Projects

Project Description

Overall goal of the project: To support the peaceful coexistence of all ethnic groups in Kosovo through the introduction of a personal development teaching program.   Project results:

• Development of teaching and learning materials for personal development dedicated to grades 5-9;
• Adaptation of existing materials for use in the Kosovo context;
• Development of On-line and face-to-face training courses for students and teachers before and in service;
• Achievement of sustainable changes in the teacher training system;
• Integration of concepts in the programming / syllabi of pre-service teacher education;
• Transfer of material for Personal Development / Life Skills in education, pre-service and in service;
• Shifting of lectures from knowledge-based to student-based teaching.

  The Faculty of Education as a project partner develops life skills concepts through:

• Integration of concepts in the program / syllabus,
• Developing an online and face-to-face course for students,
• Development of symposium and analysis about the development of skills in students in our education system.

Project Description

The objectives of the project are: Implementation of various techniques and strategies of the RWCT programme to assist teachers in:

• Creation of classes that initiate open and responsible interactions
• Usage of teaching structure that will encourage critical thinking and independent learning
• Usage of various techniques that will assist pupils in the process of gaining new knowledge
• Serving as a resource of knowledge for other teachers

Main results: In 13 years of operation the Program has reached 6,700 educators who received certification for participation (Level 1), 274 were certified as RWCT Teachers (Level 2) and 62 as Trainers (Level 3). Funding for dissemination of training was raised from various sources including Ministry of Education, municipalities, development partners and own revenues. Also, it should be noted that a number of training programs developed by KEC use RWCT Program techniques for the purpose of their provision, whereas the Program itself is part of several courses taught at the University of Prishtina. Training Capacity • Development of training materials and guidebooks, • Training of trainers and provision of on-site support for certification purposes, • Networking of trainers , • Development of the Program Certification System, • Accreditation of the training program with MEST. Provision of training • Provision of school-based and non-school based training for primary and secondary teachers, • Provision of training for university teachers, • Classroom monitoring (1-2 classes for each trainee), • Certification of trainees.

Project Description

Step by Step is a learner centered program which promotes modern teaching approaches suitable for Early Childhood Development. The program aims to provide professional development opportunities for educators and teachers, to ensure easier access to new working methods in the classroom and in cooperation with families and with the community, in order to offer new information on education in early childhood and to enable them to exchange experiences with their colleagues both at home and abroad. In this program, children benefit from the new affirmative approach in the classroom, they are active, enjoy freedom of expression and their interests and wishes are fully respected. The Program was developed in 1994 by the Georgetown University in Washington DC with funding from the Open Society Institute. Today, it operates in 30 countries and is coordinated by the International Step-by-Step Association (ISSA) based in the Netherlands. KEC holds the copyright from ISSA for provision of the Program and dissemination of materials in Kosovo. The Program has nine different variations. It is offered to pre-school teachers working with children aged 0-3 in form of two modules – basic training and advanced training – each module encompassing 24-40 contact hours and classroom monitoring, and the same applies to teachers working with children aged 3-6 and grade 1 teachers. However, there is only one 40 contact hours module being offered to grade 2-4 teachers. Monitoring is an integral part of the Program and represents a necessary requirement for certification of teachers based on Program standards. Provision of training:

• Training of teachers
• Classroom monitoring and support
• Networking of teachers
• Development of training materials

Main results: The Step by Step Program has so far trained more than 2,500 educators of pre-school institutions, teachers of primary schools, principals, pedagogues in these institutions, university professors, students, etc. Most of the pre-school institutions are already included in the network of institutions applying the Step by Step methodology. Funding for dissemination of training was raised from various sources including Ministry of Education, municipalities, OSI, development partners and own revenues.