⦿ Results of the study

•After 50 years of communism, in which Albania and Albanian education were very narrowly defined, Albania was opened in the 1990s.•A re-examination of articles in Normalisti Journal shows that Albanian scholars in the early part of the 20th century espoused western ideas about society and pedagogy, such as •the concept of extracurricular learning and teaching•the psychological features of teenagers•concrete thinking vs. abstract thinking•methods to overcome the difficulties of teaching•the role of the teacher, the legal and moral authority of the teacher•the need for the teacher’s knowledge and passion•active learning

⦿ Introduction•Normal School - an outgrowth of intellectual environment of the period - a sign of intellectual renaissance•A. Xhuvani Univeristy - has its roots in the Normal School - an inseparable part of the heritage of the university•Nostalgia for the intellectual atmosphere of those years when faculty were scientific scholars and good teachers •“Normalisti” Journal - Was begun over 70 years ago - still a guiding instrument in the hands of our scholars - still providing contemporary ideas about the pedagogical thought of the time

• ⦿ Objectives• To call attention to and highlight the contribution of

the Normal School, “Normalisti” Journal and the efforts of Albanian scholars during the 1920’s

• To stress how relevant the teaching methodologies and the philosophy of education of that time are to today’s educational environment

⦿ Conclusions

• Album Historiko – Pedagogjik, “100 Years, Normal School, 1909 – 2009), Reklama, 2009

• Cliff Schimmels, “A White Paper on Lesson Planning”, 1998 (On John Dewey and Herbart Pedagogical Principles)

• Elbasani Enciklopedi, Botim i Bashkisë Elbasan, “Sejko”, 2003• “Normalja në fokus të bashkëkohësisë”, përmbledhje studimesh, grup

autorësh, Elbasan, Silver, 1999• Revista “Normalisti”, e përmuajshme shkencore, kulturore, letrare,

“Saide”, 1929, 1932, 1934, 1937• Tomor Plangarica, “Univers i vlerave të munguara”, Sejko, 2002

⦿ Literature consulted

• ⦿ Research questions:• What is in the Normal School and Normalisti Journal that fascinates us

in the 21st century?• What pedagogical thought is embedded in the writings of “Normalisti”

Journal?• After 70 years, why is the Normalist Journal still a guiding instrument in

the hands of our scholars and still providing contemporary ideas about the pedagogical thought of the time. Is there any need to update them and implement those ideas?

• Were those writings a sign of intellectual emancipation?• Why were the Normal School and Normalisti Journal considered a

tribune of progressive debates and ideas for the development of the Albanian society in general and of education in particular?

Normalisti Journal •analytically defined the methodology of a lesson plan•defined the forms and methods of the teacher to work with the student•initiated and developed the intellectual concept based on self-demand and responsibility•made possible the first elements of scientific research•Promoted creative capacity and ability of the staff and students•gave to the Normal School the status of a teaching and research institution. •considered by the scholars of the time as an academy, an institute, a university, of a precious national value. •a milestone in the history of the national pedagogic thought.

1909 – September, Elbasan Congress decided on the opening of the

Normal School

01, December, 1909 – The First National Teacher Training School

(Normale) opened its doors

1923 – The Elementary Teaching-Practice school was opened,

1929 – “Revista Normalisti” (Journal), the first issue of teacher preparation

and scientific research,

1942 – “Luigj Gurakuqi” Normal School (named after the first head of the

school)

1945 – Normal School was named Pedagogical High School

1971 – High Pedagogical Institute (College), named after A. Xhuvani, an

outstanding scholar in the field of education

1991 – University status

2015 – “A. Xhuvani” University, Elbasan, three cycles of study (Bachelor,

Master, and Doctoral studies, 340 lecturers, 15.340 students)

 

⦿ Some citations from the periodical printed

media

⦿ Topics•The features of Normalisti Journal

- Western illuminist advanced ideas, not only from the viewpoint of school but also in a wider sense, especially in human sciences. - Making known to Albanian society and following generations the world- renowned scholars who were dedicated to the newly formed Albania•Normalisti Journal hadtwo sections - international pedagogic thought - Albanian scholars in the field of pedagogic movement in Albania•Normalisti Journal - played an important role in the nation’s development of the time.

‘ It (Normal School) raised the cult and the admiration for school and education, through patience, willingness, confidence, responsibility and high moral virtues’.

‘The language is breathtaking, it is still a model of Albanian essay-writing that should be followed’.

‘It crosses the boarders of a school journal, in fact it was, and is still a tribune of progressive debates and ideas for the development of the Albanian society in general and of the education in particular’.

