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.
The event was held in person and virtually, with the participation of 1,300 people from the Ministry of Education (MINED), the National Technological Institute (INATEC), and the National Council of Universities (CNU). The objective of this event in Nicaragua was to create a space for reflection and exchange with students, teachers and parents, in order to explore and reflect on the importance of technologies in learning processes, as part of the appropriation activities of the National Education Strategy “Blessings and Victories” 2024-2026.
Teachers Thomas Prola and Emmanuel Soriano gave the conference ‘The construction of the teaching transition mediated by digital resources’. The DigitalTA project emerges from a review of studies showing that one of the problems of teachers is located in the transition period from initial training to the first years of their professional practice in the classroom. A period in which this group experiences a transition from “learning to teach to teaching to teaching to learn”.
During the course of the project, a study of the needs of novice teachers and possible supports for providing answers was carried out, in which 160 novice teachers participated.
Among the results of the questionnaire, it was noted that teachers are motivated by feeling that they can positively influence the younger generation: the opportunity to work with children and the “faith” in the value of teaching. It was also found that less experienced teachers positively value the support of mentor figures, peers and school leaders, but that they often feel isolated and need more help and guidance. Therefore, good social relationships with their peers play an important role in their learning progress. In addition, the lack of work-life balance is another problem highlighted in the results.
The main training needs identified are: classroom management, individual teaching support (diversity and inclusion), soft skills (communication, time and stress management), digital technologies, professional collaboration, understanding school culture, curriculum and planning support.
During the session, the platform, which is currently in the testing phase, was presented to the attendees, showing them the different sections of the platform and encouraging them to participate in it.
Also participating in the project are: AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp (AP) from Belgium; Uniwersytet Jana Kochanowskiego w Kielcach (UJK) and Swiętokrzyskie Centrum Doskonalenia Nauczycieli (ŚCDN) from Poland, as well as the Centro de Formación del Profesorado de Segovia (CFIE) and the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER) from Spain.
Those interested in the DigitalTA project can obtain more information through its website.