Continuing Education to Preschool Teachers and Education Directors through Online Trainings

In recent years, the importance of high quality in education and care for young children has been increasingly acknowledged and reflected in a high number of European strategies, policies and programs between the European Commission and the Member States. In 2011, the Council of the EU formally recognizes the central impact of early years service provision for individual, societal, and economic success. In the EU 2020 strategy, providing high-quality and accessible education and care are a key element. International skill survey results (Pisa 2012 (OECD) and Pirls/Iglu 2011 (IEA)) document the relation between early childhood education and care (ECEC) and school performance which is fundamental for individual development and therefore the key to the future. Improving the general access to and enhance the quality of education for preschool teachers and education directors as well as supporting their personal development will ensure a contribution to the European targets. The aim of the EduTeach project is to design, test and implement a modular training program adapted to the needs and interests of those responsible in education and care for young children (0-6 years) across Europe. To allow both flexible and individual learning, the training offers will be based on ICT and incorporate a fair balance between interactive and self-study learning activities. Using results from a user needs analysis and evaluations of the implementation of trainings, EduTeach further tends to forward research and development on models, methods, and didactic strategies for effective online training to educators, preschool teachers and education directors. The set of individual project objectives serves the aim above, and includes:

development of a series of interactive, media-enriched learning modules;
establishment of a database including digital learning material in 8 European languages;
development of a learning platform that will serve as the host environment for the online training program.