Course overview

Think beyond the brick-and-mortar walls of the traditional classroom when it comes to learning and preventing early school leaving. At European level there is a growing trend towards valuing non-formal and informal learning as well as a strong focus on embedding non-formal working methods in traditional education pathways. 
​In this course you will discover innovative strategies and the differences between each type of learning and the emerging trends for how to motivate challenging students, but above all you will practice and master concrete non-formal activities, working  methods and tools that you’ll be able to use the day after the course in your classroom.

Main objectives

This structured course aims to guide participants through the possibilities offered by the emerging trend of integrating non-formal working methods in formal education pathways.
The general aim of this course is to foster excellence in education by equipping teachers and school managers with the needed knowledge and competences to effectively apply non-formal working methods in school settings.
Thanks to this course the participants will:

• Develop a greater understanding of the differences between formal, non-formal and informal learning as well as the basic non-formal education principles;
• Learn more about  the emerging trend of integrating non-formal working methods in formal education pathways;
• Practice and add to their know-how concrete non-formal activities, working  methods and tools  transferable into practice;
• Exchange best practices and share experiences with participants and staff coming throughout Europe;
• Network with individuals and organizations working in the education field in Europe through everyday cooperation and team-building activities.
  

Courses planned

2021
09/05/2021-15/05/2021 (Tenerife)
11/07/2021-17/07/2021 (Bologna)
19/09/2021-25/09/2021 (Bologna)
 
2022
16/01/2022-22/01/2022 (Bologna)
24/07/2022-30/07/2022 (Bologna)

If none of these dates suits you please mind that if there are at least 8 participants interested we may organize an additional session ad-hoc for your school.

Target audience

This course is addressed to teachers, trainers, educational counsellors, career counsellors, school psychologists, headmasters, school management and administrative staff working in primary schools, secondary schools, vocational schools, training centres, adult education schools, higher education, kindergarten and NGOs.
Please mind that the course may include teachers from different school levels. In case you would like to attend a session tailored for your school level, please write to info@erasmuslearningacademy.euto check if there is any session planned.

Language

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 info@erasmuslearningacademy.eu to get more information about it.

Past participants say...

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"With a good balance of theory and practice, by being able to get involved in NFE activities like students and then reflecting on them as facilitators, experiencing the fun element and having spent a week in a positive and supportive environment, it will be so MUCH EASIER to carry the heavy responsibility of providing something similar to my students. I definitely feel now - after the course - that it is worth trying.​"

 ​- Zsuzsanna Molnár, Hungary

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​"Attending this course was an excellent experience as a teacher. Teamwork, collaboration, creativity, learning by doing will be in my mind when planning my lessons/activities. Thanks for all!"
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- Elisa Morais, Portugal

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​"An engaging and active course that developed reflection on teaching practices to embed essential skills of collaboration, teamwork and critical thinking. Practical and hands on learning experiences for professional development."
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- ​Nia Partridge, United Kingdom

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"If you want to improve your communication skills, teamwork skills and to develop your knowledge related to NFE, attend this course!" ​
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- Suciu Alina Natalia, Romania

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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   -  Welcome dinner
Monday	-  Course introduction  -  Needs and expectations evaluation  -  Ice-breaking activities  -  Teambuilding exercises   -  Comparing formal and non-formal learning  -  Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools
Tuesday	​ -  Basic concepts and principles about non-formal education -   Learning and practicing speaking and role-play games  -  Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools  -  Cultural activities in Bologna and traditional Italian aperitif
Wednesday	-  How to foster students’ motivation, participation and creativity through non-formal, informal and experiential learning activities  -  Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools  -  Guided visit in Florence or another major italian city (optional)
Thursday	-  The extra benefit of using non-formal methods in a multicultural environment -  Non-Formal methods to strengthen teamwork and effective cooperation  -  Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools  -  Practical group work and exercise
Friday	-  Best practices and guidelines for assessing and validating non-formal and informal learning  -  Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools  -  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

Other relevant facts

• Methodology
• Costs and Erasmus+ Funding
  
• Certification and Validation of learning outcomes
  

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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.
The training and staff team is multinational thus giving a full European dimension to the course.

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 the best comfort and quality at a price that is within the Erasmus+ grant.
We are proud to tailor our training courses to both participants' learning and practical needs and to ease your participation at our training courses, we will gladly take care of all the practical arrangements. If you prefer, you can take care of some of the practical arrangements by yourself (e.g. meals, local transport...), though we will manage the organization of your accommodation in order to ensure optimal logistic organization, safety and time-efficiency. We always provide board and lodging in the same hotel in which we organize the course  thus ensuring optimal comfort and potential of networking with the fellow participants. Read more about  how we take care of your subsistence and practical arrangements. 
The most common option that we offer to schools and organisations costs EUR 1220 and includes course fee, certification and support fee, accommodation in single room, 2 coffee breaks per day, 3 meals per day, walking tour in the venue’s city, a sum-up dissemination video and local transport during the course. For schools sending 2 or more participants we can offer accommodation in double rooms and we can provide as well accommodation for people or relatives accompanying the participants.
When attending our courses, we recommend you to request 9 days of individual support for your subsistence costs, 7 days for the course plus 2 additional days for the travel. In this way you can have more flexibility in planning your stay and you can enjoy all the cultural activities planned from the first to the last day of course. You can read here more about the Erasmus+ funding. Shall you have need any help with filling the budget during the application stage or have any problem with your grant please let us know and we will see how to support you.

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.

Videos and photos of previous training courses

INNOVATIVE TEACHING METHODS COURSES

Innovative teaching methods for teachers and education staff

This course allows participants to get to know, experiment and practice the most relevant innovative teaching methods - such as Project-Based Learning, Non-Formal Education, Contextual Learning, Outdoor Education - discussing and sharing best practices and experience with fellow European teachers and education staff.

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Creativity

Raise your confidence and broaden your knowledge in adopting different techniques and methods of encouraging your students to become more creative and develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills to effectively prepare them to be manager and directors of their own future.

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Outdoor education: a new way of teaching and learning

Get acquainted the key elements and growing trends related to outdoor education and teaching outside the classroom. Gain basic skills and tools to lead a range of group exercises and challenges, problem solving games, experiential activities in the nature, on school sites as well as in urban settings. 

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