Modern education implies various ways of transferring knowledge, school management in accordance with modern, market-oriented principles and the development of a system that will adequately respond to economy and labour market requirements.
Within the VET Reform Programme teacher training, management training for school directors and MoE officials are planed and implemented in order to follow and support changes in educational system.
Teacher Training
Blackboard, chalk and a lecture from a book are becoming old-fashioned. In order to be interesting, a lesson should be adjusted to the ways children are used to absorb information nowadays. Introduction of new teaching methods as well as focus on practical training and innovations mean that teachers need to be trained to be able to follow these new trends.
In the second phase of the VET Reform Programme, as in the fist phase, two teachers from each pilot school have been selected, one for internal school affairs (internal change agent/trainer) in charge of the internal school network, training teachers in new teaching methods in their own school and other schools, supporting teachers in implementation of the new curricula etc., and the other one (external change agent/training) who will be in charge of establishing and sustaining network with other vocational schools in Serbia, cooperation with local authorities, parents and students and other stakeholders. In order to be prepared for these tasks, all CATs have passed specialized training:
- Sector-wide modules for all teachers in teaching methods, vocational pedagogy, communication skills and special techniques for internal as well as external school affairs
- Sector-specific courses in wood processing, catering and tourism and ICT in applied vocational pedagogy, entrepreneurship development, computer applications, marketing and technical English in each of the three sectors
- Occupationally-specific courses in the 8 profiles plus industry placements and internships and development of partnerships with sector companies.
By September 2007, seven workshops were carried out for internal and external CATs, who will, in the following period, pass the new knowledge to their colleagues.
Management Training for Vocational School Principals
How to manage schools which, after the system is decentralised, will have to secure their place on the market - is a challenge that school principals are to meet very soon. Management training for school principals was developed in the first phase of the project in order to implement effective and sustainable system of continuing assistance to VET school principals in organizational development and management.
Through 5 workshops 22 principals have been introduced to modern tools and methodologies for initiating, implementing and monitoring development process at the strategic organizational level in schools, as well as to the necessary basis for disseminating their knowledge to other VET school directors.
Management training for MoE officials
New educational trends will lead to reorganization within the Ministry of Education as well. In order to implement necessary changes/reform, MoE officials will have to have modern knowledge and skills.
Specific trainings are planed for pedagogical advisors in sectors involved in the project. Directed towards development of new curricula structure, new ways of monitoring and assessment of work, the main objective of these training is the change form controlling position to the position that combines support, consultations and monitoring of teachers' work.
What is the aim of teacher training and human resource development?
Lessons learnt from the pilot phase will be studied carefully and recommendations will be made as to how to develop mechanisms for institutionalization and standardization of in-service teacher training, training for directors and MoES officials, in order to establish clear and transparent system for professional development and certification mechanisms.
REALISED ACTIVITIES
