In Search of a Unified Theory of the New Methodologies for the 21st Century

The Project

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In search of a Unified Theory of the New Methodology is a project carried out by two european schools from Turkey (Tevfik Ileri Anatolian High School, Rize) and Spain (Ntra. Sra. del Carmen, Badajoz) . Thanks to this project we will increase our knowledge of new methodology in education and will create tools and activities that will be able to put all these methodology together.

The project has the following objectives:

– We want to learn, share, and practice (or apply), new innovative methodologies.

– Create tools to evaluate children according to these new methodologies.

– Develop a guide for other schools that would like to introduce themselves into this new pedagogical way.

– Help our students to improve their English and other languages.

– Teach them some transversal skills like researching, being creative, doing projects.

Through students and teachers workshops, local activities, and job shadowings we will develop and improve our skills and knowledge to be excellent 21st century schools, teachers and student.

SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT:

The Scholar Partnership formed between the schools of “Colegio Nuestra Señora del Carmen” Spain), Tevfik İleri Anadolu Lisesi (Turkey) aim to find answers throught this project to a series of needs which come from the drastic changes that have happened in society in the 21st century.

The old methods of teaching have become obsolete and are unable to provide the pupils with the capacities they need to be able to successfully prepare for their professional and academic future. As a result, it is now essential to revise, update and acquire new methods of teaching which promote abilities in pupils such as learning to learn, creativity, an innovative spirit, initiative, leadership, the ability to work in a team and networking and the capacity to manage, co-ordinate, and develop projects of differing natures, all of these being abilities recognized by the OCDE as necessary for the 21st century (Working Paper 21sr Century Skills and Competences for New Millenium Learners in OCDE Countries). n order to be able to introduce this new methodology in an effective way and as a result achieve the development of basic, international capacities of our pupils, it is necessary that the teachers have some training opportunities that will enable them to become experts in co-operative learning, in learning by discovering, in the use of the TIC in the classroom and in learning based on projects.

To this end, a plan has been designed that consists of 6 training workshops for the teachers of the member schools. In them, and through the guide of the teachers from the expert school, the participants from the other schools will be able to receive training and deepen their knowledge of the different methodology named (cross-border co-operation). Unifying all the methodology into a single framework (that is to say, building a unified theory of the new methodology of the 21st century) is the final result that we hope to obtain with the execution of the project and the teacher´s workshops.

Since learning is a unique process, all these tools, methodology and theories must become perfectly integrated in a coherent way, based on the empirical experience and the exhaustive analysis of the reality of the learning process that happens with human beings. As well as acquiring knowledge, the teacher´s work during the workshops will allow the elaboration and design of several open educational resources.

We specifically hope to obtain the following material as a result of the 6 activities: – A guide of «the unified theory of the new methodology of the 21st century». – A catalogue of the programming and teaching units adapted to the new methodology. – A manuel for the teacher: a summary of the training courses given by expert schools on new methodology. – Several articles for education magazines about the conclusions and methodological studies carried out , as well as about the evaluation systems adapted to the new methodology. – The collection of samples, models and tools of integrated evaluation. At the same time, the students will begin to develop the abilities and capacities by means of two types of activities: local and international. The methodological basis of these activities is the meaningful, centered learning of the pupils, allowing them to be the own builders of their knowledge. The value added to this project is that in order to achieve a unified theory of the methodology of the 21st century, it would unattainable from the perspective of a single school and a single nation, since it is necessary to correctly understand the way in which this methodology helps learning carry out an international study that distances us from the inherent subjectivity that includes focusing on a single school and a single culture in order to discover the methodological levels, such as colaborative and co-operative work, learning through projects or learning through discovery.

Only by uniting visions, knowledge and experiences from different realities will we be able to solve to puzzle of how to adjust and how all these tools complement each other, and generate a solid theoretical basis that gives an explanation to all of these factors.

PRIORITIES:

The project “En busca de una teoría unificada de las nuevas metodologías del Siglo XXI” (In search of a Unified Theory of the new methodology in the 21^st century) has some priorities:

Develop basic and transversal competences in our students using new methodology.
Encourage the development of abilities and competences in teachers.
Strengthen quality through mobility and international cooperation.

EXPECTED RESULTS IN STUDENTS:

IMPROVE THEIR…

1) Learning to learn competence

2) Communication skills

3) Leadership skills

4) Creativity

5) Digital competence

6) Innovation ability

7) Entrepreneurial initiative

8) European feeling

9) Ability to face problems and new situations

10) Knowledge and Respect to other cultures and religions