European Trade Union Committee for Education

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As we reported in September, ETUCE is supporting its member organisation SBASHK as it provides a series of trainings for teachers in Kosovo. Two programmes have now been delivered, covering media education and skills for strategic planning in education policy.

The United Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture of the Republic of Kosovo (SBASHK) is organizing three sets of training sessions by the end of 2019. So far two programmes have been delivered to a total of 59 participants.

Media education and its role in social and democratic development

The purpose of this program is to stimulate critical thinking, so that participants can understand how the mass media impacts their lives and opinions. Participants learn to understand the ways that the structure, content, and goals of the mass media are used strategically to construct social, cultural and political realities. They also learn to:

• understand and use media education concepts and terminology
• analyse different types of media including images, videos games and the internet
• spot prejudices and stereotypes in the mass media
• use their media education skills to be critical of their own activities in the media

The course develops skills that will enable lifelong critical thinking about the media. This is not only useful for media education, so that teachers can make students aware of issues around mass media, but also prepares teachers for new forms of interactivity with students.

Strategic leadership and planning in pre-university education 

Participants acquire relevant skills for leadership in education, so that they can undertake strategic planning and develop their own leadership methodologies. They learn to:

• understand key strategic concepts that drive the development of education policies
• implement various forms of policy leadership, with annual, monthly, weekly and daily planning
• exchange information between central, regional, municipal and institutional levels on issues of common interest in strategic leadership and planning

The courses are being delivered by professional trainers and coordinated by the school, municipal and national levels of SBASHK. All courses offer 32 hours of training, which teachers in Kosovo need to get their license or for re-licensing.

By playing an active role in training and professional development, education trade unions support their members in their work and defend the status of teaching as an independent profession. Three new courses for the members of SBASHK in Kosovo have been currently supported by ETUCE in the framework of the bilateral cooperation agreement signed in July 2019.