LeCoLe

Project "LeCoLe - Learners as Co - creators of Their Own Learning" - 2020 -2023

The diversity and complexity of students, fast pace of life, constant changes and huge amount of information place increasing demands on the teachers (who represent different generation) to provide effective pedagogy and instruction, validate and incorporate students’ knowledge and experience in the learning process (which differs from but also greatly contributes to the knowledge and experience of teachers) and thus create inclusive, healthy, welcoming, productive, collaborative, ‘making mistakes is ok’ climate in the classroom.

To meet these demands teachers have to adopt new professional practices, skills and competences, as well as revisit their mindsets as personalities, professionals and citizens. At the same time learners have to assume more responsibility for their own learning, be more skillful and vocal in presenting their ideas. Both teachers and students have to improve their ability and motivation to collaborate in making the choices in terms of what, when and how to include in the teaching-learning process.

Contemporary students are characterized by being autonomous, independent and self-confident, but at the same time they often lack collaboration and self-expression skills. The majority of schools still offer mostly traditional teaching where all students have the same tasks and work individually according to the teacher’s prescriptions. In order to make learning more effective, interesting and appealing to the learner we have to find answers to the questions “How to make students motivated and interested in what is happening in the classroom? How to incorporate students’ knowledge and skills in the learning process? How to promote student engagement and desire to be responsible for their own learning? What is the teachers’ role and what competences and characteristics should they possess in order to promote students’ and their own learning? How to connect learning in the classroom with the outside world – events and processes in local community and globally? How to move towards more meaningful and purposeful learning?”

Aim: to explore the experience and best practice of partner countries in supporting active engagement of learners (both students and teachers) in planning, implementation and evaluation of the learning process at school and beyond in order for them to become co-creators of their own learning within collaborative learning process.

Key aspects to be explored: self-led learning learning, an engaged classroom, collaboration with shared responsibility for decision making and results, providing open and immediate feedback, education technologies, Learning to learn and Cultural awareness and expression competences, interdisciplinary approach, Teacher as a learner, facilitator, supporter, guide, coach, mentor, nurturer, etc.

Objectives:

  • To identify examples of learner engagement in co-creation of their own learning in partner countries;
  • To find out what are the obstacles to engaging learners in the creation and implementation of the learning process;
  • To collect examples of best practices where teachers are using new approaches/pedagogies, the latest technology, space, etc. to steer pupils/learners towards more meaningful and purposeful learning;
  • To explore what kind of support is required for teachers to be able to ensure student-led learning;
  • To elaborate a podcast series with instructional support materials for educators on how to implement new pedagogies in their practice.

Target audiences:

Direct:

  • Staff from project partner organizations who directly or indirectly work with schools;
  • Educators hosting learning visits in all partner countries;
  • Educators benefiting from the project results (i.e. Intellectual output, multiplier events, etc).

Indirect:

  • Learners
  • Educational community.
  • Expected impact:
  • Increased capacity of partner institutions and their staff to provide professional development of educators;
  • Developed series of podcasts with supporting materials for school leaders and teachers on how to implement new pedagogies in their practice;
  • Raised educators’ awareness, increased knowledge and deepened understanding of multiple modes of instruction and learning that support active engagement of learners in all stages of the learning process and different contexts;
  • Presented practical applications of new approaches in teaching and learning;

Nowadays all European countries face similar challenges in education systems and actively look for diverse solutions to react to fast changing situation in all spheres of life. Many school education systems struggle to respond to the profound and complex changes our societies and economies are undergoing. The need for innovative approaches and help for schools in adapting to the changing context, including the digital era and the increasing diversity among learners, is obvious.

Partners are from 5 countries: Latvia, Portugal, Greece, Iceland, Ireland

  1. PI: VALSTS IZGLITIBAS SATURA CENTRS, (VISC) - National Centre for Education is a public administration body subordinated to the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia.
  2. Education Development Center (EDC), Latvia
  3. MINISTERIO DA EDUCACAO E CIENCIA (MEC), Portugal
  4. European Education & Learning Institute (Greece)
  5. University of Iceland, School of Education, Iceland
  6. MARINO INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, Ireland

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