PRINTeL

Vanadzor State University is involved in “PRINTEL (ERASMUS+)” project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”. The project which lasts three years (from 2018 to 2020) is headed by Yerevan State University. The aim of the project is to develop innovative teaching and learning methods in higher education system, as well as the investment of innovative technologies in teaching process. The project is aimed at developing innovative teaching skills and abilities of the teaching staff of partner universities, as well as, the investment of innovative technologies in teaching process. It is also planned to establish a virtual academy of teaching and learning as a virtual platform for capacity building of the teachers and the students.

PRINTeL project consists of seven work packages, which comprises the following points:

study of European best practice,
•analysis of needs in regional universities,
formation of training plans,
• development of the abilities of the teaching staff,
e-learning and creation of teaching infrastructure,
creating curricula for innovative teaching and applying contemporary methods,
getting feedback from the students,
• definition of functions and conceptual model design for VATL portal,
acquisition of new equipments,
• publishing of teaching manuals,
• creation of VATL portal and collaborative network,
• quality assurance and dissemination.

The partner institutions of the project are the followings:

Yerevan State University,
• National Polytechnic University of Armenia,
• Vanadzor State University,
• National Center for Higher Education strategic research,
• Ilia State University,
• Georgian Technical University,
• Telavi State University named after Jacob Gogebashvili,
Belarusian State University,
• Brest State Technical University,
• Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno,
University of Barcelona,
• Universidade do Porto (U.PORTO),
• Linkopings Universitet (LiU),
• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven),
• FH Joanneum Gesellschaft mbH (FHJ).

The launch of the conference of the project was held from February 15 to 16, in 2018, at Yerevan State University.

The works of the first package started on the first of March.

KICK OFF MEETING OF “PRINTEL (ERASMUS+)” PROJECT IN YEREVAN

From February 15 to 16, it was kicked off the meeting of “PRINTEL (ERASMUS+) project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”, at Yerevan State University.

Agenda

PRINTeL project aims to solve one of the main challenges of higher education, i.e., the development and innovation of teaching and learning methods, as well as, the investment of innovative technologies in teaching process. Armen Budaghyan, Project Coordinator, Director of YSU Quality Assurance Center, presented the mission of the project, the coordination of works and the expected results.

He emphasized that the main goal of the project is to improve student’s learning experiences in partner countries and to support the development of innovative teaching and learning, to promote the development and research of teaching technologies and innovation, as well as, share best experience.

At the conference, the representatives of all the participating universities delivered their reports on the following themes: the process of training the teaching staff, its prospects and the results, that are expected in the context of the programme. Anush Gevorgyan, Head of Educational-Methodological Department, and Christine Ghazaryan, Head of Lifelong Learning Center, presented Vanadzor State University.

In the context of PRINTeL programme, it is also planned to establish a VATL virtual academy for teaching and learning process, as a virtual platform for the development of the lecturers’ and the students’ capacities, for the acquisition of new equipments, for publishing teaching manuals, and for creating collaborative network of a VATL portal.

The complete information about the ERASMUS + PRINTeL programme is posted on the project website, which is as follows: https://printel.am/.

WORKING VISIT TO THE UNIVERSITIES OF BARCELONA AND PORTO

IN THE CONTEXT OF “PRINTEL” PROJECT

Vanadzor State University is included in “PRINTeL (ERASMUS+)” project, called (Change in Classroom: Promoting Innovative Teaching and Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”).

In the context of the project, a number of trainings and cognitive visits are planned in European Partnership Universities (FH Joanneum Gesellschaft mbH (FHJ), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Universidade do Porto (U. Porto), Linkopings Universitet (LiU)).

From June 9 to 17, in 2018, Universities of Barcelona and Porto hosted “PRINTel (ERASMUS+)” team on a study visit. During the conference, which lasted two day and was organized at the University of Barcelona, on June 11-12, European partners presented with modern experience of the lecturers’ training center work, their activities, structure and implementing training programmes to the represenatatives of Eastern Partnership Universities, such as (Yerevan State University (YSU), National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA), Vanadzor State University after H. Tumanyan (VSU) (in Armenia); Ilia State University (ISU), Georgian Technical University (GTU) and Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University (TeSaU) (Georgia); Belarusian State University (BSU), Brest State Technical University (BrSTU) and Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno (YKSUG) (in Belarus). The main organizers of the event were Joan-Thomàs Pujolà and Marina Sole Catala, professors at the University of Barcelona (BU).

On June 14-15, in 2018 a workshop-training course was held at the University of Porto. The workshop-training aims at enhancing the capacity of the administrative staff of Eastern Partnership universities’ training centers in the new style of the training centers, development and realization of innovative training programmes, as well as, developing new operational plans. The experience of the European Universities on University Partnerships within the framework of the training, formation of course and delivery of training, exchange of experience of annual events, the use of electronic resources, platforms and tools, has been presented during the workshop. On the initiative of Pro-Rector Fernando Remião and Professor Maria Pinto, the partners of the University of Porto conducted a discussion with the so-called World Café method that enabled the participants’ maximal engagement in it, and during which, the issues of strategic planning, management and quality assurance of the trainers’ training centers were discussed. The results of the discussions were also presented according to the countries, such as (Armenia, Georgia, Belarus).

