The International Conference “Building Partnerships in Pedagogical Innovation in the Digital Age”, took place in Vadul-lui-Voda, Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova, on 4-6 July, 2017. The Conference was organized by the Continuing Education Institute (Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova) in cooperation with the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE).
The event brought together 150 people from 10 countries (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Czechia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom) – representatives of universities, pilot schools of the European Project INNOVEST, UNESCO associated schools, USAID, UNESCO IITE, and other international organisations. The participants considered various aspects of the effective usage of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education, and the expansion of cooperation in the field of innovative pedagogy between the countries, participating in the event.
Along with plenary meetings, thematic sessions, seminars, round tables, and master classes, the Conference Programme included a three-day Regional Forum for UNESCO associated schools -members of UNESCO IITE’s project “Learning for the Future”.
The main topics discussed at the Forum were:
- strengthening of the educational system in the Digital Age;
- Effective ICT use in education;
- ICT role in education of persons with special needs and disabilities;
- Pedagogical innovations and ICT
- Teacher professional development in line with the demands of a new school.
Participants heard presentations delivered by leading international experts in ICT and innovative pedagogy from Austria, Lithuania, Russia and the United Kingdom.
Within the framework of the Forum, a project competition “Learning for the Future 2017” in three nominations: “ICT for green economy”, “Discovering the world with ICT” and “ICT for inclusive education”, was also held. The competition was organized by UNESCO IITE in cooperation with its partner Nisai Group (United Kingdom).
Schools, which won the competition, received certificates allowing their students to take free distance courses in any subject of the school curriculum in English. The courses will begin in September 2017.