Abstract:

Technology rapidly changes the way we think, live, learn and lead. Education plays an essential role in this transformation process. Teachers and trainers have to be prepared for new mental, physical and virtual learning spaces in order to guide students the best way possible. The blended-learning course “Future-proof your classroom – teaching skills 2030”, in short Teaching2030, addresses teachers, tutors and trainers at higher education institutions providing instructional competencies and skills for future learning spaces. The online course can be accessed without limitations and is free of charge, funded by the Erasmus+ Austrian National Agency within the “Key Action 2” Strategic Partnerships.

Eight modules, turning traditional classrooms into new learning spaces, provide skills and competencies to master future developments in education:
- Module 1 focuses on the change of the professional teaching role towards new horizons.
- Module 2 concentrates on personalised and student centred learning in on-campus-classes.
- Module 3 focuses on the combination of technological and physical learning environments.
- Module 4 elaborates on the creation and use of e-learning tools like videos, virtual reality and MOOCs.
- Module 5 expands upon this topic as collaborating within online spaces like social networks will be inevitable in the future.
- Module 6 deals with writing skills for the web facing topics like how to avoid shitstorms, fake news and plagiarism.
- Module 7 demonstrates teaching in virtual classrooms whereas
- Module 8 combines all competencies and skills to implement a creative virtual and physical learning space.

Teachers and trainers taking the course are guided through the modules using the concept of storytelling. The virtual personalities Lucia and Marko, representing teachers at a higher education institution, talk about their fictional experiences, facing trends and challenges in their future teaching. Representing role models, they tell success stories about their teaching within new learning spaces and their motivations behind for giving new approaches a try. They assist each other with advice and help to expand the boundaries of traditional teaching. They are constantly present in the cBook and in the iLab, which are closely interlinked.

The cBook (computerBook) is the online learning environment of the course Teaching2030, a web-based training for teachers that houses the eight modules. Each module contains five chapters with main topics. The cBook offers diverse learning categories like information, interactive exercises, reflection tasks, videos as well as additional materials and links. The cBook can be used as a stand-alone MOOC but can also be combined with the iLab. The iLab (innovationLab) is the on-campus part of the course. It is an open, self-directed learning space, giving the teachers the possibility to exchange ideas and experiences related to the course. Each module offers a manual explaining the didactical concept of the entire course. A glossary at the end of each manual refers to the central definitions and terms used by the development team. A Teaching2030 developer can also guide this process.

Keywords:

Future classrooms, learning spaces, teacher training, blended learning course, storytelling.