Over 35 representatives of Higher Education Institutions attended at Eastern Partnership Universities’ working visits. Anush Gevorgyan, Head of the Educational-Methodological Department and Kristine Ghazaryan, Head of Lifelong Learning Center of Vanadzor State University were also included in that group.

On the 16^th of June, in 2018, the first session of the Project Coordinating Committee took place at the University of Porto, in which European and Eastern institutional coordinators of partner universities participated. During the session of coordinating committee, the leaders of working groups delivered their reports on the progress of ongoing activities, and the activities and corresponding timetables set by the end of 2018 were approved by the committee.

From November to December, in 2018, it is planned to carry out intensive training courses for the professors of Vanadzor State University, which will last five days, in European Partnership Universities, which are as follows: (Catholic University of Leuven, Universities of Barcelona, Porto and Linköping and Graz University of Applied Sciences). The recruitment announcement is posted on the website of VSU, which is as follows: ( http://www.vsu.am/azd-am/596-erasmus-printel ).

ANNOUNCEMENT

Vanadzor State University participates in ERASMUS+ PRINTeL Project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”. From November to December, in the context of the project, it is planned to carry out intensive training courses for the professors of Vanadzor State University, which will last five days, in European Partnership Universities, which are as follows: (Catholic University of Leuven, Universities of Barcelona, Porto and Linköping and Graz University of Applied Sciences).

The aim of the programme is to prepare trainees, who will be able to apply the innovative and technologically advanced methods of teaching and learning. Later, the trainees will share their experience with the lecturers of Vanadzor State University. It is intended to prepare six trainees.

The choice of the candidates will be carried out on a competitive basis, by the relevant committee. All training and travel costs will be covered by PRINTeL project.

The requirements for the candidates and the criteria for the competition are as follows:

a main worker of VSU,
the age of an employee is up to 50,
a good knowledge in English (at least C1 level),
information and communication technology skills,
an obligation to train at least fifteen colleagues within three months, after the training courses, about what, a corresponding agreement will be signed with the candidate,
the advantage will be given to the candidates, who would like to teach at the training programmes of the lecturers, organized by Lifelong learning center of Vanadzor State University, and the candidate will take the responsibility of continuing their work at least two years.

The applications can be submitted to Educational-Methodological department of VSU, in electronic form or on paper (administrative building, 2^nd floor, first room or with the following e-mail: anrulega@mail.ru), from July 6 to August 31, in 2018.

The competition will take place from September 3 to 5, and the results will be announced on the 7^th of September.

The organization of the trainings of the lecturers

of the University at European Universities

Vanadzor State University participates in ERASMUS+ PRINTEL project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”. From November to December, in the context of the project, it is planned to carry out intensive training courses for the professors of Vanadzor State University, which will last five days, in European Partnership Universities, which are as follows: (Catholic University of Leuven, Universities of Barcelona, Porto and Linköping and Graz University of Applied Sciences).

Six professors, who are chosen, as a result of the competition, will participate in the training courses.

N	*Name, Surname*	*Hosting University*	*The Orientation of the courses***
1.	Arina Danielyan	FH Joanneum Gesellschaft mbH (FHJ)	Hybrid/Blended Teaching & Learning
2.	Vanane Mirzoyan	FH Joanneum Gesellschaft mbH (FHJ)	Hybrid/Blended Teaching & Learning
3.	Anna Arakelyan	Linkopings Universitet (LiU)	Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom
4.	Mariya Brutyan	Universitat de Barcelona (UB)	Active learning &ICT-enhanced teaching:m learning&gamification
5.	Anna Khachatryan	Universidade do Porto (U.PORTO)	Video as a Learning tool for teachers &students: Video Lecturing &promoting Interaction in the Classroom
6.	Kristine Ghazaryan	Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)	Active Learning, with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning

The organizational work of the trainings has been preceded by the analysis of the professional (pedagogical) training of the lecturers and the students’ learning needs, on which it is made a report (https://www.printel.am/page/pd-for-wp-1). European Partnership Universities conduct the organization of the courses according to identified needs and the results of the analysis. The professors will utilize the experience, which they have gained during the training courses, in the University, by organizing internal trainings on innovative and technologically advanced modern methods of teaching and learning. They have signed agreements with the lecturers, who participate in the project, according to programme requirements, so as to organize the training process. As a result, it is planned to organize interuniversity trainings by the lecturers, who have been trained, from January to March, in 2019, which will last five days. At least, sixty professors of the University will be involved in them.

