LIEPĀJA ACADEMY OF PEDAGOGY
Second Level Professional Higher Education Study Programme
“TEACHER”
(index 46 14104)
Re-accreditation Documents
Liepāja 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. SELF-EVALUATION REPORT OF RE-ACCREDITATION 3
2. DEVELOPMENTAL PLAN OF THE STUDY PROGRAMME 25
3. Description of the Study Content and Implementation of the Study Programme “Teacher” 27
4. Members of the Teaching Staff Involved in the Implementation of the Programme 37
5. SCIENTIFICAL AND CREATIVE BIOGRAPHIES OF ACADEMICAL PERSONNEL 41
6. Annotations to the Study Courses 89
7. List of Documents not Included in the Re-accreditation
Documentation 117
LIEPĀJA ACADEMY OF PEDAGOGY
Second Level Professional Higher Education Study Programme
TEACHER
(Index 46 14104)
Self-evaluation report of re-accreditation for 2003 - 2005
Programme Director:
______
Dr. paed. Linda Mackēviča
Confirmed at the Senate sitting
of the LAP
May 23, 2005
Minutes No. 9
Chairwoman of the Senate:
______
Professor A. Samuseviča
Table of Contents
1. Goals and Objectives of the Study Programme 6
2. Organization of the Study Programme 7
2.1. Changes in the Content and the Structure of the Study Programme within the self-evaluation period 7
Content and the Structure of the Study Programme 8
3. The Practical Implementation of the Study Programme 10
3.1 Methods of Study and their Substantiation 10
3.2 Integration of the Research Activity of the Academic Staff into the Study Process 10
4. Assessment 11
5. Students 12
6. The Academic and Administrative Staff Involved in the Study Programme 13
7. Sources of Financing, Equipment and Educational Facilities 13
8. Foreign Contacts 14
9. Co-operation with Governmental, Municipal and Non-governmental Organisations in Implementation of the Study Programme, Contacts with Employers 14
10. Conclusions 15
Appendixes to the Self – evaluation Report:
1. Description of the Pedagogical Practice
2. Criterions Elaborated For the Module Examinations
3. The Assessment List of the Module Examination
1. Goals and Objectives of the Study Programme
The second level professional higher education study programme “Teacher” (education classification index of the Republic of Latvia 4614104) of the Liepāja Academy of Pedagogy (LAP) is accredited till 31st December 2005.
It provides implementation of the regulation No.347 (3 October 2000) of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia “On Demands for Education and Professional Qualification Pedagogues Need” and the regulation No.669 (26 October 2004) of the Ministry of Education and Science “The Proper Thematic Groups of Schooling Subjects”, and it gives an opportunity to obtain a qualification – a Teacher of General Secondary Education.
The goal of the study programme:
The continuation of educating qualified specialists for teaching in general educational establishments, building on the previous acquired higher academic education (Bachelor’s degree) in any of the thematic groups: Humanitarian Sciences and Art, Social Science, Entrepreneurship, Legal Rights, Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
The objectives of the study programme:
1. To provide accumulation of knowledge in Pedagogy and Psychology with the aim of promoting skills at organization and management of the educational process in compliance with the latest developments in Pedagogy and Psychology in theory and praxis of schools in Latvia and throughout the world.
2. To enhance the links between the earlier acquired education with general didactics and special methodologies of teaching school subjects and to test the acquired knowledge during the pedagogical practice.
3. To enhance independent activities of students and their responsibility for the results in this study process, and to stimulate personality development of students for work in conditions of a democratic and humane school environment.
4. To involve students in applied research, developing their professional and research skills in the field of Educational Science.
2. Organization of the Study Programme
In organising the structure of study programme the laws of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia on the state standard No. 481 (20.11.2001.) of the second level professional higher education and on the standard of teacher’s profession are followed. The duration of the course is 2,5 years, and its volume is 80 CRP. The content of the study programme is elaborated on the basis that the students already have an academic higher education (Bachelor’s degree).
