ULCA project

The ULCA project aims to focus on professional development of educators and help them achieve their excellence through the structured competence-based career path. We base this project on the

learner-centred approach that is the fundamental basis of these standards. Standard VS3: The university implements study programmes by encouraging the active role of students in education and learning, and this approach is also reflected in student evaluation. Student-centered learning and teaching plays an important role in motivating, self-reflecting and selfinvolving in learning process. This means that more attention needs to be paid to the creation, modification and implementation of study programmes as well as to the evaluation of outputs.

The main objectives of the project is are:

- to increase the quality of University education through the implemenatation of the learner-centred approach,

- developing excellent schools based on the EFQM model of excellence

- developing the Learn&Lead functional self-management of a teacher within the school environment.

The desired main objectives will be achieved by the following specific objectives:

1. Create curricula of three study subjects called „Application of the leaner-centred approach 1B, 2B and 1M“. 1B for student -teachers in their 2nd year of the Batchelor´s study, 2B for student-teachers in their 3rd year of the Batchelor´s study and 1M in their first year of the Master´s study.

2. Create a curriculum of a study subject called „Applied Pedagogical leadership – learn&lead“ for student-teachers in their final year of the Marter´s study.

3. Train the in-service teachers in the „Learner-centred approach basic“ training course along with the Learn&Lead basic training course. (2week intensive programme).

4. Train heads of deparments/lead teachers, managers, Principals/vice principals of primary schools and deans/vice deans of Universities in the developping excellent schools/universities based on the EFQM model.

5. Train the LCA trainers who will work with the trained teachers in their schools after the project finishes.

6. Create the LCA Trainer Competence Framework. This will comprise of set of core competences of the learner-centred approach, the definition of developmental phases of teachers and the quality standards for each phase which altogether form the career path of teachers and teacher-trainers.

7. Develop LCA Guidelines for Primary schools.

8. Organize two LCA International Conferences.

9. Create curricula of two life long learning teacher-training programmes called "Application of the learner-centred approach" and "Teacher Self-development and management - Learn&Lead".

The purpose of the project is to create a common system in which a continuous professional development of teachers in the leaner-centred approach will be defined as well as the school setting in which this approach will be carried out. We focus on the inevitable changes that will allow this project to be implemented in full and successfully.

Target groups of this project are the following:

1. pre-service teachers (students in Faculties/Institutions of Education = future teachers)

2. in-service teachers (at Universities and primary schools)

3. in-service teacher-managers (at Universities and primary schools)