The training of the professors of VSU at FH JOANNEUM GESELLSCHAFT MBH (FHJ)

Vanane Mirzoyan, Associate Professor of the Chair of Psychology and Sociology at Vanadzor State University, Candidate of Psychological Sciences and Arina Danielyan, Assistant of the Chair of Foreign Languages, partook in ERASMUS+ PRINTEL project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”. It was held on November 5-9, in 2018, at FH JOANNEUM GESELLSCHAFT MBH (FHJ), during which the lecturers participated in qualification upgrading courses for the academic staff.

The purpose of the visit was to acquire knowledge and skills that met modern requirements, during the training courses, conducted for lecturers that lasted five days and were organized by FH JOANNEUM GESELLSCHAFT MBH (FHJ), based on the topic entitled “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning”. Later the professors would apply it in education process of Vanadzor State University. There were presented the types of hybrid (blended) teaching, their opportunities and difficulties, advantages and disadvantages, as well as, the online tool for hybrid teaching, such as MOOC, Trello and e-Portfolio.

The concept, approaches and required infrastructures of “Hybrid/Blended Teaching and Learning” were presented to the participants of the course. As a result, the lecturers had the following opportunities:

to discuss the role of the teacher in online settings and to evaluate feedback,
to master online collaboration tools, which aim at supporting the courses, provided by the project,
to create multimedia works, such as presentations, videos or eBooks, as didactic approaches in teaching process.

At the end of the courses, the partakers were awarded with certificates.

According to the agreement signed with the University, V. Mirzoyan and A. Danielyan have planned to conduct training courses for the professors on the above-mentioned innovative and technologically advanced teaching and learning method, at VSU, in Fabruary/March 2019, with the support of Continuing Education Center.

A training at Linköping University (Li.U) of Sweden

Anna Arakelyan, Ph D of Pedagogics, Associate Professor of the Chair of Foreign Languages, has participated in the Trainings of Trainers (TOT) course, organized by ERASMUS+ PRINTEL project , held on December 3-7, 2018, at Linköping University (Li.U).

The purpose of the visit was to acquire knowledge and skills that meet modern requirements. The five-day TOT course was dedicated to the method of active learning in the flipped classroom. The course was delivered by Didacticum, the teaching staff development center at Linköping University.

The concepts, approaches and strategies of implementing flipped classroom were introduced to the participants of the course. Flipped classroom is an innovative approach where activities that have traditionally taken place inside the classroom now take place outside the classroom and vice versa. Instead of giving traditional lectures, the teacher prepares video lectures or other kinds of multimedia resources that the students will use to prepare for classroom activities. The scheduled time inside class will instead be used for questions & answers or group-based problem-solving sessions. The idea is that this approach will make the students more active and increase the quality of learning.

During the trainings the participants were able to use the model of flipped classroom in practice, discuss the priorities of TET-SAT, an online self-assessment tool that aims to trigger teachers’ self-reflection and promotes professional development of digital pedagogical competence.

On completion of the course, the participant were able to:

Discuss how active learning and the use of digital tools can support students’ learning
Use digital tools to support active learning during a teaching and learning activity and to prepare course material
Design teaching and learning activities that takes advantage of digital tools.

The course participants were awarded certificates upon the completion of the TOT course.

According to the agreement signed with Vanadzor State University, with the support of Center of Continuing Education A.Arakelyan has planned to undertake a five –day training course for VSU professors in accordance with the programme at VSU, February/March 2019.

A training at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium

On November 12-16, 2018, Kristine Ghazaryan, Professor of the Chair of Philosophy and Political Science, Candidate of Law and Associate Professor, has participated in the training, based on the topic “Active Learning, with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning”, which was qualification upgrading course, organized for the lecturers of partner countries, at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, in the context of ERASMUS+ PrinTel Project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”.

The purpose of the course was the development of teaching and learning methods and their innovation in higher education, the replacement of traditional methods in teaching process, the implementation of active learning, equipped with the latest, active, information technologies and with the investment of different infrastructures. The course aims at developing the innovative abilities and skills of teaching the academic staff of partner countries, creating e-learning and teaching environment, creating and reformulating the innovative curriculum, using the latest techniques and tools, and developing the online environment.

The five-day TOT course was based on the application of the following models:

ADDIE (Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate),
TPACK (Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge).

The professors, who partook in the course, had the opportunity to get acquainted with a number of types of active learning, which were as follows:

Mind mapping,
Collaborative Virtual Classrooms,
Scavenger Hunts,
Role Playing,
Online Discussion Boards,
The ‘Flipped Classroom’,
Game-based Learning.

At the end of the training course, the lecturers, who participated, presented their works with the aid of the mentioned models and a number of tools (Mentimeter, Online Presentation Tools), which made the learning process easier and activated the students’ learning.

The course participants were awarded certificates upon the completion of the TOT course.

According to the agreement signed with Vanadzor State University, with the support of Center of Continuing Education, Kristine Ghazaryan has planned to undertake a training course for the academic staff of VSU, which will last ten hours, in accordance with the programme at VSU, February/March 2019.

