Inauguration of the Centre for Modern Education
The Centre for Modern Education of the Silesian University of Technology has inaugurated its activity. It is a new unit at the University, the aim of which is to support and develop modern methods and forms of education.
The Centre for Modern Education is located in the Library of the Silesian University of Technology.
“The modernized Library building is an excellent space to train our future academic teachers. During the classes, PhD students will learn how to organize classes with students, how to work with them and build relationships, how to prepare didactic materials and how to represent the Silesian University of Technology. This is the basic knowledge that young people should have when starting the work of an academic teacher “ – said the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education, Prof. Anna Chrobok, who welcomed PhD students at the inaugural training.
In the Centre, not only doctoral students will be educated. It will be a place for all those who are interested in education and didactics, especially the implementation of modern methods in the education process.
-“ Our Centre is dedicated to teaching staff, academic teachers, PhD students, students as well as pupils and teachers of Academic Secondary Comprehensive School of the Silesian University of Technology and the pedagogical staff of schools with which the University has signed a cooperation agreement.” - said Dr Anna Waligóra, director of the Centre for Modern Education at the Silesian University of Technology.
- “During the trainings we will focus primarily on all forms and methods of modern education and their implementation in everyday didactic work with a student. We want our educators to learn and work with the methods used in leading universities around the world. We will implement these methods, teach them to use them so as to equip our lecturers with appropriate competences” – emphasized Dr Anna Waligóra, director of the Centre for Modern Education at the Silesian University of Technology.
The activities of the Centre will be systematically developed, and in addition to regular trainings, courses, lectures, presentations, workshops, seminars, and conferences will be organized to improve the didactic and pedagogical competences of people conducting didactic classes at our University. The Centre for Modern Education will also provide support in the field of education methodology and didactics of a higher education institution.
The first training within the Centre took place on the 15th of October 2024. It was attended by PhD students starting their teaching career. The course under the name “Good Practices in conducting didactic classes” inaugurated the activities of the Centre. During the meeting Dr Hab. Eng. Nikodem Kuźnik, Prof. SUT introduced the audience to the subject: “Teacher – Master.” What should an academic teacher be like?” discussing issues related to the relationship of the lecturer with the student, the attitude of the academic teacher and the ethics of education. Dr Eng. Rafał Setlak presented a workshop in the field of self-presentation entitled “What and how to say and how to present knowledge in classes to be listened to, understood and remembered.” The issues of connected with evaluation of learning outcomes and working with a student from abroad were described by Dr Eng. Paweł Lasek, while Dr Anna Waligóra, introduced students to topics related to academic didactics, modern teaching in accordance with the principles of neurodidactics, motivating students and effective communication. After the theoretical part of the training, participants carried out practical workshops on the secrets of working in the laboratory under the guidance of Prof Andrzej Baier and Dr Hab. Eng. Roman Czyba, Prof. SUT. Young academic teachers got acquainted with the issues of working conditions in the laboratory, but also with additional activities involving students in the work of student research clubs or the implementation of PBL.
“I think that a place like the Centre for Modern Education is very necessary. Young people become academic teachers every day, taking on completely new roles. Becoming a teacher is a process that needs to be improved, but at the same time implies taking on new challenges. Let us remember that each student has individual needs, and our role is to provide them with support.” – noted Dr Eng. Nikodem Kuźnik, Prof. SUT.
- “Thank you very much for the opportunity to participate in the course. It was a huge dose of necessary knowledge for me, which I will be able to use during teaching” - said MSc Eng. Klaudia Cholewa, PhD student at the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering.
The Centre will cooperate with other units that are involved in improving the quality of education at the University. One of them is the College of Studies.
- “We have the same goal - modern education at the Silesian University of Technology. The College focuses mainly on students, on improving study programs, and on making these programs more flexible. Whereas the Centre for Modern Education will focus on improving the qualifications of those conducting classes, showing them modern methods of education, which they will then be able to use in working with students” – added the Director of the College of Studies, Prof. Beata Orlińska.
The Centre will also cooperate with, among others, the Student Government, and the Doctoral Student Self-Government.
Further training will take place on the 18th, 23rd and 29th October 2024.
For more information about the Centre and planned trainings, please visit: https://www.polsl.pl/cnk/.
