecture that is given by an academic teacher – lectures provided in higher education institution require from listeners lot of effort and considerable mental maturity.

A talk is a conversation between a teacher and pupils and the teacher is the person in charge. The teacher aiming to achieve the planned target by asking questions to students to which they provide answers.

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The story is a representation of some action, real or fictitious, which runs at a specific time. Its purpose is to familiarize students with certain things, phenomena, events or processes in the form of verbal description. Story prepares students to listening and memorizing important facts and learn the correct expression of thought. Description is the easiest way of familiarizing students with unknown people, things, phenomena of nature, landscapes, geographical, historical events, etc. An anecdote is a brief story, often in the life of a famous person with amusing elements and surprising ending. Its purpose is to awaken the cognitive curiosity, encourage students to independently obtain more information on the topic and to facilitate remembering certain facts.

Nowadays teachers try to use less of that methods in favor of the active methods. One of the student centered learning based group of teaching and learning methods are the teaching methods used in the problem –solving approach such as:

classical problem solving

Activating teaching methods: - case method - situational approach - staging - educational games - seminar - didactic discussion

The classic problem solving involves: 1. The formation of the problem 2. Formulating problems and ideas to solve them 3. Verification ideas (possible solutions) 4. organizing and applying the results.

The situational approach is to introduce students to a complex situation, for which one or another solution is supported by arguments "for" and "against". The challenge for students is to understand the situation and make a decision on its solution. Then, students must foresee the consequences of that decision.

Staging method involves playing a role in a fictional situation. Staging may be used to reconstruct historical events, biographies of famous people, the functioning of the institution or organization. The purpose of this method may be to learn something new, experience or someone giving therapeutic help. A didactic discussion is a method of training involving exchanges between teacher and students or between students only. The discussants present their own views or refer to the views of others. Application of this method is recommended when students represent a significant degree of maturity and independence in the acquisition of knowledge, in formulating issues in the selection and clear presentation of their arguments. Well-conducted discussion deepen understanding of the problem, teach to handle arguments and critical thinking. At the same time learners learn to take into consideration the opinion of others and recognition of their arguments. Decision games are developing students' comprehensive ability to analyze problems that create a particular situation, allowing to make decision and indicate the anticipated consequences of actions which are compatible with those decisions. Psychological games provide an opportunity for practicing new behaviors, provide an opportunity to manifest new skills in situations devoid of stress, encourage attempts to change behavior.

The most commonly used psychological game is psychodrama, which is playing short scenes on a

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specific topic, sometimes based on previously prepared scenario. This method is generally used when we want to appeal to the feelings that the students experience in certain difficult situations.

Practical methods help students with direct knowledge of reality and allow you to use their knowledge base in solving practical problems. This group includes: - show - exercise Subject - laboratory - exercise production - project – based method - method of guiding text

Show means demonstrating to students natural objects or their models, phenomena, events or processes and explaining their essential characteristics. Subject exercises mean performing certain activities for skill acquisition in order to obtain the highest efficiency in the activities both in intellectual and practical side. They play a special role in teaching the rules of spelling, mathematics and foreign languages. During the laboratory exercises the students carry out the experiments such as biological, chemical or physical ones. These experiments allow to formulate some generalizations, illustrate previously known laws, rules and regulations (traditional laboratory method) and help students anticipate them is not yet known phenomena and processes (problem-laboratory method).

Strengths:

Active learning methods develop spontaneity, flexibility and promotes searching for solutions in natural environment of the problem (that is where the problem actually exists), promotes independency, releasing form thinking patterns and thinking outside the box.

A core feature of this method is the predominance of learning above teaching. It induces the student's faith in yourself, confirms him in the belief that it is able to solve increasingly difficult problems.

Impact:

Listed active learning methods engage students much more that traditional ones and enable learners to feel more responsible for their process of gaining knowledge and developing skills.

Those methods require more flexibility from teachers and bigger insight into the needs and expectations of learners.

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E) United Kingdom

PAL - Promoting Accreditation of Learning

Activity O6 – A3

Case- studies template

Case study theme: Teaching and Learning Methodologies

Title: Using questioning techniques

Name of Organisation Belfast Metropolitan College

Country UNITED KINGDOM

Contact person for more information

Name: Barbara Leslie

Email address: bleslie@belfastmet.ac.uk

Description:

Every teacher will recognise the importance and value of questioning in the classroom. Within the Professional programmes within Business & Management, VET tutors at Belfastmet recognised the importance of using questioning not just to encourage participation and check understanding but also to encourage learners to consider how learning could be transferred to their workplace and own contexts. Aside from well know strategies such as using the funnel technique (open, probing, closed questions) and pose, pause, pounce & bounce other strategies incorporating ICT have been employed.

For factual recall:

Quiz software available on www.trainerbubble.com to include game show formats such as Blockbusters and Who wants to be a millionare. (https://www.trainerbubble.com/downloads/category/free-training-games/)

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For brainstorming & minimalistic feedback:

www.answergarden.ch

For idea generation, debating and voting:

www.tricider.com

Strengths:

These questioning techniques have improved learner involvement. The quiz software has

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encouraged a sense of team work and competition in the classes whilst the online tools ensure equality of opportunity and participation from both quieter and more active students. Students who may be uncomfortable vocalising their thoughts in front of a larger class can submit responses online. Individual and group responses to can be stored and exported for future reference by the teachers and students.