A training at Universitat de Barcelona (UB)

On December 10-14, 2018, Maria Brutyan, Professor of the Chair of History at Vanadzor State University, Candidate of Historical Sciences and Associate Professor, has participated in the training, based on the topic “Active learning &ICT-enhanced teaching:m learning&gamification”, which was organized at Universitat de Barcelona, in the context of ERASMUS+ PrinTel Project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”.

The course aimed at improving the teaching and learning skills of the academic staff of Higher Education Institutions, which were included in ERASMUS+ PrinTel Project (Armenia, Georgia, Belarus).

The utilization of games is an educational strategy, which gives the students an opportunity to use games and video games in educational environment. Mobile learning includes the use of mobile technologies alone or with other information and communication technologies, giving the student a chance to study at any time and in any place. During the course the professors who were trained:

discussed how active learning could contribute to student learning,
explained the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile devices,
got acquainted with the preparation of various tasks for active learning, such as POLL, KAHOOT, QUI ZLET, SOCRATIVE, SPARK, etc.

They conducted discussions on the concept of active learning, on the use of games, as an innovative learning method, and there were applied mobile apps in the teaching process.

At the end of the course, the professors presented their works with the help of above-mentioned innovative methods of teaching and learning, in PechaKucha format.

According to the agreement signed with Vanadzor State University, with the support of Center of Continuing Education, M. Brutyan has planned to undertake a training course for VSU professors, for transferring them the gained experience and knowledge, February/March 2019.

A training at Universidade do Porto (U.PORTO)

On November 12-16, 2018, Anna Khachatryan, Professor of the Chair of Psychology and Sociology at Vanadzor State University, has participated in the training, based on the topic “Video as a Learning tool for teachers &students: Video Lecturing &promoting Interaction in the Classroom”, which was five-day qualification upgrading course, organized for the lecturers of partner countries, at Universidade do Porto, in the context of ERASMUS+ PrinTel Project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”.

The purpose of the visit was to create videos in teaching process, to transfer the listeners the necessary knowledge and skills about the ways and tools of their usage and spread.

Nowadays, the videos have become one of the most widespread resources of online education, and maybe later they will be utilized in traditional classrooms. The audio-visual materials can provide information in more attractive and interesting way, by creating more intensive and impressive learning experience. The use of digital tools in the classroom, such as interactive whiteboards, tablets and even mobile phones, should mostly contribute to the emergence of new learning approaches and increase cooperation and involvement with Web generation students.

The following topics were presented by the course mentors of Porto University for the fulfillment of the above-mentioned goal:

Video as a teaching tool.
The use of videos at University.
The video as a learning tool, the creation of necessary videos for learning with the application of Panopto.
Panopto as a video platform in Higher Education System.
Interactive classroom, the use of different tools for creating videos.

The participants of the course had an opportunity to visit specialized and “One-button” media labs, shooting and recording studios of Porto University, for getting acquainted with the tool for filming and editing videos.

At the end of the course the participants presented the videos that they created, strengthened the knowledge and experience that they gained, revealed the strong and weak points of the course and discussed the opportunities and limitations of the presented tools.

According to the agreement signed with Vanadzor State University, with the support of Center of Continuing Education, A. Khachatryan has planned to undertake a training course for VSU professors, based on the topic “Video as a Learning tool for teachers & students: Video Lecturing & promoting Interaction in the Classroom”, which will last ten hours, February/March 2019.

The trained professionals will utilize their gained experience at VSU

On November 12-16, 2018, in the context of ERASMUS+ PrinTel Project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”, a number of professors of VSU have been trained at the following Universities: Linkopings Universitet (Sweden), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium), Universidade do Porto (Portugal) and Universitat de Barcelona.

The professors, who have been awarded with certificates, will share their experience with their colleagues by training them at University, so as to provide an education relevant to the contemporary and effective teaching methods.

During the meeting with Administrative Staff of the University, the trained professionals of VSU presented their experience gained abroad, and the opportunities and problems of applying it at our University. They discuss the current challenges and outline their solutions in collaboration with the Educational-Methodological Department.

In February 2019, the professors will conduct a training course, which will last a week.

Anush Gevorgyan, Head of the Educational-Methodological Department, believes that it will become a reliable basis for organizing distance learning in future.

Announcement

The Center for Continuing Education (Lifelong Learning Center) organizes training courses for professors that will last a week. The aim of the training courses is to teach the innovative and technologically advanced methods of teaching and learning.

The courses will be conducted by six professors of the University that have been trained at European Partnership Universities in the context of ERASMUS+ PRINTeL Project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”.

