Abstract:

The ability to work in a team is identified as an important interpersonal generic competence in the field of teacher education. To develop “the teamwork competence” of teachers, the university teaching process needs to include different approaches and teaching methods, directly and in-directly focused to motivate teachers for teamwork in a school context. In the presentation, the authentic author’s programme “Teamwork in School – Developmental Approach” will be introduced as well the specific methods and their didactic advantages and limits. The presentation consists of the results of the empirical study on the sample of 91 primary teachers in Slovenia, EU.

The methods as a part of the programme, will be introduced from the:
(1) aspect of intra-personally and inter-personally oriented aims of the method,
(2) participants’ perception of how the method is appropriate tool for personal and professional development and teamwork skills' development and
(3) participants’ perception of how the method stimulates their active learning participation.

The results of the study confirmed that primary teachers perceive “active” methods as critical preconditions for changing their own pedagogical practice and for stimulating professional development within the team work in school. The highest level of active learning participation appears within the team-teaching in the classroom, pair-exchange of the teamwork experiences, plenary team-presentations of teamwork experiences and self-observations. Some critical reflections will be presented on different methods used as a tool for developing teamwork skills within pre-service and in-service teacher education in all Bologna Cycles.

Keywords:

Teamwork of teachers, generic competence, teacher education, teaching methods, school.