building partnerships for a learner-centred approach€¦ · school/higher education partnerships...
TRANSCRIPT
Compendium of participants
2
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
In the traditional approach to teaching, most class time is spent with the teacher lecturing and the
students passively watching and listening. The students work individually on assignments, and
cooperation is not encouraged. Learner-centred teaching methods shift the focus of activity from the
teacher to the learners.
Learner-centred approach is targeted on the learners and their development rather than on the
transmission of content. It addresses the balance of power in teaching and learning, moves towards
learners actively constructing their own knowledge, and puts the responsibility for learning on the
learners.
The contact seminar on Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach is hosted by SAAIC - the
Slovak Erasmus+ National Agency and its main aim is to promote networking among organizations that
plan to prepare new Strategic Partnership projects in the school sector and/or cross-sectoral
school/higher education partnerships (KA201, KA229, KA203) focused on learner-centred teaching and
learning.
Goals of the contact seminar will be the following:
1. exchange of good practice in initial and in-service teacher training for the development of
teachers' competences necessary for schools and universities in Europe of today;
2. presentation of innovative methodologies and ways of teaching with a focus on learner-centred
teaching and learning;
3. planning of new projects.
The seminar is open to participants within the field of school and higher education . The contact
seminar is mainly targeted at primary and secondary school teachers, staff of higher education
institutions or any other organizations providing teacher training programmes, interested in the concept
of learner-centred teaching and learning. The language of the event is English.
Contact information:
Slovak Academic Association for International Cooperation (SAAIC)
Križkova 9, 811 04 Bratislava, Slovakia
[email protected], +421 2 209 22 201
Compendium of participants
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Table of Contents
Please click on the country below to see information about participants from these
countries:
Countries:
Belgium .............................................................................................................................. 4
Bulgaria .............................................................................................................................. 7
Croatia ............................................................................................................................... 9
Cyprus ............................................................................................................................... 16
Czech republic .................................................................................................................. 20
Finland ............................................................................................................................. 22
Germany .......................................................................................................................... 28
Ireland .............................................................................................................................. 34
Latvia ............................................................................................................................... 36
Luxembourg ..................................................................................................................... 40
Macedonia ....................................................................................................................... 42
Netherlands ...................................................................................................................... 46
Norway ............................................................................................................................ 50
Poland .............................................................................................................................. 54
Portugal ........................................................................................................................... 58
Slovakia ............................................................................................................................ 63
Slovenia ........................................................................................................................... 85
Sweden ............................................................................................................................ 87
Turkey ............................................................................................................................... 91
Compendium of participants
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Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Kimberly Verhaest
Email [email protected]
Country Belgium
Organization
Organization name Howest - University College of Applied Sciences
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I worked 8 years in a high-school where I thaugt history, geography and French. During my
first years as a teacher i achieved my master degree in educational sciences (University of
Ghent). When the opportunity arose to work as a teacher trainer at Howest, I did not
hesitate. Currently I teach history within the teacher training department. Next to that I work
as a researcher in the field of digital information skills & media literacy. Intrests: democratic
education & educational innovations.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Getting inspired by other practices, research...Getting to know other educational systems.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Making contacts in Europe to exchange knowledge, but also students (Erasmus). Make
contacts in connection with my research (scaling up, follow-up research ...).
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I worked in a high school where they recently (2 years ago) started with 'flex classes'. Students
are responsible for their own learning schedule. There is a lot of attention for differentiation.
They also installed 'option modules' where students go outside of the classroom to learn in
authentic environments. I am still highly involved with the school and I follow up a bachelor
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thesis there. Next to that our teacher training also had a module 'project/problem based
learning'.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
Personally I don't have many experiences. Within our teacher training department, we are a
leading member of DLAB (Digital Learning Across Boundaries).
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I would love to see a longitudinal study where different types of learner-centred approaches
are investigated so implementation goes more focused, more qualitative and gives better
starting points for schools and their teacher-staff.
Compendium of participants
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Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Brenda Van Den Berk
Email [email protected]
Country Belgium
Organization
Organization name Thomas More Mechelen
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I teach methodology in the teacher training for secondary education.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope to get information on new methods and research results on methods to activate
learners and to make them manage their own learning proces. I hope to be able toexchange
good practices.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I'll think about this question a bit longer.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I teach and practice guided independant learning, problem based learning, cooperative
learning, .... I put a strong emphasis on metacognitive skills.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have no experience with Erasmus+ projects.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
---
Compendium of participants
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Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Deyan Doynov
Email [email protected]
Country Bulgaria
Organization
Organization name Regional Management of Education
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
As a senior expert of history, geography, philosophy and civil education, I have to coordinate
and inspect the implementation of state educational requirements on history, geography,
philosophy and civil education in schools in our region. I carry out supervisory visits and
disseminate the information for the purpose of improving the quality of teaching in schools. I
promote and support improvement initiatives in the schools.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
The theme of the seminar is relevant to my work as a person who is responsible for the civil
education in the schools in our region.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Participating in a contact seminar is a possibility to exchange expertise with other learning
professionals from across Europe, to establish important new contacts at European level, to
meet and collaborate with colleagues interested in the theme of the seminar and develop
Erasmus+ strategic partnerships.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have organizes qualification courses for teachers.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have not participated in a contact seminars and projects.
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6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Interactive teaching methods; Flipped classroom.
Compendium of participants
9
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Emina Berbić Kolar
Email [email protected]
Country Croatia
Organization
Organization name Faculty of Education
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a professor of Croatian language and literature, I have 20 years of work experience in
elementary, high school and college. I am Vice Dean for the teaching and students. For me
and for my institution is very important to improve this sector by linking with other similar
institutions, applying for new projects, networking and linking through examples of good
practice. I have many years of experience in teaching, and I am also a member of the national
commission for taking a professional exam in the Croatian language. I am engaged in
dialectology, communication, and the Croatian language.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Personal benefit to me would be the opportunity to listen to the teaching lessons I could
transfer to my teachers, and I would also benefit from personal growth and development as
well as the possibility of networking with colleagues from other European countries and the
possibility of stronger linkage in terms of joint application projects.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
The professional benefits that I expect to gain at this seminar are new insights on teaching,
new ideas, new colleagues with whom I can exchange positive and negative experiences and
can be prepared for new joint projects.
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4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have a lot of experience in teaching because I worked on all levels of education in our
educational system. I have experience in lifelong learning because I teach several courses on
pedagogic-psychological and didactic-methodical training at our faculty that provide
pedagogical competences for teaching in teaching to untrained staff. I have also been highly
rated by students in an anonymous survey to maintain teaching and teaching methods, and
regularly have an excellent rating. I continually refine in this area and adopt the latest
knowledge and knowledge.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I don‘t have experience.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
The idea for a possible joint project is to connect at least 3 European countries with 3 faculties
but may include elementary and secondary schools and to develop methodological manuals
for teaching children migrants, asylum seekers and other children whose language of the
country they live in not mother language. I believe that this part in the educational system in
the Republic of Croatia is quite problematic and that it should be done in that direction.
Compendium of participants
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Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Dajana Jelavic
Email [email protected]
Country Croatia
Organization
Organization name High school"Jure Kastelan"
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am an English teacher at vocational school,eTwinning projects coordinator trying to set up
an Erasmus+ KA2 project,interested in web tools ,eager to learn and implement new methods
and teaching approaches to empower my students for life and LLL.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Another great opportunity to boost my competencies relevant to the topic of the seminar,to
find partners with similar aspirations and begin future cooperation,gained skills and
knowledge might be implemented in our common project as well as in my future teaching
methods what will enhance my professional development and influence my school
environment. Every change starts with a teacher.Constantly upgrading my knowledge makes
me better activator, facilitator, moderator. I strongly believe in sharing good practices as the
best way of learning and look forward to every opportunity of it.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
All the benefits(better understanding of this approach and its implementation) will be shared
and implemented at my school,with my students directly in class ,with my colleagues and
through dissemination in other schools.Desired impact is introduction of innovation in
teaching which enhances motivation preventing early school- leaving and attracts more new
students to our school.I also hope to obtain skills needed to develop an Erasmus+
project.Benefit for my institution is surely future possibility of an Erasmus+ project that will
make it more visible and more international.After this activity my institution might take into
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consideration that educational transformation means personalization of it and possibility of
creating innovative, student-centered curriculum.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
This approach helps me develop learner autonomy and independence and finally
responsibility for their own learning(crucial thing).I give them voice and choice and make
them abandon the passive/receptive role they were used to.They've become more engaged
and involved as well more motivated.It is a process,but also a good way to keep them" on
board "specially in vocational fields where students have limited attention span,low
motivation and easily give up schooling.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
My school had an Erasmus+ KA1 last year but I was not involved in it and have no
experience.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
As my students are in catering industry (future workers in tourism) we were discussing the
possibility of Erasmus+ project and their main concern was staying away in a foreign city for
the first time.It would be useful to have a kind of a guide(a mobile app) created by peers just
for Erasmus group .Motivation comes from real life situation and the final product is very
useful,handy and sustainable one.Students can work in transnational teams,choosing a role
based on their strengths/ interest/passion/talent.(sport &leisure activities,best food,main
sights,events,interesting facts,photo &video,places to see,....)Before each mobility students will
create cooperatively CITY GUIDE which they will have on their phones(easily approachable
knowledge).They will need to research, communicate and reflect a lot before agreeing what
information to choose(critical thinking);assignments are self-paced using Google
spreadsheets/documents and Glideapps.com. Two levels of monitoring:host student who is a
leader of the team and a teacher. Technology plays a key role in personalizing learning and
enables teachers to monitor,respond and assess students during project.Students will vote for
the most interesting/attractive presentation and for the best city guide(the element of
competition/peers' assessment).Feedback/comments also possible in a mobile app as a mean of
further interaction among students.