N	*Name, Surname*	*The orientation of courses*	*The deadline of the organization of courses*	*The hour***
1.	Arina Danielyan	Hybrid/Blended Teaching & Learning	18-22.02.2019	15:00-17:00
2.	Anna Arakelyan	Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom	18-22.02.2019	15:00-17:00
3.	Vanane Mirzoyan	Hybrid/Blended Teaching & Learning	25.02-01.03.2019	15:00-17:00
4.	Mariya Brutyan	Active learning & ICT-enhanced teaching: m-learning & gamification	01-07.03.2019	15:00-17:00
5.	Kristine Ghazaryan	Active Learning, with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning	11-15.03.2019	15:00-17:00
6.	Anna Khachatryan	Video as a Learning tool for teachers &students: Video Lecturing & promoting Interaction in the Classroom	18-22.03.2019	15:00-17:00

At the end of the course, the professor that will participate in it will be awarded with certificate.

The participants of the course must have:

at least A1 level of English,
a skill of mastering the MS Mindows software package, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point,
a skill of acquiring, evaluating, storing, applying, presenting and transmitting information mainly in a foreign language when using the computers,
an ability to search, compare and share information on the Internet.

Applications for participation can be submitted in paper form or can be sent via email to anrulega@mail.ru, (A. Gevorgyan, Educational-Methodological Department of VSU, Administrative Building, 2^nd floor, first room.) The deadline for submission of applications is February 12, in 2019.

TT Course “Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom”

During one-week training (18-22 February, 2019)…participants from different faculties of Vanadzor State University have been trained. The participants were introduced with the methodology of Active Learning, its concepts and basic ideas, as well as its role in promoting and motivating students’ involvement and active participation in the whole process of education. As a practical part the participants were asked to fill in active learning worksheets and to show the results of combining active learning strategies with digital technology in the active learning grid.

The trainees were also introduced with the model of the Flipped Classroom and basic principles of implementing the model into the reality. As a practical assignment the participants were asked to record some part of their lectures and put them into the lesson presentations.

Special attention was paid to the study and strategies of ABC design and principles of designing or redesigning their courses via the suggested model.

This 5-day training passed in the atmosphere of great enthusiasm, sound collaboration and cooperation. The participants welcomed the idea of organizing meetings and sharing experience after implementing the taught models of teaching.

TT Course “Hybrid/Blended teaching”

Within the framework of Erasmus+ PRINTeL project a five-day teacher training course on Hybrid/Blended teaching conducted by Arina Danielyan (participant of ERASMUS+ PRINTeL Project, Assistant Prof. at the Chair of Foreign Languages of VSU), took place on 18-22 February 2019 at Vanadzor State University. The central objective of the course consists in familiarizing the participating lecturers with the method of Hybrid/Blended teaching & learning – an innovative approach regarding how traditional classroom/independent studying methods and e-learning can be interconnected in the teaching process.

The content-related issues to be discussed on the agenda of the training chiefly related to the introduction of the course and the role of the teacher in online courses, online learning environment and portfolios, multimedia production, operating with online project management tools and assisted group work. Lecturers were provided with an innovative and flexible tool to help them meet the individual needs of their students. They gained computer-based educational tools that provide a variety of lessons and assessments not normally found in a traditional classroom environment. This provides instructional alternatives that greatly increase the number and quality of instructional tools available to the teacher. Each lesson was a combination of theoretical and practical components.

The training was summarized by presenting the self-study projects, as well as discussing individual experiences. All the participants of the course received certificates of successful participation at the end of the training.

TT COURSE “Active Learning and ICT-enhanced teaching: M-learning and gamification”

From March 1 to 7, 2019, the participant of “Erasmus+PRINTeL” project Associate Prof. Mariya Brutyan held a training course at Vanadzor State University on the following topic: ,,Active Learning and ICT-enhanced teaching: M-learning and gamification”. During the five-day training, 19 university professors were introduced to innovative teaching methods, the use of mobile devices during the learning process, and the gamification of teaching.

During this training, the lecturers discussed the importance of active learning, mobile learning and gamification in education, highlighted the positive and negative aspects.

During the training, the lecturers were introduced a number of innovative tools such as Canva, Polleverywhere, Adobe Spark video, Kahoot, Socrative. Besides getting acquainted with the possibilities of these tools, professors surveyed Poll, Kahoot Sli-do, Mentimeter, prepared their business cards with Canva and performed group work, making small clips in Adobe Spark video. During the training, the trainees were encouraged with orders, while getting acquainted with Badge design. The training participants also got acquainted with QR code making techniques.

The participants were able to discuss the differences between Games and Serious games and used the “Escape room” as a version of gamification. The lecturers got acquainted with the steps that helped them to form their own gamification strategy. At the end of the course, each of them delivered a presentation about their gamification teaching strategy.

The active process of instruction, the active involvement of lecturers and feedback suggest that these innovative methods will be applied in their future activities.

The regular course conducted for the training of the professors

From March 18 to 22, within the framework of ERASMUS + PRINTeL Project (“Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”), a teacher training course was held for VSU lecturers on “Video as a Learning Tool for Teachers &Students: Video Lecturing &Promoting Interaction in the Classroom”. The training was conducted by Anna Khachatryan, lecturer of the Chair of Psychology and Sociology.

