The Centre for Teaching and Learning of the University of West Attica successfully organized a closing ceremony for the 1st Learning Circle. The event took place on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, from 17:00 to 20:00 at the Ancient Grove Campus, Conference Centre.
The seminar commenced with an introduction by Mrs. E. Papageorgiou, the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs at the University of West Attica. In her opening remarks, she emphasized the significance of CTL in evaluating the teaching work carried out by educators themselves, enabling them to effectively manage their educational endeavors. Following Mrs. Papageorgiou, Mr. S. Kaminaris, the new member of the UniWA rectorate (from 1/9/2023), took the floor. He expressed his belief that the initiatives undertaken by CTL align perfectly with the University’s aspirations of charting a dynamic and effective path, ultimately benefiting the students. Then, Mr. A. Spyridakos, the Dean of the School of Administrative, Economics & Social Sciences of the University of West Attica and new member of the UniWA rectorate (from 1/9/2023) emphasized the importance of continuing this project. Additionally, Mrs. Voukelatou, an external speaker from the 1st Learning Cycle of CTL , referred to Mezirow’s transformative learning approach. This approach aims to change people’s attitudes through experiential learning, reflection, and experience. It is evident that this objective aligns with one of the primary goals of the CTL.
Following this, members of the Centre’s Steering Committee provided a comprehensive overview of the Centre’s vision. Mrs. Asonitou highlighted the introduction to University Pedagogy that was made, which will subsequently lead to a more specialized approach in future Learning Circles. Building upon this, Mrs. Chatzigianni emphasized that the CTL’s initiation has laid the foundation for enhancing learning outcomes through University Pedagogy, paving the way for a challenging yet highly creative path ahead. Furthermore, Mr. Psaromiligkos stressed the importance of organized efforts and a clear vision when striving for long-term goals. He then proceeded to provide a concise overview of the course content in the 1st learning cycle on Moodle UniWA, as well as the training context. Also, he offered a brief analysis of the S.A.M.R. Model and the Triple-e framework, focusing on the integration of technology in educational practice. Within this context, he initiated a discussion on the pivotal role of teachers in higher education, emphasizing their profound impact on the students they encounter in each course. In conclusion, Mr. Psaromiligkos informed the attendees of the upcoming MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) utilizing the course context. This MOOC would serve as a valuable resource for the UniWA administration to adopt and provide to newly appointed colleagues.
The seminar concluded with a workshop . Firstly, participants were provided with an illustrative example of educational design. They were then encouraged to engage in the following activities:
(a) Classifying the example in terms of learning outcomes, specifically by matching each objective with the corresponding level of Bloom’s taxonomy.
(b) Matching the activities to the objectives and assessing if these activities aligned with the SMART framework. This framework emphasizes that objectives should be specific, achievable, measurable, relevant to the content, and time-bound.
To wrap up, participants were tasked with formulating a concise instructional design for a part of their own lesson. This design was then discussed with the other colleagues.
The workshop aimed to equip participants with practical knowledge and skills in educational design. By engaging in these activities, participants were able to analyze and apply key concepts, fostering a deeper understanding of effective instructional strategies. The open dialogue provided an opportunity for collaborative learning and the exchange of ideas among participants. Overall, the workshop fostered a dynamic and interactive learning environment, empowering participants to enhance their instructional practices and create engaging learning experiences for their students.
You can watch the seminar in Greek on Center for Teaching & Learning @ UniWA youtube channel: