Professionalisation of educators and pedagogical leaders through learning research with vignettes Erasmus Project

Project Title

Professionalisation of educators and pedagogical leaders through learning research with vignettes

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Background of the project:
Quality assurance has been a central challenge for educational work for decades. Whereas the focus has hitherto been on the performance of students and the associated question of how their learning can be optimised, in recent years the focus has increasingly shifted to the professionalisation of teachers and educational leaders and the further development of their “key competences for lifelong learning” (EU 2006).
To investigate learning in heterogeneous groups, the phenomenologically oriented vignette was developed as a research tool at the University of Innsbruck in 2012. In dense scenes it describes the learning experiences of students at close range. This results in differentiated insights into learning, which will be made available for the professionalisation of prospective pedagogues (elementary, primary, special and vocational pedagogy, Sec. I+II) and future pedagogical leaders. The vignette is thus used as an instrument of professionalisation in the training of pedagogical staff at tertiary educational institutions (universities, teacher training colleges) as well as for school development (incl. kindergarten and other formal educational institutions) and quality management.

Objectives of the project:
1. To develop a methodology (IO1) for the training modules based on the vignette research;
2. To develop training modules (IO2) for the professionalisation of prospective pedagogues and future pedagogical leaders in the respective project countries;
3. Training of multipliers (prospective pedagogues and future educational leaders) to use vignettes as a professionalisation tool for training and school development.
The use of vignettes by multipliers contributes to the quality and design of pedagogical activities as well as their own pedagogical work and thus to professionalisation. The training on the differentiated perception of learners and their learning processes through the vignette enables the consideration of diversity and promotes inclusion.

Number and profile of participants:
– Prospective pedagogues from different pedagogical fields (elementary, primary, vocational and special education, Sec. I + II) and future pedagogical leaders
– 20 PAX per partner organisation are trained as multipliers (140 multipliers in total)

Description of the activities:
Project outputs:
– (IO1) Vignette methodology (handbook)
– (IO2) Training modules for multipliers

Activities:
– Internal training on vignettes (LLT)
– Information event for associated kindergartens, schools and stakeholders
– Development of the vignette methodology (IO1)
– Development of training modules for multipliers (IO2)
– International conference/interim report
– In-Service Training (IST): Training of multipliers
– Evaluation of the training modules in their different pedagogical fields
– International Closing Symposium

Project implementation procedures:
Based on publications on vignette research, the seven project partners will jointly prepare a handbook on vignette methodology. On the basis of this handbook, the training modules will be developed. In doing so, the following areas will be covered:
– University of Vienna (UW): Secondary level I+II
– Vienna University of Education (PHW): Vocational Education
– University of Klagenfurt (AAU): Diversity and Inclusion in all pedagogical areas
– Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (FUB): Elementary Education
– University of Hannover (LUH): Special Education
– University of Western Macedonia (UWM): Primary level
– School Office/Country Administration Principality of Liechtenstein (SAFL): Educational Leadership
Once the training modules have been developed, they will be offered by each partner organisation for the multipliers and carried out at the respective location. Subsequently, an evaluation of the vignette methodology will take place.

Targeted results and impacts:
The main emphasis lies on the development of the methodology (IO1) and the development of the training modules (IO2). By training multipliers, the vignette is going to be implemented as a professionalisation tool at the respective partner organisations and will be used in various educational institutions.

Expected long-term benefit:
The project aims at establishing a methodology for designing and managing quality processes in different pedagogical fields by implementing the vignette methodology to promote the professional attitude of pedagogues and pedagogical leaders. A long-term and sustainable benefit will be an enhanced quality of pedagogical institutions and the increase of lifelong willingness of pedagogues to learn.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 282894 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT WIEN & Country: AT

Project Partners

• LIBERA UNIVERSITA DI BOLZANO
• Pädagogische Hochschule Wien
• UNIVERSITAET KLAGENFURT
• GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ UNIVERSITAET HANNOVER
• REGIERUNG DES FURSTENTUMS LIECHTENSTEIN
• PANEPISTIMIO DYTIKIS MAKEDONIAS