• The qualities of the teacher: a great man that puts to work not only the hands but the minds of others as well• Education followed the principles of the progressive pedagogy of the western world of the 1930s• Lesson Planning based on the Herbart model• Field trips • Creation of classroom materials• Acquisition of teaching skills• Students trained to have a certain code of ethics• Students taught to pledge loyalty to their country• Educated a craft spirit

Timeline1909 – September, Elbasan Congress decided on the opening of the

Normal School

01, December, 1909 – The First National Teacher Training School

(Normale) opened its doors

1923 – The Elementary Teaching-Practice school was opened,

1929 – “Revista Normalisti” (Journal), the first issue of teacher

preparation and scientific research,

1942 – “Luigj Gurakuqi” Normal School (named after the first head of

the school)

1945 – Normal School was named Pedagogical High School

1971 – High Pedagogical Institute (College), named after A. Xhuvani,

an outstanding scholar in the field of education

1991 – University status

2015 – “A. Xhuvani” University, Elbasan, three cycles of study

(Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral studies, 340 lecturers, 15.340 students)

 

Foto Normale

Faculties

DepartmentsMathematics & InformaticsPhysicsBiologyChemistry

Academic staff47 lecturers

Number of students

1,597 students

DeanFaculty of

Natural Sciences

DeanFaculty of

Human Sciences

DeanFaculty of

Education Sciences

DeanFaculty of Economics

DeanFaculty of Medical Technical Sciences

DepartmentsHistory & GeographyAlbanian Linguistics

Literature & Journalism

English & GermanItalian &French

Academic staff

75 lecturers

Number of students

2,754 students

Academic staff49 lecturers

Number of students

2,671 students

Academic staff37 lecturers

Number of students

2,565 studentsNumber of students

1,664 students

Academic staff15 lecturers

DepartmentsCivics EducationSocial Sciences

PsychologyTeaching

MethodologyPhysical Education

DepartmentsBusiness Administration

FinanceEconomics

Law

DepartmentsClinical Dep.

Infirmary Dep. (nursing)

⦿ IntroductionThe Normal School grew in the conspicuous and prominent intellectual environment typical for those years. That period, for us, the followers of those outstanding scholars is a source of meditation and indices. Reading, rereading, studying the writings of that time, you cannot help nostalgia for those times. Our nostalgia for the intellectual atmosphere of those years has its roots in the pedagogical thought it provided; it is a sign of intellectual renaissance; it derives from the need of the intellectuals for social and pedagogical development. Today, we lack real scientific scholars, who at the same time are real good teachers. Our university has its roots in Normal School. It is an inseparable part of the heritage of the university. “Normalisti” Journal, not only at that time, but even now, after 70 years, is still a guiding instrument in the hands of our scholars still providing contemporary ideas about the pedagogical thought of the time.

Introduction

• Normal School – an outgrowth of intellectual environment of the period– a sign of intellectual renaissance

• A. Xhuvani Univeristy – has its roots in the Normal School

• an inseparable part of the heritage of the university

• Nostalgia for the intellectual atmosphere of those years when faculty were scientific scholars and good teachers

• “Normalisti” Journal– Was begun over 70 years ago– still a guiding instrument in the hands of our scholars – still providing contemporary ideas about the pedagogical thought of

the time

⦿ Objectives

•This presentation aims at calling to attention and highlighting the precious contribution of the Normal School, “Normalisti” Journal and the efforts of the Albanian scholars during the 30’ (1920 – 1930). •The researchers also aim to stress how actual and contemporary still sound today the teaching methodologies and the philosophy of education of that time.

Objectives

• To call attention to and highlight the contribution of the Normal School, “Normalisti” Journal and the efforts of Albanian scholars during the 1920’s

• To stress how relevant the teaching methodologies and the philosophy of education of that time are to today’s educational environment

• ⦿ Research questions:• What is in the Normal School and Normalisti Journal that

fascinates us in the 21st century?• What pedagogical thought is embedded in the writings

of “Normalisti” Journal?• After 70 years, why is the Normalist Journal still a guiding

instrument in the hands of our scholars and still providing contemporary ideas about the pedagogical thought of the time. Is there any need to update them and implement those ideas?

• Were those writings a sign of intellectual emancipation?• Why were the Normal School and Normalisti Journal

considered a tribune of progressive debates and ideas for the development of the Albanian society in general and of education in particular?

Methods ????

⦿ Methods and projectsthrough the implementation of the project: ‘To raise the cult and the admiration for school and education, through patience, willingness, confidence, responsibility and high moral virtues’. The treatment of these topics in the Journal is philosophic, pedagogic, inclusive, comprehensive, and above all scientific. A lot of citations and references are from outstanding scholars of world pedagogy. The language is breathtaking, it is still a model of Albanian essay-writing that should be followed.

When we refer to Normalisti Journal, though it is written on its cover, a publication of the Normal School, it crosses the boarders of a school journal, in fact it was, and is still a tribune of progressive debates and ideas for the development of the Albanian society in general and of the education in particular.