The purpose of the training was to convey the skills and knowledge needed to create, use and disseminate video materials in the teaching process. During the five-day training, the participants got acquainted with the resources of the creation and distribution of videos such as the leading “Panopto” platform, “Explain Everything”, “IMovie” or “MiniMovie” apps, “Movavi” program. They discussed the principles of video effectiveness, the benefits of class visualization, the basic steps to creating a video, joint visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning possibilities.

At the end of the training, the participants presented their videos, each of which had a functional significance: a homework assignment, reminder of key moments of the lecture, or a summary.

A five-day training course

From March 11 to 15, in 2019, a five-day training course was organized on “Active Learning, with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning” at Vanadzor State University, which was conducted by Kristine Ghazaryan, Assistant of the Chair of Philosophy and Politology at VSU, Candidate of Legal Sciences and Associate Professor.

The training course was carried out on Google Drive platform, which provided the document circulation and the accessibility of the materials presented among the participants. The trainees accepted the usage of e-Portfolios with great enthusiasm. These e-Portfolios enable the trainer to create a personal page, to prepare descriptors of students’ performance, as well as to create different systems that will support the trainers to conduct their courses and to assess the participants’ performance, such as Animaker, Canva, Prezi, Mindmup, Polleverywhere, Plickers, Mentimeter, etc. Several well-known methods were utilized in parallel with the improvement of the practical skills on online platform, such as Six Hats, One-Minute Questioning, TPACK, ADDIE, BLOOM Taxonomy, SMART, ABCD, etc.

The participants emphasized the need to conduct such trainings, as well as the effectiveness of organizing courses, especially with the help of the latest technologies.

The organization of the University professors’ trainings at European Universities

The results of the training courses conducted in the context of “PRINTEL (ERASMUS+)” project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting Innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”, were summarized, on May 13, at Vanadzor State University.

The courses had the following orientations:

Hybrid/Blended Teaching & Learning,
Active Learning in the “Flipped Classroom”,
Active learning &ICT-enhanced teaching:m-learning&gamification,
Video as a Learning tool for teachers &students: Video Lecturing & promoting Interaction in the Classroom,
Active Learning, with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning.

Arina Danielyan, Vanane Mirzoyan, Anna Arakelyan, Maria Brutyan, Anna Khachatryan and Kristine Ghazaryan, professors who conducted lectures, have been trained at leading European Universities ( Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Universitat de Barcelona, Universidade do Porto, Linkopings Universitet and Graz University of Applied Sciences).

More than 60 professors participated in the works of the project, who, as a result of the courses:

learned to utilize “Active learning in “Flipped classroom” model, Panopto, Trello, Easygenerator, Moovly, E-Portfolio MOOC (xMOOC, cMOOC, SPOC, BOOC, MOOR), Google Drive platforms and QR code tool.
were able to work with Explain Everything, IMovie or MiniMovie attachments and Movavi, Canva, Polleverywhere, Adobe Spark video, Kahoot, Socrative, Adobe Spark video programmes.
got acquainted with Animaker, Canva, Prezi, Mindmup, Mentimeister systems that supported them to conduct their courses, with Polleverywhere, Plickers, Mentimeter systems, which were used during the assessment process and with other systems.
learned to conduct inquiries with Poll, Kahoot Sli-do, Mentimeter tools.
a preferred course was developed with the help of “ABC design”.
used a number of well-known methods, such as “Six Hats” “One Minute Questioning, TPACK, ADDIE, BLOOM Taxonomy, SMART, ABCD, etc.
formed a gamification strategy for their own course and used “Escape room” version of gamification.

The participants were awarded with certificates (you can see the list of the partakers here).

Online inquiries were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the courses and provide feedback. The reactions are quite positive. You can see the results of the inquiries here (Arina Danielyan, Vanane Mirzoyan, Anna Arakelyan, Maria Brutyan, Anna Khachatryan and Kristine Ghazaryan).

The enthusiasm of the professors was so motivating, during the process of summarizing the results that Nelly Sirunyan, a professor of the Chair of Foreign Languages, even decided to dedicate a poem…

The training of the professors is an ongoing process. Nowadays, the coordinating group of ERASMUS+ PRINTeL project has embarked on the establishment of Virtual Academy (VATL).

You can learn more details about the courses from the website of ERASMUS+ PRINTeL project, which is as follows: https://www.printel.am/category/news/in-house-teacher-training-course-at-vana.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The PRINTeL project N^o585760funded by theERASMUS+ Programme of the European Union kindly invites all suppliers to participate in the tenders for the supply of equipment for creating Technology-enhanced Active Learning Classrooms and Multimedia Lecture Capture Studiosin several universitiesof Armenia, Georgia and Belarus. Within the frame of the tenders the following equipment amounting to 200,000 EUR is planned to be procured:

Interactive flat panels/displays
PTZ and Auto-tracking PTZ video cameras
Document cameras/visualizers
Presentation HD recorders &streamers
Interactive classroom response systems
Audio systems and studio kits, headphones
Acousticsoundproof studio panels
Lighting kits for video studios
Desktop and laptop computers
USB Web cameras
Network servers and equipment, UPSs for servers

For the details of the tendering processes please visit the following websites and download the complete official tender announcements:

http://printel.am/tender/am.pdf and http://printel.am/tender/ge-by.pdf , or

http://ysu.am/tender/am.pdf and http://ysu.am/tender/ge-by.pdf , or

call +(37410)570677 or +(37491)720178. Thedeadlineforsubmissionoftendersis 26July 2019.

