Course overview

Using innovative methods of teaching is a crucial skill for teachers and education staff. Scientific research has shown that innovative teaching methods and approaches can significantly enhance the student learning process. Innovating our teaching strategies is no easy feat. It can be scary because, just like our students, it places us out of our comfort zone in a position where we can fail. However, experimenting new methods and strategies we can improve student engagement and attainment and is a win-win for both students and teachers.
This course allows participants to get to know, experiment and practice the most relevant innovative teaching methods - such as PBL, NFE, WBL, OE - in a safe environment, discussing and sharing best practices and experience with fellow European teachers and education staff.

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MAIN Objectives

This course provides participants with an overview of the trending innovative teaching methods as well as a cooperative, inspirational and stimulating space where to experiment and practice new tools, strategies and approaches.
The general aim of this course is to foster excellence and innovation in education by empowering and inspiring teachers, trainers, headmasters and other education staff to use innovative teaching methods while sharing best practices and experiences with fellow participants and trainers throughout all Europe gaining as well  a broader understanding of education in Europe.
Thanks to this course the participants will:

• Get an overview of the trending innovative teaching methods and their benefits for the student learning process and attitude;
• Get acquainted with the key principles and components of Project-Based Learning;
• Learn how to design, prepare and deliver interactive  Non-Formal Education learning activities;
• Learn how to use outdoor education for personal, social and relational development;
• Get acquainted with the key principle of Contextual Learning;
• Get acquainted and practice the most relevant new teaching methods and approaches in an international inspiring environment with the support of the course trainers;
  
• Exchange good practices and discuss challenges with fellow colleagues and the course trainers about innovative teaching methods;
• Network with individuals and organizations working in the education field in Europe through everyday cooperation and team-building activities.

target audience

This course is open to: teachers, trainers, headmasters, school and education managers, educational counsellors,  career counsellors, other school staff, other adult education staff, other higher education staff, other non-governmental organization staff, public servants, policy makers.

standard daily programme

Please find below the standard indicative daily programme that will be personalized on participants needs and professional profiles.
Our standard program comprises 7 days of course, of which the first one is dedicated to networking, preparation and cultural immersion and the last one to follow up, specific needs and cultural activities. Please note that we always do our best to accommodate the specific needs of our participants in a flexible way, including but not limited to budget restrictions and travel arrangement. Participants can choose to arrive 1 day before the start of the course and/or leave one day after the end of it in order to enjoy a deeper cultural immersion. Upon specific request we can organize longer or shorter versions of this course.

Sunday	-  Participants arrival  -  Individual orientation and information about the venue and the city   -  Networking activities  -  Guided visit in Bologna (optional)  -  Welcome dinner
Monday	-  Course introduction  -  Competences ex-ante evaluation  -  Teambuilding exercises  -  From teacher centered to student centered approach  -  Reflections on current teaching practices and challenges  -  How to use technology and game-based education to make teaching more interactive  -  Practical work: creating and delivering interactive learning games
Tuesday	-  The key components of Project-Based Learning (PBL)  -  Formulating your Driving Question  -  The importance of student driven activities in PBL  -  Practical work: designing, planning and delivering effective PBL activities  -  Cultural activities in Bologna and traditional Italian aperitif
Wednesday	-  Basic concepts and principles about non-formal education  -  How to foster students’ motivation, participation and creativity through non-formal, informal and experiential learning activities  -  The extra benefit of using non-formal methods in a multicultural environment  -  Practical work: designing, preparing and implementing engaging non-formal activities  -  Guided visit in Florence or Venice (optional)
Thursday	-  Key principles and benefits about outdoor education and outdoor learning  -  The value of outdoor education for personal, social and relational development  -  Experimenting group exercises and challenges, problem solving games and experiential activities outdoor  -  Practical work: designing outdoor educational activities
Friday	-  The world of Contextual Learning  -  Work-Based Learning: the Italian model of integrating WBL in both vocational and general education  -  Service Learning and Place-Based Learning: key principles and how to get started  -  The innovative approach of the school FOMAL  -  Dinner in traditional Italian restaurant
Saturday	-  Space for discussion of future cooperation and planning follow up activities  -  Course roundup and final evaluation  -  Validation of learning outcomes and certification ceremony  -  Additional training session tailored to specific needs (optional)  -  Cultural activities or additional guided visit in another major Italian city (optional)  -  Participants departure

methodology

We tailor the working methods based upon participants’ needs, attitudes and professional profiles in order to ensure high productivity, effectiveness and transferability into practice.
The standard methodology is highly practical and participative with hands-on approach that comprises real-job examples, case studies examination and simulations. We embrace collaboratively working methods that foster mutual learning and cooperation among participants. Our focus is on learning in an interactive and international environment knowledge applicable to the real contexts and/or in the classroom. The pedagogical methods that we use are based upon experiential training, group and peer activities, learning-by-doing and best practices’ exchange. They include visits with local schools and institutions allowing the participants to better understand the local education system as well as exchange ideas and contacts.
Morning Wrap-up and brief daily evaluations are foreseen to ensure quality of education and to adapt the learning programme to participants' needs better tailoring the education.
We organize optional social, networking and cultural activities in order to give participants the opportunity to know Italy as well as to exchange best-practice and establish professional cooperation and links.
We organize optional social, networking and cultural activities in order to give participants the opportunity to know Italy as well as to exchange best-practice and establish professional cooperation and links.
The training and staff team is multinational thus giving a full European dimension to the course.

sessions planned

You can find below the sessions planned. If none of these dates suits you please mind that we may organize an additional session ad-hoc for your school if there are at least 6 participants interested so feel welcome to contact us at office@ifom.info to let us know about your needs. When adding an ad-hoc session we may be able to organize it in your language.

Bologna, Italy
09/09/2018 - 15/09/2018
20/01/2019 - 26/01/2019
11/08/2019 - 17/08/2019

costs and erasmus+ funding

Teachers, trainers, headmasters and any other staff of education organizations are eligible to receive an Erasmus+ grant covering all the costs to attend our training courses including travel, board and lodging, cultural activities and all fees. Our training courses are tailored to be fully funded by Erasmus+ and we offer different options to ensure that the Erasmus+ grant will be sufficient. Read more about Erasmus+ funding, shall you have any problem with your grant please let us know and we will see how to accommodate your needs.
 
The most common option that we offer costs EUR 1220 and includes course fee, certification and support fee, accommodation in single room, all coffee breaks, 3 meals per day, walking tour in the venue’s city and local transport during the training course. Based on your preferences and budget you can request different services, a less inclusive/cheaper package or you can choose to organize the board and lodging by yourself and opt to just attend the training course. Read more about how we take care of your subsistence.

Certification and validation of learning outcomes

At the end of the course, each participant will be awarded a certificate of attendance including a description of training content and as well as its starting and end date, together - if requested -  with the Europass Mobility Certificate.
We support the participants in every step of certification an d validation of learning outcomes with specific focus on European instruments and Erasmus plus requirements such as staff mobility/learning agreement, quality commitment and Europass mobility certificate.
We experienced that schools and education organizations may require additional documents to certify the competences learned or the presence in the training course. Upon request we can provide additional certification and reporting documents as well as we provide photos of the training course and a sum-up video that can be used for visibility and dissemination purposes.

Language of the course

The course is held in English. For groups with at least 8 participants, we can organize an ad-hoc session in a different language. 
Please write an email to staff@ifom.info to get more information about it.