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Building teacher capacity across Europe through the ContinueUP project
At the heart of Europe's education landscape, teachers hold the key to unlocking a brighter future for both students and society. Their professional development plays a pivotal role in shaping thriving schools and nurturing the minds of the next generation. In line with this vision, the new EU-funded project "ContinueUP" aims to support the effective and continuous development of European teachers throughout their careers, thereby enhancing the appeal of the teaching profession.
Addressing the challenges of ITE and CPD
As 21st-century teachers navigate an ever-changing society, they need to continually revise, adapt, and develop their practices. The process of becoming a teacher is therefore not one that can be completed upon receiving a teaching qualification but an ongoing journey of learning that lasts the entire career of a teacher.
This requires for teachers to adopt a mind-set of self-directed professional development, willing and able to seek out learning opportunities and collaboration with peers. A strong continuum between initial teacher education (ITE) and continuous professional development (CPD) initiatives is crucial for teachers to develop this mind-set. This continuum remains underdeveloped in most European countries, with limited links between ITE and CPD initiatives.
To help teachers succeed in an ever-changing environment, ITE needs to prepare teachers for a path of continuous learning and collaboration. However, most ITE programmes still focus on subject content, as well as general and subject-related pedagogy with little attention to developing a teachers’ capacity for professional learning and collaboration. Similarly, CPD activities are often delivered as isolated events with few links to ITE and without a sense of progression across a teacher’s career and learning journey.
A stronger continuum between ITE and CPD is vital, as it empowers teachers to grow both personally and professionally throughout their careers. The combination of initial preparation and ongoing development ensures that educators are equipped to meet the evolving demands of the education landscape, deliver innovative teaching practices, and ultimately, positively impact the lives of their students, thus, delivering a thriving and dynamic educational environment that benefits both teachers and learners alike.
Creating a Collaborative Network
To achieve these objectives, "ContinueUP" establishes a network of ITE and CPD providers, coming together to co-construct and deliver an education and training program. This program comprises a blended ITE module and a CPD Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). By fostering collaboration between these providers, the project aims to strengthen the bridge between initial education and continuous development for teachers.
The "ContinueUP" project sets forth a comprehensive approach to address the challenges faced by teachers across the ITE and CPD continuum. Its key objectives are:
- Develop teachers' capacity for professional engagement using digital tools.
- Facilitate continuity and clear connections between ITE and CPD provision.
- Cultivate mobility experiences and collaborative cultures among teacher educators.
- Enhance the quality and cost-efficiencies in the development of new ITE and CPD solutions.
- Offer policy recommendations for better recognition of international teachers' CPD
With "ContinueUP", three universities (University of Zagreb, University of Lisbon and University Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid), two Ministries of Education from Croatia and Spain (INTEF) two regional CPD providers from Portugal (Regional Department for Education, Science and Technology of the Autonomous Region of Madeira & CFAE Póvoa de Varzim) and European Schoolnet (as coordinator of the project) are paving the way for the continuous professional development of teachers across Europe. By bridging the gap between ITE and CPD, fostering collaboration among education providers and investing in teachers' professional growth, the project not only enriches the lives of both teachers and students but also cultivates a thriving educational ecosystem that fosters innovation, resilience, and progress. Together, as a collaborative network, "ContinueUP" is empowering European teachers to create a brighter and more enlightened future for generations to come.
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