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On Feb. 4, the Palacký University’s Faculty of Education, in Olomouc, held an event for tutors participating in the Erasmus+ DigitalTA project. The event focused on training the 21 tutors in attendance how to effectively use the DigitalTA platform during their teaching practices.  During the training event, tutors worked on familiarizing themselves with the DigitalTA’s  platform’s features and functionalities from their perspective. Additionally, there were demonstrations of how the program can be integrated into the tutors’ mentoring of student teachers, as well as providing guidance on the uses of the platform. The session also explored ways the platform can help student teachers address and overcome challenges. By participating in this event, tutors were able to have a more comprehensive understanding of the possible applications of the DigitalTA platform.  Moreover, the training session also hoped to increase adoption of the platform in the tutor’s mentoring processes at the Faculty of Education. Furthermore, it also worked on enhancing support for student teachers through structured guidance and problem-solving through the use of the platform. Another purpose of the event was to improve the communication and collaboration between tutors and students teachers via the platform, likewise causing further discussions and potential expansion of the DigitalTA project based on tutor’s feedback and interest.  Overall, the tutor training event hosted by the Palacký University further promoted DigitalTA’s mission of developing a digital platform as a common framework for teachers induction. Thus, building a learning community based on reflective practice that will bring together providers of initial teacher education and continuing professional development for teachers. With this event, tutors gained more knowledge about the Erasmus Plus project and more effective ways to mentor and support student teachers. 

The Center for Training and Educational Innovation of Segovia (CFIE Segovia) organized on January 15 the “Internationalization and Dissemination of Erasmus+ Projects Day” in the Assembly Hall of the IES Mariano Quintanilla de Segovia with the participation of Dr. Thomas Prola, professor at the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO) and co-coordinator of the DigitalTA project, and the presence of more than 80 teachers from the locality. (more…)

This year 2024 has been marked by numerous events, conferences and talks by the consortium, as the development of the digital platform progressed, in order to publicize the first results of the project and the opportunities of having a system that integrates the educational community. DigitalED Conference 2024 (Ireland/Virtual) The ATU 2024 DigitalEd Conference took place over two days on September 3rd and 4th with a theme of Digital Horizons: Navigating Transformation in Higher Education. Hosted by Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in Galway city (Dublin Road campus) and online. Dr. Thomas Prola presented the paper "Navigating Transformation in Higher Education". His presentation can be viewed below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRavRa5jP2M&t=1s Virtual information session in Spanish language “Piloting the DigitalTA platform: first comments” (VIRTUAL) The Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) organized last November 18 the virtual information session in Spanish language “Piloting the DigitalTA platform: first comments” for students of the Master in Education promoted by FUNIBER, as well as teachers of the Teacher Training Center of Segovia (CFIE Segovia), to show them the platform of the Erasmus+ DigitalTA project (2022-2025), led by the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO). Dr. Thomas Prola, co-coordinator of the project, presented the platform and its functionalities to the attendees. Approximately 120 students will test the platform as part of an evaluation activity for the final project of the subject “ICT in the classroom”. The students will be asked to reflect on their experience as users of the platform. BERA Conference 2024 and WERA Focal Meeting (England) Jan Kochanowsky University presented, on September 10, the project in the BERA Conference 2024 and WERA Focal Meeting, held at the University of Manchester. I International Congress on Innovative, Sustainable and Inclusive Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Dr. Thomas Prola participated in September in the 1st International Congress on Innovative, Sustainable and Inclusive Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. This pioneering event brings together experts, researchers and educators from around the world to explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, organized by the University of Seville. The presentation can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J1B49OjiDI I Erasmus+ Congress of the CFIE of León (Spain) CFIE Segovia participated at the end of May in the I Erasmus+ Congress of CFIE León, entitled “More than a trip”, which was held at the Technological Park of León. The event, which was attended by 200 people, took place from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm and was full of activities and presentations of great interest. The main topics covered in the presentations were about experiences and resources related to the Erasmus+ program and inclusion issues. In addition, there was a round table discussion on the transformative effect of Erasmus+ on schools and teachers. Throughout the different interventions and presentations, the importance of these meetings to strengthen collaboration and the exchange of Erasmus best practices among education professionals and those in charge of in-service teacher training was highlighted. In short, this event underlines the commitment of Castilla y León to the internationalization and continuous improvement of education through European programs such as Erasmus+. Event “Educational Technology in the Digital Age” (Nicaragua/Virtual) Thomas Prola and Emmanuel Soriano, professors at the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO), participated, on November 6, virtually, in the event “Educational Technology in the Digital Age”, organized by the National Education System of Nicaragua, to show the digital platform of the European project Erasmus+ DigitalTA (2022-2025) led by the university. Teachers Thomas Prola and Emmanuel Soriano gave the conference ‘The construction of the teaching transition mediated by digital resources’.  5th Świętokrzyski Congress of Bilingualism (Poland) The Świętokrzyskie Teacher Training Center (ŚCDN) presented the DigitalTA platform to teachers on December 13 at the 5th Świętokrzyski Congress of Bilingualism to summarize how the partners have developed the platform, show the latest version and inform about the pilot, inviting teachers to participate in this process. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) day (Ireland) The University of Limerick (UL) hosted a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) day for tutors involved in in School Placement, on September 3. The session, which was attended by 80 tutors, was organized by Ann-Marie Young. As part of the day, tutors were introduced to the DigitalTA project, the platform was shared and tutors were invited to participate. As part of the local event, information and activities were provided on the role and characteristics of effective tutoring, benefits and challenges, and best practice models. EERA European Educational Research Association conference Partners from AP Hogeschool Antwerpen participated in the conference of EERA European Educational Research Association, where they had the distinct pleasure to share and discuss the innovative approach to the quality assurance work in the DigitalTA Erasmus+ project.

The volume of the journal Problemy Opiekuńczo-Wychowawcze (POW) “Issues in Childhood Care and Education” (volume 9 of 2024) includes 6 papers that present selected issues related to the implementation of the project DigitalTA. The main topic of the presented issue is the professional needs of newly qualified teachers with up to 5 years of experience.  The papers are related to: 1. The development of an international consortium, which task was to plan the project implementation and to ensure its quality. 2. The definitions of basic concepts, which – as it turned out – may significantly vary in individual countries. 3. A review of the literature on identifying the needs of teachers beginning their careers. 4. A closer look at the tasks set for teachers in connection with (self-)reflection and the role of mentors as people supporting newly qualified teachers in various spaces (real and virtual). 5. The research on the needs of future teachers arranged during the didactic game. The abstract of each article is shown below: Building an international network of scientists and practitioners: the case of the DigitalTA project The European Commission has included the establishment of ‘Teacher Academies’ in its development plan for the European Education Area, as part of Erasmus+ projects. This article aims to explore cooperation networks as a strategy for addressing the challenges beginning teachers face during their transition into the profession. The authors describe the international educational community (Digital TA project), which includes representatives from five countries: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ireland, and Poland. They also outline the principles of Teacher Academy projects and the process of building such communities. The authors illustrate the mechanisms for building a cooperation network on the digital platform, which is based on the methodology of problem-based learning (PBL), mentoring, case studies, and digital tools designed to support teachers’ self-reflection. Agreeing on key concepts in the DigitalTA project This article presents the key concepts developed and adopted in the DigitalTA project. The text focuses on the most important of these concepts: university, school, teacher training centre, university teacher, novice teacher, school principal, mentor, internship/practicum, and internship supervisor/practitioner. The concepts were often understood similarly, but differences in definitions across partner countries required clarification. The terminology related to beginner teachers (beginning teacher, novice teacher, newly qualified teacher) needed to be addressed first. Based on a literature review and findings gathered in preparation for the project, co-participants from countries such as Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ireland, and Poland agreed that, in the Digital TA project, novice teachers would be defined as graduates of higher education programmes who are entitled to practice as teachers and are within the first 1 to 5 years of their employment. Dissemination of the DigitalTA project and addressing students’ fears, needs, and creativity in the didactic game ‘Adventures of a novice teacher’ This study aims to present the course and results of the didactic game ‘The adventures of a novice teacher,’ conducted at the Jan Kochanowski University of Kielce as part of the dissemination of the international Digital TA project. The game scenario, developed by the author of this article, addressed key aspects of the project related to the work of beginning teachers. As the participants progressed through the game, they had the opportunity to express their fears about entering the teaching profession, discuss the needs of novice teachers, and propose changes to the education system within schools. Using their knowledge and creativity, the players also developed ideas for games using everyday objects and formulated a ‘recipe’ for a fulfilling teaching career. Additionally, in the game’s final phase, they participated in a Q&A session with members of the DigitalTA project. They recorded all the proposals and ideas from the students participating in the game and subsequently analysed them. This process provided valuable empirical data on various aspects of the work of beginning teachers, as seen from the perspective of pedagogy students. Professional needs of newly qualified teachers: a review of research findings from selected European countries This article reviews research findings on the needs of beginning teachers in selected European countries. It focuses on the countries involved in the Erasmus+ project ‘Digital academy in teaching practice for a seamless transition from pre-service to in-service’ (2023–2025): Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ireland, and Poland. Research on the needs of teachers is conducted systematically in Belgium, Ireland, and the Czech Republic. As a result, the current data from these countries allows for the conclusion that the professional needs of teachers are similar across these contexts. The specific differences mainly concern issues such as job security, including the mode and conditions of employment, bureaucratic workload, and the evaluation of teachers’ work. Polish and Spanish project partners studied the needs of teachers with up to 5 years of professional experience before designing the mentoring platform (in 2023). The data from this study is still being analysed. The potential of mentoring in the professional development of newly qualified and experienced teachers This article aims to review the international literature on mentoring newly qualified teachers (NQTs) and to highlight examples of good practice in mentor preparation across Europe. The article begins by presenting the main definitions and functions of mentoring, as well as the myths and stereotypes that shape its image. Next, the article outlines the mentor support programme in Ireland, along with a comparison of two handbooks offering training materials for mentor educators. Finally, the article highlights the benefits of mentor training, emphasising how it provides further opportunities for the professional development of experienced teachers. Given the growing importance of mentoring in the Polish educational system, mentor training should be made a compulsory component of teachers’ preparation for this crucial role. Supporting newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in Ireland This article aims to present systemic solutions designed to support novice teachers in their transition to working in schools in Ireland. It focuses on the main programme, as well as a specific process within this system – ‘Droichead.’ It is an introductory process that, importantly, supports newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in the early stages of their professional careers. The article provides a description of the needs of novice teachers in Ireland, an outline of their education model, including professional internships, and details the elements of the support system for NQTs. This system includes, among others: PST (Professional Support Team), PDST (Professional Development Service for Teachers), OIDE, The Teaching Council, NIPT (National Induction Programme for Teachers), and NCSE (National Council for Special Education). Issues in Childhood Care and Education is a monthly magazine (10 issues a year) published since 1961. The magazine deals with the issues related to childcare, upbringing and social support – their theory, practice, results of researches and diagnoses, as well as experience. It represents new – domestic and foreign – ideas, concepts and solutions regarding functioning children and teenagers in all environments. In recent years the magazine has been focused on issues related to the reform of childcare and familycare institutional system, psychological and pedagogical counselling and an increasing role of school and other educational institutions in childcare and upbringing. This year these issues will be extended to diagnosis of pedagogical chances and threats related to children and youth activity the virtual social environment. More information about the journal here: https://problemyopiekunczo-wychowaw.pl/issue/16628

The Świętokrzyskie Teacher Training Center (ŚCDN) presented the DigitalTA platform to teachers on December 13 at the 5th Świętokrzyski Congress of Bilingualism to summarize how the partners have developed the platform, show the latest version and inform about the pilot, inviting teachers to participate in this process. (more…)