Expertise Visit and Monitoring Within the Scope of ERASMUS+ PRINTEL Project

Nathalie Bouldoukyan, Director of Quality Assurance and Institutional Effectiveness Office at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon (USEK), who carries out the monitoring of ERASMUS+ PRINTEL project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”, visited Vanadzor State University on the third of October, 2019. As an expert, Nathalie Bouldoukyan, Director of Quality Assurance and Institutional Effectiveness Office at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon (USEK), met S. Toumanyan, Acting Rector of VSU, and discussed the issues regarding project management. Working discussions were conducted with Anoush Gevorgyan, Head of Educational-Methodological Department, Asya Harutyunyan, Head of Lifelong Learning Center and with the professors of the University, who had been trained at European Universities (Kristine Ghazaryan, Maria Brutyan, Anna Khachatryan, Vanane Mirzoyan, Arina Danielyan and Anna Arakelyan), in the context of ERASMUS+ PRINTEL project, called “Change in Classroom: Promoting innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”. In the course of the discussion they touched upon the creation of the methodological basis of the project, the organizational work, as well as the project continuity and productivity and feedback provision. The University resources were introduced to N. Bouldoukyan, Director of Quality Assurance and Institutional Effectiveness Office at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon (USEK). These resources would enable them to continue the project work more effectively. They got a new “CLEVERTACH” screen (auditorium N.4) within the framework of ERASMUS+ PRINTEL project. They also plan to get video classes recording equipment in the near future that will broaden teaching opportunities.

Certificates for Successful Completion of the Course

Six VSU professors, who were trained within the scope of ERASMUS+ PRINTeL project, have conducted a course for the employees of Vanadzor State Medical College since November 2019. The course on “The Application of Modern Information Technologies in Teaching” was conducted at the initiative of VSU Lifelong Learning Center.

Ten professors from Vanadzor State Medical College were awarded certificates upon successful completion of the course. Susanna Tumanyan, VSU Acting Rector, promised that she would permit each of the course participants to deliver a lecture in the classrooms that were equipped with the latest technologies.

The course consisted of the following modules:

Active Learning, with special focus on Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning
Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom
Active learning &ICT-enhanced teaching: m-learning&gamification
Video as a Learning tool for teachers &students: Video Lecturing &promoting Interaction in the Classroom
Hybrid/Blended Teaching & Learning
Modern Educational Technologies.

The course aimed at promoting the development of professional qualifications, pedagogical and research skills of the participants by utilizing modern information technologies in teaching.

The professors, who conducted the training, were interested in the results of using contemporary methods. The professors from Vanadzor State Medical College shared their impressions of the training with the participants of the meeting.

One of the most enjoyable moments of the meeting was the surprise gift that was prepared by VSU Lifelong Learning Center and the cake symbolizing the friendship between Vanadzor State University and Vanadzor State Medical College.

Such training courses will be conducted by VSU Lifelong Learning Center on a regular basis.

“Change in Classroom: Promoting Innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”, PRINTeL

BLENDED/ HYBRID TEACher Training (OTT) Course

On February 10-12, Arine Danielyan, Assistant Professor of Foreign Languages and Literature at VSU, participated in a three-day training course organized by the University of FH JOANNEUM, Graz, Austria, entitled “Online Teaching Revisited”. Lecturers and employees of different universities in Armenia, Georgia, and Belarus took part in the training.

On April 8, 9, 12 of this year, Arine Danielyan conducted the “Blended / Hybrid Teaching and Learning” training course for about 15 lecturers and methodologists from different faculties, chairs of VSU. The participants got acquainted with the essence of the “Online Teaching Revisited ” template, structural elements, principles of organization and implementation, procedure. During the course, participants became aware of some theoretical knowledge and some good practice with examples related to online teachings, such as how to facilitate an online course, quantity or quality in teaching, students’ attention, active participation, reflect on their experience and their competencies gained during the course, create a community of practice to share and develop their competences.

These interactive online workshops are designed to support teachers in enhancing their teaching qualifications with competencies in the field of online teaching practice to meet the current needs of the students. Due to Corona Crisis, there is a need to go beyond blended learning to “shatter the timetable” as the way to keep the cohort community, avoid zoom fatigue, and still built skills among students. The use of online learning, thrust into widespread use by the current pandemic, has been embraced by students and lecturers alike as part of a blended learning model. However, good online teaching requires teachers to have very different skills. It’s not about teaching people about a subject, but about providing guidance, mentoring, coaching to help students understand the relevance of what they are learning about. Creating meaningful interactions online is more time-consuming than lecturing face-to-face, but providing access to stimulation asynchronous learning will be a very valuable adjunct to face-to-face tutorials and much more valuable than being one of many in a massive lecture theatre. Thus, there will be plenty of time to share the experience of online or campus teaching, especially considering the current pandemic and the rapid digitalization of teaching that has occurred.

