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.
  

Sessions planned

Bologna, Italy
05/05/2019 - 11/05/2019
29/09/2019 - 05/10/2019
02/02/2020 - 08/02/2020
05/07/2020 - 11/07/2020
22/11/2020 - 28/11/2020
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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 staff@ifom.info to 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 staff@ifom.info to get more information about it.

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  -  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 (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 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 to schools and organisations 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.

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

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