2.1. Changes in the Content and the Structure of the Study Programme within the self-evaluation period
The study programme “Teacher” has been underway since 1 September 2000. Taking into consideration the suggestions of the accreditation commission towards improving the work of the programme, the following changes have been made:
§ The admission rules are particularized that they would suit to the real situation at schools and would satisfy the need for obtaining the pedagogical education.
§ The conceptual plan of the programme has been specified, providing more optimal division of CRP for courses, thus assuring their theoretical and practical expediency as well as their connection with the pedagogical practice.
§ The objectives of the pedagogical practice have been improved and the necessary documentation for the practice portfolio has been organized (see appendix pg.16).
§ The content of the study courses is directed towards getting acquainted with the actual and innovative tendencies within the contemporary study process, that promotes understanding about the educational system in whole and facilitates the understanding towards the professional work of a teacher, emphasizing the connection between education and society.
§ The study courses with a little amount of CRP are joined in the modules:
- The following modules – “Pedagogy” (No. 1) and “Psychology” (No. 3) are retained;
- The module No.2 “The Pedagogical and Psychological Basis of Teaching/Learning” is complemented with the courses – Topicalities in Didactics, Pedagogical Psychology, Critical Thinking, and Methodologies of Teaching School Subjects.
- The new module “Planning and Management of the Educational Process” is created, where the following subjects are included: School Management, Organizational Communication and Career Education.
§ Instead of the qualification examination, during the 1st and the 2nd years of studies students write 3 module examination works and pass 1 module examination.
Content and the Structure of the Study Programme
The content of the study programme is arranged in 4 parts:
1. Compulsory study courses – 40 CRP
General education courses – 6 CRP
Basic theoretical courses in the field - 6 CRP
Information technology courses - 2CRP
Professional specialisation courses in the field – 26 CRP
2. Practice – 26 CRP
3. Diploma paper – 10 CRP
5. Optional courses - 4 CRP
Curriculum of the Study Programme for Correspondence Studies
First year / Second year / Third yearGeneral education courses – 6 CRP
Basic theoretical courses in the field - 6 CRP
Information Technology courses - 2CRP
Professional specialisation courses in the field –
15 CRP / Professional specialisation courses in the field –
11 CRP
Practice – 12 CRP / Practice – 14 CRP
Diploma paper – 10 CRP
Optional courses - 4 CRP
Total 35 CRP / Total 35 CRP / Total 10CRP
The students’ workload during the year is evenly distributed. The curriculum for each study year consists of study courses and practice, which is elaborated according to “Regulations of Practices in the LAP”. Students participate by doing research on the upbringing and educational processes at school; by analysing the interaction process among pupils, teachers and other adults; they carry out the upbringing and teaching process at schools.
The proportion of lectures and practices is 1:2. In particular cases the ratio of practical classes is increased, for example, in the study course Computer Science in Pedagogy. Optional courses are offered taking into account the individual interests of students, matching them with the specific character of the programme and organizational possibilities, as well as with certain current issues in the education system of Latvia. Every year a LAP catalogue of optional courses is confirmed and distributed.
During the first year students write an annual paper. During the second year the Diploma paper is being developed, and then it is completed and defended at the end of the studies (the third year of study). Students come for sessions five times a year in accordance with a confirmed study schedule.
The study programme is organized in such a way that it would provide with totality of professional knowledge and abilities that are determined in the standard of teacher’s profession, and that it would promote the perfection of professional competence, which is needed for graduates to be able to compete successfully in the labour market. During the learning process in order to teach in secondary educational establishments, a student has to gain the following competences:
§ Intellectual competences, which would give the ability to formulate and communicate both strategically and analytically the professional aspects and problematic issues in the field, using the acquired theoretical base and abilities to solve professional problems, also to structure the continuation of learning and perfection of one’s professional qualification.
§ Academic and professional competences, which would allow to comprehend and use various methodologies and practical approaches in the professional praxis, and also to obtain, select and process the information, using the newest research and achievements in the field.
§ Practical competences, which would allow to perform the professional duties immediately and with an understanding of the value of professional ethics, and would give ability to work both individually and within a team, and also elaborate and implement the projects.
