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 Law no. 245/2008 relating to education (school law) and dealing with changes and additions to previous legislation (in effect from 1 st September 2008)  Law no. 317/2009 relating to pedagogical employees and vocational employees and dealing with changes and additions to previous legislation (in effect from 1 st November 2009) 2 Legislative framework

Since 2008 Slovakia has been carrying out systematic change in the area of education. Institutions of continual education offer teacher education programmes for the development of their professional competencies in accordance with school reforms and present needs of an information society. The Methodology and Pedagogy Centre (MPC) is part of the process of education transformation. It is preparing a range of education programmes for pre-school, primary and secondary education. An important aspect of this process is the setting up of conditions and ensuring the professional performance of those who deliver the education of teachers. 3 Education Reform

Providers of education may be: a) Schools or school facilities b) Universities c) Organisations set up by the ministry for the provision or fulfillment of tasks within the area of continual education d) Educational organisations reporting to other state institutions e) Church or religious societies or other legal entities which have an educational role as part of their activities 4 Providers of Continual Education

Name of the organisation: Metodicko-pedagogické centrum The Methodology and Pedagogy Centre “an organisation set up for the provision and fulfillment of tasks within the area of continual education and reporting to the Ministry of Education” Headquarters: Tomášikova 4, Bratislava Type: Budgetary organisation of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic General Director: PhDr. Helena Hanuljaková Basic Information 5

 The Methodology and Pedagogy Centre (MPC) as a unified organisation for the whole of Slovakia was set up on 1 st January, 2008 with the disbanding of 5 MPCs with legal autonomy. Former MPCs (now existing as regional offices) became one unified MPC. In 2009 a further four regional offices were opened. 6 Basic Information

General Directorship, 1.Regional Office of MPC in Bratislave, 2.Regional Office of MPC in Trnava, 3.Regional Office of MPC in Nitra, 4.Regional Office of MPC in Trenčín, 5.Regional Office of MPC in Žilina, 6.Regional Office of MPC in Banská Bystrica, 7.Regional Office of MPC in Prešov, 8.Regional Office of MPC in Košice. Organisational Division 7 MPC is divided into the General Directorship and 8 Regional Offices.

8 Organisational Division

MPC is organised as follows: a ) Organisational units and employees reporting directly to the general director 1. The Office of the General Director 2. Control 3. Personnel departments b) Department of economic operations c) Department of methodologists and educational planning d) Regional Offices of the MPC Organisational Structure 9

1.Provision of continual education for teachers and VET trainers in schools and school facilities and the preparation of school leadership. 2.Provision of expert methodological activities in the area of continual education of pedagogical and non-pedagogical staff. 3.Carrying out of research activities in the area of continual education of pedagogical and non-pedagogical staff. Activities 10

a) Adaptation Courses b) Actualisation Courses c) Innovation Courses d) Specialisation courses e) School Leadership Courses f) Qualification courses 11 Types of continual education

The goal of adaptation courses is to provide starting teachers and VET trainers with the necessary professional competencies to enable them to carry out the duties of independent teachers and VET trainers which it was not possible for them to achieve during initial teacher or VET training. Adaptation courses which take place under the mentorship of a teacher last from 3 months to a year. 12 Adaptation Courses

The goal of actualisation courses is the maintenance of professional competencies necessary for carrying out standard teacher activities or standard VET trainer activities, or as part of preparation for attestation examinations. Actualisation courses last for 20 – 60 hours, carried out over a maximum period of 10 months. 13 Actualisation Courses

The goal of innovation courses is the further improvement of professional competencies necessary for carrying out standard teacher activities or standard VET trainer activities, or as part of preparation for attestation examinations. Innovation courses last from 60 – 110 hours and are carried out over a maximum period of 12 months. 14 Innovation Couses

The goal of specialisation courses is to provide pedagogical staff and VET trainers with the professional competencies to carry out specialised activities. Specialisation courses for pedagogical staff last from 100 to 160 teaching hours over a maximum period of 18 months; specialisation courses for VET trainers can last from 100 – 400 hours over a period from months depending on the type. 15 Specialisation Courses

The goal of school leadership courses for pedagogical staff and VET trainers is to provide professional competencies necessary for carrying out management duties. School leadership courses last from 160 – 200 teaching hours and last a maximum of 24 months. School leadership courses can also be studied as part of a blended learning package which demands at least 100 teaching hours of attendance. 16 School Leadership Courses

The goal of qualification courses is to provide pedagogical staff with the professional competencies necessary to fulfill qualification requirements for teaching an additional school subject, vocational subject or for supplementing qualification requirements. Qualification courses last for a least 200 teaching hours and last a maximum of 36 months. 17 Qualification Courses

Accreditation is a process of state-approval of programmes of continual education for teachers granted on the basis of consideration of its aims, content, forms, length, assessment and lecturers. 18 Accreditation

The credit system is a set of rules set up to allocate credits awarded through completion of education programmes. The number of credits awarded is based on the number of hours undergone as part of the education programme and the method of assessment. 19 Credit System

The content of the first attestation is aimed at putting into practice creative pedagogical or vocational experiences in solving expert-methodological problems of a pedagogical or VET nature. The content of the second attestation is aimed at putting into practice highly innovative or demonstratively creative pedagogical or vocational experiences in solving expert-methodological problems of a pedagogical or VET nature. 20 Attestation

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Information regarding individual educational programmes offered by the MPC can be found on the website or is provided through invitations to seminars. Pedagogical staff or VET trainers can apply to take part in programmes by means of an application form which is available on the MPC website at the following address: 22 Information Regarding Education Programmes

23 Mária Rychnavská,... lecturer for education activities and published contributions about training and education. Teacher of cotinual education of math and physics and the Head of International Cooperation and Projects Department. Eleonóra Gullach,... special professional interests and working fields are teaching approaches, methods and strategies for active learning of pupils and students, making experiments in biology, etc. Study visit participants

24 Helena Harausová,... train the teachers of vocational schools that are specialized in building, machine and textile industry, business and services, electro-technology, agriculture, etc. Miroslava Jakubeková,... inservice teacher of computer education and economics for techers at secondary technical and grammar schools. Author of textbooks for computer education and economics in secondary schools.

25 Darina Výbohová,... teacher for science and technical subjects. In-service training and developing of education activities, tools and materials for teachers. The head of regional office in Banská Bystrica Marián Valent,... teacher for technical subjects and in-service teachers trainer especially with heads or deputy of heads from vocational and secondary schools.