Paradigm Change and Philosophy of Education
The theories and methodology underpin the tertiary process towards creating and conducting learning and research to acquire teachers’ and educators’ understanding of a learner-centred, creative, inquiry-based process and developing critical thinking as a precondition for a successful educator of the 21st Century.
Adult as a learner and educator
The courses are provided for students whose goal is to obtain master’s degree in higher and adult education and to prepare for working in tertiary and adult education. The goal of the courses is to help the students understand adult’s brain functioning during learning, the essence of creativity and critical thinking within adult learning and teaching. The students will acquire the latest adult education theories in line with the research tendencies on creativity, critical thinking and adult’s learning brain. Students will have the opportunity to acquire skills to apply new knowledge while planning, analysing and making corrections in a process of adult education.
The process of tertiary and adult education
Prioritizing of the process and achievements’ self-assessment and evaluation is recognized among the main tools to conduct tertiary and adult education towards the main academic competences - inquiry-based, creative and self-conducted learning. Targets and content (students’ achievements) of tertiary teaching-learning, curricula theories; theories of (tertiary) learning and creativity; models, methods and techniques of teaching-learning, implementation of the learning paradigm, inquiry learning; knowledge management at a tertiary institution; academic competences, pedagogical knowledge and understanding, practical and intellectual skills; ability to plan, conduct and evaluate educational process and its outcomes at tertiary educational institutions, organizational learning and learning organizations, identification and treatment of diversity, entrepreneurship and social innovations etc.
Development of educator’s personal effectiveness
The overarching target of communication and collaboration is to serve as a background theories and practice of sharing values, discussing theoretically grounded practical solutions, reaching the students’ understanding of educators’ competences and developing the ability of involving the learners into discussions towards creating their knowledge, understanding and critical thinking as a precondition for a successful educator.
Mentoring and supervising lead to the development of entrepreneurship and management of the educators’ personal and the students’ professional development towards a successful practitioner and researcher.
Research-based tertiary process
Research implements the transition from teaching and instruction to the students’ learning by prioritizing their involvement into knowledge and skills creation, as well as development of their creativity and innovative abilities in master’s investigation and an inquiry-based tertiary/secondary/basic education. The students develop research skills and techniques, the context knowledge and/or management of investigations, reflection on the educator’s/teacher’s activities, participation in project teams and/or project management, implementation of the research theoretical and practical results.
Master’s research is in the context of conducting an inquiry-based tertiary teaching-learning. The students demonstrate their research skills by completing and defence of their master’s paper.
The educator’s assistant’s practice
All clusters include several hours of an educator’s assistant’s practice.
The themes, aims, objectives and scope of the assistant’s practice are suggested by the educators and negotiated with the students to meet the program target and the students’ particular needs. The assistant’s practice is recognized as a component of the respective course and is included in its practical part. The course educators provide the students appropriate assistance in preparing, conducting and evaluating the assistant’s practice.
Academic Centre