Compendium of participants
13
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Marijana Ivica
Email [email protected]
Country Croatia
Organization
Organization name Third High School Zagreb
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I have been working as an English and French teacher since 2000 in my current school. I have
also continuously worked on my professional development as an English teacher as I think
one cannot be a successful teacher without constantly working on and improving one's
competences. I have always tried to teach English in a broader context, not just the language
skills, so I like to include a variety of global issues in my lessons. For example, since my school
is a SHE school (Schools for Health in Europe), which works on promoting health among our
students, I am an active member of the SHE school team and I use English lessons to promote
mental and physical health among my students. I've also participated this year in my school's
application of the Erasmus + KA1 project, but we were 2 points short, so we will try next
year.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I consider this seminar to be an excellent support to my personal and professional
development as I expect to gain more information on the opportunities of my further
professional development. New knowledge from the seminar will certainly encourage me to
implement new methodologies in work with my students. Moreover, apart from getting to
know about new tools, innovative approaches and activities, I expect a fruitful exchange of
experiences with other teachers. I find it very important to increase the amount of project
work in my teaching so I am sure that the experiences from this seminar will help me in that. I
also hope that I could find partners among the participants for my future project.
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3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Implementation of new tools and innovative approaches will empower and encourage my
students to communicate effectively and independently in English, to think critically and
evaluate contents in digital environment. Work on a joint project will help them to develop
their communicative, creative, critical thinking and cooperative competencies, as well as to
learn how to find information, evaluate it and critically process it, and share it with others
using digital tools (digital citizenship). International collaboration with other schools will help
them to enhance their language and general knowledge, develop digital skills, promote
tolerance and collaborative learning.
I intend to include the newly-gained knowledge and skills in my everyday work, as well as
share experiences from the seminar with my colleagues ( in my school and others). I am
willing to prepare a workshop about innovative methodologies with the emphasis on learner-
centred approach for all interested teachers. I will also disseminate a workshop at a council
meeting of English teachers.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
During my 18 years of work in school I have noticed that students achieve better results in
learning English when there is a variety of activities and when teaching is learner-oriented.
When preparing English lessons for my high school students (aged 14-19), I make sure lessons
and activities are student - centred by implementing various methods and techniques such as
research, pair-work, group-work, speed-dating and project work. I also use digital tools as
much as possible since my students are comfortable with technology and enjoy working with
them. I try to incorporate as many project activities as possible in order to foster their
creativity, curiosity, entrepreneurship and self-reliance. Therefore, in the past two years I have
included them in some eTwinning projects during which they collaborated with their peers
from other countries, improved their communicative skills in English, did research on their
own and exchanged experiences. I have concluded that this is an excellent way of learning
English in an informal yet motivational digital environment. A language is best and fastest
learnt in direct contact with other speakers in co-operation on a joint project, which is an
important preparation for life and work in this international and multicultural community.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have been involved in preparing this year's KA1 application in my school.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
For next school year I’m preparing an eTwinning project of making a digital magazine in
which every participating school will work on one part. Since writing production is an active
skill in which my students need the most support and practice opportunities, I feel that
working on a digital classroom magazine is an excellent way of developing that skill. In that
way students get a chance to write about topics of their interest, students who don’t feel at
ease when writing in a foreign language will certainly feel more relaxed since the activity isn’t
for a grade, and in the long term writing activities will become easier and more natural for
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them. Joint production of a magazine will foster their collaborative skills, pair or group work,
skills of critical and argumentative evaluation of other people’s work, and self-assessment. I
think this type of tasks will promote active role of students and increase their motivation since
writing articles is different from routine classroom writing tasks. The final result should also
have a positive effect on their self-confidence and self-image because it will allow all students
to contribute, regardless of the level of their language competencies. Collaboration with other
schools via eTwinning platform in making a digital magazine is vital because it will make the
whole activity authentic and meaningful. Writing for a global audience gives the magazine a
genuine purpose.
Compendium of participants
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Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Achillefs Kapartzianis
Email [email protected]
Country Cyprus
Organization
Organization name Neapolis Gymnasium
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I have a BSc in Physics, MSc in STEM Education and I am teaching Physics in public secondary
schools for the past 15 years. Apart from teaching, my current role in my organization is
professional development coordinator.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope to deepen my knowledge about learner-centred methods, practice my own skills on
the topic, and meet people that we can work together in a KA2 or eTwinning project.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I want to establish connections with other schools with similar interests, in order to develop a
KA2 or eTwinning project in the near future. Also I will disseminate what I will learn in the
training course to my fellow colleagues at school.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have been practicing learner-centred approach for the past 5 years.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have participated in 2 Erasmus+ KA1 trainings in the past.
Compendium of participants
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6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Yes. I hope to produce activities that blend ICT tools with learner-centred approach.
Compendium of participants
18
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Maria Mourettou
Email [email protected]
Country Cyprus
Organization
Organization name Thekleio Gymnasium
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a science teacher but also have a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and studies in
Business Administration. My interests include environmental issues, intercultural
communication and cooperation, learning of foreign languages and improvement of my
professional and personal skills in all aspects. In my present school I teach Biology to children
between the ages of 12-15 years old.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Since I have already lived in other countries and speak foreign languages, I expect to improve
my personal intercultural communication and language skills. I believe that I will be given the
opportunity to explore new cultures as well as exchange knowledge and experiences with
other European colleagues. The acquirement of new knowledge will improve my professional
approach to teaching.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I am convinced that intercultural exchanges improve the professional skills of teachers. They
also offer an excellent opportunity for teachers and pupils to broaden their way of thinking,
meet new cultures and adopt new ways of approaching school life.
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4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Our curriculum in Biology uses active learning strategies focusing teachers’ activity on the
pupils. They engage in groups to solve problems while they prepare and present group
projects.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I haven’t had the opportunity to work in an Erasmus project yet. I look forward to this
experience!
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Allow pupils to be motivated by their interests while they prepare and present projects. Work
in groups where they take decisions and collaborate to organise tasks. Involve pupils in
community-based activities.
Compendium of participants
20
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Martin Schacherl
Email [email protected]
Country Czech republic
Organization
Organization name Základní škola a gymnázium Vodnany
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I work as a Deputy Director of the Primary School and Grammar School in Vodňany, which is
the largest school in South Bohemia, created by merging two primary schools and a grammar
school. Before the merging, I held the position of the Director of the Grammar School for
twelve years. Simultaneously, I work as a lecturer at the Pedagogical Faculty of the University
of South Bohemia in České Budejovice (a part-time position).
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
… orientation, overview, new experience, new motivation and impulses, new knowledge in
sharing good practice, getting to know new people ...
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
We would like to establish new contacts with universities and universities outside our region,
carry out joint projects, get inspired by interesting examples of good practice.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have been teaching at secondary schools for 21 years.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
When I held the position of Director of the Grammar School in Vodňany, our school
implemented several projects in Comenius. At present, our school participates in one active
Erasmus plus project, of which I am the coordinator.
Compendium of participants
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6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I have specific ideas for joint projects with universities related to my career.
Compendium of participants
22
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Tuire Nordman
Email [email protected]
Country Finland
Organization
Organization name Hämeenlinnan Yhteiskoulu
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
After high school, I started my studies in social policy and social work. As I worked in a field
of social work, I became familiar with the huge range of difficulties and various needs of
support. Later I became class teacher in elementary school, working with kids who needed a
lot of support in their daily matters, coming school in time, behaving, tolerating other kids.
