Training
The project formally began in July 2020 and will run until the end of June 2022. An intensive teacher training monthly schedule will take place on the Moodle platform, a popular learning management system, from March 2021 to June 2022. The training is for those teachers who have not been trained through 21st Century Schools, whose schools are already familiar with the project and have a functioning coding club. Moodle training takes place over three weeks, and teachers should dedicate one hour each day to follow all lessons, do all individual and group tasks and meet the requirements needed for the certificate. This training program is accredited by the Bureau for Education for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school year and is listed in the catalogue of professional development under number 63 as "Critical Thinking and Problem Solving", Priority area of Active Teaching and Learning Methods.
This ambitious educational programme will include 4,570 class and subject teachers in 162 primary schools. To achieve such an ambitious and dynamic work plan, we have trained 28 new mentors coming from the education system who together with the existing mentors will deliver training every month from March 2021 to June 2022, except August.
Each month, 300 to 450 teachers will attend the online programme on the Moodle platform led and moderated by two trainers/mentors. Teachers are divided into groups of 30 participants and each group will have two mentors who will guide them throughout the programme on a daily basis. This training program is highly participatory and practical, which means that participants are expected not only to attend but actively participate and complete individual and group tasks in order to gradually progress towards the completion of the course. For any technical difficulties on the Moodle platform or any other assistance needed, our Moodle administrators will provide swift support and will be available daily.
This program is mandatory for all teachers in primary schools, including pedagogues and psychologists who are welcome to join if they wish.
Microbit equipment
As part of the 21st Century Teacher project, schools will (if they haven't already), receive a set of additional equipment for the microbit club, which contains 28 different parts. Microbit device and supporting equipment can be used in three ways: as part of the IT classroom, as an extra-curricular activity and as part of the regular curriculum of any subject and any grade. Look for the microbit club coordinator in your school and borrow microbit equipment to encourage the creativity of your students and develop new digital skills.
Certificates
Teachers should complete a minimum of 80% of the program in order to obtain a certificate from the Bureau for Education, and this condition includes a short online course in microbit. The British Council will also issue a Certificate of Attendance to all participants who complete 80% of the course content.
If you would like to know more about this programme, we recommend you was a TV documentary we did with the RTCG. Watch here.
If you wish to know when your school will be in line for training, please contact the project manager Dina Tosic at dina.tosic@mpnks.gov.me. All schools will be informed in due course about the upcoming training.