The main focus of the training is on active learning in a diverse group of learners through the application of learning activities and Cooperative learning techniques, especially focusing on outdoor activities. Post training the trainer and the participants can continue to share, develop and discuss the methods and materials.
Target group:
The target group is schools and organisations which have strategies or core aims of improving students key competencies including: Cooperation, communication, initiative, critical and creative thinking, citizenship, teamwork, problem solving and underpinning core skills and embedding these within their understanding of the environment and nature. An important part of the training will be to practice methods to improve the class/group atmosphere by creating the feeling of trust, safety, solidarity, care etc. within the class/group and to teach any subject or topic outside. Participants can be teachers or trainers of all levels (kindergarten to adult education)
Preparation: Participants will be expected to read the course program and pre released reading material before arrival.
Aims:
That participants learn how to create an inclusive and creative learning environment
That participants learn concrete, structured and creative cooperative learning methods
That participants learn how to use games and activities – both indoors and outdoors – to strengthen learners self confidence and self image and to improve the class atmosphere.
That participants learn through theory and practice how to incorporate cooperative learning in general, especially outdoors and how to prepare students for cooperative learning.
Methodology: Learning by doing is our leading principle. This means that the training is organised in such a way that the participants participate and cooperate actively in group work as well as in plenary sessions – indoor as well as outdoor. A significant part of the training will therefore take place outdoors and one learning excursion will be part of the program. The methods introduced will be used actively during the course. All participants should be able to discuss and present in English language.
Outcomes: Participants will have the necessary skills and materials to implement structured games and activities as well as using cooperative learning and outdoor activities with their learners and to guide others in implementing it. They will have developed and tried out concrete materials in different subjects where they train the learners social and intercultural competences as well as teaching them their subject in an active, inclusive and creative way – indoor as well as outdoor.
Follow up: On return to their home locations participants will try out the different approaches with their learners and share their experience and material through e-mail and on an internet platform with other participants.
Course fee includes administration, refreshments, course material and a certificate of attendance.
The main trainer of the course is sociologist, teacher and teacher’s trainer Guðrún Pétursdóttir
Guðrún Pétursdóttir finished her master’s degree in sociology from the Freie Universität Berlin in year 1990. Besides sociology she also studied intercultural education at the Institut für interkulturelle Erziehung at the same university and later finished the teacher’s qualification at the University of Iceland. For the last 20 years Guðrún has worked in different fields connected with migration issues and teachers training and has since 2003 ran the intercultural centre InterCultural Iceland (www.ici.is).
She taught courses at the Teachers University during the years 2003-2005 and at the pedagogical department of the University of Iceland from 2006-2009. She has run Grundtvig/Comenius/Erasmus+ In-service training courses for teachers and educators since 2004, developed cooperative learning methods and materials and she is the author of three books: Intercultural education (1999), Everyone can do something nobody can do everything; a practical handbook for teachers (2003) and Diverse Society Diverse Classrooms; Critical, Creative, Cooperative and Interculturally Competent Learners and Teachers Ready for the 21st Century (2018)
You can watch a short video from the course on our fb page: https://www.facebook.com/263369640353211/videos/1800028006687359/
For any further information about a more detailed program, please contact Guðrún: gudrun@ici.is