Now I´m working with teens with a need of special education, a need to be seen and to be
heard.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Professionally I want to find ways to meet the needs of every student, teaching them more as
an individual. What kind of methods does my colleagues in Europe use? I hope I could
develop these thoughts and methods to fit them in my own schools learning environment.
What are the elements for inner motivation, how to increase it? I´d like to find out, how
teacher can by scaffolding give a proper support and decrease it at first step-by-step until one
doesn’t need it.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
In my school grades 1-6 are studying in open learning environments. On the other hand, our
secondary school is working in a traditional environment waiting for new school to be build.
In other words, our school is in a process where´s a good time to discuss about our aims and
our thoughts and needs about learning environment and pedagogy including learner-centred
approach. How to combine new and old ways of learning and teaching.
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23
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Since I´m working with teens with different kind of special education needs in a small group, I
have to take account their specific and individual needs in learning. Learner-centered approach
as a method is my base working way. I would like to learn more about how and what ways
my colleagues and I can, in different kind of ways, take these working methods to our class
rooms.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I haven´t got my own experience with Erasmus+ projects, though I´ve followed other schools
Erasmus+ projects at times.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
What is (or is there) connection between learner-centred approach and early school leaving?
Can learner-centred approach give good practice about how to prevent early school leaving
(by increasing self-esteem, motivation and finding ones strengths, changing passive learners to
active ones).
Compendium of participants
24
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Vesa Karjalainen
Email [email protected]
Country Finland
Organization
Organization name Kirkonkylän koulu /MYRSKYLÄ
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I´ve been a classteacher since 1992 in Myrskylä, small village (2000 inhabitants) in southern
Finland. Year 2000 I started also work as a principal in our school. I still work as a teacher and
a principal. I do my best to keep our school active, modern and nice and safe place to study
and work. Kirkonkylän koulu (my school) is primary school, pupils from preschool to 6th
grade. In our school we focus to: nature, active learning, physical education, arts,
communality, internationality
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
My intrests are always also in developing as a teacher and head of the school. I have some
experience of international projects and I´m still interested to continue working with
European schools and think I have also something to share. I´m also interested in a Learner-
Centred Approach in education. I think finnish Curriculum is mainly based on this.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I hope to obtain new Network of school professionals. I hope I will meet partners I can
cooperate with. Aim is to create new Erasmus+-Project. As I told, we live in small village in
rural area, so international projects are very important to us. We can bring Europe to us.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I don´t have exact experience, but..Many contents of learner-centered approach is included in
new Finnish Curriculum. Community learning, lots of questions and problems to solve,
Compendium of participants
25
building a positive attitude, giving responsibility of learning to students, increasing motivation
are basics of our teaching. Our school have lot experience also in Storyline-method. It contains
a lot of learner centered teaching.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
We just finished our "Full STEAM ahead for better education- Erasmus+-Project this spring.
Before that our school have had 4 Comenius-projects.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Our international projects´ topics have contained STEM-education, physical activity and PE,
Storyline-method, culture and nature... So, just now I´m interested in "well-being, overall.
Children and youth are not so well nowadays. They are not sleeping enough, they are not
exercise enough. Many of them stop hobbies, schools too early. Their content of life is too
simple and poor. We have to find ways to motivate them, courage to find positive aspects to
be active, be into, study.
Compendium of participants
26
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Heidi Niskanen
Email [email protected]
Country Finland
Organization
Organization name Varpaisjärven koulu
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a qualified teacher of languages. I teach at a village school in Varpaisjärvi (Lapinlahti
municipality) in Finland. Our school is a combined primary and secondary school with about
230 pupils and about 25 members of staff. I have been a full-time teacher for 13 years and I
teach English and Swedish. My pupils are between 9 and 16 years old. I am very interested in
European and international co-operation.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
As a language teacher, I am always looking for opportunities to build connections with other
teachers around Europe. I constantly want to improve my own teaching and language skills
and at the same time search for ways to give my pupils a chance to practice their language
skills in authentic situations.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I was chosen to come to this seminar to represent my school. Our main goal is to find partners
for an Erasmus+ project for the years 2020-2022.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have studied the learner-centred approach at university some 15 years ago. This is a subject
that personally interests me and I want to develop my teaching towards this direction. I hope
that the seminar will give us participants some basic information about the approach to help
us find a good perspective for an Erasmus+ project that could be carried out in our school.
Compendium of participants
27
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
Our school has had some KA1 project and I have personally participated in a few In-service
training courses. At the moment, we also have an on-going KA2 project which will end in
September 2019.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Our school wants to apply for a new KA2 project for the years 2020-2022. We are also
interested in being the coordinator school. The theme of this contact seminar matches the
initial ideas we have had for a new project. We would like to strengthen our pupils' role as
active, goal-oriented and responsible learners (pupils at secondary level, ages 13-16). We
would maybe also like to involve the idea of increasing the pupils' movement during their
school days (less sitting behind the desks).
Compendium of participants
28
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Antje Koenen
Email [email protected]
Country Germany
Organization
Organization name Max-Beckmann-Schule
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a teacher in a sixth-form college (A-Levels) for English and German, I have applied for
this seminar because for the last three years part of my work has been to develop and
organize workshops for teachers for the use of digital media in the lessons. We are
concentrating on ePortfolios using the platforms Mahara and Moodle and the idea is actually
a learner centered approach by giving the learners the ability to plan and evaluate their work
and finding ways to offer project-like assignmen
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I am very interested in any form exchange and new ideas. I hope to get more ideas to help
setting up learner-centered conditions at school (not an easy task) and get to know people
who are as enthusiastic and interested in focusing on the learner rather than on their
respective subjects. Their are variuos difficulties to face and I am looking forward to discuus
them, being open about them and finding solutions.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
As I mentioned above, the learner-centered approach is not an easy task because it means a
teacher has to lradically change some ways of teaching. I hope I can com back to school with
more positive examples, ideally a network of people/schools/ institutions who are not afraid
of changing their ways. For myself I hope to get even more professional in this field, with the
necessary scientific backup.
Compendium of participants
29
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have been working with ePortfolios and solution focusssed coaching and had very good
results.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
None so far.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Yes, I would llike to involve digital media as much as possible and have a network for
students and teachers alike. I would like to show some work on Mahara if possible
(everything is of course by no means perfect, but therefore quite realistic) and I am very
interesed in projects that actaully include the dilemma of having to cope with a rather strict
curriculum leading to exams (A-Levels).
Compendium of participants
30
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Elena Euser
Email [email protected]
Country Germany
Organization
Organization name Selzerbachschule Klein-Karben
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a primary school teacher. I started teaching three years ago. My subjects are Maths,
German, P.E. and English but I also teach other subjects if necessary. I work at a school with
about 230 students from grade 1 to 4, in the upcoming school year I will start with a class of
first-graders. My interests are teaching and learning in heterogenous groups and biligual
students.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope to get practical new ideas for my everyday professional life that will help me to
increase the quality of my work.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I think it is beneficial if schools are more connected with each other. Many instituitions face
the same challenges in the educational system (heterogeneity, institutional rascism, growing
bilingualism, etc.) and a more frequent professional exchange could help to find solutions.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
It is my experience, that learner-centered approach is necessary in heterogenous learning
groups but it is sometimes hard to realize because it can take a lot of time to prepare this
learning environment.
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31
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
None.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I am looking forward to obtain them at the seminar.
Compendium of participants
32
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Britta Sobek
Email [email protected]
Country Germany
Organization
Organization name Realschule
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a teacher at a secondary school (Realschule) for English, History and Art. I started my
teaching career in 2005. I completed a 2-year training programme for a counselling teacher
last winter. Since Februrary 2019, I've been the counselling teacher at our school and it's been
very interesting and fullfilling so far. Together with a colleague I am at the starting point of
planning a KA 1 activity / Erasmus + for the first time.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope to gain more competences in learner-centred teaching activities for my own teaching. I
also hope to swap new ideas and visions with other participants of the TCA and thus broaden
my professional horizon on different aspects and Levels. It would be great to be able to find
partners for either pupil-related activities and projects and/or possible contacts for a KA 1
activity.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
The experiences and benefits I hope to obtain in October, will be shared among the teaching
community later in the school year. By multiplying my gained knowledge I hope to be able to
encourage my teacher colleagues to implement and share more learner-centred approaches in
their lessons. The outcome of the activity will also be very useful for our future KA 1 Project, I
hope.
Compendium of participants
33
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
E.g.:group work (3-4) and partner work: pupils are given a certain tasks that they have to
work on for a couple of lessons. The results are presented to the whole learning group. All
group members are asked to give some feedback after the presentations (strenghtens their
social skills, too). I like doing many cooperative learning activities (e.g.: think-pair-share, place-
mat, using the 'appointment calenders' and more.)