3. The Practical Implementation of the Study Programme
3.1 Methods of Study and their Substantiation
The acquisition of the study programme takes place in the form of lectures, seminars, practical classes, during practice, consultations, and through students’ independent work. The implementation of the study programme besides the traditional forms of work (lectures, seminars); interactive methods, such as projects, group work, creative seminars, discussions etc. have been practised. The teaching staff applies the methods of co-operative learning and development of critical thinking.
The above-mentioned methods help the students to work in groups, to cover the study programme in an analytical way that can particularly be observed in developed modules of study courses integrating mutually the separate study disciplines. Students analyse pedagogical and psychological issues and situations, trying to seek solutions through interactive discussion.
To ensure that students will be able to implement the theoretical knowledge obtained during the study process into praxis, the study programme provides with pedagogical practice – volume 26 CRP: 12 CRP within the first study year and 14 CRP within the second study year. The task descriptions of practices are changed in a way that they would suit better to the real situation at schools. The description of pedagogical practice is added in appendix No. 1 (pg 17).
Students do individual and research work: literature studies, periodicals studies, write reports and do applied research. The proportion of classroom hours and students’ individual work is 1:4.
3.2 Integration of the Research Activity of the Academic Staff into the Study Process
The research activity of the lecturers finds a reflection in the courses of the study programme; in analysis and evaluation of students’ reports, in supervision and evaluation of students’ research papers, as well as in the teaching aids they create. The members of the teaching staff integrate the results of their research into the study courses, for example, A.Samuseviča has prepared for students a teaching/learning aid in methodology of scientific research and methods of pedagogical research; A.Līdaka uses her ideas about implementation of value-oriented education at the nine-year basic school. Publications of the lecturers are a strong support in the study process: articles, reports, study aids, methodological materials, methodological suggestions and recommendations.
Students Involvement in Research Work
The main forms of research envisaged in the study programme are reports, an annual paper and the Diploma paper. The research of students, both in content and structure, is planned according to the demands of the programme, taking the chosen learning subject as the foundation. Students work at their annual and Diploma papers seeking links between the earlier education in a certain field of science with the methodology of the given subject (Decision of the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, minutes No.4, 28 January 2001).
When doing their research students make use of the instructions and demands defined in the methodological aid “Writing Annual and Research Papers and their Evaluation,” elaborated by the Scientific Council of the LAP. The electronic version of it is accessible also in the homepage of the LAP.
4. Assessment
The following principles are used to assess the students’ knowledge and skills: systematicality, objectivity, openness and compulsoriness. In compliance with the goals and objectives set in the programme, the whole body of demands has been defined to evaluate the achievement in studies, and the students are acquainted with them at the beginning of the given course. New criterions are elaborated for the module examinations (see appendix No. 2, pg 20), including a new assessment list for module examinations (see appendix No. 3, pg. 24).
The basic forms for assessing the knowledge are credit tests (passed/not passed) and examinations (10 point scale).
A cumulative system is also used, and it envisages gradual formation of the final assessment from several works done by the student. To evaluate the students’ knowledge and skills the following methods are used: tests, test papers, essays, reports, problem discussions, seminars etc. Assessment is made both in oral and written form, individually or in a group. The results obtained in the evaluation process are analysed in mutual discussions among the lecturers and students, also at meetings. The obtained results are used for the further development of the programme and its perfection.
The principles and procedure defined by the LAP are followed when writing a Diploma paper, defence of the paper is in front of the public, it is evaluated by the supervisor, opponents and the commission, a member of which is also a representative of employers.
5. Students
Enrolment and matriculation in the study programme is organised in compliance with the Regulations for enrolment and matriculation confirmed by the LAP Senate. Admission takes place every second year, and on 1st November 2005 there are 35 students involved in the programme.
Students are involved in the organisation of the study process, in its evaluation and perfection. Students collaborate with the Adult Education Centre and the Department of Pedagogy which co-ordinate elaboration of the study programme “Teacher” and supervise its implementation. The Headmaster of Durbe Secondary School, Zigmunds Kapelis, who is also a graduate of the study programme “Teacher,” is involved with the optimising of the study content, evaluating it also from the employer’s viewpoint.