Albania is modernising its education system – the Finnish inclusive and participatory teaching model supports the country's competency-based curriculum

The project will train primary and secondary school teachers. The main themes are active and competence-based learning and inclusive practices. The goal is to create a teaching model that enables diverse learners to actively participate and learn together.

Experts from Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), Tampere University and Tampere University Teacher Training School Norssi will train Albanian teachers to become trainers for their colleagues. In addition, Valteri schools are supporting two Albanian schools for children with hearing and visual impairments to develop towards a resource centre model.

The EU funded project is coordinated by the Open Society Foundation Albania. European Union is investing in the development of education in Albania as education is a promoter of social change. EU also wants to take the country towards EU readiness in the education sector.

A research-based education model delivers change

To bring about change in classrooms and schools, it is important to give Albanian teachers first-hand experience of what competency-based and inclusive learning is and how to apply it to their own teaching. The training consists of 5 modules and includes a total of 13 days of intensive face-to-face teaching. The training started in January 2023 in Tirana. Since then, trainings have been held in several Albanian cities.

TAMK’s Senior Lecturer Elina Harju and part-time teacher Johanna Järvinen-Taubert will train two groups of 25–30 Albanian colleagues at a time during the face-to-face sessions. In between, the Albanians have independent and group study: they try out new ideas and methods in their own classrooms and document their learning.

“Our aim is to train 350 teachers, who in turn will train their colleagues, i.e. some 15 000 teachers. By the beginning of December, almost 300 teachers have been trained. In theory, we are working on the most impressive project of our careers, but in practice the results remain to be seen. At least the teachers have been eager to try new things which have been enthusiastically received also by their pupils. In any case, this will spread widely, not just for a small group," says Järvinen-Taubert.

Together TAMK and Tampere University will take care of the inclusiveness parts. Tampere University's specific expertise is also in evaluation. Teachers from Norssi have produced e-learning packages from physical education to maths and participated in final seminars for the groups. The Valteri School's contribution relates to the competences required in the resource centres.

The big picture in Albania is exceptional

Even experienced lecturers as Harju and Järvinen-Taubert, who have trained on all continents, are pensive when thinking of Albania. Teachers around the world share much of the same enthusiasm, desire to do their best and to improve their work. However, Albania has many concerns: low state resources, high emigration, low prestige of the teaching profession, inequality, and heavy bureaucracy, among others, which have a major impact on education. In international comparisons, corruption is also seen as one of the key social problems.      

“Albania's education sector is highly regulated. The country's population equals half of the population of Finland, but the bureaucracy of the education administration is many times bigger," says Järvinen-Taubert.

The Albanian education system faces enormous challenges

There are too few schools and cramped classrooms in urban areas, despite high levels of emigration from Albania. It is estimated that around a third of the population lives outside the country. Many students' ambitions are therefore to pursue further studies and find employment abroad.

Albania performs poorly in international learning comparisons, ranking at the bottom in PISA scores. The situation is also challenging in terms of inclusiveness, with some ethnic minorities and vulnerable pupils being excluded from education. There are many reasons for this, including a lack of knowledge among teachers on how to accommodate diverse learners.

The country's curriculum was changed to a competency-based curriculum in 2014, but implementation of the curriculum has remained weak. Schools should be teaching skills alongside knowledge, but the desired change has not been seen in classrooms. Although teachers have been trained to implement the curriculum in practice, in-service training has often been theoretical and teacher-led.

Teachers are willing to learn

Project team members pay tribute to their Albanian colleagues. Despite the challenging circumstances, the teachers with whom they have worked are largely active and enthusiastic about developing their own work and skills.

“They have chosen to stay in the country because they see that education can make a difference and that they are raising the next generation. We have given feedback to the Ministry that the teachers involved are competent and that the students are ready for a cultural change. However, there is room for improvement in the culture, structures, and resources," says Harju.

The ongoing training is about doing instead of just talking about doing

Training puts active learning into practice and into everyday teaching situations. Albanians are happy that they can do things rather than just listen and that the training is so concrete, bringing tools into their everyday lives. The teachers themselves have discovered that you learn by doing and by participating. The learning atmosphere has been made relaxed and collegial.

“This model is something quite different from what they are used to. Teachers used to think that active and inclusive learning was not possible in their environment. Many teachers now have a new enthusiasm for their work. The students hope that the same approach will continue. Quiet students, who do not usually speak up or shine in class, have shown interest. Inclusion students are usually quiet in the back row, but thanks to the tasks that suit them, they have now become part of the classroom community," says Harju.

Learning exercises and feedback show that the work has had an impact. 

The feedback has been heartwarming to read. Some teachers say they will never go back to the old model. We do know that our training model works, but it still feels great to hear it.

Johanna Järvinen-Taubert

Järvinen-Taubert sums up that the ultimate beneficiaries of the project are the children and young people who will receive a good, inclusive education. By putting the competency-based curriculum into practice, learners and students will become active agents in their own lives and in the Albanian society.

 

Visit at project website https://eu4inclusiveteaching.al/
Elina Harju’s and Johanna Järvinen-Taubert’s blog text at TAMK International blog.

More information:
Elina Harju
Senior Lecturer | Pedagogical Innovations and Culture
Tampere University of Applied Sciences
elina.harju [at] tuni.fi, 046 9215157

Johanna Järvinen-Taubert
Part-time Teacher | Pedagogical Innovations and Culture
Tampere University of Applied Sciences
johanna.jarvinen-taubert [at] tuni.fi


Text: Hanna Ylli
Photos: Elina Harju and Johanna Järvinen-Taubert