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
None so far! But as stated above, my colleague and I are just starting the planning of a KA 1
activity. I did a few etwinning projects with different classes in the past few years, which the
pupils and I appreciated a lot.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Some ideas for projects could be the creating of class magazines on different subjects, group
wall displays about, for example, students' cultural backgrounds, countries or other student-
relevant topics. The groups' work could include various use of media and technology, thus
possibly encouraging and motivating the pupils on a higher level. (Music or other kinds of
videos/podcasts etc. ) Such learner-centred activities and approaches could be implemented in
all subjects, I think.
Compendium of participants
34
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Mick O'Rourke
Email [email protected]
Country Ireland
Organization
Organization name Templemichael College/Longford College of Further Education
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am currently the Deputy Principal of our school which provides education at secondary and
further education levels. My intitial position in the organisation was teaching woodwork,
graphics and construction studies.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope to engage in networking activities and future networks of good practice for
collaborating on Learning Centred practice in our collectice schools. If some of these practices
could lead to an erasmus+ or etwinning activity for students this would also be desirable
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I hope to be able to bring back models of good pracice and collaboration to my own
organisation with a view to embedding models where desireable.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Learner centered approach is part of the ethos of our organisation however practice of same
throughout our organisation is not uniform.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
Our adult section of our school has engaged in an erasmus programme of student placement
for the past 5 years between Ireland and Tenerife.
Compendium of participants
35
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I have some ideas about linking teachers and schools with some learning centred themes such
as social inclusion and use of technology. I hope to meet interested partners on this activity.
Compendium of participants
36
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Laura Lauberga – Nikolova
Email [email protected]
Country Latvia
Organization
Organization name Liepaja Secondary school
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
My main job at my organization is project administrator - I work with groups of young
people and help them to create their youth exchange projects. I also create and coordinate
staff mobility projects for teachers of our school. I have good experience in these two fields. I
am also a teacher.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I have a potential project idea for this kind of project: to create practice places for local and
foreign pedagogy students (in all partner schools) where they can test learner-centered
approach and find their own way of implementing it. I would like to discuss this idea during
this training.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I would like to obtain specific information on projects of this kind. I believe that being able to
create and implement such project, will give me good experience that I will be able to use
later for discussions with local municipality. Liepaja municipality is focusing on quality of
education in Liepaja right now, however most of the teachers and school leaders believe that
they are doing it not quite the right way.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Only what I have read on my own and tested in my classroom.
Compendium of participants
37
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have experience in youth exchange and staff mobility projects.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
We have potential partners from Estonia, Finland and Poland, and Liepaja University (incl.
Int. Affairs Office). LiepU is creating new study programs right now and their experts have
been consulting with teachers from Liepaja, including few from our school. All institutions will
benefit from joint project: schools will implement learner-centred approach, university will
improve its study programs, close cooperation will improve practice quality for LiepU&foreign
students.
Compendium of participants
38
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Karina Semjonova
Email [email protected]
Country Latvia
Organization
Organization name Aluksne Municipality Secondary School
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I have been working in a small school in village for 11 years and I could not to participate in
any projects. I applied in Comenius project, but agency rejected it. Our school had only 70
students. Last year our local goverment closed this school. Now I am working in cenral school
in Aluksne. It is much bigger than previous and I would like to plan and participate in
International project.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
To develop languale skills, comunicative skills and organise students learning process more
useful, meaningful and adept. Ar a result it probably, willingly will be a project with new
partners, colleagues.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Partnership for me as a teacher, for students and for school. New skills for working, teaching
and organazing lessons or learning process. To be more fully convinced of organazing projects
around Europe.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
We are in Skola 2030 or “Competency based curriculum” project (In Skola 2030, work with
the new curriculum and the approach to the mainstream education is one of the most
important education principles that is based on the planning and implementation of the
curriculum and the approach in schools as an inclusive educational approach. )which means
Compendium of participants
39
that we - teachers have to plan, organize and realise our lessons in school for students'
accessible/ approachable results. Each student is unique!
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I am new but I want to try and be competent, well informed, efficient.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Yes, I do.
Compendium of participants
40
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Alain Reef
Email [email protected]
Country Luxembourg
Organization
Organization name University of Luxembourg
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I used to work as a secondary school teacher. At the present time I work in the internship
office at the University of Luxembourg (Bachelor in Science Education). The BTT (bureau des
temps de terrain) occupies an intermediary position between BScE students, internship trainers,
university tutors and institutions. In close cooperation with the other participants and the
management of the BScE, the BTT is in charge of setting up the pedagogical support system for
students during their internship. The objective of the BTT is to ensure and facilitate as much as
possible a theory-practice/practice-theory transfer for the development of a reflexive
practitioner attitude.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
- promote the exchange of good practices in initial teacher training and learner-centred
approach; - present innovative teaching methodologies, focusing on learner- centred approach
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Continuous adaptation and improvement of the student supervision system in order to
promote professional development during internship. Intensified exchange with other
institutes (with a view to bringing field and research closer together). Establishment of a
network for close cooperation in the supervision of students.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
The learner-centred approach is an essential part of the courses in the program of the BScE.
Compendium of participants
41
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
Up to now, I have no experience with European projects. Nevertheless, I am curious to make
my first experiences in this domain.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Currently we are working on a partnership model that aims to strengthen cooperative
cooperation between the university and schools in Luxemburg. This project is currently being
developed and for this reason I hope to get some additional know-how from the training
“Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach.
Compendium of participants
42
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Gjorgina Dimova
Email [email protected]
Country Macedonia
Organization
Organization name Opshtinsko osnovno uchilishte STRASHO PINDJUR Negotino
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I’m a Computer Science teacher for 18 years, curriculum trainer, blogger, photographer
amateur. Etwinning, scientix, edmodo ambassador and TeachSDGs ambassador, British Coucil
trainer, National Geographic Certified Teacher.. Currently working as Computer Science
teacher and deputy director in the school. Two times winner in Stem Discovery Week
competiton, Global e-innovation 2018 winner, Best teacher EX-Yu.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Hoping to meet teacher from different countries develop connections and friendship. Learn
some new interpersonal skills. I hope to exchange new methods for developing learner
centered approach and see how it is implemented in other countries and find what I can
implement in my classroom.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Our school want to change that and to provide best educational experience for our students
by improving the educational methodology through training and exchange best practices with
other schools. We would like to connect to schools and exchange practices in teaching
methods and teacher training and to connect to Universities from other countries that train
future teachers and to implement practices that are applicable in our community and
conditions.
Compendium of participants
43
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Our school was part of Step by step program that as a basis has learned centered approach -
the students is in the center of the classroom. I have participated in many training for methods
for developing and implementing learner -centers approach.And also I was a trainer for
several trainings.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have only experience in etwinning projects and participated in one etwinning Contact
Seminar in Hasselt.. I ahven't been part of an Erasmus+project before.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I would like to implement a transnational project on strengthening teacher competencies
especially in competencies needed to develop learner-centered approach in the classroom. We
will make a self-assesment and see what competencies are less developed in our schools and
make strategies for that. Then we will conduct several workshops and trainings where best
practices will be promoted and strategies showed on how to disseminate then into our
classroom.
Compendium of participants
44
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Vladimir Trajanovik
Email [email protected]
Country Macedonia
Organization
Organization name Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Faculty of Computer Science
and Engineering
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I work as a professor at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University. I have published more than 180
research papers in International Journals or conferences. I have participated in more than 30
international (FP7, FP8, H2020, NATO) and national projects. I have coordinated 2 of them.
My research interests focus on collaborative learning environments, digital education, and
game-based learning.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
This TCA event is a great opportunity to increase knowledge and skills in the field of student-
centered education. Furthermore, it will be a great networking opportunity enabling
cooperation for future project proposals.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I will be able to connect my institution or different NGOs from my country with potential
partners for future Erasmus+ projects.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
In the last five years, I was an invited speaker in more than 20 events in Europe related to
learning and teaching in the new era. I have published more than 10 journal papers (most of
them with impact factor) and more than 20 conference papers related to educational topics in
different fields of education.
Compendium of participants
45
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have participated in several Erasmus+ projects: - ERASMUS ACTION 2, EUROWEB European
Research and Educational Collaboration with Western Balkans, 2011-2015; - GLAT - Games for
Learning Algorithmic Thinking (2017-1-HR01-KA201-035362), Financed by Erasmus + Program
within the framework of Key Activity 2, Strategic Partnerships for the Area of General
Education, 2018-2020. I am also a national evaluator of Eramsus+ projects
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
The project ideas I would like to address will be related to Development of critical thinking in
different student environments (from age, or cultural background), Game-based learning and
gamification in the educational process, Computational thinking and Problem solving.