“Change in Classroom: Promoting Innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries”, PRINTeL

Blended/ Hybrid Teacher Training (OTT) Workshop

On February 10-12, Vanane Mirzoyan, Associate Professor of Pedagogy and Psychology at VSU, participated in a three-day training workshop organized by the University of FH JOANNEUM, Graz, Austria, entitled “Online Teaching Revisited”. Lecturers and employees of different universities in Armenia, Georgia, and Belarus took part in the training.

On April 13, 14, and 15 of the current year, Vanane Mirzoyan conducted the “Blended / Hybrid Teaching and Learning” training workshop within the framework of the ERASMUS+PRINTEL “Change in Classroom: Promoting Innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries” project.

Within the course of the three-day active workshop, the privileges and drawbacks of the hybrid online teaching and learning, the structure of the courses, and the effectiveness of the implementation of project-based learning were discussed. The essence, objectives, types, and components, the role of the trainer – moderator, facilitator, coach, mentor, and supervisor – in the project-based teaching and learning were revealed in detail. Within the scope of the workshop, the tricks to attract the students’ attention and the ways to motivate them were discussed. “ADDIE” and “ARCS” models were presented.

21 lecturers from different chairs of VSU participated in the training. Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the course was conducted online.

On February 1, 9 and 15 this year Hermine Baburyan, Associate Professor of the Chair of Armenian Language and Literature, and Anna Khachatryan, Lecturer of the Chair of Pedagogy and Psychology, participated in a three-day training workshop organized by the University of Porto entitled “Video as a learning tool for remote emergency teachers” within the framework of the ERASMUS+PRINTEL “Change in Classroom: Promoting Innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries” project. The training was organized for lecturers from different universities of Armenia, Georgia and Belarus.

On April 16, 19 and 20 A. Khachatryan and on April 21-23 H. Baburyan conducted an online training course respectively for 16 and 10 lecturers and methodists of different faculties and chairs of Vanadzor State University.

In order to acquire practical skills, programs were selected that were mastered during the training, the main tools of which can be used both to organize the lesson effectively in emergencies, as well as to achieve different teaching goals in normal conditions.

On April 28-30 within the framework of the ‘‘PRINTeL’’ program, the lecturers of VSU were trained at the courses entitled “The Spectrum of Digitally Supported Teacher Education” organized by the Center for Educational Reforms and Training, led by K. Ghazaryan.

The course aimed at the development of digital competence among lecturers and challenges ‘‘future digital scientists’’ face in the 21^st century.

During the course, the participants got acquainted with the framework of European digital competences, digital assessment system, forms, requirements and abilities to design the content of an individual course in a digital environment.

On February 9, 16 and 23, Maria Brutyan, Associate Professor of the Chair of History, participated in a three-day training workshop organized by the University of Barcelona, entitled”Active Online Learning”. within the framework of the ERASMUS+PRINTeL “Change in Classroom: Promoting Innovative Teaching & Learning to Enhance Student Learning Experience in Eastern Partnership Countries” project. The training was organized for lecturers from different universities of Armenia, Georgia and Belarus.

On April 26, 27 and 28, 2021 Maria Brutyan conducted an online course for more than 20 lecturers and methodologists of different faculties of Vanadzor State University. During the training, they not only conducted group discussions via the ZOOM platform, provided feedback through Mentimeter, but also learned to create their own Padlet platform, to prepare video with questions through Edpuzzle, to get acquainted with online Escape room through Genially.

Dear Teachers and Students!

Within the frame of Virtual Academy for Teaching and Learning (VATL, www.vatl.ysu.am) of the ERASMUS+ PRINTeL Project(www.printel.am) 5 e-platforms are established for creating Virtual Communities of Teaching Practice around particular innovative teaching and learning (T&L) approaches. These communities will provide social networking platforms to encourage collaboration and dialogue amongst the VATL community members, enable them to engage in discussion forums and conversations about particular aspects of innovative and technology-enhanced T&L. Community members will also have the opportunity to explore and find knowledge on certain innovative T&L practices and pedagogical approaches in the given discipline, to share, review anddiscuss experiences about applying OERs and teaching with the use of technology.

VATL’s Virtual Communities of Teaching Practiceare accessible via the following link –https://vatl.ysu.am/index.php/discussions– after the registration in the VATL portal.Universityteachers and students are welcomed toregister in the VATL Portal and its 5 T&L Communities.

A special Video-Guide, which isaccessible through the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeN8vgB4JAU, will explain how to register for VATL Virtual Communities.