Topics

• The features of Normalisti Journal were those of the western illuminist advanced ideas, not only from the viewpoint of school but also in a wider sense, especially in human sciences.

• Making known to the Albanian society and generations outstanding scholars known worldwide, who were dedicated to the newly found Albanian scholars and writers.

• Normalisti Journal: There were two sections: one for the international pedagogic thought and the other one was for the efforts of the Albanian scholars in the field of pedagogic movement in Albania.

• Normalisti Journal played an important role in the nation’s development of the time.

Topics• The features of Normalisti Journal

• Western illuminist advanced ideas, not only from the viewpoint of school but also in a wider sense, especially in human sciences.

• Making known to Albanian society and following generations the world-renowned scholars who were dedicated to the newly formed Albania

• Normalisti Journal has two sections• international pedagogic thought • Albanian scholars in the field of pedagogic movement in Albania

• Normalisti Journal • played an important role in the nation’s development of the

time.

Results of the studyAfter the 90’s, when Albania was opened, we have retaken and re-studied the articles of Normalisti Journal, we have rediscovered the western ideas about society and pedagogy of that time, and it seems to us they are ‘new ideas’. The 50 years of communism have left scares and negative traces for the whole society. We may mention various examples from different articles of Normalisti Journal: as the concept of extracurricular learning and teaching; the psychological features of teenagers; concrete thinking vs. abstract thinking; methods to overcome the difficulties of teaching; the role of the teacher, the legal and moral authority of the teacher. It’s interesting to notice that according to the Journal, the definition of the authority and the respect of/for the teacher comes from the ‘admiration the society has for school and it depends on the teacher’s knowledge and his passion’. We regret that today we have not come to that point to prepare teachers that love profession, love their students, who are devoted and committed, and have the adequate and sufficient knowledge for a future teacher as compared to the teachers of those times.•The contribution of this Journal is also on highlighting the good models of teaching and learning, with the focus on ‘active learning’. International experience was brought through the participation in international congresses, conferences, publications, various activities organized in the context of pedagogy in the civilized Europe.

Results of the Study

After 50 years of communism, in which Albania and Albanian education were very narrowly defined, Albania was opened in the 1990s.A re-examination of articles in Normalisti Journal shows that Albanian scholars in the early part of the 20th century espoused western ideas about society and pedagogy, such as •the concept of extracurricular learning and teaching•the psychological features of teenagers•concrete thinking vs. abstract thinking•methods to overcome the difficulties of teaching•the role of the teacher, the legal and moral authority of the teacher•the need for the teacher’s knowledge and passion•active learning

Conclusions

ConclusionsThis Journal defined analytically the methodology of a lesson plan/class hourIt defined the forms and methods of the teacher to work with the studentIt initiated and developed the intellectual concept based on self-demand and responsibilityThe first elements of scientific research were made possibleThe creative capacity and ability of the staff and students was promotedJudging from the level and content of the articles in the Normalisti Journal, this journal gave to the Normal School the status of a teaching and research institution. It was considered by the scholars of the time as an academy, an institute, a university, of a precious national value. This Journal is a milestone in the history of the national pedagogic thought.

Conclusions

• Normalisti Journal • analytically defined the methodology of a lesson plan/class

hour• defined the forms and methods of the teacher to work with

the student• initiated and developed the intellectual concept based on

self-demand and responsibility• made possible the first elements of scientific research• Promoted creative capacity and ability of the staff and

students• gave to the Normal School the status of a teaching and

research institution. – considered by the scholars of the time as an academy, an institute, a

university, of a precious national value.

• a milestone in the history of the national pedagogic thought.

Foto

Literature Consulted• Album Historiko – Pedagogjik, “100 Years, Normal

School, 1909 – 2009), Reklama, 2009• Cliff Schimmels, “A White Paper on Lesson Planning”,

1998 (On John Dewey and Herbart Pedagogical Principles)

• Elbasani Enciklopedi, Botim i Bashkisë Elbasan, “Sejko”, 2003

• “Normalja në fokus të bashkëkohësisë”, përmbledhje studimesh, grup autorësh, Elbasan, Silver, 1999

• Revista “Normalisti”, e përmuajshme shkencore, kulturore, letrare, “Saide”, 1929, 1932, 1934, 1937

• Tomor Plangarica, “Univers i vlerave të munguara”, Elbasan, Sejko, 2002

• To raise the cult and the admiration for school and education, through patience, willingness, confidence, responsibility and high moral virtues’.

• A lot of citations and references are from outstanding scholars of world pedagogy.

• The language is breathtaking, it is still a model of Albanian essay-writing that should be followed.

• It crosses the boarders of a school journal, in fact it was, and is still a tribune of progressive debates and ideas for the development of the Albanian society in general and of the education in particular.