Compendium of participants
46
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Jos Eussen
Email [email protected]
Country Netherlands
Organization
Organization name Maastricht University
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
After a 20-year career in private industry as an economist and CEO, 12 years ago I founded
The OPEDUCA Project, a societal initiative to bring together the knowledge and action of
industry, education, science, regional governments and societal institutions for the realization
of ‘Education for Sustainable Development’ as an ongoing strive to realize future relevant
learning from primary to higher education. I lecture at Maastricht University and conduct
PhD-studies in learner centred approaches.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I seek to enrich my insights through meeting and interacting with people in education
throughout Europe and take joy in sharing information and experience with others. I strive to
further create an excellence-alliance of people and organisations to create and operationalize
'Open Educational Areas' throughout the EU, acting together as a coherent learning space for
primary up to and including higher education enabling and empowering youth/students.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
The OPEDUCA-concept has been acknowledged by United Nations University, the OECD,
Ministries and leaders in industry and schooling - presently based at Maastricht University the
strive is to bring the concept and it's workings to all member states in the EU as an open
resource for truly improving education.
Compendium of participants
47
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Personally and by ways of The OPEDUCA Project learner-centred thinking- concept-
development and practical work has been focussed on learner-centred vision and successful
practice for over 8 years in primary, secondary, further and higher education.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I coordinated the successful 'THE OPEDUCA PROJECT EUROPE' involving 8 countries and 19
partner-organisations, took part in 8 others ERASMUS+ projects and build and uphold a
network of ap. 1.400 teachers and schoolleaders throughout the continent and beyond.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Very much so, this form offers not the opportunity to described these, but part of them are an
EU-wide Teacher Education program, the development of and Open Educational Resource
approach for all schools in Europe and a student-driven continuous cross-border learning-
exchange.
Compendium of participants
48
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Rita von Hebel
Email [email protected]
Country Netherlands
Organization
Organization name Fortes Lyceum
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I studied Art school. Drama and Art History. I teach both these topics for about 12 years at my
current school. I’m coordinator Exchanges . It means I organise the exchanges for our students
(about 120 this year) and do Erasmusprojects (2 this year). Furthermore I am part of the
submanagement team of one of our departments.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope to obtain more knowledge and maybe new material and workmethodes on a learner-
centred way of working so I get more at ease with it.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
When I do get input on new learner-centred methods I will use them in school and share them
with my colleagues. We might even organize a training for my department.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Teaching art is aleays about having students explore their own talents and try to make them
discover what they are missing in knowledge and skills. It means I have developed methods
and assignments to stimulate this process.
Compendium of participants
49
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
First I did some Comenius projects . When the projects became Erasmus+ I had a project on
making students self supporting in organizing their own learning, with 3 partners. Now I’m
involved in 2 different projects. One with 3 and one with 4 other partners.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I would love a project on art in a learner-centred approach.
Compendium of participants
50
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Marte Haseth
Email [email protected]
Country Norway
Organization
Organization name Thora Storm Upper secondary school
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a Lector of Media studies, Marketing and English as well as being the International
Coordinator at our school.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I love to travel, see new places and meet new people. I’m hoping that by participating in this
activity I will make some new acquaintances for future collaborations.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I hope to meet some like-minded colleagues that are interested in starting a project with our
school. We are very eager both to share our own experiences and to learn from others. It will
also be interesting to see if we think alike or if being from different countries make for
different approaches to teaching and learning.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Our school is very eager to try new things, and our focus area at the moment is finding new
ways to structure both teaching and learning. Our most current project is `grade free fall`
where we focus on giving response on work done instead of giving grades. Our hope is that
this will teach the students to `learn how to learn` rather that focus all their attention on the
result (i.e. the grade).
Compendium of participants
51
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I don’t have any experience with Erasmus+ projects yet, but I’m hoping this will be the
beginning of a long row of exciting projects.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I’m extremely interested in exchanging experiences with schools from different countries on
how to learn best. My goal as a teacher is to make learning mean something real to the
students, that they’re not learning to please the teacher or recieve a good grade, and to have
them see that what they do at school is directly linked to the outside world. Exploring this
idea further would be a very interesting project to me.
Compendium of participants
52
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Yuriy Rogovchenko
Email [email protected]
Country Norway
Organization
Organization name Agder University
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am Professor of Mathematics at UiA. I am involved in research in mathematics and
mathematics education. I teach mathematics courses. I am a spokeperson for the mathematics
research group PAMAR and responsible for mathematical modelling group in MatRIC,
Norwegian centre for excellence in mathematics teaching.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I am looking for new ideas for my teaching and research in education
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I look forward to establishing new contacts with potential collaboration partners
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I support strogly active learning and have always been trying to conduct my teaching in the
form of a dialog with students
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I coordinate Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships KA-203 project PLATINUM
www.platinum.uia.no
Compendium of participants
53
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
The most recent interest: use of eye-tracking equipment, GSR and EEG to understand better
students‘ learning and to improve the learning experience.
Compendium of participants
54
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Agnieszka Gąsior- Tomanek
Email [email protected]
Country Poland
Organization
Organization name Primary school number 1
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I teach English and Spanish in my school. I am a person who coordinates international
cooperation: eTwinning projects, I wrote KA101 project but still have no money( witing for
final approvement). I invite people of different nations to my school, they present their
country, talk a little about themselves, they are volunteers. I held contests and a Foreign
Language Day.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I try to participating in such even as except from having new contacts, I develop my skills (
communication- language improvement, travel skills, interpersonal ones), I get to know other
cultures and customs as well as places.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I want to find out how KA229 projects function in other schools( money matters and
organizing visits of students and teachers), how to start KA101 project once it is approved(
contracts, cooperationg institutions) and find potential partner schools for KA229 project.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have been a teacher for 20 years and try to be better all the time, that is why I find ways to
improve my skills. I have not participated in any projects on this matter but I engage my
students in the lesson, they often create it with me. We share duties, I let them decide about
forms of exercises and then tests. I give them feedback after important tasks or exams.
Compendium of participants
55
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have taken part in many eTwinning projects, been a member of Socrates and Comenius one.
But had a break and now I want to lear more about new forms of cooperation. I took part in
one seminar like this.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Not yet but hope to find a group of people who work with me. First we must see what we
have in common and then we can start creating a new project. Possible topics: free time,
interesting jobs/professions ( a future career) or any other that seems interesting.
Compendium of participants
56
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Jarosław Jablonski
Email [email protected]
Country Poland
Organization
Organization name Piotr Latoska Secondary Technical Vocational School
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a PE and English teacher with 25-year-experience in teaching at secondary education
level. For the last 12 years I have been writing and coordinating EU mobility projects inter
such programs as Leonardo Da Vinci, Erasmus+ and PO WER. In 2012-17 I was a school
deputy head. At the moment I am an English teacher and EU Projects Coordinator at
secondary technical vocational school in Ruda Slaska. I am also a football coach and good
music fan.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
To enlarge my experience on the field of International cooperation and broaden foreign
contacts potential. I hope to get some deeper insight in new project ideas.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
To find possible partners for future projects and get ideas how to implement new ideas of
student – aimed projects into school development plan.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Individualisation of teaching my subjects and professional development of vocational students.
I always try to aim into students‘ interests and passions when teachning.
Compendium of participants
57
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I planned and performed several Erasmus+ project in the field of internship student mobility
and teacher training mobility (KA1) mainly for students of logistics, electricity and recording
and sound. I have experience in ECVET prodecures.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Possible ideas involve cooperation in organising internships or training for our students in such
areas as: recording and sound engineering, logistics, mechatronics, airport services and also
cooperation in ideas exchange in the form of creating audio podcasts and other new
technology media.
Compendium of participants
58
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Maria Barrento
Email [email protected]
Country Portugal
Organization
Organization name Agrupamento de Escolas Monte da Lua
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I've been a teacher of English for 30 years. For the past ten years I've been teaching in my
organisation - Agrupamento de Escolas Monte da Lua (a school cluster), in Sintra. Besides
teaching, I've been a teacher trainer, I've coordinated the vocational courses in my school, I've
taken part in a Comenius Regium project, in two KA1 mobilities, lately I've coordinated two
Erasmus+ projects (KA1and KA2). I'm also the coordinator of Erasmus+ / International projects
in the school cluster.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
At personal level, besides enriching and improving my knowledge, taking part in this TCA
would contribute to my career progression, since the certification is recognised and validated
by the Portuguese teacher training organisation (Conselho Científico-Pedagógico da Formação
Contínua). Since in Portugal we have a system of credits, this training/ TCA would give me
half of the credits required for my progression next year.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
At an institutional level, it would be very important since I'm the coordinator of Erasmus+ in
my school cluster. It would allow me not only to improve my own knowledge, but it would
be very useful in future applications (KA1 or KA2). It would allow me to establish contacts for
future partnerships (KA2). Furthermore, it is a common practice in our school cluster to share
with the school community, so after attending the TCA I would organise a session within the
school cluster training plan.
