MENTORING INNOVATION - A TRIALOGICAL MODEL FOR IN - SERVICE TEACHER TRAINING

Abstract

Multigrade schools are small primary level institutions situated mostly in villages. They have a single learning space for pupils of different age groups. As the only cultural institutions of these villages, educational methods that use their limitations as benefits and implement multi-age collaboration are needed. Different disciplines taught at the same time to different classes may be connected through an interdisciplinary organisation of learning content. In 2007-2008, teams of teachers at 21 Multigrade schools, local community stakeholders and researchers discussed the "Multigrade case" and described it as a set of financial, social and educational problems. A common research and development agenda was negotiated, with the involvement of local community stakeholders (policy makers, parents) to develop a methodological framework and an interdisciplinary curriculum for the primary grades in Arts and Mathematics. In order to develop a sustainable modernisation plan, the UNESCO Chair for Multimedia Education at ELTE University designed a special training program, the Mentored Innovation Model (MIM). Based on this model, a new version of in-service teacher training that unites innovation, research and lifelong learning was developed and tested between 2009-2011. This paper gives an overview of the potentials of ICT in one of the oldest educational environments: the Multigrade school.