Page 37 - TLÜ aastaaruanne 2014

Forty-one teachers participated in the induction year programme for vocational teachers. Vocational teachers rated new knowledge and skills acquired from the induction year training at 5.7 (on 7-point scale). Participants were satisfied with training, because it increased the interest in the teacher´s role, gave strength and new ideas when making lessons more interesting. According to the participants the training inspired them to create their own system of teaching meth- ods. Professional teachers and the ready availability of study mate- rials in the Moodle environment were positively noted. As a sug- gestion, it was recommended to involve more different teachers and arrange visits to more study establishments.
A total of 168 teachers passed mentor trainings in 2014. This was the most highly rated training with an assessment of 6.6 (on a 7-point scale). The participants characterized the trainings as balanced and acknowledged the different active methods that were used for asking questions and for introspection. During the training, participants learned how to actively listen, give feedback, use reflection and avoid communication barriers at work. Study materials that helped render meaning to the content of activities, connect activities with theory and apply knowledge in everyday life all received good evaluations. Playful activities, illustrations and different materials clarified the content and objectives of mentorship.
In March 2014, an international study visit for educational lead- ers of the European Centre for Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) (http://www.tlu.ee/et/tok/projektid) took place with fifteen educational leaders from different European countries partic- ipating. The educational leaders were acquainted with the practice of using mentorship in Estonian educational establishments and the mentorship training programmes offered by Tallinn University and the Tallinn Educational Board. At the beginning of January, the TU prize Educator of the Year of the Centre for Continuing Education was awarded to educators Pille Kriisa and Kaia Köster. Rapla County Government received a letter of appreciation for successful coopera- tion in organising mentor-training courses for managers and teach- ers of pre-school childcare institutions.
In the future, the effect of the activities to date will be analysed to develop the induction year programme and study programmes, and the forms and approaches will be renewed. Promoting cooperation at both the international level and for implementing mentorship with teams of educational establishments will be important in the future. The plan is to organise an inspiration summer school “Teacher as a Leader” for novice teachers and also develop cooperation between the induction year programme and the educators and experts of the Teachers´ Academy.
2.4 SUPPORT ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
The university legal acts were endorsed and renewed. The princi- ples for timetable compilation were established, the most significant change being the earlier publication of the timetable and a decrease of the teaching periods of general subjects. The rates and procedures for reimbursement of study costs were changed in order to guarantee equal treatment of all students. The Performance Scholarship Statute was established for supporting and recognizing students admitted to TU in 2013 that achieve excellent academic results and complete the study programme in full.
The development of the network of academic counsellors con- tinued in 2014. The task of an academic counsellor of a unit is to support the progress of students through individual counselling and group meetings where issues of study organisation (e.g. registration for exams, pass/fail assessments) as well as study skills (e.g. compi- lation of written papers) are addressed and also to assist students in their ability to generally cope in the university environment. A senior specialist of study organisation in the Academic Affairs Of- fice together with the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs coordinate the activities targeted at counsellors: once a month a meeting is or- ganised for academic counsellors, additional seminars and training sessions in learning skills, career planning and mental health are also organised.
A feedback questionnaire relating to study organisation was con- ducted in 2014 in which more than 20% of students participated (the previous one took place in 2012). The questionnaire was composed of 9 parts: timetables, registration and Study Information System; e-learning and internationalisation; recognition of prior learning; practice supervision: study environment; Academic Library; coun- selling and problems; information movement. Improvement activi- ties were planned on the basis of the acquired results; an overview of these is available to the public here: www.tlu.ee/tagasiside2014 and www.tlu.ee/feedback2014.
In 2014, several changes that support the implementation of the higher education reforms were implemented in developing the Study Information System. Also the functions related to personal files of the students and management of study programmes were developed, as well as possibilities that increase availability of statistics, user-friend- liness and financial accounting. All the above-mentioned develop- ments were also planned in preparation for the 2015 structural chang- es of TU by enabling the start of the creation of a new structural tree and the principles of employment positions of the system without the need to change the functionality of the system.
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