Compendium of participants
59
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I've been trying to use this approach, since I really believe the focus should be on the students
in order to motivate them, give them more solid tools, enhance their confidence and
responsibility. However, my knowledge on the subject is mainly from experience as a teacher,
some readings and theory. I'd like to learn from those who are using this approach at a more
"professional" level.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
Participation in Comenious Regium - Quality in Education; Under my function as Erasmus+
coordinator: Participation in two KA1 mobilities (2015 in the UK, 2018 in Italy); Participation
in a KA2 project (Poland, Estonia, France, Portugal); Participation in a TCA seminar in
Warsaw (2016); Participation in an eTwinning workshop (Future Classroom Lab);
participation in several Erasmus+ sessions promoted by the Portuguese NA.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I would like to do something related to one of the following topics: - Youth concerns/
problems/ lifestyle nowadays - "What is it like to be a teen in the 2020's?"; - The Environment
(is also a topic that interests me and most teens and adults, so I think it would be very
pertinent); - Accepting the other with his/ her differences and similarities; - Gender equality.
Compendium of participants
60
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Carlos Cunha
Email [email protected]
Country Portugal
Organization
Organization name Colégio Militar
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I have been a professor of Physics and Chemistry at the secondary level since 1990. I have
been a teacher trainer since 2002. I developed the concept of innovative learning spaces in
Portugal using active learner-centered methodologies, passing the teacher to be a mediator of
learning. I have given several teacher training courses in these innovative methodologies, with
and without recourse to ICT. I have been a partner in several Erasmus+ projects, focused on
inquiry-based learning methodology
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I intend to strengthen my competences in learner-centered methodologies, thus strengthening
the concepts I approach in workshops and teacher training courses. On the other hand, I
believe I can make a better contribution to the Comenius + partnerships that I establish with
other European schools.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I coordinate the missions abroad at the school where I teach: Colégio Militar, Lisbon. So I
think I can give a better chance to the school to establish partnerships as European schools,
especially in the field of Erasmus + projects. This training can contribute to the reinforcement
of my knowledge in this field, as well as in the meeting of possible partners for future projects.
Compendium of participants
61
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I coordinated the implementation in Portugal of innovative learning spaces based on the
Future Classroom Lab model of Europeans Schoolnet in Brussels. This space enables the
implementation of student-centered methodologies in order to develop skills and meaningful
learning. I have promoted several teacher training courses on these student-centered
methodologies and their learning.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I was a partner in the Comenius project: The 4 Elements, and the Erasmus + projects: Atelier
for STE (A) M, both focused on inquiry-based learning and project-based learning
methodologies. I am waiting for the results of an application for an Erasmus + project: the
colors of science, whose motto is student-centered learning but with a link between science
and art.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I am waiting for the results of an application for an Erasmus + project: the colors of science,
whose motto is student-centered learning but with a link between science and art. The school
where I teach has a strong sporting component so we are developing the idea of a project
that links art, science and sport. The focus will be on student-centered learning, with the
teacher being a learning mediator and a learning facilitator.
Compendium of participants
62
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Maria João Marçalo
Email [email protected]
Country Portugal
Organization
Organization name University of Évora
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I have been teaching and researching at Higher Education for more than 20 years. Supervising
future teachers of different levela of education.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
New ideas, new partner for future projets and work internationaly
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Meeting new partners from different countries and higher education.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Professional experience
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I participated in a few european funded projects, Tools, pools-2.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Projects on new ideas related to learner-centred approach.
Compendium of participants
63
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Markéta Rusnáková
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name Catholic University in Ružomberok
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
Associated professor of social work. University lecturer, guarantee of the study programme
Social work, member of Editorial board of the journal Social Work (Scopus). She is a lecturer
of the specialist courses in the field of Social Work.From March 2003 she is a Member of
Administrative Board of the Department of Social Security in Ruzomberok (named by the
Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family). From 2016 Marketa Rusnakova is Vice - Dean
of Foreign Affaires and Public Realtions.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I am currently in the position of vice-dean for Foreign Affairs and Public Relations, so I see the
development of contacts in the networking of schools within and outside Europe as
important. I work at the Faculty of Education, so a seminar organized by you is designed
specifically for the goals we realize in education of the future teacher. I want to actively
participate in the development of new Erasmus projects, but I also need new contacts.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
The seminar organized by you is in line with the Strategic goal of the Faculty of Education,
where we want to set ourselves, to develop strategic partnerships in the school sector at
international level. It is strategic for us to bring inventive elements into the education of future
teachers.
Compendium of participants
64
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
At the Faculty of Education of the Catholic University in Ružomberok, we implement several
scientific projects focusing on research concerning the learner-centred approach supported by
the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic. For example: Identification, analysis and
inhibition of latent aggressive behavior of children in pre-school age, Media habits and
competences of children in early childhood and young school age;
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
As a Vice-Dean I participate in the preparation and development of Erasmus + 103 projects,
KA 107; This year we together with universities in Lithuania, Latvia and Portugal submitted an
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree in Social Work;
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
As the most fundamental idea in relation to projects concerning the learner-centred approach,
I see the creation of a research network of schools and universities disseminating research
results at primary and secondary schools in Europe and beyond. We would like to extend our
participation in larger international projects.
Compendium of participants
65
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Lucia Gérerová
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name Základná škola s materskou školou Karola Rapoša
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I have been an English teacher in a lower secondary school. Our school is focused on teaching
science and sports.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I agree that the traditional approach to teaching isn´t very promising. I hope I will obtain new
information concerning Learner-centered approach. Working alongside international
colleagues will be really valuable in terms of sharing teaching ideas.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I hope I will find a partner school for an Erasmus+ project. I would like to take part in a
successfull and well run KA101-project.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I am experienced in eTwinning. I took part in the projects Fly me to the Moon and Who finds
a friend finds a treasures. They were awarded with the quality labels. Our pupils worked
together on assignments concerning astronomy with their peers from France and Italy. They
had to describe planets of the solar system and prepare presentations. They visited an
observatory and they had to write an article about it for an emagazine. They could meet them
online during an eTwinning video conference.
Compendium of participants
66
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I am a newcomer.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Bring together pupils from 2 countries and study their mountains with a scientific and
historical point of vue. For example pupils from Brezno would study flora and fauna of Low
Tatras, they would visit the national park, caves and nature monuments. I was inspired by the
Erasmus plus project Let's Trek on Europe's Tracks Registered on 22.05.2019 by Marie Acosta
from France.
Compendium of participants
67
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Ľubica Reváková
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name Škola úžitkového výtvarníctva v Košiciach
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am the leader and of department of design digital of application in Secondary school of
applied arts in Košice. I am a co-founder UX community in Košice - UX Košice for UX
designers, but it is place for people who want to learn about it. I want to support education in
the region and in the elementary school, secondary school and university.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I can meet people from other countries and we can share our experience about education
process. I would like to get more opinions how I can optimize my teacher´s skills.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I cooperate with multinational companies where our students are getting practical experience.
I also cooperate with the Jan Matejko Academy of Art in Krakow. I think it´s good way to
connect other foreign institutions with slovak students and companies.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I try to support student´s proffesional skills. Our students cooporate with IT companies and
create digital´s products. We can connect IT sector with art.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I do not have any experience with Erasmus+ projects, but my school is involved in this
projects.
Compendium of participants
68
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I would like to achieve that connection IT with Art would be more popular in this region.
When we will support education in this area in our region there will be more job
opportunities.
Compendium of participants
69
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Eva Kubová
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name MŠ a ZŠ Žilina
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am an English teacher in the basic school – elementary and secondary level in Zilina-
Zavodie. I have been teaching for 19 years, English, Geography and ICT. I am a coordinator of
project Erasmus+ mobility for teachers and youth exchange. I have been to some youth
exchanges in Germany, Estonia and France like leader of Slovak group. I have already
organized youth exchange in Slovakia.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I would like to gain new work experience at innovative methods of teaching, which are
focused on pupils. I really want to get new knowledge about ICT and to get ideas how to
work with pupils or to acquire multicultural knowledge from different countries, new
partnership with the possibility to develop strategic partnerships in 2020 because our
European School Development Plan.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I want to transfer the competences to the pupils by acquitting the knowledge, improve the
educational outcomes of the pupils or increase the credit of the school on a nationwide scale,
fulfil the priorities for the European School Development Plan. I really want to start strategic
partnerships in 2020.
Compendium of participants
70
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have already attended few mobility abroad – in Cambridge and in Malta which were
focused on pupils. I would like to use these experience. I have already attended international
youth exchanges, where we have mainly focused on the pupils themselves, as leaders of the
participating countries – Germany, Estonia, France and Slovakia.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have taken part in some mobility abroad – in Cambridge and Malta, I have also participated
as a youth exchange Slovak leader and since 2014 I have coordinated the Erasmus+ project at
school, but also I have helped two other basic school in Zilina with the project Erasmus+.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
The topics which I am interested in are: technology, acquiring multicultural knowledge within
strategic partnerships to improve pupils´ educational outcomes.
Compendium of participants
71
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Rastislav Metruk
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name University of Žilina
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am working at the position of the Vice-dean for International Affairs and PR, and I am also
the Head of the Department of English Language and Literature. I specialize in English
language teaching.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope that after the seminar I will have broaden my professional expertice, and that I will
have gained new ideas for project proposals.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I hope that after the seminar I will have developed a cooperation with some partners so as to
submit and later work on a common project.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
As a teacher of English at a university level, I also teach practical English lessons employing the
Communicative Langauge Teaching. I am attempting to be in the role of a facilitator, trying to
adhere to the principles of Communicative Approach, with the focus on the learner, not on
the teacher.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have limited experience with Erasmus+ projects.
Compendium of participants
72
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Yes - measuring and evaluating learner-centred approach in lower-secondary and upper-
secondary school levels (the research methods of questionnaire, interview, and observation).
Afterwards, the obtained data would be analyzed, processed, interpretted. The outputs would
include common articles and book publications. This could be done in more countries, and the
obtained data can be statistically compared, etc.
Compendium of participants
73
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Zuzana Bebčáková
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name Gymnázium Žilina
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I have been the coordinator of previous E+ project in our school and also took part in older
Comenius project. We are looking for new opportunity and partnership. I was responsible for
the whole planing and management of our training and teaching week and it was really
successful event. I would like to bring more Erasmus + opportunities for our students and
colleagues to our school in the future because I think it is one of the most enrichment
experience they could have during their study/work.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
New friends and different views on problems and issues in this field of education across
Europe. Just speaking with other teachers and workers with youth brings me more energy to
work on daily basis. I think it is very important for our work to share (experiences, ideas....).
And I know this event is more for newcomers but I think it is good to have variety in the
partners.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I am expecting to learn how to plan new project from the beginning (because we were just
partners until now), how to focus on the theme and tools/tips that can be used for learner-
centered approach to students in our school. I am also expecting to build new chain of
partners for future project.
Compendium of participants
74
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
We are trying to put the students and the humanity on first place in our school. But it is hard
to reach both - good results for students/parents/school and also give all the students what
they need to develop their personality and skills. I would like be more like tutor for our
students and help them to fulfill their needs and dreams for future as a person for solving
problem with the attendance in school etc.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
Just the best. I think that this platform and attendance of E+project can change lives of the
citizen in Europe. I saw that in our previous project and also from the feedback of our
students and other participants. I have learned a lot and would like to alive it again. As a
coordinator from country that has no see and nobody is choosing us as a tourist destination I
worked really hard with our students and we succeeded to present our country and school in
the best way.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I have an idea of personal development plans for students. So we, as a teachers can help them
to reach their goals. But sometimes I feel that our students don´t have dreams and desire for
future - so my plan is to show them their strong sides and motivate them to do as much as
they can in the field of their personal and professional development.
Compendium of participants
75
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Ivana Cimermanová
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name University of Prešov
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I work at the University of Presov as a methodology teacher. In past I used to work as a
department Erasmus coordinator, later international Erasmsus+ coordinator, ECTS
coordinator. I have also been in an office of vice-rector for education, vice-rector for
international office and thus had a chance to understand the manage the processes connected
with the study of Slovak and international students. Since September 2019 I will enter the
office of vice-rector for study again.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Being a methodology teacher I try to professionally develop myself not only by reading
professional literature but also by attending different webinars and workshops. I believe I can
benefit from the seminar especially as a teacher where traditionally teacher-centered approach
was/has been applied and teacher beliefs are strong.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Working with pre-service teachers my knowledge, experience is disseminated regularly. At the
Faculty of Arts, where I am teaching, the regular meeting of meth teachers have been
organised where knowledge and experience have been shared. I have also experience as e-
lecturer (both teachers and students). It is equally important to consider methods, forms and
the role of teacher and student in e-learning, with a special focus on the tools that support
collaboration, cooperation and interactions.
Compendium of participants
76
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I personally try to apply the principles of learner- centred approach. However, there are many
types of activities I have not tried and considered.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I used to be a dpt. and institutional coordinator of Erasmus+ project (KA1) I was also a
coordinator of Leonardo project.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Honestly, I have been not thinking about it. On the other hand, the project focussing on
collecting the samples, videos, ideas and their presentation in e.g MOOC or an e-course with
lecturers and moderators from different countries that is available to teachers in practice and
pre-service teachers might be an interesting and useful outcome (that can be regularly updated
and developed).
Compendium of participants
77
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Judita Dömötörová
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name Stredná odborná škola chemická
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I teach chemistry at vocational school. I focus on active based learning and work based
learning. I work as a school project manager. I manage internal projects of school, national
and Erasmus+ projects. I realise laboratory exercises for primary school pupils to increase their
motivation to study science. I manage also PR activities of school. I am a member of National
team of ECVET experts.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I would like to gain new ideas how to apply brainstorming, and role-playing in education,
how to use effectively social media in projects and case study method. To become a part of a
network of teachers to exchange our experiences on LCA, managing projects. I have an idea
how to develop social and civic competences and I hope I will find there a partner for next
project.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I would like to participate on networking of secondary schools, to find partners for eTwinning
and KA1 and KA2 projects to enhance the international cooperation. We can use the
knowledge of TCA participants to make managing of projects more effective. Exchanging the
knowledge will help us to better formulate goals of projects, learning outputs of activities. We
can learn how project manager can cooperate effectively with school management.
Compendium of participants
78
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I focus on ABL. I organise simulation-based projects “Poirot” and “EURINVET” - investigation
of criminal cases based on real stories and fiction. In the frame of “Alchemy cottage” project I
apply ABL and cooperative learning. The E+ “European Olympic games project” EULYMPICS
was held as four Olympic games – Cultural, Environmental, Business and Sport Olympic
Games. Activities were organised as triathlon and game, competition and role-playing
methods were applied.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have 8 year lasting experience with programme E+. I prepare project applications,
implement projects, and work on intellectual outputs of VET projects. In KA116 and KA202
projects, I focus on applying of ECVET tool in chemistry. In KA229 projects, I focus on active
based learning – especially on method of simulation, cooperative learning. I am a member of
national team of ECVET experts and I provide expert advice in application of ECVET in VET.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
From 09/2019 we will start STEAM based project focused on enhancing digital competences,
continue with synthesis of pigment, learning about its properties, industrial scale
manufacturing, and we will finish with using pigment to create an artwork. I would like to
apply ABL methods within this project and methods of active feedback. I would like to apply
for project based on LARP in chemistry and game-based learning in chemistry.
Compendium of participants
79
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Janka Medveďová
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name Comenius University in Bratislava
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am an assistant professor at the Department of Pedagogy and Andragogy. I currently I´am
head of this department.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I´m interesting more about access to innovation in teaching and would like to learn more, get
an overview of the issue.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Based on the theoretical overview, get more options for the project in this topic, perhaps
internationally...
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Attended one workshop that impressed me very much. „Why innovate? The benefits of
student-centered teaching approaches”.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I have experience with Erasmus + projects mainly from teaching mobilities to foreign
universities.
Compendium of participants
80
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I have no ideas, but I would like to learn more at workshop and inspire for the future.
Compendium of participants
81
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Jana Chynoradská
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name Harmony academy
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
Jana Chynoradská is the HARMONY Academy founder, Principal Manager and a professional
foreign language trainer. She also currently holds the position of the President of the Slovak
Association of Language Schools. She initiates many local and international projects aimed at
developing cross-cultural and international networking within ELT, education, communication
and leadership.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Finding out about the situation of the learner-centred approach application in other countries.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I would like to find new partners for the next phase of the Learn&Lead idea development and
submit an KA2 application form for 2020 – 2022.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
Ever since I started teaching (in 1993) I have been applying this approach in my classroom. I
set up a language school (HARMONY School of English) back in 2000 and the underlying
philosophy of teaching is THE LEARNER-CENTRED approach.
Compendium of participants
82
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
HARMONY was recognized as the most active and successful organisation in the adult training
section in 2017. At this time we are implementing the HAPPY SCHOOL 2020 project- 2018-1-
SK01-KA104-046112.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Yes! We are working on the project titled Learn&Lead EUROPE and would like to submit
a KA2 project for 2020-2022. In this project we would like to form partnerships with other
schools and teachers/trainers in Europe and further develop the Learn&Lead idea. We would
also like to create a formal connection to the local (Slovak) institutions providing teacher-
training and thus become a regular supplier of the teacher-traing programmes to teachers in
the primary and secondary schools in our country.
Compendium of participants
83
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Venus Jahanpour
Email [email protected]
Country Slovakia
Organization
Organization name Brilliant Stars International
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
Founder of international kindergarten and primary school in Bratislava, Slovakia.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
Ability to mentor the teachers and adjust the curriculum and setting of the classroom to be
more learner-centred.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
Best practise sharing in the area of teachers´development. Information about innovative
methodologies and ways of teaching with a focus on learner-centred teaching and learning
Information about new projects (we are interested in primary school students´mobility
program). Networking with the participants.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
At our primary school and kindergarten we have implemented Montessori Approach which is
highly child centered.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
So far none, we have started our first Erasmus+ project as of September 2019.
Compendium of participants
84
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Not yet.
Compendium of participants
85
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Mateja Todorovski
Email [email protected]
Country Slovenia
Organization
Organization name Osnovna šola Dobje
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
Certified to teach all subjects in a Primary school. Certified to teach English to young learners
which I do at the moment at OŠ Dobje (part time). Assistant professor at the University of
Primorska, Faculty of Education (contract work), working as a didactic expert. Interested in
active teaching methodologies with a student in the core of learning, formative assessment,
thinking skills development, CLIL (Conten Language Integrated Learning), curriculum
development (the co-author of the national curriculum for young learners of foreign
languages) and international cooperation (Erasmus+ coordinator at OŠ Dobje).
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope I will meet professionals from different European countries to have a chance to
exchange good practice examples both ways. So I can gain new experience in the field of
students centred teaching from teacher trainers and participants but also to be able to
exchange examples I have developed and get a professional feedback about the quality.
Furthermore I hope to be able to connect with like minded people and set up anyking of
cooperation.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
As we would like to put our school on the European map also as an organization which
provides international courses for teachers we hope we will get some ideas and examples of
how to prepare and organise a course. We also hope to be able to find new partners to apply
with for either KA229 or KA201 in 2020 cycle.
Compendium of participants
86
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have some experience with it as I work a lot with thinking skills development and I use
formative assessment for several years. Both are in my opinion extremly important when we
speak about lerner-centred approach. I was also involved in a development of a European
Language Portfolio for young learners.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
Coordinated two KA1 projects and one KA2.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Yes, especially with young learners.
Compendium of participants
87
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Lisa Eriksson
Email [email protected]
Country Sweden
Organization
Organization name Sollentuna Musikklasser
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
In my organisation I am responsible for the work with UDL and our learning environment. I
am also an ICT-teacher. I have a lot of experience regarding work with students with special
needs and I’m lecturing in schools about how you can work with digital resources in different
ways.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
We are trying to improve all the teachers knowledge about different ways to teach. We are
working with lesson tuning and UDL.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I think I can contribute with my ideas about digital resources and how to motivate different
kinds of students.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I lecture about different ways to learn with the help of technology. I am very interested in
didactic and different ways of learning.
Compendium of participants
88
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
To learn about how other countries work.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Not at this time.
Compendium of participants
89
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Stina Ericson
Email [email protected]
Country Sweden
Organization
Organization name NTI-gymnasiet
Sector school education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I am a high school teacher (grade 10-12) in English and Swedish. I am currently teaching full
time and I am also in charge of a project at our school where we have created an Active
Learning Classroom (ALC). This project is in collaboration with Umeå University. It i s a three
year project and we are currently on our third year.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope to learn more about learner-based activities, their benefits and how to use them in my
teaching.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I want to bring information and knowledge to my co-workers as well as our partners at Umeå
University.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
As mentioned above I teach in ALC which has a learner-centred focus. It has mainly been used
on university level but we have decided to use it on high school.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
None.
Compendium of participants
90
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
Learning different methods for the classroom.
Compendium of participants
91
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Amine Zuhal Zeybekoglu Caliskan
Email [email protected]
Country Turkey
Organization
Organization name Koc University
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
I have more than 15 years of experience in higher education. I worked at the Faculty of
Education in Yıldız Technical University as a research assistant for 8 years. I hold Ph.D. in
Educational Administration and Planning. Since 2011, I have been working as the manager of
Koc University Office of Learning and Teaching. I have been managing professional
development programs for faculty and academic support programs for students. My main
interests are learning and teaching in higher education.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I have been offering workshops and holding one-to-one consultation sessions with faculty
memebers at Koc University to improve their teaching. For the last two years, one of the
workshops that I offer focuses on student-centered course design and delivery. By participating
this activity, I hope to improve my personal knowledge and skills in learner-centeredness and
meet new people that have the similar interests and background.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
At institutional level, we hope to join/form a network and develop projects in enhancing
learner-centeredness at the local and international level. We would like to share our
experience and knowledge with other higher education institutions to create someting
valuable and sustainable to disseminate learner-centeredness as a means to improve the
quality of learning and teaching in higher education.
Compendium of participants
92
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I have a considerable amount of experience in this approach. I have attended a lot of trainings
and conferences about this approach to improve my personal knowledge and skills in this
approach. Now I teach this approach to Koc University faculty. I have also published some
articles that focus on the evaluation of student-centered approaches to teaching such as team-
based learning, simulation, etc.
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I involved in Comenius and Grundtvig projects in the past. The Comenius Project was about
school safety at K-12 level and the Grundtvig project was about non-violent communication
skills in adult education. I have had two joint applications recently but unfortunately none of
them were granted.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
There is lack of knowledge and skills how to apply this approch in daily practices of learning
and teaching especially in higher education. The faculty members usually do not have much
time for improving their teaching because of pressure for more and more publication. That's
why, they are looking for quick advice to be able to make some changes in their teaching. A
project that focuses on developing some sample lesson plans and activities that STEM or social
science faculty can adapt/use easily.
Compendium of participants
93
Building Partnerships for a Learner-Centred Approach
Transnational Cooperation Activity
2 – 4 October 2019
Loft Hotel Bratislava, Stefanikova 864/4, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia
Participant details
Name Esin Acar
Email [email protected]
Country Turkey
Organization
Organization name Adnan Menderes Üniversity
Sector higher education
Experience and relevance
1. Please give a short summary of your professional background, interests and present
role in your organization.
2. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
personal level?
I hope to obtain some benefits from participating in the activity personally such as meeting
and discussing with my colleagues working in different countries and institutions, developing
social interaction network and then cooperating for new studies. I also think that different
experiences will contribute to the expansion of my vision.
3. What professional benefits do you hope to obtain from participating in this activity at
institutional and higher levels?
I hope to obtain some benefits from participating in the activity at institutional levels such as
sharing the new information to my institution and do some cooperation with different
institutions in a different country. In addition, I think it is important to carry out international
collaborative activities in order to ensure the visibility of my institution in the international
arena.
4. What is your experience with learner-centred approach?
I completed the national projects named "The examination, developing and evaluating of
afterschool programs for elementary school students"; "Let's discover our thoughts: What do I
know? How do I use it?"; "Let’s Learn Astronomy and Discover Space" project three times in
different years; the scientific research projects named"What kinds of learning opportunities,
which are prompting students ..." in related to the learner-centred approach. Also, I am
teaching related courses for twelve years.
Compendium of participants
94
5. What experience do you have with Erasmus+ projects?
I had been two times in Italy (University of Benincasa) and Belgium (University of Gent) in 5
days periods as a part of faculty exchange Erasmus program.
6. Do you have any ideas for future projects concerning learner-centred approach?
I think that learner-centred approach cannot be practised if you cannot engage students in
their work. We need to take students out of the classroom and engage them with the real or
concrete. So, the after-school programs and summer school practices are important. Therefore,
social and emotional engagement is important. We need to reshape curricula to social and
emotional learning theory, to teach to students how to deal with the life problems, be
resilient and to adapt easily to the change.